Jean Neil was a very sick woman. In fact she had been sick for 25 years prior to 1988. Everyone in her church knew that and they also knew well her determination to always be in the house of the Lord regardless of the searing pains that saw her always leaving her seat to hobble with her two crutches only to spend long periods with both crutches under her armpits and her back against the wall. Between clenched teeth she whispered her love to the Lord through each wave of pains that built up to a crescendo! She was determined to always be in church as soon as the doors opened even if her pains killed her-that way, she would move from glory to glory! Continue...
Actually, at that point, death would have been for her a welcome relief rather than a dreaded enemy. Looking back she knew she had a lot to be bitter about but her British heart was filled with gratitude. God bless her! She was raised in a terrible home for girls in Jersey where her caregivers stripped her naked and beat her in the presence of other girls for speaking out of turn or for her knack for wisecracking. They tortured her with ice baths but Jean never lost her sense of humor and her knack for wisecracking.
Sadly, after spending 15 years in that terrible home and just when it felt like she had put her unpleasant past behind her, she had taken a bad fall and ruptured her tailbone. At that time she was happily married but the devil was not done with her! This injury worsened an already deteriorating spinal condition and she had several surgeries to correct the problem. All surgeries failed and each left her in more pains and worse condition. She was finally told she could never walk again. What was more? Her lungs and heart became weak from continuous use of pain medication. As a result, she had to be placed on medication to keep her heart pumping and oxygen too for her failing lungs. What was the prognosis of her surgeon at that point? Another surgery which they said had a 50-50 chance of her improvement.
Desperate situations call for desperate measures and Jean Neil’s pains had gotten so bad that she was going to take chances with that risky surgery but for two dreams she had. It all began with the prayer of a three year old toddler who prayed for her, taking her hand in his little hand and asking Jesus to heal her. Needless to say, all Jean’s church members in Butler (England) were praying for her around the clock and even the church services included public petition to the Lord on her behalf for healing. Yet, this little guy’s prayer meant so much to Jean and certainly to Jesus. Soon afterwards she had two dreams. In the first dream she was operated on and she died on the operating table. She woke up frightened! As she fell asleep again she had a very vivid dream of some kind of convention. She was there in her wheelchair. There were about 12 wheelchairs. There was some preacher whose heavy accent made it abundantly clear he was everything but British! The preacher prayed for a woman in a wheelchair and she did not get healed but as he prayed for Jean, she was up from her wheelchair running around the building. When she woke up, it was obvious which dream she would choose.
Sadly, after spending 15 years in that terrible home and just when it felt like she had put her unpleasant past behind her, she had taken a bad fall and ruptured her tailbone. At that time she was happily married but the devil was not done with her! This injury worsened an already deteriorating spinal condition and she had several surgeries to correct the problem. All surgeries failed and each left her in more pains and worse condition. She was finally told she could never walk again. What was more? Her lungs and heart became weak from continuous use of pain medication. As a result, she had to be placed on medication to keep her heart pumping and oxygen too for her failing lungs. What was the prognosis of her surgeon at that point? Another surgery which they said had a 50-50 chance of her improvement.
Desperate situations call for desperate measures and Jean Neil’s pains had gotten so bad that she was going to take chances with that risky surgery but for two dreams she had. It all began with the prayer of a three year old toddler who prayed for her, taking her hand in his little hand and asking Jesus to heal her. Needless to say, all Jean’s church members in Butler (England) were praying for her around the clock and even the church services included public petition to the Lord on her behalf for healing. Yet, this little guy’s prayer meant so much to Jean and certainly to Jesus. Soon afterwards she had two dreams. In the first dream she was operated on and she died on the operating table. She woke up frightened! As she fell asleep again she had a very vivid dream of some kind of convention. She was there in her wheelchair. There were about 12 wheelchairs. There was some preacher whose heavy accent made it abundantly clear he was everything but British! The preacher prayed for a woman in a wheelchair and she did not get healed but as he prayed for Jean, she was up from her wheelchair running around the building. When she woke up, it was obvious which dream she would choose.
The meanings of both dreams were clear. If she accent to surgery, not a better life but certain death awaits her. But the second dream! She couldn’t stop describing it to her friends in church. She even described the features of the accentuated preacher and the convention center. Shortly afterwards her church’s youths in Butler were invited to a youth conference in Birmingham England and in spite of her handicap she was their coordinator and as such was determined to attend this conference. However, she learnt that the special guest speaker in this event was Reinhard Bonnke-an evangelist from West Germany (in those days Germany was divided into two countries-West and East). She knew very little of Reinhard but she knew enough to know that he had remarkable results in praying for the sick in his crusades in Africa. Her hopes began to rise and she wondered could he be that preacher I saw in my dream? She had never seen Reinhard Bonnke before then.
In the meeting Jean Neil had the weirdest feeling. That Birmingham Convention Centre! There was a de ja vu feeling about it. And the wheelchairs! And the German accent of Reinhard! If he prayed for a woman and she does not get healed then this would certainly be her dream coming true before her very eyes! Reinhard Bonnke always preached salvation messages and that was what he did that eventful day in 1988. By the time 1500 youths answered the altar call to receive Jesus, Reinhard was hilarious. When he was done praying for them, there was no time left for healings as only 15 minutes was left to clear the hall. There were 12,000 youths at the Birmingham Convention Center that 12th day of March, 1988. Fifteen minutes is hardly enough to clear that many people let alone to move out the equipments. Reinhard was desperate! He hadn’t prayed for the sick and there were quite a number of them. He hurried to a wheelchair-any wheelchair! Sadly it wasn’t Jean’s wheelchair that the evangelist came to. Like the moments before a referee blows the full time whistle at the end of a football match, precious seconds were ticking away- the goal was yet to be scored! The host of the meeting had already belatedly told Reinhard to round off. All eyes were on the evangelist. The woman in the wheelchair got up hesitantly-very slowly. She eventually fell back into it and was very irritated that the insensitive German evangelist would make sport of her and presume upon her illness. The expression on her face said it all. Time was running out! Reinhard backed up, saw Jean a distance away, and began to run towards her! What followed was a video that thousands have watched over the years including this writer. Jean finally knew her dream was being fulfilled and as she was prayed for, even though both her hips were detached from their sockets and one leg was two inches shorter than the other, she was instantly healed and she ran around that Birmingham Convention Center! Her heart was healed, her lungs were healed too. Her angina; that terrible shortness of breath for which she had to use oxygen to stay alive! All of it was gone and now she can breathe! Her shortened leg grew out two inches-and all these in a moment of time! She was healed in 1988, 25 years ago and today, although very advanced in age; she is still hale and hearty.
There is a pleasant side note to Jean Neil’s healing. I know a lot of readers will be wondering since there were 12 wheelchairs of thereabout why did Reinhard Bonnke race across the room to Jean’s wheelchair? It was no coincidence. Reinhard Bonnke as he prayed for that meeting in the morning of that memorable day in March ’88 felt a strong anointing of the Holy Spirit. The presence of God stayed with him all through the day and even intensified as he entered the convention centre through a door behind the stage. Unfortunately, there was a crippled young man with crutches blocking Reinhard’s way and Reinhard bumped into him and knocked him over. Reinhard wanted to help him back up on his feet but those attending to the evangelist saw to it and hurried their guest speaker off to the stage. Afterwards as Reinhard Bonnke sat down on the stage a little wondering about the unfortunate incident with the young man on crutches- a very awkward moment for him no doubt- he was stunned to find out that that young man was healed and could walk without the crutches. It was then Reinhard realized that the Holy Spirit, not Reinhard Bonnke was responsible for the felling of the young man. He silently prayed “Lord, what will you do here today?” The Lord replied to his heart, “I will heal that woman in that wheelchair today” and the Lord pointed Jean out to him. However later on, when Reinhard was running against time in his bid to pray for the sick, he hurriedly prayed for the first wheelchair patient he came across. It was only after that attempt did not bear fruit that he quickly remembered that the Lord had specifically pointed out a woman in green to him. That woman was Jean and even that detail of the event was providential! It was the final detail of Jean’s dream that made her convinced that it was her dream coming true. How big is God!
Both Jean Neil and Delores Winder have been telling their stories of how they got healed from terminal conditions decades ago and both have been vessels through which many others have gotten healed. Who will not dare to say with me after reading these accounts of Christ’s unfailing compassion: “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever!” (Hebrews13:8)
NOTES
1 Kathryn Kuhlman went to be with the Lord in February 1976 at the age of 68. She had one of the most anointed healing ministry of our time and had thousands and untold millions healed and blessed by her ministry. By faith (she) being dead yet speaks. Hebrews 11:4b
2 Reinhard Bonnke the founder of Christ for all Nations (CfaN) is one of the most remarkable evangelists of our time. His crusades have seen some 67 million souls saved mainly in Africa and the miraculous healings in these meetings include the raising of the dead, blind eyes popping open by their dozens and the deaf mutes receiving their hearing etc. Daniel Kolenda his protégé now heads the ministry of CfaN but Reinhard is too passionate for souls to retire. His heart cry remains Africa shall be saved! This is a man who has made the Great Commission his great ambition.
*The video of Delores Winder’s interview with Sid Roth can be found online at http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tk1b3aOz9j4. Delores Winder also published a book Surprised by a Miracle in which she told her testimony. It is probably out of print now.
* The video of the remarkable healing of Jean Neil is available online at www.itbn.org/index/detail/ec/9uaWk3ODr4-tZR6AUCjWgk3DLg2i5rhp
In the meeting Jean Neil had the weirdest feeling. That Birmingham Convention Centre! There was a de ja vu feeling about it. And the wheelchairs! And the German accent of Reinhard! If he prayed for a woman and she does not get healed then this would certainly be her dream coming true before her very eyes! Reinhard Bonnke always preached salvation messages and that was what he did that eventful day in 1988. By the time 1500 youths answered the altar call to receive Jesus, Reinhard was hilarious. When he was done praying for them, there was no time left for healings as only 15 minutes was left to clear the hall. There were 12,000 youths at the Birmingham Convention Center that 12th day of March, 1988. Fifteen minutes is hardly enough to clear that many people let alone to move out the equipments. Reinhard was desperate! He hadn’t prayed for the sick and there were quite a number of them. He hurried to a wheelchair-any wheelchair! Sadly it wasn’t Jean’s wheelchair that the evangelist came to. Like the moments before a referee blows the full time whistle at the end of a football match, precious seconds were ticking away- the goal was yet to be scored! The host of the meeting had already belatedly told Reinhard to round off. All eyes were on the evangelist. The woman in the wheelchair got up hesitantly-very slowly. She eventually fell back into it and was very irritated that the insensitive German evangelist would make sport of her and presume upon her illness. The expression on her face said it all. Time was running out! Reinhard backed up, saw Jean a distance away, and began to run towards her! What followed was a video that thousands have watched over the years including this writer. Jean finally knew her dream was being fulfilled and as she was prayed for, even though both her hips were detached from their sockets and one leg was two inches shorter than the other, she was instantly healed and she ran around that Birmingham Convention Center! Her heart was healed, her lungs were healed too. Her angina; that terrible shortness of breath for which she had to use oxygen to stay alive! All of it was gone and now she can breathe! Her shortened leg grew out two inches-and all these in a moment of time! She was healed in 1988, 25 years ago and today, although very advanced in age; she is still hale and hearty.There is a pleasant side note to Jean Neil’s healing. I know a lot of readers will be wondering since there were 12 wheelchairs of thereabout why did Reinhard Bonnke race across the room to Jean’s wheelchair? It was no coincidence. Reinhard Bonnke as he prayed for that meeting in the morning of that memorable day in March ’88 felt a strong anointing of the Holy Spirit. The presence of God stayed with him all through the day and even intensified as he entered the convention centre through a door behind the stage. Unfortunately, there was a crippled young man with crutches blocking Reinhard’s way and Reinhard bumped into him and knocked him over. Reinhard wanted to help him back up on his feet but those attending to the evangelist saw to it and hurried their guest speaker off to the stage. Afterwards as Reinhard Bonnke sat down on the stage a little wondering about the unfortunate incident with the young man on crutches- a very awkward moment for him no doubt- he was stunned to find out that that young man was healed and could walk without the crutches. It was then Reinhard realized that the Holy Spirit, not Reinhard Bonnke was responsible for the felling of the young man. He silently prayed “Lord, what will you do here today?” The Lord replied to his heart, “I will heal that woman in that wheelchair today” and the Lord pointed Jean out to him. However later on, when Reinhard was running against time in his bid to pray for the sick, he hurriedly prayed for the first wheelchair patient he came across. It was only after that attempt did not bear fruit that he quickly remembered that the Lord had specifically pointed out a woman in green to him. That woman was Jean and even that detail of the event was providential! It was the final detail of Jean’s dream that made her convinced that it was her dream coming true. How big is God!
Both Jean Neil and Delores Winder have been telling their stories of how they got healed from terminal conditions decades ago and both have been vessels through which many others have gotten healed. Who will not dare to say with me after reading these accounts of Christ’s unfailing compassion: “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever!” (Hebrews13:8)
NOTES
1 Kathryn Kuhlman went to be with the Lord in February 1976 at the age of 68. She had one of the most anointed healing ministry of our time and had thousands and untold millions healed and blessed by her ministry. By faith (she) being dead yet speaks. Hebrews 11:4b
2 Reinhard Bonnke the founder of Christ for all Nations (CfaN) is one of the most remarkable evangelists of our time. His crusades have seen some 67 million souls saved mainly in Africa and the miraculous healings in these meetings include the raising of the dead, blind eyes popping open by their dozens and the deaf mutes receiving their hearing etc. Daniel Kolenda his protégé now heads the ministry of CfaN but Reinhard is too passionate for souls to retire. His heart cry remains Africa shall be saved! This is a man who has made the Great Commission his great ambition.
*The video of Delores Winder’s interview with Sid Roth can be found online at http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tk1b3aOz9j4. Delores Winder also published a book Surprised by a Miracle in which she told her testimony. It is probably out of print now.
* The video of the remarkable healing of Jean Neil is available online at www.itbn.org/index/detail/ec/9uaWk3ODr4-tZR6AUCjWgk3DLg2i5rhp
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