When it comes to sickness and disease there are so many Christians that are confused about where it comes from and what is the purpose of it in their lives. Some have even been taught that everything that happens to them in life is the will of God for them. But nothing could be further from the truth. Let's look at it from this angle using the Word of God as our benchmark. If sickness was the will of God for you, then why did James say, "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up..." (James 5:14-15)
Webster defines anxiety as "a state of being uneasy, apprehensive, or worried about what may happen; concerned about a possible future event." Anxiety is a fact of life in our modern-day society. Stress related illness is one of the most popular topics in today's health magazines. Although some people are more prone to worry than others, I don't think anyone is immune to anxiety and worry. That is the reason the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Philippi: "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts, and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)
Everything we construct must have a foundation. The things that we believe become the cornerstones of our futures, so we must choose our foundations wisely. Build your foundation for the new year on God's Word. Proverbs 2:1-6 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
The Bible establishes the fact that Jesus Christ came to restore us to right relationship with God. Through His blood, we are free from sin. By His stripes, we are healed. This sacrifice was without limitation to every person, yet not all are free from sin and not all are healed and well. Why? Because it requires something of each individual person. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12 In order to be free from sin, you must receive Him as your Lord and Savior and believe. To be healed and live in health, it is necessary to receive Him as your Great Physician and believe that He bore your sickness and pain.
Jesus said in John 16:13, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future." The disciples were dependent on Jesus to help them understand spiritual truths as well as everyday life. When Jesus left, they required help, just as we do. The Holy Spirit came to dwell with them and in them to give them understanding and access to all the wisdom of God.
First Corinthians 13 is often called the love chapter. It is sandwiched between chapter 12, which teaches on the gifts and callings of the Spirit, and chapter 14, which emphasizes the etiquette of the spoken gifts. I always looked at First Corinthians 13 as a pause to remind the Corinthians that everything is done in love. However, Paul did not write in chapter and verse. This chapter ties into recognizing the whole body of Christ. It takes every part of every ministry gift to give us an accurate picture of the realm of the Spirit.
You may be walking through a "dry place" in your life, perhaps having a difficult time....a time when it seems that all your opportunities have dried up. It appears that your financial needs are not being met and your future looks bleak. You may even feel like your prayers are not being heard. Circumstances rise up against you and you don't see a way out. Such were the circumstances in Samaria in 2 Kings 6:24-30. The entire city was in severe famine being surrounded by the armies of the king of Syria who was determined to destroy them. The enemy wanted to take their city and possessions. They could not leave the city to trade or get food from the fields or goods.
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him." (Colossians 1:16) There is another world that exists at this very moment on a parallel plane. It is invisible to the human eye, but just as real as the world we see. This invisible world influences everything that goes on in the earth. As a matter of fact, the earth itself was created from what we cannot see. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Hebrews 11:3)
Emotional wounds strike at the very heart of a person. Even strong and confident people who experience emotional upheaval can find themselves depressed and down in spirit. If you are like most people, you have had a "broken heart" at some time because of grief from the death of a loved one, loss of a pet, or divorce. Betrayal also can attempt to crush and break your spirit. Long before medical science discovered that stress, trauma, and emotional pain affect the physical body, the Bible revealed the connection between the spirit or what we call the "heart" of a person. "A sound heart is the life of the flesh; but envy the rottenness of the bones." (Proverbs 14:30)
When most people think of a Biblical "shield of faith," they picture the shield from Roman times which is what the Apostle Paul would have been thinking of when he admonished the church at Ephesus to put on the whole armor of God. The shield, sword, and helmet of Ephesians 6:10-18 are indicating a march into battle. When using this image of me holding the shield in front of me, I ran into a problem at night when I was asleep. How can I hold a shield of faith for protection when I am asleep???
Follow Up
