A typical day in the life of Dr. Bradley Rolle
Bradley Rolle is a youth counsellor, an intercessor with the Jamaica House of Prayer, and musician. Hear him speak on how he is managing life as a medical practitioner, whose work experience has spanned both the private and public sectors.
It was a slightly busier afternoon in the emergency room. A patient came into my office, “Doc, you haffi help mi. I have headache every week. Mi go four doctors and nutting works! I’ve done many tests. You name it – MRI, CT SCAN, blood tests, and nobaddi can find out wha wrong wid mi.”
ALLOW HOLY SPIRIT TO DIRECT YOU
After taking a history and listening intently to the patient’s complaints, the Holy Spirit led me to have a general conversation. The first question I asked her was, “How is your relationship with your spouse?” Her eyes opened wide, and she chuckled. “Him dead,” she responded and returned to reiterate her long list of complaints.
My second question was, “Is your spouse aware that you are being unfaithful in your marriage?” This time, her eyes looked like they were about to pop right out. As her jaw reached the floor, she fell silent and looked visibly uncomfortable.
“Who are you?” she asked.
I smiled and responded, “I am a Christian.”
She confessed the extramarital affair, and what started as a regular interview turned into a time of prayer and repentance. I was able to direct her to the counsel of older women who took over the task of helping her.
This is one of many encounters I have had in my daily work. I say this not to boast (for, like Paul, “I shall rather boast in my weakness so that the power of Christ may rest on me”) but to show that when we walk according to the Spirit, we will have understanding that is beyond our natural capacity.
Instead of dealing with problems we face at work or in our personal lives in the flesh, we will filter them through spiritual lenses.
This patient thought she had a physical problem when, in fact, she had a spiritual one. A spiritually untrained doctor would not be able to help her. The counsel we give,
Christians, and receive needs to be directed by the Master Counsellor, the Holy Spirit.
INTERCESSION
Intercession is the act of praying for others. I didn’t quite know that this was a gift of mine until later on in my walk with the LORD. The more I devoted myself to the study of God’s Word, the more I fell in love with Him, and so, naturally, I grew to always want to talk to Him.
As we behold God, we become more like Him, and so we develop a heart for people. I remember a time in my life when I didn’t think I could pray for ten minutes before I ran out of words to say. So, I figured, let me pray for someone else. Now I can find myself praying for hours! Prayer really does form the basis of our lives as Christians. I need it. I live on it. I am constantly praying. When I wake up, when I sleep, when I drive, when I am resuscitating a patient, my life revolves around prayer.
We are taught in medicine not to share our faith or influence others in a religious way. This has always been something I have had to reject as a Christian.
UNCONSCIOUS FOR TWO DAYS
I distinctly recall a situation where a young man was brought into the emergency department by his parents. He was unconscious and remained so for two days in the hospital. As doctors scrambled and scratched their heads, trying to figure out what was wrong with him, they ran every test.
On the night of the second day, I approached his bedside and looked at his body—still as ever. I noted something on his right hand—a ring with skulls on it. The image deeply troubled me. I decided to remove the jewellery and spent the next 30 minutes trying to pry it loose. It was as if the ring was sealed to his skin. Eventually, I was able to extricate it, after which I prayed over him.
The next day, when I got to work, I saw that the bed was empty.
“Where is Mr. X?!” I asked the nurses frantically.
“Oh, Doc, you know he woke up last night! He left with his parents this morning.” I smiled and resumed my duties. It was not I, but Christ, who had triumphed!
Believers, God is calling us to wake up and activate the gifts of prophecy, healing, deliverance, and intercession that He has given us to utilise in our various places of influence. These things will infiltrate and re-shape the church, culture, and community where we live and work.
May Adonai help us as we seek to love Him and love others.
Readers, Dr. Rolle reminds us about some truths of exactly who we are in Christ—truths that have served to bolster him during his lowest points; may they serve to succour you, too, as you may be experiencing fiery trials and tribulations.
We are children of Jehovah Rapha, living stones, a holy priesthood, the righteousness of God. We are heirs with Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, members of Christ’s body, and partakers of His promise. We are the Redeemed of the Lord, hidden with Christ in God, a city not forsaken. We are crucified with Christ.
