Treating The Disease Verses The Dis-Ease
Does it come as any surprise that the very word that describes our bodily health changes is a word describing a feeling, “Disease” or “DIS-EASE,” lack of ease. Many of us do not even bat an eye when we hear the word “disease.” We take it at face value and automatically associate it with a tangible issue in the body, something that you can see (albeit, sometimes, at a microscopic level). We never stop to consider that the word “disease,” when broken down into its prefix and root parts, does not describe a concrete thing at all but something that is unseen, an emotion.
However, an emotion, rarely, if ever, occurs in isolation but rather occurs attached to a thought regarding whatever you are experiencing, remembering, or anticipating. And to take it one step further, whether we realize it or not, we have a choice in what thought, and emotion attached to that thought, we will follow and that choice we make with our free will. Therefore, thoughts, emotions (heart postures), and free will are what we refer to as the spiritual aspect of who we are. And we know this unseen aspect of us exists based on God’s Word. The Word tells us, “God is Spirit” (John 4: 24 NIV, Bible App) and God says, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness” (Genesis 1:26 NIV). So, it would make perfect sense that we too have a spiritual existence, along with our physical one, and, just to re-iterate, this spiritual aspect consists of our thoughts, emotions (heart postures), and free will.
Now that we understand the difference between the physical self verses the spiritual self (thoughts, emotions, and free will) lets take a closer look at disease (physical self) verses dis-ease (spiritual self). “Disease” according to Wordnik (https://www.wordnik.com/words/disease) is defined as “an abnormal condition of a part, organ, or system of an organism resulting from various causes, such as infection, inflammation, environmental factors, or genetic defect, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs, symptoms, or both.” However, it is also defined as a “lack of feeling; uneasiness.” The first definition is focused on something that is tangible, material, objectively measurable…seen. The second definition describes an emotion, something that we can’t objectively measure…unseen.
According to the world’s standards, a physical disease is something to be concerned about, worried about, possibly feared, indicating immediate action or intervention bringing about stress and discomfort. We have been inherently trained to live according to this worldly “truth.” However, if we base this on the Truths Jesus taught, living according to God’s Will, God’s Spirit (“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control”- Galatians 5: 22-23 ESV), and keeping our spirits in alignment with these states, at all times and at all costs, then, it would make sense that we would not be fearing disease at all. For if “God is love” (1 John 4: 8 NIV) and “there is no fear in love” (1 John 4: 18 NIV), then if we live in God’s love (and other traits of His Spirit), we would have no fear. Also, God commands us, “DO NOT BE AFRAID” approximately 365 times in His Word because, if we live by His love, which is His Will, it will free you from fear and the affects that living by it has on your life, spiritually and, also, as we will see, physically. However, when we live fearing anything, especially a physical disease or a spiritual dis-ease, we are not living according to God’s Will, and we will experience the effects of what happens when we do.
There clearly was multiple reasons as to why Jesus’ teachings were centered on not only living by the spiritual but making sure our spiritual self was walking in alignment with God’s Spirit. In Jesus’ ministry and teachings, we see His emphasis on choosing thoughts/heart postures in alignment with God’s Spirit and on not following thoughts/heart postures that weren’t. Check out some of these verses.
Love – “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and LOVE. But the greatest of these is LOVE” (1 Corinthians 13: 13 NIV). “LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22: 37 NIV).
Joy – “I have told you this so that my JOY may be in you and that your JOY may be complete” (John 15: 11 NIV).
Gratitude – ”Give THANKS in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5: 18 NIV). “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving THANKS to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3: 17 NIV).
Peace – “PEACE I leave with you; my PEACE I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14: 27 NIV). “And the PEACE of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4: 7 NIV).
Compassion- “He had COMPASSION on them and healed their sick” (Matthew 14: 14 NIV).
Fear- “There is no FEAR in love. But perfect love drives out FEAR, because FEAR has to do with punishment” (1 John 4: 18 NIV).
Worry- “Therefore do not WORRY about tomorrow, for tomorrow will WORRY about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6: 34 NIV). “Do not WORRY about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes” (Luke 12: 22-23 NIV).
Anger- “Because human ANGER does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1: 20 NIV). “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: ANGER, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips” (Colossians 3: 8 NIV)
Envy- “For where you have ENVY and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice” (James 3: 16 NIV).
Anxiety- “Cast all your ANXIETY on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5: 7 NIV). “Do not be ANXIOUS about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Phillipians 4: 6 NIV).
Jesus not only taught but exemplified how to appropriately live a spiritual life and the consequences that happen when we use our free will to choose thoughts/heart postures in alignment with His Will/Spirit, God’s Will/Spirit. It often occurs to me that whether we do it or not, we all generally agree that God’s Will is best for us to follow in many areas of our lives. However, it appears, in my opinion, the line seems to be drawn when it applies to our health and healing. Medical science has such a strong presence and influence in this world and, consequently, in our lives, that it truly has become the automatic reflexive go-to for any and all health changes for the majority of people. So, the question is, when we are experiencing health changes, should we not still be focused on what Jesus repeatedly showed was important, the spirit, or do we continue to focus on the physical… specifically, do we focus on treating the “disease,” choosing the focus to be on flesh and blood, a physical, “seen” issue, or the “dis-ease,” choosing the focus to be on thoughts/heart postures, a spiritual, “unseen” issue? And/Or are they related? Let’s discuss.
In Ephesians 6: 12 NIV, it says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” This verse is a relatively popular verse in the Bible and, yet, how many of us have ever looked at it from a health perspective? Isn’t it amazing how it uses the very words “flesh and blood” and, rarely, do most people see it as direct instruction on how to approach our health changes. Of course, this verse is applicable to every area of our life but how much more specific can it be when it comes to our health and healing?! Literally, it is telling us that when we are afflicted by a health change, we should not directly “struggle” with, or attack, the “flesh and blood” but, rather, realize that the true struggle is in the spiritual or unseen world. In fact, this verse alludes to a very important connection between our health changes and the spiritual realm, which, would make sense, is where the spiritual aspect of us resides. So, what is it informing us of?
As seen in the verses above, Jesus’ teachings indicate the importance of focusing on our spiritual walk, the unseen, verses the physical walk, the seen. However, often, this is in complete contrast to how people generally live because, as Ephesians 6: 12 warns us about, there is a strong influence our physical self has on our existence. Because of our five senses, our bodies are in tune with the world around us, the tangible world. We gather knowledge about our world through our ability to pick up information via seeing, hearing, touching (including sensations experienced within the physical body), tasting, and smelling. This information generally leads us to measurable things, objective things, seen things. For these reasons, we are drawn to placing attention and importance on what we see/experience and are, therefore, drawn to “struggling” with, or attaching, a situation at this same level, the physical.
The problem lies in the the fact that we have emotions attached to thoughts that are attached to what our senses are picking up. And, often times, the emotions we feel from what our senses are telling us about the physical world (or from what our senses are picking up from our very physical body) have a tendency to lead us down further lines of thoughts/emotions in accordance with the original thoughts/emotions generated. Furthermore, the stronger the emotional response to a thought, the stronger that thought/emotion connection will have on controlling you into following it! For instance, sometimes “positive” emotions stemming form the physical senses give false senses of comfort, joy, love, etc. and sometimes “negative” emotions stemming form the physical senses can lead you down a rabbit hole of gloom and doom. But, the simple Truth remains from God’s Word, “do not conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Romans 12: 2 NIV). No thought/emotion generated by your senses in analysis of the physical world or your physical bodies should ever be your guide…nor your god. In fact, if we see Romans 12: 2 as Truth, it is not only indicating a command to resist the world’s ways (which, if coming from God, is a message of protection for us!), but it also indicates that when we resist to follow the world’s information coming in through our senses, generating associated feelings, and we renew our minds (thoughts/heart postures) by choosing to follow the Spirit of God, the Will of God, we will be transformed!!!! That is an extremely powerful statement because it is informing us transformation will take place. Transformation where?… you might add… EVERYWHERE! Spiritually and physically, within you and in your environment! Notice the sensory information generating thoughts/emotions is still going to come but you have a CHOICE to resist it and follow what God has told you to choose with your free will… HIS WILL/HIS SPIRIT!! This concept is further exemplified by Jesus…
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’” (John 14: 6 NIV). We are told Jesus is “the truth” and living in His way, His Will, will give us life. If this is the case, then we need to re-establish that, if we want to live according to His teachings, then we have to believe in the spiritual guidelines (verse examples stated above) as more of a TRUTH than the physical world’s ways (again, coming into us through our senses and interpreted by thoughts/feelings). One of the most important teachings of Jesus was choosing to live in unconditional love. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35 NIV). This should make sense because “God is love” (1 John 4: 8 NIV) and, therefore, to follow in His Will would mean to love as He loves us. Furthermore, we need to choose to live by the other unseen gifts of the Spirit (joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control). We need to seek these thoughts/heart postures, the Will of God, regardless of what the observable reveals through our senses/emotions. We need to understand that when we live in His TRUTH, living by monitoring our unseen thoughts/heart postures, we not only achieve ultimate spiritual freedom but also physical freedom!
As we have discussed in previous posts, there are health benefits to living according to Jesus’ teachings that science is now showing. When we are experiencing and living in states of “positive” thoughts/heart postures, our bodies physically prosper. We maintain optimum health and increased immunity and increased healing (Dispenza, You are the Placebo 101-102, 115-118 and Dispenza, Becoming Supernatural 44, 164, 167). In contrast, when “negative” thoughts/heart postures are held onto for too long, they lead to health changes and an inability to heal (Dispenza, You Are the Placebo 98-101, 115 and Dispenza, Becoming Supernatural 47, 165-167). Therefore, it makes sense that living according to Jesus’ teachings of choosing thoughts/heart postures in alignment with His Will would promote health; “the Life” would lead us away from dis-ease (the unseen) and, therefore, this would prevent disease (the seen) and death (an already conquered for according to the Word!)
Hoping now we can finally believe that focusing on the spiritual part of us being in alignment with God’s Spirit is the formula to helping us physically heal. When we focus on the thoughts/heart postures (spiritual) rather than the tangible (physical) and choose to follow the Will of God, we conquer the dis-ease and, consequently, the disease. If we understand that “negative” thoughts/heart postures work against the body’s healing, immunity, and maintenance of health, then, it would make sense that if we see/feel a tangible disease, automatically bringing forth feelings of fear, worry, anxiety, stress, etc., it will further work against our body’s ability to be restored. In order to truly heal our health changes, in totality, we need to redirect our main focus from treating the flesh and blood (as told to us in Ephesians), the physical nature, the disease, and, instead, focus on choosing God’s Will with our free will, the spiritual aspect, the dis-ease (lack of ease; uneasiness). This is the answer according to God’s design.
It doesn’t matter if it is for acute or chronic health changes. It works for both! Acute “negative” thoughts/emotions cause acute health changes in the body, just as chronic thoughts/heart postures can cause chronic health changes. But, God’s Word still remains Truth! We can heal, and possibly cure, all of our dis-eases, and, therefore, diseases, by letting go of even lingering thoughts/heart postures, from current, past, or future situations, that are far from the Will of God. This not only draws us closer to maintaining Jesus’ teachings but it empowers us to play an essential role in the healing of our bodies.
It is time to be fully involved in our healing! Because physical diseases are proving to stem from spiritual roots, God made us in a way that gives us the ability to be involved in our own care and healing process. We no longer have to completely rely on other people and systems for our wellness. According to God’s design of our bodies, we don’t have to feel helpless in regards to the healing of our diseases but EMPOWERED! We can be active participants in the healing of our bodies by obeying God’s Word and releasing our “negative” thoughts/heart postures to Him! WE CAN CONQUER ALL DISEASES BY FOLLOWING JESUS!
We can be involved with the treatment of current physical health changes while preventing future ones! We do this by focusing on what is going on in our spiritual selves, where do our thoughts/heart postures lie? Where is the uneasiness, dis-ease? We need to try, as hard as it may be, to choose with our free will to live in thoughts/heart postures in alignment with the Will of God/Spirit of God/Holy Spirit/Jesus/The Word. We have to persevere against the automatic, “negative” reactions that happen when we receive an undesired medical report. We also have to be honest with ourselves about what anger, resentments, bitterness, jealousies, worries, fears, etc. still dwelling in our spirits from past situations or relationships in our lives; these truly become the ones that ensnare us and hold us prisoner, causing chronic physical health changes.
We now know the complete picture as to why Jesus taught the importance of choosing to live by God’s Will…and, now, by His Grace, we finally see this in science. This does not mean we won’t feel “negative” thoughts/emotions towards our unfavored diagnoses but we have to remember not to stay there. Give it to Jesus and live in His love so you can heal and be Medicated by Faith! We can choose, no matter what the situation in our lives, that we will abide by God’s law of living with love, peace, joy, gratitude, etc. in our spirits because “a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17: 22 NIV). It’s time to correctly treat disease in Jesus’ name!
My prayer for you this week is that you take time to think about the difference between the seen world that we live in verses the unseen world where God is. I pray that you start to choose with your free will thoughts/heart postures in alignment with Jesus. I pray that you start to redefine the true nature of disease (dis-ease). I pray that you start to acknowledge what emotional burdens you are dealing with that may be putting you at risk for unwanted physical or physiologic changes in your body. Maybe it is anger. Maybe it is un-forgiveness. Maybe it is guilt. Maybe it is worry. Maybe it is anxiety. Maybe it is fear. Ask the Holy Spirit to help show you how these thoughts/heart postures are either leading you towards or currently causing health changes. I pray that, whatever He shows you, you will be willing to work on giving to Him. I pray that you will be filled with such thanksgiving for the weights that are lifted off of your mind/hearts and for the freedoms that come from living in love! I pray that you thank God for removing all these spiritual chains from you! Thank God for the peace, joy, love, and gratitude that is left in their place! Know with such confidence in your spirit that He will do these things for you because He loves you! Live according to faith, believing in God and the power of living by His Will and see the restoration of your dis-ease and, therefore, disease!
Thank you for reading my post! Please come back to reread previous information or subscribe to get automatic updates on new information so you can be Medicated by Faith! There is so much information that I have learned through God’s guidance that He wants me to share with you especially about disease. I know His teachings will help you seamlessly prevail through and CONQUER every illness! By faith, we can live through God’s Word and, in the process, renew our souls and heal our bodies, leading us to complete health and eternal happiness!
Please make comments or ask any further questions that you may have below or via email at jill@medicatedbyfaith.com. I promise to respond personally or elaborate on your questions in further posts! God is blessing you!
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