If you grew up in the 70/80’s, you may well remember that the way to sort out any sort of dispute on the playground would be to bring your dad into it by saying ‘my dad’s bigger than yours’, thus settling the disagreement!!! I don’t remember there being any actual measuring involved but it always brought things to an abrupt end, bringing out the big guns so to speak!
So, as you may know (if you are a regular reader of this blog), The Lovely Mr B is currently just over half way through cancer treatment and I can’t lie it has been a day by day opportunity to walk out our faith. This doesn’t mean it has been an easy ride at all but, knowing that God has got this and being covered in prayer by family and friends, both near and far has made all the difference to us.
There have been days even weeks where we have been like the limpets clinging to the rock that is God as the storm has crashed around and over us. But, like the limpet we have been steadfast and stuck to God like never before. It’s not until you get into a testing season like this that you realise your faith is everything and that God is the only one that you can cling to.
Matt 7:24-25 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Now we know God is a healer and we will take a healing in whatever form it comes and we do believe that prayer and doctors are going to bring a full healing to Tim’s body.
After his first round of treatment, that involved 3 cycles of chemo, the good news that we are currently celebrating is that the lump on Tim’s neck (the lymph nodes and not the primary site which is his throat), has reduced to a point where the consultant said it was incredible because it was negligible in terms of size and unable to be measured. It also seems that this will be an indicator of what has happened inside his throat too-Praise God!!!!
So far, on this first part of the journey, Tim’s body has defied the doctors every step of the way with minimal hair loss, minimal mouth ulcers (that have responded quickly to treatment), nausea that has responded well to prayer, barely any vomiting, blood clots that responded rapidly to prayer and blood thinner, temperatures that have tried to rise but then gone back down with no infection and no explanation, 9 teeth out with barely any visible signs of swelling and minimal pain and insertion of PICC lines with ease. God has totally got His hand on Tim and even though there are some effects they have been minimal.
So, yesterday Tim went to find out about the next phase of treatment, the radiotherapy, that starts on Monday and this will involve a daily treatment on Monday to Friday for the next 6 weeks that will also involve a short chemo session on the Monday every week. As they talked to him about the side effects and possible complications of radiotherapy on the throat the list was long and to be honest scary.
As Tim was talking to me about it I felt fear begin to rise up within me and try to grab hold!!!
Have you ever felt fear rise up like this?
On realising that this was happening I knew I had to spend time with Papa praying about it and he showed me of a picture of boxing gloves and the phrase that God had woken Tim up with during the summer at the beginning of this battle, when he was preparing for a preach.
God told him;
“Tell cancer my dad’s bigger than yours!”
This was such an encouragement and reminded me just how big our God is. He’s not afraid of cancer and if he’s not then I’m not! I felt faith rise up within me again and was able to declare that fear has no place in my life, and I will not bow to fear.
Josh 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
I was also reminded of a picture I had for Tim at the beginning of the treatment where he was in a boxing ring and he was holding up the winner’s belt above his head. He had done the fight and he’d taken a few knocks and had a few battle scars to show there had been a battle, but he was victorious. I felt that this is because of God in Him and that He was doing the battle with His dad fully involved and on the same side as Tim. Cancer had no chance at all because it was a rout!
The dictionary definition of a rout is: defeat and cause to retreat in disorder.
When you watch a boxing match, at the start the two fighters face off and try and intimidate each other with their words, up close and personal! Today feels like we are going face to face, toe to toe with cancer and radiotherapy treatment and they are trying their very best to intimidate us, but they’ve picked on the wrong people!!!!!
We will not back down, and we will not take any of that trash talk because our God is bigger than them. You are losers and it’s going to be a knockout!
Fear will not have a stronghold in our lives or over our lives. This scripture perfectly sums it up for me;
Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
I have found another source of strength is using declarations and choosing your words carefully.
Your words create worlds.
We decided right at the start of the treatment that we would only speak positively over ourselves and the situation, the way that God sees it. We sometimes have to remind each other and it’s the same with taking the lies captive as they try and creep in. We have got very good at telling each other when we are believing a lie about anything because it’s so important and powerful to break agreement with it straight away. Our words literally bring life because we are created in the image of God and this means the very words we utter can bring life or death to a situation.
Prov 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Let me encourage you today if you are feeling fearful, take it straight to God. Tell Him exactly what you’re feeling and let Him speak reassurance over you and fill you with faith instead of fear.
Speak declarations over yourself and listen to music that helps you to stamp out fear and if you need to why not literally stomp around and stamp it out as a prophetic act. Tell the fear that your dad’s bigger than… (Whatever it is for you).
I am loving this song at the moment and one that I will be playing over us in the next few months as we stamp out fear!
Join us in kicking cancer’s butt!
Fear Not by Kristene DiMarco
Fear not, if I could SING it any louder I would!!!!!
Fear not, if I could SAY it any louder I would!!!!!
Fear not, if I could SHOUT it any louder I would!!!!!
The Continuing Journey
Mountain Top Moments (where you least expect them)
My Dad’s Bigger than Yours
Kingdom Calling Blog... 
Oh my-powerful testimony of our Lord’s mercy! Praying Tim continues to win each round!
Thankyou so much Debbie. I’m so sorry for the late reply as I’ve only just spotted this. Your prayers are appreciated. X
No need to apologize! Prayers continue. 🙏
❤️❤️