name it and claim it Archives - Growing Through God's Word

Dare We Claim it in Jesus’ Name?

In my previous post, I wrote about the childish prayers I used to pray. Though my surrender to Christ in 1969 corrected my errant notions about what prayer is, elders at a house church led me into a far worse error.

The congregation I joined met in a widow’s basement which had been converted into a place of worship. The doctrines which the lay minister taught were a syncretistic mix of lies, blasphemies, and misapprehensions of scripture. One of these wrong teachings was that believers could name and claim whatever they wanted to happen in Jesus’ name. This appealed to me particularly since I felt tired of being powerless.

My hopes were soon dashed when the results of my presumptuous declarations refused to happen. No matter how much I worked up my faith, my sight never improved and things didn’t occur the way I wanted them to. Even when the congregation laid hands on me, spoke in tongues, and prayed, my eyesight never improved.

Worse yet, the elders accused me of lacking faith, hiding sin in my heart, having a root of bitterness, lusting for good sight, and being cursed with ancestral sin. At no time during my attendance at that church did they admit that their faith might not be up to the task.

These chidings and failures to be healed, angered me to the point where I turned my back on God for nine years. I figured that He was too stingy to give me what would help me earn a living and glorify His name. Only after I made a bad condo purchase did I realize I needed Christ’s help in running my life.

The Lord led me to an evangelical church and to the broadcasts of excellent apologetics teachers. Now I know that God is sovereign and that whatever comes our way is permitted by Him. I feel so much happier knowing this wonderful truth. No more can I be blamed for lacking enough faith to make something happen.

My faith is my trust in the heavenly Father,
not some spiritual force I generate. (click to tweet)

“Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed (Hebrews 12:13, NIV).

What happens is part of God’s plan, therefore it’s for our long-term good and His glory.

Bruce Atchison

Bruce is a legally-blind Canadian freelance writer with articles published in a variety of magazines. He has also authored three paperbacks. He frequently posts on his www.bruceatchison.blogspot.com and www.bruceatchison.wordpress.com blogs. Atchison lives in a tiny Alberta hamlet with his house rabbit, Deborah.