Addendum:  February 8, 2009

     Praise the Lord!

     I can now shower without help, I'm no longer using the
walker, and although I have a lot of stiffness in my upper and
lower body, and although my hands are still not completely normal,
everything is dramatically improved.

     My physical therapist had planned coming twice a week for two
months but after three weeks post op, she said I was equal to a
physical level of 6 to 8 weeks beyond the surgery.  So this week
was her last week.

     I'll be returning February 23 to the surgeon for new x-rays
of my neck and eventually another MRI to check all that was done
and how it looks.

     As of this very date, my walking as changed dramatically.
Before, I had been walking with my legs stiff and almost locked,
and rolling my hips from side to side and almost throwing each
foot forward just to keep from losing my balance.  Sandy said
neurologically, they call that type of walking "Wide Based Gait."
Neurologists look for just such a form of walking because it is
one indication something is neurologically wrong and likely
related to the spine.  As I said, on February 8th, during the
afternoon, I was walking out of my office back into the house when
I suddenly realized, for the first time since Christmas, I was
walking normally.  I still walk slowly just to be careful, but it
is a blessing to have returned to a normal way of walking.  My
physical therapist confirmed it would be like learning to walk all
over again due to the surgery because of the spine now being more
properly balanced and even my posture would be different.  For the
last week or so, I noticed I was no longer concerned about
falling and my balance alone had greatly improved.

     My voice is nearly normal but not as strong yet as it should
be.  I can't yell yet so preaching is out until sometime in the
future.  Offering are still greatly appreciated, however, even if
there is no yelling involved; smile.  I still have some throat
discomfort at times but that may, I would imagine, come and go
during the healing process.  The same is true for all of the other
aches and pains associated with my legs, hands, back, and neck.
Swallowing is definitely something I have had to get used to doing
carefully because of swelling caused by the titanium plate that
fused two vertebrae together.

     I have begun slowly scheduling prayer sessions so your
continued prayers for me are appreciated.  I'm sure it will be
awhile before I get back to a full time type schedule because I
tire easily and my voice gets weaker if I talk for prolonged
periods of time.

     I'm just sending this update out to Christian people I know,
thus, the following remarks should be of interest.

     I spent between one and two hours, as I recall, in ICU
following surgery.  Originally, he said they would keep me asleep
over night and I would stay in ICU for 24 hours.  Plus, I was
scheduled for a 7 hours surgery and was out in only five.

     As soon as they wheeled me in to the private room, my family
came in.  I was able to talk and over the next few minutes, some
unusual spiritual things occurred.  The very first thing that
happened is that I heard the Lord say so loudly that He sounded as
if He were using a battery powered bull horn, that my daughter-in-
law, Donna, who is married to my youngest son, Everett, is an
intercessor.  I knew from times spent with Donna in prayer over
the years that she was indeed spiritually sensitive but this was,
as I said, so loud, I spoke what I heard out loud.

     Soon Donna had to leave to go home to take care of her
children but she returned to the hospital to lay hands on me and
to pray.  She reported later that the feeling was so strong, it
felt like a heavy weight on her chest.  So she turned right
around, before getting to far away, and returned to the hospital
and the fourth floor.  I still felt a lot of anxiety but not the
kind relating to emotional fear.  It was fear relating to death
but not fear of death.  Her return, the Holy Spirit said,
confirmed what I told her was not only true but that she was
sincere about learning more about how to pray for others.

     The second thing the Lord told me was very loud, just as loud
for that matter, as the first.  The Lord said, "This is not a
game."

     "Come on, Lord.  I know it isn't a game," I said to myself.
It felt as a strong confirmation in a way I cannot explain
relating to the Christian life we have in Him associated to His
identity with us and our identity in Him.  I said it out loud,
just as did I the first revelation, and again because it was so
loud:  "It's not a game; it's not a game, the Lord says."

     After being home a couple of weeks, and after asking the Lord
hundreds of times, "why did this happen?" He answered my question.

     He said, "Satan tried to kill you."  I can tell you exactly
where I was at the moment this was spoken in my thoughts and
spirit.  Any time I have ever heard something revelatory, or
prophetic, or spiritually illuminating in nature, I can, no matter
how many years later, tell you exactly where I was at that very
moment.  It is, in my mind, as if I were frozen in time.  If I
were outside, indoors, in my office in my chair, at my computer,
etc. I remember exactly.  This happens to be one way I identify it
as the voice of the Lord and not the Enemy.  Furthermore, but less
intense, and by the way, the Lord literally used the word "Satan"
and not "The Enemy" or "The Devil," which I believe is spiritually
significant but I'll save that explanation for another time, what
the Holy Spirit said gave me the impression that this experience
was some how related to my future.  No, He has not explained that
fully as of yet but it most certainly is related to the ministry.

     Thus far, no big deal.  Right?  I mean, this was just a
frightened and sick emotionally distraught man, coming out of
major surgery, which could have easily killed him, so these things
are commonly experienced by anyone.  Right?  Let me tell you what
happened a couple of days prior to the surgery on January 14th
before you decide.

     For weeks, even months, prior to the surgery, I kept having
an emotional feeling that if I died, I somehow would be
disappointing my family.  I rationalized this pestering thought
by saying to myself that what I meant was, they would be sad due
to my death.  Of course, that would be true but knowing that truth
wasn't setting me free from that chronic thought of disappointing
my family by dying.  If Jesus said the truth will set you free,
and I wasn't free, then my reasoning couldn't be the answer.

     When such thoughts appear in my thinking, and my emotions are
negatively stirred, I automatically, without any hesitation, go
into what I call a Search And Destroy mode, or SAD for short.  It
isn't a step by step procedural formula I use but something which
now happens automatically in my mind.  It is known Scripturally as
praying without ceasing.  As I said, since my reasoning about what
was on my mind wasn't bringing peace, it wasn't the correct
answer.  As I prayed in my mind, searching for the cause of this
feeling, I logically assumed it was somehow related to my
blindness back in 1964 following my father's death.  My family
would have felt disappointment in me, if such a lie had been
spoken in my thoughts, and thus, all these years later, I could
still be deceived.  However, I knew it could not have anything to
do with my blindness because, if you read my personal testimony of
being healed from PTSD in "I Flew Kites With Jesus," you, too,
would have known what I now know.  I said as much in my prayers.
"Lord?  You told me I was healed of everything at that time of my
life.  You said, we are leaving this place and never coming back.
This cannot be the place of the lie concerning being a
disappointment to my family."

     Suddenly, I heard the Lord's voice as He punched a hole
through my fears and worries and doubts.  "It's a lie."  Now I
knew where to pray.  To make a long story short, my SAD mission
turned up nothing so that left only one answer; the lie was
present and not past.  I then did what I always do and prayed a
spiritual warfare prayer, binding the lies and words of the lying
spirit and those under his authority before turning them over to
Jesus.  During my prayer, I felt, and saw in my minds eye, a small
ball like figure floating about two feet above the floor.  It was
a transparent ball but I could clearly see a struggling figure
inside as if trying to escape.  He was speaking but his words were
garbled.  Yes, it is weird but so Jesus was thus accused in His
ministry so I don't let things like this worry me any longer.
"What was happening?"  Good question.  Jesus was letting me see
that I was being lied to concerning becoming a disappointment to
my family if I died.  Second, He was showing me the size of the
demon, (I.E. meaning his authority as he attempted to speak into
my thoughts). Thirdly, I was allowed to see that he was powerless,
trapped, and unable to communicate with me since I had bound him
and was sending him away to Jesus.  Did it work?  Yes.  The
feeling, it was a feeling, too, of being a disappointment went
away and never returned.  Yes, it is true, demons hung around to
continually try to frighten me that I was going to die but now I
had truth upon which to stand.  I didn't say I was perfect; I just
personally happen to know the only One who is.  I trust you know
Him that well, too.  I mean, so you can depend upon Him in one of
the most frighten experiences of your life.  I've had a few; this
one was likely the worst to date.  This time, as just described, I
had a place to stand and hold my ground.  Cry?  I sure did and a
lot.  Still worried about my family if something happened to me?
You bet.  Experience fear and being afraid?  Absolutely.  I still
had solid ground on which to stand and additionally, I had friends
and family agreeing with me in prayer.  Try and beat that.
According to what Jesus said in Matthew 18:19, you can't but He
can and will because He promised.

Phil.

P.S.  For those who read my first report, you will be glad to know
that Spoc is still alive at 77 years of age.  You older Star Trek
fans I'm sure will be glad to hear that news.


It Sounds Like God To Me.
www.SafePlaceFellowship.com