When the Lord visits, He visits.
His Presence isn’t forgotten — and available to all who implore Him, particularly during weeks like this.
There’s a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines named Kevin L. Zadai who believes Jesus visits him in a corporeal way. It started with a near-death encounter during surgery.
And among the powerful lessons the Lord has taught, asserts this fellow, from New Orleans, is the power good and bad words have over us; the way they besmirch the soul; when in the spirit, that darkness is seen visibly.
Not only the words we utter and speak and think, but what others have spoken over or upon us. “Jesus asked me to turn and again look at my body, still in its glorified state as it lay on the operating table,” claims Zadai. “What I saw astounded me. My body had been perfect before, but now a black vest covered the area from my chest to my stomach. I immediately understood that the black area was my soul.
“Jesus pointed out that my darkened soul was obscuring my beauty, covering my beautiful, glorified body. In a flash, He took me to the table to see the black ‘vest’ up close. It was made up of untrue words that had been spoken over me. He explained, ‘This is a lifetime of words spoken against you, and they continue to affect you.’ With a wave of His Hand, a panoramic view like a large screen appeared, and He began to show me the occasions when those words were spoken.
“The pain created by those incidents welled up as I relived them in fast succession. At this point Jesus stopped the review. He said, ‘I did not show you this to upset you, but only to reveal to you that the hurt is still there.’ He added, ‘We need to deal with the hurt caused by these words. They are affecting you.'”
Is it also true, perhaps — just perhaps, words spoken — with us? Are we laboring under the weight of what through the years other have verbally or mentally hoisted upon us? Are past hurtful situations still deep inside, affecting you and your happiness?
There is a difference, Zadai claims, between the beauty of a man’s spirit and his damaged soul. Hurtful words from the past can obscure who we really are. Many who spoke them didn’t, and perhaps still don’t, realize they were or are inhibiting a God-ordained destiny.
Jesus can wave His Hand over a dark part of us and instantly heal us, if the timing is right and the prayer sincere. Break and erase false impressions — those notions that make you feel like who you aren’t when around certain people. Perhaps you have been unfairly perceived and spoken about as “inconsiderate,” “rude,” “selfish,” “greedy,” “fanatic,” “arrogant,” “dishonest” — the list can be long. And perhaps, before our souls are bleached, we need to purge these words as if they are curses — as well as go through our lives and break the “curses” — the wrong words — we have spoken about others.
Only then do we feel a weight leave our shoulder, a freedom, the darkness flee. During Holy Week, prayers of cleansing gain power — particularly on Good Friday, when we are at the foot of the Cross with Mary.
Zadai’s suggestion: “Take a moment now to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of your life affected by the lies spoken over you. Ask God to begin the healing.”
That cleansing comes with His Blood, which washes darkness of whatever kind away.
[resources: Heavenly Visitation]