Necrotizing Fasciitis

It sounds like something out of a horror movie, but it’s real. In recent years, scientists have discovered a kind of bacterial infection called necrotizing fasciitis, more commonly called flesh eating bacteria. Once this bacterium enters a human body, it can multiply rapidly. Within 24 hours, its victim begins to experience flu like symptoms, severe thirst, and extreme weakness. Within 3 or 4 days, the limb or area of the body most affected will being to swell, and dark blisters filled with blackish fluid will appear. At 5 days, the victim’s blood pressure will drop severely, and he or she will go into toxic shock. If it’s not discovered early and treated quickly and aggressively, it can consume a person’s health and well being from the inside out and eventually take that person’s life. Now before we panic, we can relax. Flesh eating bacteria is rare, fewer than a thousand cases a year in the US. Flesh eating bacteria has its parallel in the spiritual realm and just like its physical counterpart, this spiritual affliction can fester and grow. If it’s not discovered early and treated quickly and aggressively, it can consume a person’s spirit and soul from the inside out and eventually rob that person of his or her spiritual life and vitality. Hebrews 12:15: “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”