The Practice of Good Medicine

I had another revelation this morning regarding my illness as a spiritual analogy. In this illness, I am having to take different medications that are supposed to support different organs. Example, I take a thyroid medication for the thyroid, and cortisol for my adrenal glands. However, I have to “tweak” the amount of these meds that I take as according to my symptoms, or as my “health” progresses. If I take too much thyroid, my adrenal glands will become suppressed and my fatigue worsens. If I take too much cortisol, the thyroid becomes strained and I experience all types of excruciating body pains. There has to be a balance of the meds, and this balance changes as my treatment progresses.

I have not been able to get a hold of my doctor this week and I have been adjusting my medicine without the doctor’s direct supervision, and I have had some improvements. I have been praying for wisdom on how to continue to adjust these meds until I can finally consult my doctor, and the Lord revealed something to me that is relevant to the Body of Christ. We have all the medicine that we need in the Word of God for every spiritual ailment we may encounter. The pastor’s preach it, the Sunday School teachers teach it, and we can read it out of our own Bibles. Though all of this Word Study is extremely beneficial, it does us little good if we do not know how to administer it for our particular dilemma. (Sometimes, we cannot even discern what “spiritual symptoms” we are facing, much less know what medicine is right for that ailment). Spiritual ailments we face: jealousy, bitterness/unforgiveness, anger, anxiety, weariness, self-pity, loneliness, despair, or fear, among a myriad of others. Quoting “God is a jealous God…” will not, in any way, benefit the one suffering from jealousy. Nor will recalling that, “God’s wrath is produced out of His justice and righteousness,” be appropriate to quell a surge of resentment or anger.

Moreover, there are times when we have to discern from where the root cause of our predicament is manifesting. Some conditions are not necessarily from us-they can come from an onslaught thoughts and fears thrown at us by the accuser himself. Other times, however, our emotional instability is birthed from a hidden wound that has long remained in our hearts undetected. We must learn how to discern what emotions or spiritual conditions are satanic attacks from those that are the result of past experiences and failures. Then, we must ask the Lord for wisdom on how to combat these issues using the correct “formula” and “balance” of “medication” as found in the Word of God. The medicine is there, but the right medicine must be administered to the right ailment.

Another thing the Lord showed me is that it takes more than just one dose of the Word to bring about complete healing. Let me explain. When we get some type of bacterial infection, we are prescribed an antibiotic regimen that can last anywhere from 7-10 days. Unfortunately, most people stop taking the medicine once they begin to “feel better.” Though their condition is improving, the infection has not been completely eradicated; and, since they stop the medication, their condition returns and the relapse is far worse than the infection’s initial onset. The true “power” of the antibiotic is found in the consistent administration of the medication on the illness. Because so many people have stopped their medications too soon, these bacterial infections have compensated for their “setbacks” and are now far more potent than they were 20 years ago, requiring much stronger antibiotics to be taken for lengthier periods of time.

The same is true when we attempt to medicate our spiritual condition with the Word. The power in the Word is in the consistent dosage of the appropriate scripture to the appropriate ailment. Even if we feel “better,” and the symptoms of depression, anxiety, anger, etc. begin to subside, we should never stop reading, meditating upon, and/or speaking the Word of God over our lives and situations. The decreasing symptoms mean that the medicine is working, but it does not necessarily indicate that our hearts are completely whole in that particular area.

This is the concept that Christ talks about in Matt.12:43-45:

“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”

Now, I am not suggesting that every one who struggles with fear, anger, jealousy, etc. is “possessed by a demon.” But I do know that, unless we treat ourselves with the Word on a regular basis, we will make ourselves vulnerable to all kinds of enemy attacks, and we will be helpless to confront him or defend ourselves. Satan is only defeated by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony. (ref. Rev. 12:11)

Our pastors and teachers are not always going to be there to tell us how to administer the Word of God; I am currently recognizing this truth with my physical condition. But we have to come to a place of maturity where we can treat ourselves medicinally/spiritually without constant “people” supervision. Yes, we need the guidance of spiritual mentors and physical doctors; I will continue to try to get a hold of my doctor to work with him in discovering the correct balance of meds. But people will not always be available; God, however, is! He is the Great Physician, and He knows us inside and out! We can consult Him as our Primary Physician for every point of need; and He will lead us in the way everlasting. (ref. Ps. 139:24)