I belong to a WhatsApp group who had been praying for a little boy aged 2 who is now in Great Ormond Street Hospital being treated for a rare condition which led to sepsis and which may require parts of his leg to be amputated.  Since praying for him the little boy has grown stronger and stronger, but is still in danger of losing part of his leg.

One of the encouraging WhatsApp messages told the story behind today’s featured song “Raise a Hallelujah.”

Bethel Music CEO Joel Taylor and his wife Janie took their two-year-old son Jaxon to the hospital with what they thought was a normal child’s illness. The Taylors soon discovered that Jaxon’s kidneys were shutting down due to an E-coli virus attacking his organs. Jaxon then began to undergo blood transfusions and go on dialysis, while suffering from seizures and respiratory issues.

Soon after, their four-year-old daughter Addie was diagnosed with the same infection. Faced with the possible loss of their son and daughter, the couple cried out to their community for prayer and support. Joel Taylor recorded a video on Instagram asking for prayer from the community that soon went viral, as Christians from all over the world joined in prayer and intercession for the Taylors.

Worship leaders and friends of the community Jonathan and Melissa Helser were in constant contact with the Taylors from the beginning of the crisis, and received news one night that the Taylors didn’t think Jaxon would make it through the night. “As soon as I got that text, I felt like this giant of unbelief stood in front of me,” Jonathan Helser said. “I thought, ‘Jaxon’s going to die tonight, we’re not going to see the miracle.’”

As the Helsers dove into prayer over Jaxon, a new song came out. “All of a sudden, out of my gut, this song came out in the face of the giant – ‘I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies. I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief.’” This song became an anthem for the Taylors throughout the rest of the battle over Jaxon’s life.

Making worship their weapon, more friends from the community came to the hospital room and sang over Jaxon and Addie. After several weeks in the hospital, numerous treatments and countless prayers, the Taylors were admitted to go home with two healthy children. Joel Taylor recounts his experience, “God’s timing often doesn’t make sense until you look back to see that mountains were climbed and canyons were crossed on no strength of your own. In the battle for Jaxon’s life, the global church community rose up like a mighty army and joined us in prayer and worship all over the world. Our son was miraculously healed and today is perfectly healthy.”

Quote of the week