In April 2014, Doctors diagnosed Leon Freitag with pleural mesothelioma, a rare and incurable form of cancer. Caused by exposure to high amounts of asbestos, it produces cancerous tumors in the pleura, which is a thin membrane of cells lining the lungs and chest cavity.

Leon, who serves as superintendent of the North Dakota District Council with the Assemblies of God, was given at most 18 months to live.

In face of this devastating news, Leon decided to live his faith in the midst of this trial and believe God for a miracle.

He announced his prognosis in a gathering of Assembly of God ministers. He told those in attendance that he was saddened by the lack of miracles in their churches today, but hoped his trial could “stir up faith” for miracles.

But Leon also knew that God doesn’t always heal. He added:

“I don’t know what the outcome will be. Hebrews 11 is clear – some He delivered, some He didn’t.”

Meanwhile, one of Leon’s sons had arranged for his dad to meet with a top Mesothelioma specialist based in Boston and despite a six month waiting list, the doctor was able to see Leon within a week.

As news spread of Leon’s cancer, people and congregations started praying and believing for a miracle.

During the appointment, the specialist repeated the bad news Leon had received earlier — death was inevitable with this form cancer. At best, the specialists could maybe extend Leon’s life a few extra months with an aggressive treatment of a chemotherapy cocktail.

After several treatments, the doctor told Leon that tests revealed he needed surgery to cut out the larger tumors.

When Leon and his wife Dianne met with the surgeon in their pre-op meeting, Dianne boldly predicted:

“We’re a praying people and we believe that when the surgeon opens my husband up, that you’ll find that God was already there.”

And incredibly that is exactly what happened.

When the surgeon performed the operation on August 21, 2014, he discovered the Mesothelioma tumors xrayed the day before had shrunk 80% over a 24 hour period. Shriveled and now dead, the doctor simply cut out the tumor remains and sewed up Leon.

It was the first time, he had witnessed this happen to people with Mesothelioma.

A few weeks later, the Boston specialist declared Leon cancer free. The cancer was not in remission, Leon was healed.

When we study the New Testament perhaps the single thing that most defined Jesus’ earthly ministry was healing.

In Luke 4:40, Luke uses a combination of words to describe the type of sicknesses Jesus dealt with.

⁴⁰ While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. (Luke 4:40 NASV)

The Greek word for sick “asthenios” is generally used to describe a variety of sicknesses and afflictions, however, by adding the phrase “with various diseases” (nosos) Luke was pointing out that several of them were very sick. The word “nosos” was often used to describe serious, life threatening diseases.

Jesus was not only healing people with common everyday maladies that afflict us from time to time, but Jesus was healing the incurable as well.

Towards the end of His time on earth, Jesus told His disciples that they would also inherit this ability to heal. In fact, it would be one of the signs that defined their faith in Christ.

¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18 NASV)

As believers we need to start praying for the sick. We need to claim our faith inheritance. I believe as the tide is turning against Christians in the secular world, God’s favor is turning towards Christians in the spiritual.

You can heal the sick through the power of God. You need to believe this, step out, lay hands on the sick and pray for them.

Read more:

• Spirit-filled pastor miraculously healed of incurable cancer: Charisma News