Truth is Freedom, Knowledge is Power

Sickness and Disease Defeated

Greetings to one and all! I pray that all is well with you, however, I want to approach the topic of wellness from a biblical standpoint. Sickness and disease entered the world at the fall of mankind. You know the all too famous account of Adam and Eve, the fruit, and the crafty serpent. Well as a result of their sin Adam and eve caused death to enter our world, but it is much more complicated than just death. They brought suffering in the form of sickness, disease, violence, famine, and much more. Today in our world millions suffer from debilitating diseases, illnesses and sicknesses. According to WHO (World Health Organization) more than 220 million people worldwide have diabetes. That is just one disease yet the statistics are of mind blowing proportions. To put that in perspective, the current population of the United States is around 310 Million. Aids kills more than 3 million people each year. Here are some facts about heart disease which can be found on the CDC website.

• In 2006, 631,636 people died of heart disease. Heart disease caused 26% of deaths—more than one in every four—in the United States.
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2006 were women.
• Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease. In 2005, 445,687 people died from coronary heart disease.
• Every year about 785,000 Americans have a first heart attack. Another 470,000 who have already had one or more heart attacks have another attack.
• In 2010, heart disease will cost the United States $316.4 billion. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity.

  Can you imagine how many are suffering from various diseases or illnesses worldwide? Surely the figures are too staggering to comprehend. The numbers don't lie and the facts are pretty bad. Still, I did not write this message in order to discourage, but rather to encourage you. There is hope in Jesus Christ. He defeated sickness and disease over 2000 years ago when he died upon the cross.

Some might wonder how Jesus can understand the suffering they are going through now. Others may wonder how He could have defeated sickness and disease if so many are sick right now. Hang in there because I am going to answer these questions so help me God. First, please understand the great compassion and love that God has for us, His people. Lets look at scriptural evidence which shows this.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

This verse clearly illustrates that Jesus was indeed human. He was God in fleshly form. His sole purpose was to bring mankind redemption through His death and sacrifice on the cross. Jesus dwelt among men as a man himself, experiencing the pain and suffering, the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations that we face each day. How could He relate to us if He had not been through what we have been through? How could He relate to pain if He never felt pain? How could He relate to suffering if He never suffered? He understands temptation because He was tempted. How could he relate to disease if He never encountered it? Yet we know that He did on a regular basis. The book of Mark gives a great account of this.

Mark 1:29 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them. 32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-posessed. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

 How could He relate to death if he never died? Think about it folks. Our God is alive and full of power and might, but He loves us so much that He gave His only Son so that we could be free.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

God is just and upright in every way so He would have to have become human in order to live as one and relate to what it was like right? I couldn't see it any other way!

Matthew 8:17 He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.

Jesus is the source of our healing. He already paid for our sin so we should not have to fight with sickness or disease in our bodies.

Isaiah 53:4 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Understand that Jesus has indeed lived through a fleshly existence and faced many difficulties that go along with this human life including sickness. The big difference is that Jesus lived through this human life without a single sin or flaw (despite what He suffered), and then gave his life for the sin of all others, that there might be a way out of death. When Jesus died on the cross He not only defeated death, but sickness and disease as well.

Jesus has not changed good friend. He is still the same. This means that the healing power is still there and has always been. As a born again believer you have the authority to use the name of Jesus and take control over your body! This does not excuse us from sin, however. God commands us to be holy and to walk upright. Just because Jesus defeated sickness and disease, we don't just get lazy and stop taking care of ourselves. I work out several times per week and try my best to eat healthy foods. I know it is not easy to do this. Still, we don't just get a free pass to do anything we want because Jesus has paid the price. This mentality is as far from God or Christianity as one can concievably get.

Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temply of the Holy Spirit who is in you,whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Exercising and eating right are always good for your physical body. It is good for your spiritual body as well. Many (not all) of our health issues can be avoided with the proper eating and exercise habits. Staying away from sin and other bad habits (nicotine, alcohol etc.) will help as well. When we neglect our bodies (our temples) we give sickness an opportunity to enter in and wreak havoc. Think about your body in this analogy. A home well fortified and guarded by a strong man is a much more difficult target to overthrow than a home where the man is weak and the security is lax. Keep your body healthy and strong to the best of your ability as this alone will benefit you greatly while on this earth. I even noticed that if I happen to catch a common cold my body is able to fight it off rather quickly (48-72 hours) when I have been exercising regularly and eating right. Yet the "average" length of a common cold untreated is around a week to 10 days.

Sickness and disease are a very bad part of our world, and many are suffering. Sickness and disease are here as a result of sin. Sin is the reason there is suffering at all in our world. Some of you may be wondering if Jesus died for our sins, how can there be sickness and diesease? Jesus did not wipe out sickness and disease in the earth. He defeated it upon the cross at his death! As long as sin exists, so will illnesses until God does away with all these things. Until then you must understand that your healing is in Jesus' name. If you will in faith call upon the name which is above all other names, you will be healed. Miracles happen every day that baffle the scientific community regarding healing. There are too many accounts for me to name them all, but make no mistake about it. Healing is happening every day. People with terminal illnesses are being set free and healed. Many who are often told that they have little or no time to live beat the odds, and are still alive today because Jesus healed them. When medical experts review the results they are often astounded and have no explanation as to the miraculous healings. It is none other than the healing power of Almighty God flowing in their bodies.

 God can't force you to believe in Him. Man was given a free will as a part of God's love because he didn't want drones or slaves forced into loving Him. He wanted an intelligent being capable of free thought and choice whom would desire of his own will to love God. So with that said, you can take your victory over the disease or illness you're fighting, and chose to let Jesus heal you, or chose not to believe in His healing power, and hope that medical science can provide you a way out of your suffering. Good friend, the choice is entirely up to you. Perhaps you are tired of relying on pills and medication for your healing. I know many who are suffering daily with ridiculous amounts of medications/prescriptions pills. Some take as many as 10 or more different medications daily. Ask yourself, is this really God's will for me? Didn't Jesus die on the cross that I could be healed? Then why am I taking all these pills? Have thoughts like this ever crossed your mind? If so it is time to take action. You may have thought nothing could be done, but that is not so. Don't become a slave to constant pills and medications. Not to put down doctors, but please realize that it is their job to prescribe you medicine! They get paid lots of money people. The more pills and prescriptions are dished out, the more revenue is made, so think about that the next time you get ready to take a pill. It is big business, but is it healing people and setting them free, or simply perpetuating the cycle by keeping people in bondage? Just a thought.

If you are suffering from illness, I dare you get bold and kick the devil's butt by declaring with a shout, " In Jesus name I am healed! Sickness and disease you have no place in my body because by His stripes I am healed, and He bore my sickness already. Now GO in Jesus name!" You can literally speak to the illness and command for it to go! I have done so myself many times when I felt an attack of illness on my body and I was healed. You can take control over your body and be set free by placing 100% of your trust in the Lord. Go through God's word and read the scriptures aloud pertaining to healing, and declare your body be made whole in Jesus name. There is all power in His name and the sickness has no choice except to leave your body. You may be fighting a battle that seems impossible, or know someone (friend, associate, relative) dealing with sickness, but remember that with God nothing is impossible, even things that men are unable to do. If you need prayer don't hesitate to ask for it. I would be more than happy to pray for you/with you regarding your healing or any other matter you are dealing with.

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

As always, Truth is Freedom, Knowledge is Power!