Hi Phil,
I just got to your personal update message. It is awesome, thanks for
sharing it, I am very touched and blessed.
Virgie
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 6:29 PM
Subject: Personal Update
> 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
>
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