I’d never been here before. I had only ever seen healers portrayed on TV and the movies as charlatans using Jesus to get to your money. So when some friends suggested I go to a healing service hosted by Pastor Billy Burke, I was a little hesitant.

When I got there I was introduced to so many new things, the Gospel Hymns in all their glory, names I’ve never heard like Kathryn Kuhlman, Billy Burke himself in his white suit and glowing blond hair. It was a bit much for me honestly. There were so many people in the sanctuary all waiting, all expecting something to happen.

I didn’t know what was going on, all I knew was my body was shutting down and I needed healed. I didn’t know how it was to happen, what I was supposed to do or say. I don’t even remember some of the stuff I witnessed which was pretty wild. But I do remember hope.

Billy Burke shared his own story of being a child with only weeks to live because of the final stages of brain cancer. Kathryn Kuhlman called him down to the platform and after asking him if he wanted to be healed, she touched him. Power went out and the cancer was gone, instantly.

After he told that story and a few more of healings he had been a part of, he began to call out diseases people were being healed of.

If I was to go into detail on any point of this story, it would be a novel so I’m condensing it for the purpose of this site. Suffice it to say, something was going on that I had never seen or heard of before. People walked up, got healed, jumped up and down and praised God, and then sat back down, believe it or not. Well, I wanted in. I was told only come forward if Pastor Billy called out what you were suffering from. He had mentioned the disease my body has been fighting toward the beginning of the service and that was good enough for me. So after I summoned up the courage I walked down to the front.

One of the guards stopped me and asked why I had come. I told him of my condition, he radioed the other guards to see if Pastor Billy had called it out. The guard shook his head at me and told me to sit. I took a seat at the front. I don’t know how this stuff works, but I wasn’t about to let this pass without giving it a shot. I wasn’t going to leave, so I sat and waited.

After numerous other healings, some of which he didn’t call out, but people got through, he finally said to lower the ropes and let people come forward. It all felt really weird. Some people were saying that they were healed just by being in the service, they didn’t need Billy to lay his hands on them. Others said that if you stand next to him, the glory and power of the presence of God will overwhelm you. So I tried both.

At first, I started to feel excited, then as people gathered around and got closer and closer, and as Billy started walking around grabbing the closest to him shouting praises to God, I started to feel panicked. At the rate things were going there was no way he would reach me. There were too many people. I started to make my way to the front, but it was getting beyond being civil. If I wanted to get up front I was going to have to start pushing people out of my way. I wasn’t walking very well so I did my best.

Just then, a lady pushed up next to me and reached out her hand toward Billy who was actually really close. I reached out mine too and he passed by. I lowered mine just as he turned back and grabbed the lady’s hands. She fell back, slain by the Spirit, they call it. When I looked up, Billy had moved on down the row. I was having too much difficulty in my body and mind trying to reconcile this mad stampede feeling with why God would enjoy watching me throttle people so I could get my healing. Finally I headed back out to my seat. I resolved to be one who gets healed by being at the service not needing to be touched.

The service went on for probably another hour and a half. Pastor Billy walked back and forth touching as many people as he could calling out healings, people were falling back on the floor frozen. Some would shake as the power flowed through them. After the service, I sat praying and hoping that tonight was my night. As I prayed, the lady came up that stood next to me in the crowd.

“Did you get what you came for?” she asked excitedly.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly.

“The Lord told me to go stand next to you so I would get touched,” her words hit me hard.

After she said this, she said some words of blessing and left. My thoughts went 4 different directions at once and I felt like I was being drawn and quartered. But before any of them had a chance to run off with a limb, one thought came forward that held me together. If the Lord told her to stand next to me so she could get her healing/touch, amen I’m glad I could help, then that means the Lord, Creator of the universe knew right where I was and He knew what I was there for. He wasn’t ignoring me or forgetting me, He was watching me and still using me. It blew my mind, and even though almost 3 years later I’m still expecting my healing, that experience gives me peace to know as Hagar knew in Genesis 16:13, El Ro’i watches over me.

If you feel forgotten, on the outside watching all those who receive God’s blessings, know that God knows right where you are. He always has plans for His children. Don’t forget Joseph who suffered so much. I’m sure he felt forgotten, especially after the Cupbearer left him. Then at the appropriate time, Joseph was raised up to 2nd in charge of all Egypt. Rapid acceleration, healing, and equipping happen when we rest in the hands of our Father.

El Ro’i watches over us all.

-Brian Carter