Christian doctors must rise up
EVERY SICKNESS has a root and that root is spiritual. Infirmity is a spirit (or a curse) and there are many diseases and illnesses that fall under the umbrella of infirmity. There may be lack of certain things within the body which may cause a sickness. In the Bible, God uses different methods to bring healing to different persons including medicine – herbs and natural extracts. He also used doctors and His servants with the gift of healing to heal different people (1 Corinthians 12: 9; 2 Kings 20: 1 - 11; Isaiah 38: 1-8). In the same way, we go to the doctor and he checks into our family’s medical history. There are many sicknesses that may come down through the lineage based on the sins committed by our foreparents – including sexual sins, witchcraft or injustice. That is why it is key for Christian medical doctors who understand this to rise up. You cannot medicate a spiritual problem, nor can you give complete help if all areas are not addressed.
Many may say, “He is not a doctor, he can’t talk about healing!” But that is the problem in the world today. Interestingly, Isaiah the Prophet did not study medicine, he studied what we would call international relations. When the king Hezekiah was about to die from his illness, the king began to pray and seek God, refusing to accept the fate of death. The prophet directed the king to apply poultice of figs which many medical scholars today say is an antibiotic. We also see again in 2 Kings 5: 1-15, a mighty and great commander who had leprosy. Leprosy today is known as Hansen’s disease, which is a long-lasting infection caused by bacteria which affects the skin, eyes and nervous system. Hansen’s disease is treated with a combination of antibiotics. Typically, two or three antibiotics are used at the same time. In the Bible, God gave His prophet an instruction/prescription for this great commander – to go and dip seven times in the muddy Jordan River. What would the medical scholars and intellectuals of today say about that in response? Maybe they would say that the prophet of God had a psychotic disorder and needs Zyprexa, Rexulti or maybe even some Abilify. Others who would receive that instruction, based on their status (and level of pride), would probably think it a foolish instruction, walk away and find a way to fly out for treatment, since they don’t even have confidence in their local health system. Naaman himself thought it was nonsense when the maid told him the instruction was from the prophet of God. Nevertheless, he obeyed the instruction.
Sometimes, the place the Lord is sending you has exactly what you need for your healing, even if you don’t see or understand it. What if the state of the muddy river had the properties necessary to fight the bacteria affecting his skin and body?