by
Marylynn G. Stults
Introduction and Background:
God has done great things in and for my son, Greg, now age 42, who received his Associate of Science in Business from Indiana Wesleyan University May 2011 and continues his studies for his bachelor degree from Marian University. However, in May, 1984, he had a critical moped accident which caused a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The injury hemorrhaged, he coded, and an emergency bilateral frontal craniotomy (removal of the damaged brain areas - substantial portions of both frontal lobes of his brain) was performed to save his life, the expectation of which was very low. That Greg lived was a miracle of God validated by his neurosurgeon who, when I praised him for his fine job, stated humbly, “It wasn’t me.” Greg’s recovery has been long, arduous, and excellent, yet some deficits have continued to challenge him.
While Greg has his own perspective of what happened to him and what has ensued as a result, his father also has his own, his sister has hers, and friends have theirs; and, if they desire, they can write their own article. But I am presenting, here, my – the mother’s and primary caregiver’s – perspective.
Before I continue about the point of this article, I want to relate to you that, since the Spring of 1998, I have been a Christian writer who believes in the sovereignty of God and the miracles He performs through the prayers of believers in the LORD Jesus Christ. (I must acknowledge that, at the time of Greg's accident, I was what might have been well-termed "a nominal Christian.") Not only were the results of Greg’s surgery, itself, a miracle, but there have been many more along the way. The very next one in the hospital occurred when he was still comatose and he spiked a fever; the diagnosis was sepsis and the head of intensive care told me he lost more people to sepsis than to any other single cause. That day, I saw some people praying in the waiting room for a loved one and I realized they were ministers. I asked one to come and pray for Greg and Sister DenzilTotman (whose husband was the reason they were there) willingly agreed. She stood on one side of Greg’s bed, I on the other. As she prayed intensely, the power of God went through Greg like a lightning bolt and in a matter of minutes, his temperature was normal.
I only wish I’d had the faith to believe for more at the time because now I realize God would have restored him completely. I didn’t even ask! (And, I am sure the LORD didn’t lead Sister Totman to pray for more; the level of my faith was apparent because I had asked that she pray silently for fear he’d hear her and it would scare him. Sheesh.) But, God has a plan and a timing that is not our own, and I believe that we are to be helping people with brain disorders and their families through greater understanding such as what I am about to write here. (By the way, it would be about ten years later that I would attend Sister Totman’s church for a few years. She became my mentor and remains my mother in Christ. I love you, Sister T.)
An example of issues from brain damage:
Physiological damage to the frontal lobe area in general, and in Greg’s case in particular because of the actual surgical removal of the areas that control these brain functions (below), meant, at best, severe impairment to and, at worst, the actual absence of:
Motor function (he couldn’t sit up or lift a spoon and put it in his mouth)
Emotions (the area of feelings and showing feelings literally removed from his brain)
Personality (we were told to mourn the loss of Greg and celebrate the new Greg we had)
Problem solving (the ability to choose between right and wrong, good and bad, was removed)
Memory (primarily short term memory was nonexistent; his IQ was estimated in the 60s)
Impulse control/judgment (ability to recognize future consequences as a result of current actions)
Social behavior (I said, “That’s not acceptable behavior” probably 10,000+ times)
Post traumatic epilepsy also resulted which caused more damage, including a broken back from a grand mal seizure. Anti-seizure drugs are administered to control this issue.
Greg regained his motor functions and his intelligence was largely restored, over time. The intangible behavioral and personality issues, however, are a work in progress.
A mother’s prayer:
On January 17, 2009, I asked our Father in the name of Jesus, essentially: Is Greg accountable to You? And, in general, are people whose brains are damaged, responsible for their own sins in the same way that people whose brains aren’t impaired are responsible for theirs? I realize the importance to Jesus of repentance. Do You expect brain impaired people to be capable of true repentance?
The answer I believe I received from God on January 27, 2009:
Do you fault a man without legs for not walking? a blind boy for not watching where he’s going? a girl who is mute for not speaking when you ask her a question? Would I judge them as evil for not doing something they are physically incapable of doing?
THEN, WHY WOULD I JUDGE THOSE WHO HAVE BRAIN MALFUNCTIONS FOR NOT DOING WHAT THEY PHYSICALLY CANNOT DO? THEIRS, TOO, ARE PHYSICAL DEFORMITIES, JUST LIKE MISSING A LIMB, EYE, OR VOCAL CORDS. GREG LITERALLY HAD A LARGE PART OF THE BRAIN – AND, THUS, NUMEROUS COGNITIVE ABILITIES WITH IT – REMOVED.
How could I hold a person accountable for making wrong judgments when the part of his physical organ for processing judgments does not exist?
My understanding:
I believe that man is the performing stage for the devil’s minions. Natural man cannot understand the things of the spirit, but I’ve seen demons glare and stare fixedly from people’s eyes; I’ve listened to them spew venom from the mouths of angry, drunk, and drugged people; and, when Greg had his last ever grand mal epileptic seizure, not Greg but something in Greg growled like a beast at my husband, Michael, as he commanded Satan to come out of our comatose son. Three times it growled and snarled at him; then, Greg vomited and went completely limp. He had to be lifelined to the hospital where he spent another week in intensive care. Unclean spirits which cause seizures and perversions use brain impaired people as a stage to perform their elaborate melodramas. Herein lies a primary call of mine to the ministry.
The more you pray God’s word, the more powerful your prayers are. God says in Isaiah 55:11, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
I was speaking about brain issues with a beloved sister in Christ, Duane, who’s recently seen some evangelists discussing this subject. She remarked that they say there is no Scriptural example for these brain disorders. I told her I thought the same thing… until yesterday. Here it is; watch what Jesus does:
Luke 9:37 Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him (MK: and scribes disputing with them. Immediately when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”). 38 Suddenly a man from the multitude (MT: kneeling down to Him) cried out, saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. (MK: He has a mute spirit.) (MT: He is an epileptic and suffers severely) 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; (MK: it throws him down) it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth (MK: gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid) (MT: for he often falls into the fire and often into the water); and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him. 40 So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not (MT: cure him).” 41 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 And as he was still coming (MK: when he saw Him), the demon threw him down (MK: on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth) and convulsed him. (MK: So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately, the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that the people came running together,) Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit (MK: saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!”) (MT says: demon and it came out of him) (MK: Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose), healed the child (MT: cured from that very hour), and gave him back to his father. (MK: And when He had come into the house,) (MT: Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” MK says this as well.)
Jesus rebuked the demon (also called unclean spirit and deaf and dumb spirit) commanding it to come out of the child and to not return: Deliverance. Complete deliverance, I might add.
But, that’s not all! Jesus didn’t just command the demon out of him and to never return; He HEALED (Greek #2390 Iaomai, to cure, heal, make whole, and free from errors and sins, to bring about one’s salvation) and CURED (#2323 Therapeuo to heal, to cure, to restore to health) the child. But, what did He heal, what did He cure? He surely must have healed his BRAIN and He surely must have cured him of epilepsy, a brain disorder.
We have a great Scriptural example on which to stand and which to use as prayer for the brain impaired.
In summation:
While this compilation of Scriptures correlates perfectly with Greg’s situation, it should also apply to others with brain impairments.
Because of certain prayers prayed for Greg over the years and revelatory word given to me by men and women of God including our Pastor, Charles A. Spradlin, Sr., I believe Greg’s brain has been healed and restored. I wait not in a vague hope but in real expectation and faith in the Almighty for the manifestation of Greg’s wholeness, Amen in Jesus’ name.
I pray our personal experience is beneficial to others.
2. We need to pray God's Word and stand on God's Word for healing of brain disorders. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Update 8-7-11
I have found a new Scripture (who knew God has written new ones?)! Seriously, I am standing on this and your holy prayerful agreement would be appreciated:
And His name through faith in His name hath made this man Greg well and strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by Him hath given Greg this perfect soundness* in the presence of you all.
- Acts 3:16
* G3647 Concordance: "An unimpaired condition of the body, in which all its members are healthy and fit for use." That's what "perfect soundness" for Greg and all who would believe in Jesus' name! Amen, therefore, in Jesus' name through faith in His name.
