Sickness is a Spirit

The fog of faith permeates much of Christian belief. When faced with adversity, we often seek comforting explanations.

Recently, a close pastor friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. He had become gaunt and emaciated. Just last year, he was hale and hearty. Swiftly, he was diagnosed with stage three cancer, and faced the surgery. He then grappled with whether to undergo chemotherapy. Ultimately, he decided to proceed.

Man's understanding of disease is often shrouded in such fog. Why did he decide to do chemotherapy? Because he believed that with chemotherapy, the probability of recurrence was 40%, whereas without it, the risk rose to 60%. For that marginal 20% reduction, he would pay the heavy price of chemotherapy – costly and arduous.

Modern science emphasizes genetics, and the inheritance of disease is another perplexing matter. As I interpret it, disease is a spirit. Doctors say that Alzheimer's disease is due to cerebellar atrophy. Yet it was later discovered that after driving out the demon, the Alzheimer's improved. So is Alzheimer's caused by cerebellar atrophy or a demon? The contradiction causes great confusion.

Grasping the Essence is Effective

The crux of the issue lies in whether the solution is effective. If it's futile, it has failed to grasp the core. Or, if it’s sometimes effective but often not, it still misses the core. Solutions that address the essence consistently work.

Some have asked: You say diseases are related to evil spirits, but can you prove it? I can point to concrete evidence. Recently, a sister in Christ suffered from cervical spondylosis. She sought me out for prayer, and her condition improved.

However, her employer offered a free annual health check. She inquired with the doctor whether her cervical spondylosis had healed. After reviewing her X-rays, the doctor said that it had not. But despite the X-rays, she was indeed healed, a contradiction which baffled her.

Such dilemmas abound. We often rely on medical tests and analyses to diagnose our problems, or measure body temperature. My mother is a prime example.

Her lumbar spine has a large cavity. After reviewing the X-ray, doctors remarked that she should be paralyzed. Yet, she walked normally, because I had prayed for her, and her spine had truly recovered.

The question is, do we believe the X-ray or the person's lived reality? Disease is truly perplexing. A few years ago, my mother went for a free medical check-up. After reviewing her X-rays and observing her gait, the doctor said: According to your X-rays, you should be paralyzed. How can you walk?

Humans are strange. If someone can walk, isn't that good? Should we believe the ability to walk or the X-ray? If you ask me, I believe the ability to walk. Yet, upon returning home, my mother began to believe the doctor's words, and her back deteriorated. I then prayed for her again.

It's quite interesting. After the examination, nothing can be done other than to tell you that you are sick, and then my mother became ill. Therefore, disease can be most misleading.

Returning to God's Word

My pastor friend is a good man. Why then did he contract cancer? What is disease? It is a spiritual matter. If one disbelieves in the spiritual realm, he is stuck viewing problems through a materialistic lens. Such a narrow view can neither explain nor offer solutions.

Taking my mother’s case, disease is a spirit. Thus, the Bible says, The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The X-ray said my mother should be paralyzed, yet why do people equate the observed phenomena with the disease? They are not clear on the underlying cause.

A fleshly perspective often leads to great errors. How is it that the X-ray said she should be paralyzed, yet my mother could walk? Because the spirit of God sustained her. Some may find my words puzzling, and I wish I could simplify them, make them more straightforward. But it's not easy. People must begin to turn away from their worldly ideas to God's word.

If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God—the LORD will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. (Deuteronomy 28:59)

Disease is related to failing to adhere to God's word. And this applies to finances as well. Some brothers and sisters do not fully grasp the significance of disease. Yesterday, I saw a sister in Christ post in a group that her child had a persistent fever and that the inflammation had not subsided. Is that the real problem? No.

Why is disease so closely tied to the spiritual realm? Because it is related to curses, and curses arise from disobedience to God's word. What happens when one comes under a curse? Regardless of how the curse originates, it attracts evil spirits. Different curses attract different evil spirits.

What is the cause of my pastor friend’s cancer? Outwardly, he seems to be a good man. But those who disobey God's word often appear the same. So, when sickness strikes, do not speak recklessly. Speak according to what God says.

I was keen to help my pastor friend, and I always prefer to speak God's word, citing scripture. But each time I did, I caused offence. How can this be resolved? By recognizing that there are two kinds of pastors: those who speak man's words, and those who speak God’s. Speaking man's words does not offend people, but it offends God; speaking God’s word offends people, but does not offend God. Therefore, I decided to risk offending people. It doesn't matter. That's why many people dislike hearing what I say.

When I visited those who were suffering from cancer, I said that their sickness was caused by a curse because they had disobeyed God's word. Thus, the most important thing is repentance. Does hearing this sound harsh? I, too, find it unpleasant. But it is God's word, as written in the Bible.

Some avoid saying this because they fear upsetting people. They seek to please the sick with words that don’t align with God's word, which can be disastrous. I once saw a pastor tell a congregant who had cancer, Sister, this is God's blessing in disguise. I found it very awkward. The Bible never says that disease is a blessing in disguise. And if it's a blessing, would one want it?

Often, we seek to please people by speaking man's words instead of God's, and we then subject ourselves to curses, allowing disease to manifest. The Bible says: If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God. We must tremble before God's word and not speak recklessly. When we talk about the fog of faith, the key is to understand what the Bible truly says.

Trembling at the Word of God

It is crucial to have a spiritual understanding of illness. After a considerable period of practice, summing up, and contrasting with the Word of God, we know that illnesses come from evil spirits. People are cursed because they disobey God's Word, and evil spirits then execute their agenda. The key to resolving illness is to cast out the demons and then change our inner concepts, replacing disobedience to God's Word with careful observance and adherence to it.

I advise everyone, avoid pleasing people or we might as well stay silent, and refrain from nonsensical talk. If you have heard that illness is a blessing in disguise, exercise caution and do not emulate it. Some people enjoy uttering nonsense; can they escape being cursed? Those who are cursed fall ill. Therefore, there are many sick Christians in the church environment. I do not consider cancer to be a good thing; I do not want it.

So, what should we say when encountering a cancer patient? Two years ago, a brother brought his good friend to see me. His friend had been diagnosed with throat cancer ten years prior. He had difficulty swallowing food, and it often entered his trachea, rendering him unable to eat. As a result, a tube was inserted into his stomach through which liquid food was administered. This continued for ten years. Later, his wife also contracted cancer.

Their son was only a teenager, and both parents were afflicted with cancer, a pitiable sight. When he came to my office, I told him: This is a curse. He retorted: You are cursed! He couldn't accept my words, believing that I had offended him. He even likened himself to Job, yet Job's situation improved in due course. This brother's illness, however, persisted for many years without relief.

Therefore, illness is definitely a curse, not a blessing. If illness were a blessing, would you desire such a blessing? I do not. Everyone must have a profound understanding of illness on a spiritual level.

One brother visited his critically ill grandmother. Upon returning, he experienced chest tightness and sought prayer from me. Brothers and sisters, be aware that the evil spirits in critically ill people are very potent. If these spirits afflict you even slightly, it will be enough to cause you suffering. You may visit critically ill patients, but your spirit must be strong.

The Bible records that Jesus healed all who were sick. Thus, we understand that illness is not a good thing. Our God is a loving God, so all who came to Jesus were healed. Some may argue: Not necessarily; some who came to Jesus were not healed.

These individuals endeavor to prove that some were not healed, but what about those who were clearly healed? The Bible clearly states that illness is related to curses, and Jesus was nailed to the cross for us, bearing our curses. By His stripes, we are healed, and by His precious blood, we are redeemed. Therefore, our illnesses are placed upon Jesus Christ; this is the key.

Jesus Christ bore our curses. In the past, we were ignorant and incurred curses, but if Jesus heals us, should we continue to disobey God's Word? No. If you continue to disobey God's Word, you will continue to live under a curse. Therefore, we must learn to carefully observe and adhere to God's Word at all costs. Carefully observing and adhering to God's Word will undoubtedly lead to a blessed and healthy life.

We must return to a fundamental issue: curses originate from disobeying God's Word, and illness is spiritual. We should not fear illness, but rather fear failing to tremble at the Word of God. Therefore, we must have a clearer understanding of God's Word and then carefully observe and adhere to it.

Conclusion

Regardless of who it is, even those renowned pastors, myself included, if one contracts a severe illness, that is a curse. Since it is a curse, it is because of disobedience to God's Word. As for how one disobeyed, God understands, and the person in question should also be very clear.

About half a year ago, I attended the funeral of a pastor who died of cancer after battling the disease for five years. At the funeral, many people gathered before his coffin, praising him for the good deeds he had done during his life.

As for whether he was good or not, I do not wish to comment. I only want to learn a lesson through this event. I do not want to say things that merely please people but contradict God's Word. I only want to speak words that please God.

We must all have a clear understanding and knowledge of illness. We must view illness with spiritual discernment, take up our destiny, and set the captives and the oppressed free, so that after being released, they may carefully observe and adhere to God's Word!