Who Can Be Against Us?

        

Each day my usual habit is to read the daily verse from my Bible app. It renews my spirit especially when I haven’t had the chance to read my Bible yet. It’s the exact pick me up I need to get me through the day.  Today’s Bible verse was Romans 8:31- What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? To me there is no irony that this is in the piece of scripture I read today because a week ago I was being released from the National Institutes of Health, (NIH) after a liver biopsy- a biopsy that was supposed to produce life altering results.

Last September I had one of my many visits to the NIH. At the end of this visit my doctor met me with grave concern. She explained some of my blood counts indicated the disease in my liver was progressing, which could signal my Primary Immunodeficiency, MAGIS Syndrome was becoming more debilitating. I reassured her that I felt great, I was a new person physically from 2011 when I almost lost my life, and even when I was sick with infections, I could still function and maintain a good quality of life.  Despite my assurance, my doctor wasn’t convinced and the worry I saw in her eyes was worry I hadn’t seen since 2011.

The next step was for me to come back in January and undergo a liver biopsy, my liver portal pressures were to be checked, and an endoscopy was to be performed. Before I went to the NIH in January, I felt so strongly I should be anointed, but I didn’t go through with the leading of The Holy Spirit.  Why, you may ask? Honestly, I was worried about what others would think.  You see, most people know that God’s revealed to me He is going to completely heal me and I was afraid people would get confused if I asked to be anointed. Would they think I had doubts or wasn’t sure about God’s promise? And because of that hesitation, I held off on getting anointed until it was too late.

That Sunday night in Bethesda, Maryland I felt terrible.  I knew I had disobeyed God’s leading.  In that moment, I sure didn’t care what people would think of me and I wished I had that boldness when it counted.  My heart clenched with fear— what if there were complications during the procedure because I didn’t heed the Spirit’s leading?  What if the results of the liver biopsy were detrimental because I didn’t do what I was supposed to do? I begged God that night that if this procedure wasn’t supposed to happen for any reason, God would prevent it from happening.

The next day much to my relief, God answered my prayer.  The terrible sinus pressure and headaches I thought I was experiencing because I wasn’t able to take Ibuprofen due to the biopsy was actually because I had a upper respiratory virus. For safety reasons, the procedure couldn’t be done.  I thanked God for protecting me and I determined in my heart, I would mind God the next time I would undergo the liver procedures, not worrying about anyone else’s opinion.

I asked my doctor if this procedure could be done in September because I had such a busy summer schedule and didn’t want to give up anything.  She was adamant that it was critical that it was done in May because she needed to know the state of my liver sooner rather than later. I didn’t share her fear, I knew everything was going to be okay.  I also knew that if God brought to my mind I needed to be anointed this time I would obey.

On a Sunday a few weeks before my May visit to the NIH, my church had an amazing anointing service.  Many people came for healing and answers for impossible situations.  I knew my time had come to obey— something I should have done in January.  When I got to my assistant pastor, I told him that I had to undergo liver procedures at the NIH in the next few weeks, but that I was believing and expecting good results, so my doctors could once again witness a miracle. I wanted to be anointed as an outward step of faith that I was claiming and believing this promise.

After this service, I took this step of faith further— believing not only I would get good results, I would receive the news that the disease was completely gone or the disease was digressing in my liver.  I wrote this statement of faith in my journal and anytime I could share this with people I did.  No more hesitation or worry— I was determined to be bold. 

There were obstacles and hurdles to cross leading up to my liver procedures, but I knew they would all be worth it to receive the news that I had a healthy liver.  And that’s exactly the news I received.  After undergoing a rough procedure, I was told by my parents the pressures in my liver were normal!  My GI doctor, the specialist who manages my liver care, came out with the biggest smile and sense of relief on his face when he gave my parents the news.  It became clear to my parents that this doctor didn’t think my pressures would be normal as well.

When I was taken back to my room, my main doctor at the NIH came to see me.  I asked her if she had heard about the results of the procedure yet.  She told me she hadn’t and I had the privilege of telling her they were normal.  My doctor is every inch of a scientist.  She’ll smile and laugh, but she doesn’t show much emotion beyond that.  This news changed that—she clapped her hands and squealed, “yay!” Then she said the most amazing thing, because the liver pressures were normal, this could be a sign the disease in my liver was reversing itself.

I knew this was what I was going to hear— it’s what I believed and stood on, but to actually hear that it was so, well, it’s the best feeling to see your faith become sight.  It also confirmed the truth of Romans 8:31.  Take heart in this promise!  If you trust God, obey Him, and cling to the fact He is for you, who can truly be against you?