Gabriel Agbo | Why do we fall sick?

God will heal you! Yes, He said that He is the One who heals all our diseases. As you read this message, may the healing power of the Almighty touch you, in Jesus’ name! Now, we know clearly that it is God’s will and plan that we live in good health. There is no controversy about that. You cannot effectively and joyfully fulfil God’s programme for your life without being physically, mentally, and spiritually sound. And that is exactly what 3 John 2 is saying. John is saying that he is praying that all should be well with us, that we enjoy good health and are spiritually sound. All-round prosperity! Yes, that is the complete gospel!

One translation says: “I pray that you prosper, be in good health, even as your soul prospers.”

Yes, as Christians, God wants us to prosper in everything He leads us to do. He wants us to be like Him. He doesn’t fail in His endeavours. He wants us to grow in our relationship with Him. And He wants us to be in good health so that we can be useful to Him, to others, and to ourselves.

Yes, good health is His perfect will for us. But, remember that there are various factors that can bring ill health. We said these can be spiritual, environmental, physiological, or psychological. We cannot effectively treat all these here, but let me make brief comments on each of them before we move on.

Spiritual

A sickness is spiritual when it is caused by demonic powers, agents of Satan, or curses. God, man, or Satan (and his agents) can issue curses that can result in sickness. This kind can only be cured through spiritual means, such as prayer and repentance.

Then there are some other sicknesses that result from disobeying God’s word but have also caused bodily damage. In such cases, repentance, prayer, and medication are required.

I always advocate that spiritual healers and medical practitioners work in harmony to achieve good health. There is nothing stopping somebody who is praying for divine healing from also receiving medication at the same time. It is only God who heals — whether through prayer or medication.

I recently ministered to a very sick young lady who said she had been poisoned. She continued to insist on prayer, but I was led to take her to a medical lab for tests, and it was discovered that she had a severe STD infection. She was then taken to the hospital. As I write, she is still taking her medication and recovering quickly.

Imagine if I had allowed her to go from one place to another “collecting” prayers with that swollen body. Surely, she would have died by now. The false prophets had already started exploiting her, even financially, by telling her that the problem was spiritual.

I also remember a promising young pastor’s son who died from a similar situation some years ago. His parents refused to take him to the hospital to treat a wound he sustained in an accident, because their church doctrine rejected medication. Sadly, thousands perish like this every day.

Please, where does the Bible preach against medication?

Environmental

We must keep our environment clean if we are to stay healthy. You cannot live in a dirty or polluted environment and expect to be free from disease and sickness.

God even warned the Israelites to keep their surroundings clean. At one point, while they were still in the wilderness, He instructed them on how to dispose of their waste. Can you imagine that?

God loves cleanliness. Yes, He heals all sicknesses, but He also wants you to be clean.

Psychological

This is when illness affects the emotional or mental state of an individual. Several factors can lead to this — depression, drugs, demons, brain damage, and even our thought life.

When the problem is depression, you need the encouragement and assurances of faith from the Word of God. For drug-related issues, you need repentance, prayer, and abstinence. For demonic oppression, you need deliverance and a commitment to living a holy life. And, in the case of brain damage, you need prayer as well as the assistance of medical specialists in that field.

Medication does not mean faithlessness. No.

Then, for guidance from the Word of God in this kind of situation, you will need an anointed, knowledgeable, and skilful minister of the gospel.

Physical

Old age, weakness, or abuse of the body can cause illness. Old age comes with weakening organs. Lack of rest or misuse of the body can also cause weariness and a breakdown of the body’s systems.

Lack of personal hygiene can attract germs, diseases, and other forms of contamination that can cause ill health.

We must also mention sin here. Sin and sinful habits are responsible for many sicknesses today. Immorality, smoking, drunkenness, gluttony, and similar practices have been proven to be immediate and remote causes of some of the worst diseases we hear about today. Consider HIV/AIDS, STDs, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and others.

Disobedience to the Word of God is still the main reason why mankind is plagued by sicknesses and diseases.

Therefore, the foundation of divine health is built on obeying and applying the Word of God, maintaining cleanliness of the environment, body, and mind, and eating properly.