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Understanding the Physical and Spiritual Aspects of Sickness

We live in a world where physical sickness is a reality. Our bodies, created by God, get impacted by stress, poor diet, and, yes, even spiritual attacks. Sometimes, a headache is just a headache. But in other instances, a sickness goes beyond the physical realm.

Discerning the difference between a physical or spiritual struggle is essential to holding onto your peace. Once you understand the source of your issues, you can combat them with the right tools.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the difference between physical and spiritual attacks. At the end of each section, I’ll insert a healing prayer to impart peace and comfort.

Physical Sickness – When It’s Just Your Body

Sometimes our bodies get sick. We catch the cold, get the flu, or exhaust our muscles from overuse. This is part of living in a fallen world. Our bodies, while wonderfully made, are not invincible.

When you experience a physical issue, it’s important to rest, hydrate, and seek medical care, if needed. However, if you discern a spiritual element is involved, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any open doors in your life. Sometimes these openings–fear, hatred, sexual sin, and the occult–allow sickness to enter the body.

Now, to be clear, I’m not saying that if you’re sick it’s a result of sin. Jesus is Lord and paid for everything. But it’s important to be aware of any possible access points to the enemy.

The Need to Forgive

Another element that might bring physical issues is unforgiveness. Scripture says that when we hold onto bitterness, it leads to torment:

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. – Matthew 18:33 ESV

In some translations, the word jailers is translated to tormentors or torturers. Holding onto unforgiveness leaves us open to attack.

If you sense that unforgiveness is tied to your struggles, ask God to show you who you need to forgive. If a person doesn’t deserve grace, extend it anyway. Forgiveness is not for the offender; it’s for you!

Dealing with the Physical

For the past few years, I’ve limped across the globe in severe knee pain. Finally, in this past November, I’d had enough and decided to schedule knee surgery.

To be honest, it was discouraging to “give up” and seek medical attention. But after asking God for a miracle and not getting it, it was time to seek an appointment with a surgeon.

In the end, I underwent a successful full knee replacement. The recovery was difficult, but the Lord confirmed to me that I didn’t have any open doors of sin blocking my healing. I knew the core of all my pain was purely physical. I had injured my knee, and a surgeon needed to correct it.

If you need a healing prayer to help you navigate a discouraging physical issue, say this out loud: “Lord, thank You for the body You’ve given me. I ask for Your healing touch over my life. Guide me in taking care of myself and give me wisdom to make choices that bring health. I trust You, Lord, to restore my strength and renew my body. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

When There’s a Spiritual Attack on Your Health

Not every sickness is physical. Sometimes, there’s a spiritual element at play. After all, we have an enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.

I can usually tell when a health issue has a deeper component because I feel spiritually heavy. I not only feel sick; I also feel overwhelmed and discouraged. For example —

— two years ago, I got really sick. I didn’t get tested, but in my heart I knew I had Covid! Now, I believe there is a sickness called Covid, but there’s also a demon that attaches itself to the virus to cause panic.

I know this because while lying in bed, I felt fear creeping in. Accusations like you’re a bad person and you’re going to get everyone sick thundered in my mind.

Rather than giving in to these thoughts, I prayed. The next day, I was able to return to my normal duties. In this instance, I’d faced a demonic attack that latched itself onto a physical sickness. The demon had told me I had Covid, but when I got tested, the results came back negative!

A Healing Prayer for Physical Struggles

If you’re facing a health issue that feels spiritually heavy, take authority in Jesus’ Name. Stand firm and remember that the enemy has no right to your body. Jesus won victory for you on the cross. His name is above every sickness and attack.

Here’s a healing prayer to cover you if you suspect the enemy is harassing you: “Lord, I come to You in the name of Jesus, and I ask for Your protection and healing. I bind any spirit of sickness, disease, or infirmity in Jesus’ name, and I command it to leave my body. I declare that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that the enemy has no place here. Thank You, Lord, for Your healing power and for the victory we have in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Conclusion

Whether you’re battling a physical sickness, a spiritual attack, or a combination of both, remember that God’s heart is for you to be whole. Use a healing prayer to stand firm, seek God’s wisdom, and trust that He is working on your behalf.

Side note: sometimes a healing takes time. God releases the answer, but it takes awhile to manifest. In the Old Testament, Daniel prayed to the Lord for deliverance and his answer was delayed by twenty one days. The angel who carried the Lord’s answer was trapped in the second heaven by demonic resistance:

Then he [the angel] continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. – Daniel 10:12-13 ESV

If your answer is delayed, don’t lose hope. Ask the Holy Spirit to release higher ranking angels and expedite your answer.

Regardless of your struggles, remember that God sees you, hears you, and fights for you. Keep pressing in and let His peace transform your situation. I ask that every request you make is filled with hope, faith, and an expectation that your Father will meet your needs and bring wholeness.

P.S: For an even deeper glimpse into the physical versus the spiritual, check out my warring with wisdom training.

Invite the Holy Spirit to displace this mindset.

I had the opportunity to attend Bethel’s Healing Conference, headlined by Bill Johnson and Randy Clark. There were so many healings. One woman who had facial injuries confessed to being pain free after receiving prayer! Another man’s shoulder was miraculously healed. Even my daughter-in-law, Colleen, experienced healing in her knee after twisting it during Christmas Break.

I didn’t make the last day, but the most impactful session for me was Bill Johnson’s sermon during the second night. He spoke about navigating disappointment. He opened this teaching with the story of his wife, Beni, who had passed away from cancer two years before. It was a heavy message, and you could tell Bill was emotional in getting through it.

In this teaching, Bill described how people sometimes partner with an identity of disappointment. He said, “I meet with BSMM Alumni all over the world. I love hearing their testimonies, and seeing how they’re still walking with God. But I also hear the stories of those who turned away. Those who couldn’t handle a difficult season and are now living their own lives.”

Bill diagnosed this problem as being unable to handle disappointment, and I could tell it broke his heart. I resonated with this idea myself, having gone through my own seasons of discouragement. Scripture tells us to “Rejoice always, pray continually,” and “give thanks in all circumstances.” This sounds doable when everything is going well. But what about those times when it feels like our prayers don’t get answered? What do we do then?

Bill suggested that people who can walk with God through tragedy are less likely to abandon their faith. The Bible says we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” When we enter this valley, do we pull on our relationship with God and make it through? Or do we settle in our despair and give up?

I’ve mentioned how hard it was for me to have to schedule my knee surgery. I had so much faith that God would heal me. After all, I’d prayed for countless people who received healing in their knees! Yet, for some reason, I didn’t receive my miracle.

It was hard for me to not feel abandoned, but what Bill said was so profound. He ended his session by saying, “Some people in here have actually partnered with an identity of disappointment. You’ve worn it like a cloak, almost proud of it.”

I felt a stirring in my spirit and began praying as he brought up this revelation. I realized this was so true. In Sozo, I meet with people all over the world. Some of these individuals have experienced horrific abuse, and it’s difficult to not adopt a mantle of disappointment or victimhood. But, discouragement, disappointment, and a victim mindset are not conducive to our identity in Christ.

Bill closed the night by leading everyone in what was essentially a congregational Sozo. He had us break agreement with this identity and declare the Lord’s truth over our hearts. It was a powerful exchange.

Take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit if you have partnered with offense in any way. If discouragement, disappointment, anger, or unbelief has hardened your heart toward the Lord, repent and break agreement with these mindsets. Then invite the Holy Spirit to fill you with His joy.

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