MANIFESTING THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH
by
Michael Trapasso Attorney at Law
Occasionally, but not often, I will walk around our neighborhood block. One day during the year 2010, I came across the neighbor who lives in the last house at the end of the street that I live on.. This walk would prove to be no ordinary one.
This neighbor, whom I had not seen for sometime, was obviously quite ill as I saw him standing…or should I say, somewhat bent over. He was not only very thin, but was jaundice in appearance, as was obvious from the yellowish-ness of both his eyes and skin. He was holding on to a small tree limb to keep from falling over. I stopped. “Neighbor, or you okay?, I asked. He simply replied, “Not really.”
For the first time, I walked on his grass and approached him. I said, “What is wrong?” He replied, “I have been waiting for a liver transplant.”
He was approximately 67 years of age. I had serious doubts he was going to live until a new liver arrived; even if it did, it was not likely he would survive surgery.
I had been healed by Jesus Christ on several occasions – and no, I don’t mean thru medical care and by medicine. No, I am not against medicine or doctors. In fact, two of my children are enrolled in medical school at UTMB in Galveston. However, what I am saying is the level of your faith determines, in part, the manner of recovery one should seek.
Anyway, back to this gentlemen.. I didn’t call 911, I didn’t call an ambulance, no, I didn’t call anyone. I simply said to him, “May I pray for you?” Well, let me put it this way, he didn’t sound excited about me praying for him. There was a brief quietness – almost like he was searching for the right words to politely say, “No.” Now, maybe I was reading him wrong on that, but from his slow response, it appeared to me he was not overjoyed at my request – or better stated – my question.
After that brief pause, he simply said, “Okay.” Now, I knew that he was not like the man Paul saw in whom he perceived the man had faith enough to be healed. However, I was not depending on his faith, but the measure of faith that is imparted to every believer by our Lord Jesus thru the Spirit. Thru the years, by my hearing the Word of God, and by the nurturing of my faith, my faith had grown. I laid my hands upon the man’s liver, and spoke to it, telling his liver to receive the healing virtue and power of Jesus, and that for him to be healed in Jesus’ Name.
No, the neighbors next door didn’t hear me praying; I made no ruckus. This wasn’t about me. It was simply about a man who needed healing…
After that brief prayer, I left with the same abiding trust I had in Jesus before I prayed. I believe for miracles. I believe the impossible is quite possible in Christ our Lord, because I know the power of Christ’s resurrection and what He accomplished for us all, two thousand years ago.
Anyway, I continued my walk. Months passed, and I did not see him, nor, for that matter, think about him. Now that is between him and Jesus.
Then I came across him one day…I didn’t almost recognize him. He had filled out and looked quite healthy. I asked, “What happened to you?”
He replied, “Well, when you prayed for me, God healed me!”
My response was to remove the ‘you’ and the word ‘God’ from his phraseology, and replied, “It wasn’t me that healed you…and remember this, neighbor, there are many (so-called gods) in this world. You should know, without a doubt, that it was Jesus Christ, thru the Spirit, who healed you.”
He later told me that his doctor that had been waiting to hopefully implant a liver in him, said, “Miracles still happen today.” For fellow believers, that should be a given.
You see, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Kingdom of God should be manifested thru our lives to others as we go about our daily routines.
