5 Steps to Victory - Step Three

"And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him."

Acts 10:38


Healing. When I think about healing, I think of people's brain tumors disappearing. Or the doctors being baffled when they can't find any traces of cancer. I even think of God taking away all signs of postpartum depression in my own life just over three years ago. I only think of healing as the removal of any physical or chemical ailment.

But my ideas of healing all changed a couple of months ago. In May, as I sat on my couch praying for complete physical healing from my depression and panic disorder, God pricked my heart with the verse above. Jesus was anointed by God to heal much more than physical problems. The Bible shows us countless times when Jesus did take away physical ailments. He restored sight, made lame men walk, and so many others. He even healed Lazarus from the ultimate - death. Jesus absolutely is still in the miracle-working business today. I think that we should be very careful not to pass off His miracles as coincidence or happenstance. He is all-powerful and worthy of all praise for it!

As I sat in my darkened living room, God showed me something that would prove to be a turning point in my journey through the valley. I had spent months and months begging God to take away all of the things that were wrong with me. And He said to me that night, with all tenderness and love, "Perhaps physical healing is not what you most need, Casey."

You see, more than having my physical body restored, I desperately needed my spiritual self to be made new. I was certainly being "oppressed by the devil." First Peter warns us that the enemy is always on the lookout for those whom he can "devour." And he saw my depression as the perfect opportunity to sneak in and set up camp. My heart was full of strongholds. Satan was around to stay.

And then - I began to pray against the role that Satan was playing in my problems. I called him out, confessed secret sin, and battled with renewed fervor. I wish I could say that I was given complete healing as I sat on my couch that night. But God had better plans for me....even if I didn't agree!

Healing is about so much more than just the removal of physical pain and disease. It's about turning our hearts over completely to God and trusting Him to protect us from the enemy's advances. We must daily take up our shields of faith - faith that God is who He says He is. Faith that God is still working miracles. Faith that, one day, we will all be completely healed and whole as we worship our Savior forever!