The “Crown” Virus

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Certainly, James could not have been referring to the Coronavirus when speaking of trials we face? What Joy should we consider in the midst of it’s insidious pain, death and destruction?

Actually, God has his own ‘Coronas’ in mind for those who persevere to be mature and complete as imitators of Jesus.

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Corona: Loosely defined as “Crown”

• In Astronomy, it’s the rarefied gaseous envelope of the sun and other stars.
• In Physics, it’s the glow around a conductor at high potential.

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While this temporal ‘Crown Virus’ seeks to kill and destroy, the Bible refers to the everlasting Coronas promised Christ-Followers from God when enduring trials and as a reward for faithfulness – Crowns of Righteousness, Life and Glory.

1. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. – 2 Timothy 4:8
2. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12
   • I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Revelation 2:10 
3. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. – 1 Peter 5:4

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The 3rd Healing Encounter Night

The Sunday before last I attended the 3rd Healing Encounter Night with Dr. Chauncey Crandall. In the midst of the President’s call for a National Day of Prayer on Sunday, March 15th, there was a growing call to limit meetings of large groups. Many Churches including my own home church were led to close our doors and to meet via the amazing technology we now have.

Not all churches made the same choice for that Sunday. Some felt God’s leading and met as a congregation in their place of worship. Before Sunday, I wondered if Dr. Crandall and his team would decide to cancel and forgo meeting together under the growing threat of Coronavirus. Here you have Dr. Crandall, a highly-regarded man of Science as well as a man of great Faith. Would he be led by the overwhelming consensus of the medical community and the many other voices or by God’s leading, if different?

For Dr. Crandall, there was no question. Just before Paul writes of the crown of righteousness in 2 Timothy 4:8, he directs in verse 5, “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” After all, this would be a night of God’s healing and a time to honor the call for a National Day of Prayer. Only by God’s leading did the event go on as scheduled.

I was already in Florida, and my Brother-in-Christ, Chris decided to fly down from Connecticut to join me for the evening. It was another perfect night in South Florida – warm but with a steady cool breeze. As was expected, the turnout was lower than would have been anticipated but still well over 250 people. With the smaller crowd there was enough space to allow for some social distancing.

The night opened with worship ushering in the Holy Spirit and specifically God’s power and authority to come against the enemy named Coronavirus. It was a powerful time of prayer and worship led by noted worship leader, Roy Fields.

Dr. Crandall then spoke, testifying to the amazing work that God has done in his life in response to his seeking after God. As Paul instructed to Timothy, Dr. Crandall recognizes that the primary purpose of all God’s signs and wonders is to evangelize.

He shared a story about a Hindu couple who traveled from the Carolinas to see him for the husband’s heart condition. After treating the patient, Dr Crandall asked, “You’ve come a long way, is there anything else I can do for you?” With no prompting, the man responded, “Yes, I would like to become a Christian.” The couple prayed to receive Christ.

The doctor went on to preach of our sin and God’s saving grace and offered those in the crowd the opportunity to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. Several in the crowd received this free gift.

Then, from the podium Dr. Crandall was led to pray over the entire crowd for God’s merciful protection using Psalm 91 (cited below) as the night’s rallying cry. He prayed healing for specific ailments that the Holy Spirit led him to pray including for those with Coronavirus.

From there the team switched things up from the February meeting and organized those who wanted to be prayed over by Dr. Crandall to line up around the perimeter of the tent giving room for some social distancing.

Dr. Crandall moved along the line praying for the individual needs and for the Holy Spirit’s power to fall on each one. People were either moved to tears, left visibly shaking, dropped to the ground, or simply stumbled away with beaming smiles. In my estimation, each person prayed for was touched physically, emotionally and/or spiritually in some way.

God’s Corona – the glow around a conductor at high potential

For those who were caused to involuntarily drop to the ground, they were left in various states. Most rested peacefully without a care for the commotion going on around them. Several were lying down with their limbs contorted as if something within them was physically changing. One couple went to the ground embracing each other in a comforting way.

One man with long hair and beard writhed on the ground as if in a wrestling match with something. When he eventually got up I asked him if he could describe what he had just experienced. He shared that he believed there was something he had not been aware of that was trying to destroy him. He now felt it was gone replaced by a peace he had never felt before. I prayed with him that that peace of God would become a permanent marker on his life.

Another man rested peacefully and when he rose up I asked if he could describe what happened. He said that with Dr. Crandall’s prayer he felt resistant to a surge pressing him down. He went down but when he tried to immediately get back up there was something weighing on his chest like a forearm holding him down. He stopped resisting and rested until it released and he got up feeling refreshed.

Then there was a couple that many from my home church know and love. They are the patriarchs of a large family, a number of which are now involved with Dr. Crandall’s ministry. If you know these two dear faithful, conservative Christ-followers, then you know that this is not necessarily their ‘thing’. But, there they were in line. When Dr. Chauncey came and prayed for them they both dropped to the ground. Their entire family circled around them, smiling and enjoying the moment. They helped them up and gave joyous hugs all around. I could only shake my head and laugh.

Then as Dr. Chauncey was nearing the end of the line, I called my friend Chris over. He had been helping out with the people overseeing the evening. He came over and Dr, Crandall asked if there was anything specific to pray for. Chris said that his right shoulder had been damaged. The Doctor prayed for his healing and moved on. Chris enjoyed the prayer but felt no particular sensation. But, as we drove away that evening Chris testified that he believed his shoulder was completely healed. (I just heard from Chris and he says his shoulder never felt better.)

Just a few other testimonies of God’s ‘conducting’ power from the evening:

• A Homeless man that a Christian couple had taken in, after resisting the Gospel, surrendered his life to Christ
• A Muslim woman put her faith in Christ
• One of the team putting up the Tent suffering ringing in the ear for a year was healed
• A 15 year old boy with back problems was healed
• A boy suffering from leprosy (Hansen’s disease) was restored

Crown of Rejoicing

While the Crowns referred to in the scriptures above primarily indicate awards given for a good finish at the end of this life, can they apply for those that finish the shorter races of life? Races, as with faithfully and courageously and even with rejoicing while facing the trials of Coronavirus?

In Young’s Literal Translation Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 2:19,20 “for what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye before our Lord Jesus Christ in his presence? for ye are our glory and joy.”

It was another awesome evening where all wore coronas of rejoicing in HIS presence! The Holy Spirit was palpable and active. People were healed. The Father and the Son were glorified and God’s power and peace reigned over Coronavirus. God’s Corona – the glow around a conductor at high potential was in full display.

Now praying that God’s Crown of Life with the accompanying glow of being a conductor at high potential empowers each of us for victory over this particular trial.

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Follow-up – Since that Sunday, it has become clearer that, for the time being, social gatherings of this kind are no longer acceptable. This past Sunday Tim and Dr. Crandall organized an on-line healing event as they continue to work though God’s leading for this ministry.

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At this time of Coronavirus pestilence, consider and meditate on the evening’s theme scripture Psalm 91 below and the wonderful promises of God for those “who dwell in the shelter of the Most High.”

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”