Can The Devil Cause A Born-Again Christian To Become Sick?

The most dominant one is that the devil causes it. In the New Testament, we read that the Apostle Paul had a 'thorn' that many believe was a sickness given to him by the devil (2 Cor 12:7). (I will address this in more detail shortly). There was also a woman who was bound/disabled by satan for over 18 years until Jesus instantly set her free (Luke 13:11-13, 16) [It must be noted that she was not Born-Again at the moment of her healing].

Some believe that the Creator God of the Universe, who is love, is the author of sickness and gives/allows it as a form of punishment to Born-Again Christians – those in Him, and He in them. Verses from the Old Testament are most often cited as proof of that claim (examples: Job; Ex 4:11; 2 Kings 15:5; 2 Chron 16:10-12). In the New Testament, we read that Zechariah was given an affliction because he doubted God's word regarding the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:19-20; see also examples in Mark 6:5-6; John 10:10; Luke 13:5-6).

Communion Concerns

The Bible does give us insight into why Born-Again Christians get sick and even die prematurely. When a person partakes of Communion, the Bible commands that they are to "examine" and judge themselves as David did (1 Cor 11:28).

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24 KJV).

This was the failure of the Corinthian church. A person must spend time on their knees before the Lord, seeking His face to search their heart for hidden sin, so that the Lord can reveal such things as unforgiveness, anger, rebellion, bitterness, fear, worry, anxiety, resentment, pride, envy, etc., in their life so that they can acknowledge it, appropriate the blood to it and repent. If the sin is against another person, they must make it right with that person.

If a person does not examine their heart BEFORE they take communion, and sin is actively present, it will open the door to the punishing effects of sickness and disease;

"For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world" (1 Cor 11:27-32 NIV).

After decades of study, it is my firm belief that this is the most significant reason why there is so much sickness and disease in the Church. The importance of this cannot be overstated.

In the church at Corinth, many contentions had caused great divisions among them. The word 'unworthily' (Gk: anaxiós) means the opposite of worth, weight, being found worthy - like in what you do and live your life before God.

The lack of forgiveness was rampant, so they were given a stern warning regarding the taking of communion. When a person partakes of communion, they "proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Cor 11:26), which is about forgiveness and 'reconciliation' (Gk: katallage = to be renewed in friendship) because every Born-Again Christian has been given the "ministry of reconciliation" to fulfill the Great Commission (2 Cor 5:18).

There are countless empirical scientific studies that reveal fear, anxiety, worry, stress, unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, and anger can cause significant physical and mental harm because the body reacts as if it is being attacked from without. The immune system goes into overdrive to attack it, resulting in one of the 90 plus autoimmune diseases that have no medical cure, and many of which can result in premature death.

When unforgiveness is harbored in the heart towards another, and the person eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord, they are partaking in "an unworthy manner" and will be "guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord" (Vs. 27).

For this reason, it is so vitally important to "examine" one's self before they eat "of the bread" and drink of "the cup," because, the Bible warns, "anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself." (Vs. 29)

The church was told that because of their unforgiveness, many among them were "weak and sick," and that was why many of them had died premature deaths! In the same chapter we read that if "we judge ourselves" - that is, if we search our hearts first and walk in forgiveness toward others, we will not come under the judgment of unforgiveness. It is "when we are judged by the Lord" that we are being disciplined so that we will not "be condemned with the world "(Vs. 32). This is a powerful warning. We must learn to settle our differences and forgive others. The lack of forgiveness can put one in danger of incorrectly recognizing the body and shed blood of Jesus because it tells the world that His blood is not sufficient to forgive all sins.