Rx for Spiritual Healing
The Civil War was America’s deadliest war, but not for the reason you might think. There were
660,000 soldier deaths but the majority of these (about ⅔) were caused by infectious diseases, not by weapons. This was because penicillin was not yet discovered.
In the spiritual war that we all face, there are “infectious diseases” that threaten us. Fortunately, we have the antidote in the gospel of Jesus Christ. But if we don’t apply it we will be lost. Here are some of the disorders to watch for:
Spiritual depression – getting overly discouraged because of our own mistakes. It is good to be self-aware, but if our regrets overwhelm us they can be a major hindrance to progress. God’s prescription for this is found in Micah 7:8: “Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.”
Spiritual pride – the infection of judging, focusing on others’ faults. This is a special problem for hard-working people. It is good to be strong, but there is a danger if we get proud and arrogant. Every good thing we have, including our positive traits, are gifts from God. God’s prescription for this malady is found in Philippians 2.3: “Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.”
Spiritual pessimism – victim mentality, overcome by disappointments and trials. This person sees their life as all bad. But if they stopped to notice, they would discover some good things. God’s prescription for this is James 1.17: “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.”
Spiritual party lifestyle – addiction to pleasure, unable to say no to temptation. “If it feels good, do it” is the philosophy. But throwing caution to the wind can be spiritually fatal. Even drivers on the highway must stay in the right lane to be safe. God’s prescription for this is Proverbs
29.18: “…happy is he who keeps the law.”
On the battlefield of life, we will all find ourselves struggling with one or more of these afflictions at different times. Thank God, there is spiritual penicillin that is effective if we will take it.
By Barry Kimbrough
Pastor, Gold Beach, Brookings, and Cave Junction Seventh-day Adventist Churches
