(I knew something about them because I'd been born with a deformed heart and became bedfast from it. Doctors had said I could die at any minute, but I was healed by the power of God when I was 17.)
These severe symptoms were in the region of my heart and chest.
The devil said to my mind, "Uh-huh, you're going to die. That's exactly what's going to happen to you. You're lucky you've gotten this far. Remember what the doctors said?"
(That sounds like him, doesn't it?)
"This is one time you're not going to get your healing," he kept repeating like a voice speaking to my mind. "Now it's all come back, and you're going to die. In fact, you're dying now."
Somebody asked me, "What did you do?"
Well, it was in the wintertime, so I pulled the covers up over my head and started laughing. Now, I didn't feel like laughing. There is such a thing as laughter inspired by the Spirit of God where you just can't help it, but I put this one on.
I made myself do it. I covered my head (because I didn't want to wake up the rest of the folks in the house) and laughed out loud. It seems to me I must have laughed about 10 minutes.
Finally the devil said, "What are you laughing about?"
I said, "I'm laughing at you, because you said I'm not going to get healed."
"That's right," he said, "This is one time you're not going to healed."
I said, "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha." (I just made myself do it.) I went on and on and on.
Finally the devil said for the third time, "What are you laughing about?"
I said, "I've already told you. I'll tell you again: I'm laughing at you."
"What are you laughing at me about?"
"You said I'm not going to get healed."
"That's right. This is one time you're not going to get your healing."
I said, "Ha, ha Mr. Devil. Sure I'm not going to get it. What do I need to get it for? Jesus already got it for me! I don't need to get it. All I have to do is accept it.
"Now, in case you can't read," I said, "I'll just quote 1 Peter 2:24 to you. It says, 'Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live onto righteousness: by whose stripes ye WERE healed.'
"If we were, I was. So I don't have to get it; Jesus already got it for me, and because He got it for me, I accept it, claim it, and have it. Now you just gather up your little symptoms and get out of here."
You never saw anybody scurry about, gather up their belongings, and take off as fast in your life.
Resist Your Symptoms
The Bible says to resist the devil and he'll flee from you (James 4:7). I don't know what some folks are waiting on before they start resisting. Maybe they're waiting until something comes along with long horns, a long tail, hooves, and a pitchfork.
Friends, resist anything that is of the devil and you're resisting the devil.
When doubt comes, just say, "Doubt, I resist you. I refuse to doubt."
When fear comes, speak to it. Say, "Fear, I resist you. I refuse to fear."
When sickness comes, speak to it. Say, "Sickness. I refuse to be sick. I refuse sickness. I resist you in Jesus' Name. You must go." And it will leave. You've got that right.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications