The daily study of the Bible will help one to see how God has shown the way to live naturally healthy lives. Born-Again Christians should enjoy better health than non-Christians. By living according to God’s Word and casting all their cares upon Him, He will “guard” all that they “have entrusted to him for that day” (2 Tim 1:12 NIV).
God heals naturally as well as supernaturally. He designed and created the body to be self-healing and gave it an immune system to resist and fight off germs and bacteria, as well as the ability to automatically repair itself and stay healthy. It is because the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit that God expects every Christian to be good stewards of these temples and expects them to eat correctly, behave emotionally, spiritually, and physically, in healthy ways (See 1 Cor 6:19-20).
Living Forgiven
The beginning of living in health starts with forgiveness. One of the hardest struggles of every Christian is to win the battles of forgiveness because it goes on in the mind and in the thoughts. Anger, bitterness, hate, and unforgiveness all originate in the mind. Fervent prayer must be used to break these strongholds in one’s own life, as well as in the lives of others.
The Born-Again Christian must never give up; but rather, they should be confident that they have been promised the victory already as they walk in humility fully yielded to Jesus. Unforgiveness is an insult to Him because He forgave freely.
Jesus came for two purposes. The first was to reconcile man to God. Every Born-Again Christian has been given the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18). When they walk in forgiveness, they are doing what pleases the Father and what displeases the enemy - satan.
The second purpose was to destroy the "devil's work" (1 John 3:8). Forgiveness destroys the works of the enemy. The great news is that the Born-Again Christian has a Savior, the Creator of the universe, living inside them, and the power of His forgiveness has already defeated the enemy!
Job underwent terrible trials. Some pretending friends came to give him advice, but in reality, they were blaming his sins for all his calamities. "After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before" (Job 42:10 NIV). Only after Job forgave them and started to pray for them, was He finally restored to full health. Here is a clear connection between forgiveness and healing.
In study after study, medical research has shown that the effects of unforgiveness cause chronic resentment, hostility, and anger that correspond directly to the body’s breakdown. The human body can't distinguish between actual events taking place that cause stress or when they are just thought about. Each time a person gets angry about something in the past, their body reacts in the same way as though they were actually going through the event.
Negative emotions such as anger, bitterness, and resentment have a real influence on the immune system as well. Holding on to past hurts or unresolved injustices can cause blood pressure to go up, create an acid stomach, and even a headache.
Research done by a secular university found that those who attend church at least once a week are healthier and have less incidence of serious disease than those who do not. In addition, the researchers found that those who were prayed for by others healed more quickly.
I just can’t emphasize enough that prayer, fellowship, and forgiving one another are crucially important to a person’s well-being. When they share their needs and confess their faults, their failures, and their mistakes to another Born-Again Christian, they can actually bring healing to the body. James taught that the “prayer offered in faith would make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up” (James 5:15).
It is vitally important that Christians ask their closest brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for them when they fail.
“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
Forgiving others is a command, not an option. Forgiveness is an act of the will, not an emotion. When a person chooses to forgive, their emotions will ultimately have to line up with their will. Unforgiveness will keep a person from getting healed.
“And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you” (Eph 4:32).
Daily Joy
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:4-7 NIV).
When one is sad, depressed, and stressed, they should pray. When they are happy, they should “sing songs of praise” (James 5:13). It takes a willful decision to sing and make melody in one's heart to be happy in the Lord.
“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble” (Ps 59:16 NIV).
Whether a person is feeling afraid, depressed, anxious, or bothered by some annoyance, they can exercise their ability to rejoice. They should encourage their self by recounting all the good things that Jesus has given them - His strength, His wisdom, His identity, His love, His purposes, His power, His truth, His ability to overcome temptations, His perspectives, His peace, His patience, His kindness, His gentleness, His faithfulness, His self-control, and His plans for their life. When they saturate their life with praise to Jesus, life gets better, and things change!
When Paul and Silas praised the Lord in song, their prison doors flew open, and they were released (Acts 16:25-26). If a person wants to be released from the prison of stress and strife, they should spend quality time in prayer and singing praise to the Lord!
Laugh Loudly
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Prov. 17:22 NIV)
A cheerful heart, a cheerful face, and a laughing mouth is good medicine. Joyful laughter increases respiration and oxygen intake to the brain, diaphragm, and muscles. Laughter boosts the immune system and appears to reduce levels of certain stress hormones by shutting off the compounds that come into action in times of stress, rage, or hostility. It is also good for the person who is laughing, and for the person who is hearing the laughter.
It can help bring healing to the mind and body. Laughter is infectious and contagious. It will draw people because it is a sign of something good going on in a person’s life! It can be a good witness for Jesus. Someone once said that in order to win people to the Lord, a person must be “winsome.” One should never be afraid to laugh, even if people think they are crazy!
“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy” (Ps 126:2-3 NIV).
