Why is it when some people undergo a traumatic event in their life, they seem to rise to the occasion and display an almost superhuman resilience to some seriously low blows, while others may experience similar or even lesser tragedies and fall all to pieces?
I have an acquaintance who recently found herself unemployed with a mortgage she was no longer able to cover, and after applying to every job she could possibly find, remained without work as her savings were being depleted week after week. I spoke with her a few days ago, and her spirits were high in spite of her unenviable situation! In her thirties, her home was on the brink of foreclosure and she was forced to move in with her mom, but was undeterred from finding reasons to be grateful.
On the other hand, I remember reading in the news about a man in Southern California who lost his job sometime last year. His reaction was explosive and horrifying. Not only did he take his own life, leaving a suicide note apparently riddled with talk of his being victimized by society, but before doing so he shot his wife and 5 children, all under the age of 8!
I am in no place to judge this man – I don’t know the full story, I have no idea what difficulties he faced in his life that led him to snap so violently. But what I do know is this – there are a lot of people being laid off these days, and the way they react to this misfortune, whether they lose it to some degree or are able to get through it with a positive mindset, largely depends on their character and patterns of thought.
I would like to apply this line of logic to our current swine flu “pandemic” that is sweeping the globe. I am no epidemiologist; I am no doctor. But hear me out, if you will!
In our lives, it is self-evident that all of us face hardships at different times. Similarly, we all live in a non-sterile world and our bodies are very frequently faced with all sorts of pathogens – bacteria and viruses among others! Just as there are behaviors and mindsets that can help a person develop the type of character that more readily survives such tragic events as divorce, death in the family, the loss of a job, or any other kind of trauma, there are some practical things one can do to that greatly increase their chances of fending off death should they happen to be exposed to a bug!
So when I hear people freaking out about any illness going around, whether it be the stomach flu, a bug that gives people a hacking cough, or the swine flu, I get a little frustrated. Mass hysteria over a flu bug, even one as bizarre as the swine flu bug with its apparently mutant nature and propensity to spread, would be comparable to the millions of American workers laid off in recent months, or in danger of possibly some day being unemployed, losing their minds with fear that they might one day soon find themselves putting a gun to theirs and their family’s heads!
Just as a resilient character takes time and effort to develop, so does a healthy immune system – one capable of fending off many pathogens oftentimes without us even getting any symptoms, and even when we do come down with the symptoms of a battle between our immune system and the bug, our chances of survival are much higher – no matter what the bug is!
If you have read earlier posts on my blog, then you know that I was partially-disabled for 6 years in my 20’s with chronic fatigue syndrome. One day, my roommate brought home a flu bug that I happened to catch. Weeks later, I was still sick. Years later, I was still unable to work full-time. For a long time, it was easy to see myself as an unlucky victim of fate. If my roommate had just not gotten me sick . . .!!
But over time, I began to learn what I now believe to be the truth – it wasn’t that nasty flu bug that was to blame. It was the “terrain” of my body, mind, and spirit that made me vulnerable to the bug, and left me susceptible to the unpleasant cascade of events that followed.
For years, I wanted a magic pill to cure me of the illness that robbed me of my ability to function in society, the ability to provide for myself and have a normal social life. But it wasn’t until I began to seriously address the REAL problem – poor lifestyle choices and etc… -- that my health magically returned one fine day in September 2005!
Let’s not make the costly mistake I made for years, and put our hopes in some swine flu vaccine to save us from impending doom! Let’s make choices now to develop a healthy and resilient immune system so that our body is better able to do the job it was designed to do.
I haven’t had the flu in 3 or 4 years, though I have certainly been exposed to it. If you already know of something that works for you, that’s wonderful! I’ll just share what works for me for those who are wondering what they can do to boost their immune system.
Besides the basics of getting adequate rest, eating healthfully (minimizing junk food, fast food, processed foods), drinking ample water, exercising at least modestly, and having a clear conscience and loving attitude (see A Viewpoint on Healing, Part 1), there are other things I have found helpful. I use NingXia Red from Young Living – one ounce is equivalent to 4 pounds of carrots or 8 oranges in terms of antioxidants!! I drink at least one ounce daily, but will drink more if I feel like I might be coming down with something. (One time I felt myself descending into a bout with the flu, and I drank an entire bottle in 2 days. Not only did I not end up getting the flu, but I didn’t have to miss work and lose a few days worth of pay!)
I also use an essential oil blend from Young Living called Thieves. The herbs from which the oils in this blend are derived were purportedly used by thieves in France during the days of the plague – legend has it they were able to steal from plague victims without getting the plague themselves! I’ll just put a drop or two in a glass of water up to 3 times a day if I feel I might be getting sick. There are some other essential oils also scientifically documented to be deadly to bacteria and viruses – oregano and thyme oils, for instance (be careful of essential oils from health food stores, however – I don’t recommend you waste your money on them).
A few years ago, I used a homeopathic flu remedy used widely (and quite successfully) in Europe, called Oscillococcinum. It must be taken at the very initial onset of symptoms. You find this at just about any health food store.
**UPDATE** -- Apparently, this homeopathy is not as effective against Swine Flu. You can get a special Swine Flu homeopathy from Dr. Gene Harkins with Salt Lake Homeopathy -- call 801-293-3456.
In conclusion, whatever you do to protect yourself and your family from the swine flu, or any other impending pandemic, I would advise you to not rely solely on the mainstream media for your information, just as I believe it to be wise to not put all your faith in “mainstream” medicine’s drug and vaccine-centered approach.
Haven’t you noticed that the people who get the flu shot seem to be the ones to always get the flu?
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
A Viewpoint on Healing – Part 1
What is healing? What does it mean to be healed? Does it mean the symptoms of any given illness or disorder are under control, that they don’t cause as many problems as they used to? Does it have to mean that the symptoms of a disease are traded in for the side effects of a drug?
Let’s take the example of acid reflux as a common complaint in our modern society. If you go to a doctor with the complaint of acid reflux, the doctor is likely to prescribe a drug, such as Nexium. Nexium, the “little purple pill”, is touted as a “cure” for acid reflux and associated problems with irritation in the esophagus. Truly, most people who use Nexium will see their acid reflux symptoms drastically reduced if not completely eliminated. Great! Problem solved . . . right?
Well, that depends. If you are O.K. with taking the drug for the rest of your life, and don’t mind the potential side effects or the cost, you might be set. But what happens when you try to go off the drug, and what about negative side effects? What’s really going on here?
The problem with Nexium and many other pharmaceutical approaches to diseases and disorders is that its function is not to heal the body, but to cover up the body’s distress signals. Nexium indeed reduces the amount of stomach acid produced, and thus relieves problems with acid reflux. But it can cause a whole slew of other problems that might be just as bad, or even worse – with too much a reduction in stomach acid, the body may struggle to properly digest food. Poor digestion is associated with too many chronic diseases to list here. Further, food-borne bacteria are more likely to survive past the stomach when there is insufficient stomach acid, and food poisoning becomes much more likely. And, as people often observe, they must take Nexium daily in order to maintain benefits during which time they are subject to the side effects of headache, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Lastly, the root causes of the acid reflux never get addressed, be it chronic stress, a less-than-ideal diet, or whatever the case may be. What is the likelihood of chronic stress and a poor diet eventually leading to other problems further down the road, even if the acid reflux appears to be contained?
Situations like these are repeated tens of thousands of time each and every day across the nation, as ordinary everyday Americans go to the their doctors seeking relief from any number of illnesses or sets of symptoms, and walk out the door with a piece of paper instructing them to buy a drug that comes with its own laundry list of risks and liabilities.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to look for solutions that: 1) are less likely to cause negative side effects, and 2) actually heal the problem?
Most people would be shocked to know that even doctors admit that at least 85% of all disorders are not optimally treated with pharmaceuticals and surgery! (This figure is probably a conservative estimate – the percentage may, in fact, be higher). Further, a full 70% of doctor visits are estimated to be with patients who have vague symptoms (such as headaches, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, backache, etc…) for which no concrete cause can be found. Tests come back negative, doctors tell the patient the good news that nothing is really wrong, and the patient can either choose to just cope with the problem, fill the prescription the doctor gives to cover up the symptoms, or seek their answers elsewhere.
Interest in so-called “alternative” treatments and modalities has been on the rise in our society as more people have run into a dead end with modern medicine’s drug and surgery-centered paradigm. Some examples of holistic or alternative modalities include:
- Herbology
- Aromatherapy
- Massage (in all its many varieties)
- Acupuncture/acupressure
- Reflexology
- Energy work, such as Reiki, quantum touch, and pranic healing
- EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)
- RET (Rapid Eye Therapy)
- Various forms of chiropractic medicine
And the list could go on . . .
These modalities, many of which have been around for millennia, have been gaining more credibility with mainstream society for at least some of the following reasons:
- They have fewer or no negative side effects,
- They can reduce and diffuse chronic stress, a major contributor to health problems,
- They can address the mind-body-spirit connection and may get to some of the root causes of disease, including emotional issues,
- They can help reduce toxicity in the body (rather than exacerbate it as drugs can do),
- They can help open the body’s energy channels so self-healing occurs more readily,
- Treatments need not continue indefinitely as they can actually help the individual to heal,
- Treatments are often cheaper and less invasive . . .
Further, some people have the realization that they have a great deal more control over the state of their health than they had previously realized, and begin to take care of the “little things” in their lifestyle that can have a dramatic influence over their health over time. While improvements may be slower in coming, they are generally longer-lived and even one change in lifestyle can impact an individual on multiple levels of their well-being.
Let’s take the example of acid reflux as a common complaint in our modern society. If you go to a doctor with the complaint of acid reflux, the doctor is likely to prescribe a drug, such as Nexium. Nexium, the “little purple pill”, is touted as a “cure” for acid reflux and associated problems with irritation in the esophagus. Truly, most people who use Nexium will see their acid reflux symptoms drastically reduced if not completely eliminated. Great! Problem solved . . . right?
Well, that depends. If you are O.K. with taking the drug for the rest of your life, and don’t mind the potential side effects or the cost, you might be set. But what happens when you try to go off the drug, and what about negative side effects? What’s really going on here?
The problem with Nexium and many other pharmaceutical approaches to diseases and disorders is that its function is not to heal the body, but to cover up the body’s distress signals. Nexium indeed reduces the amount of stomach acid produced, and thus relieves problems with acid reflux. But it can cause a whole slew of other problems that might be just as bad, or even worse – with too much a reduction in stomach acid, the body may struggle to properly digest food. Poor digestion is associated with too many chronic diseases to list here. Further, food-borne bacteria are more likely to survive past the stomach when there is insufficient stomach acid, and food poisoning becomes much more likely. And, as people often observe, they must take Nexium daily in order to maintain benefits during which time they are subject to the side effects of headache, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Lastly, the root causes of the acid reflux never get addressed, be it chronic stress, a less-than-ideal diet, or whatever the case may be. What is the likelihood of chronic stress and a poor diet eventually leading to other problems further down the road, even if the acid reflux appears to be contained?
Situations like these are repeated tens of thousands of time each and every day across the nation, as ordinary everyday Americans go to the their doctors seeking relief from any number of illnesses or sets of symptoms, and walk out the door with a piece of paper instructing them to buy a drug that comes with its own laundry list of risks and liabilities.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to look for solutions that: 1) are less likely to cause negative side effects, and 2) actually heal the problem?
Most people would be shocked to know that even doctors admit that at least 85% of all disorders are not optimally treated with pharmaceuticals and surgery! (This figure is probably a conservative estimate – the percentage may, in fact, be higher). Further, a full 70% of doctor visits are estimated to be with patients who have vague symptoms (such as headaches, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, backache, etc…) for which no concrete cause can be found. Tests come back negative, doctors tell the patient the good news that nothing is really wrong, and the patient can either choose to just cope with the problem, fill the prescription the doctor gives to cover up the symptoms, or seek their answers elsewhere.
Interest in so-called “alternative” treatments and modalities has been on the rise in our society as more people have run into a dead end with modern medicine’s drug and surgery-centered paradigm. Some examples of holistic or alternative modalities include:
- Herbology
- Aromatherapy
- Massage (in all its many varieties)
- Acupuncture/acupressure
- Reflexology
- Energy work, such as Reiki, quantum touch, and pranic healing
- EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)
- RET (Rapid Eye Therapy)
- Various forms of chiropractic medicine
And the list could go on . . .
These modalities, many of which have been around for millennia, have been gaining more credibility with mainstream society for at least some of the following reasons:
- They have fewer or no negative side effects,
- They can reduce and diffuse chronic stress, a major contributor to health problems,
- They can address the mind-body-spirit connection and may get to some of the root causes of disease, including emotional issues,
- They can help reduce toxicity in the body (rather than exacerbate it as drugs can do),
- They can help open the body’s energy channels so self-healing occurs more readily,
- Treatments need not continue indefinitely as they can actually help the individual to heal,
- Treatments are often cheaper and less invasive . . .
Further, some people have the realization that they have a great deal more control over the state of their health than they had previously realized, and begin to take care of the “little things” in their lifestyle that can have a dramatic influence over their health over time. While improvements may be slower in coming, they are generally longer-lived and even one change in lifestyle can impact an individual on multiple levels of their well-being.
Such lifestyle components that individuals can control include:
- Proper nutrition
- Hydration
- Adequate rest/sleep
- Exercise
- Clean air
- A little sunshine
- A healthy attitude – love of God and others, forgiveness of those who offend
Though I am not against doctors, drugs, and surgeries per se, as I believe there is a time to see a medical doctor, a time to visit the surgeon, and maybe even a time when a drug may be the best option for an individual, I am against the paradigm of our modern medical system as it stands today where drugs and surgery are usually the first (and sometimes only) treatments recommended to the patient.
With the heavy reliance on the modern, pharmaceutical approach while vastly important lifestyle choices are barely mentioned, and alternative therapies either relegated to the sidelines or even demonized, this model is top-heavy and unstable. Little wonder our nation is seeing plummeting stats in quality of the health of the populace in comparison to other developed nations. This combined with soaring costs ought to be of concern to every American.
The model of healthcare that I propose to be far more ideal would first emphasize the importance of each individual laying the foundation of good health for themselves through a healthy lifestyle, physically and emotionally (as well as spiritually). This alone would do much to prevent many of the chronic problems that plague society today.
When problems arise in spite of proper lifestyle choices, I would like to see people encouraged to try the real traditional medicine – natural remedies and treatments that have been used throughout the ages. Not only are holistic treatments less likely to cause additional problems to the individual, but they can be extremely effective – especially when proper lifestyle choices are adhered to.
When all else fails or when an emergency arises, then I believe it can be proper to turn to the more expensive and invasive measures of drugs and surgery as an option.
This model of health is imminently more stable than what we are currently experiencing in American society. And I also believe it will be much more effective in the long run at both preventing and healing diseases of all types.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
A Viewpoint on Healing – Part 2
In this article, I would like to examine what I could find on the healing practices and teachings of an individual who is considered to be one of the world’s most renowned healers of all time – Jesus Christ. Not only is he viewed as a master healer by most, but he is considered to be God the Son by a sizeable portion of the world’s population, the one who actually created this world and created us; therefore, certainly the most knowledgeable about how to help us heal!
Modern medicine has almost completely divorced itself from the spiritual side of healing, for a variety of possible reasons. First, certainly not all who practice modern medicine would consider themselves spiritual. And even fewer are individuals of great faith in Jesus Christ. Also, in our sophisticated modern world, any mingling of spiritual beliefs with the secular, professional world goes against the politically correct grain of society. This unfortunate atmosphere of hostility toward the mixing of the spiritual with daily life seems to be enough to dissuade even those practitioners of faith from expressing their faith openly, and encouraging their patients to embrace it.
Surprisingly, even in the “believing” Christian world, we find relatively few who seek (and even fewer who practice) healing in the style of Jesus. Maybe we’ve been jaded by the antics of bug-eyed tele-evangelists speaking in tongues and slapping people on the forehead. Or maybe we’ve never personally seen a miraculous faith healing take place, and don’t know anyone else who has either, so it’s difficult to believe in. Maybe we’ve prayed with all the faith we can muster for our own healing or for those we care about, and seen little come of it.
Either way, scripture is filled with teachings about healing, and stories of miraculous healings taking place through faith in God. What do the scriptures say about healing? What insights can be gained? (WARNING – if you are offended by people talking about the scriptures, you might not want to continue reading.)
One very enlightening doctrine that Jesus demonstrates is a minimal distinction between spiritual and physical healing – people can be healed on a physical level as they are freed from spiritual issues, including “sin” (or anything that is ungodly, contrary to the nature of God).
Most are familiar with the story of the paralytic man who is brought before Jesus to be healed, his four friends lowering his bed through a hole in the roof of the home where Jesus was. In this instance, Jesus looks upon the faith of the afflicted man and his associates and declares: “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Only after relieving this man of his spiritual burdens does Jesus command him to “take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house” (Mark 2: 3-12).
This incredible manifestation of power blessed not only the previously afflicted individual, “but when the multitudes saw it, they marveled, and glorified God” (Matt 9: 8). A miracle like this would strengthen the faith of those already inclined toward faith, and cause extreme discomfort to “certain of the scribes” who then accused Jesus of blasphemy.
Other times, it appears that a physical healing wrought by Jesus catalyzes spiritual healing as well! When Jesus heals two blind men, he touches their eyes, “And their eyes were opened.” Immediately upon receiving their physical sight, these men “spread abroad [Jesus’] fame” throughout the area. It sounds like their spiritual eyes may have also benefited from being the recipient of such a miraculous healing!
Miracles, then, were not rendered in order to convert people to Jesus and his gospel, but rather it appears they served to further separate the faithful from the faithless. Only those who already possessed some measure faith on Jesus’ name and who desired to do good would be enlivened by his miracles. In one book of scripture, this principle is confirmed as Jesus speaks to a people besieged by destruction and states: “. . . return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted that I may heal you” (3 Nephi 9: 13).
Another somewhat controversial principle that is quite clearly taught in the scriptures is the close connection between devils and unclean spirits, and all types of diseases and disorders. Very frequently, Jesus heals individuals of afflictions by casting devils or unclean spirits out of them. Furthermore, the scriptures repeatedly link the casting out of spirits with healing indicating the close relationship that can exist between being set free from the demonic, and being set free from a variety of ailments. For instance, Jesus “cast spirits out by his word, and healed all that were sick” (Matt 8: 16-17).
On one occasion, a man who was both blind and dumb was brought to Jesus to be healed. Jesus cast the devil out of him, “and the blind and dumb both spake and saw” (Matt 12: 22). Interestingly, Jesus is condemned by the Pharisees who witness this healing saying: “This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils” (Matt 12: 24). Jesus reproaches them and teaches: “. . . if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?” (Matt 12: 25) Casting spirits out of people caused Jesus a lot of grief from the unbelieving set. It must have been important to continue doing, however, because he appears undeterred by the scoffs and accusations of the faithless.
This brings us to the next question – if the casting out of devils was important to healing in the time of Jesus, what about now? If individuals, even Mary Magdalene “out of whom went seven devils” (Luke 8: 2), were commonly tormented by devils and unclean spirits in the days of Jesus, why do we presume to think that cases like these are rare in our day? Why do many apparently believe that the only ones at risk for being tormented by devils are those involved in evil activities such as the worship of satan?
The argument is ludicrous that supposes Jesus and his disciples must have been mistaken about these devils because they didn’t have the understanding or technology we have today to diagnose, and that some of those people probably just had some sort of chemical imbalance and weren’t really under the influence of devils and spirits after all. If Jesus were still living on the earth today and healing the multitudes, I wonder – would he be prescribing Zoloft and Prozac, or would he do what he always did and get to the very deepest, root cause of peoples’ issues so they could be set completely free, with no side effects? And what would society have to think about that?!
Another extremely important point regarding healing already lightly touched on and requires further discussion is this: healing can come instantly, and when it does, it is because of FAITH – faith in Jesus Christ, in particular.
Jesus touches the hand of Peter’s mother-in-law to instantly raise her from a severe fever, after which she is well enough to immediately minister unto them (Mark 1: 30-31).
The centurion whose servant was sick with a palsy comes to Jesus and asks him to heal that servant merely by “speak[ing] the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” Jesus remarks: “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. . . . Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee” (Matt 8: 5-13).
A woman not of the covenant approaches Jesus and implores him to heal her daughter, who was “grievously vexed with a devil”. Even though his ministry was not to the Gentiles at that time, Jesus declares: “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour” (Matt 15: 22-28).
Faith is also essential for the one doing the healing. When his disciples were unable to heal a boy afflicted with a devil, Jesus castigates them with the words: “If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, . . . nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matt 17: 14-21).
Conversely, a lack of faith made it impossible for Jesus to manifest miraculous healings to the people; Jesus “did not many mighty works [in Galilee] because of their unbelief” and because “they were offended in him” (Matt 13: 55-58).
Jesus seems to have a pretty high success rate in his healing of sickness and disease. Maybe we should pay more attention to his methods and the pattern he set for healing. Not only do they seem more effective than what we find in modern and even alternative medicine, but is also appears to cost a lot less!
Modern medicine has almost completely divorced itself from the spiritual side of healing, for a variety of possible reasons. First, certainly not all who practice modern medicine would consider themselves spiritual. And even fewer are individuals of great faith in Jesus Christ. Also, in our sophisticated modern world, any mingling of spiritual beliefs with the secular, professional world goes against the politically correct grain of society. This unfortunate atmosphere of hostility toward the mixing of the spiritual with daily life seems to be enough to dissuade even those practitioners of faith from expressing their faith openly, and encouraging their patients to embrace it.
Surprisingly, even in the “believing” Christian world, we find relatively few who seek (and even fewer who practice) healing in the style of Jesus. Maybe we’ve been jaded by the antics of bug-eyed tele-evangelists speaking in tongues and slapping people on the forehead. Or maybe we’ve never personally seen a miraculous faith healing take place, and don’t know anyone else who has either, so it’s difficult to believe in. Maybe we’ve prayed with all the faith we can muster for our own healing or for those we care about, and seen little come of it.
Either way, scripture is filled with teachings about healing, and stories of miraculous healings taking place through faith in God. What do the scriptures say about healing? What insights can be gained? (WARNING – if you are offended by people talking about the scriptures, you might not want to continue reading.)
One very enlightening doctrine that Jesus demonstrates is a minimal distinction between spiritual and physical healing – people can be healed on a physical level as they are freed from spiritual issues, including “sin” (or anything that is ungodly, contrary to the nature of God).
Most are familiar with the story of the paralytic man who is brought before Jesus to be healed, his four friends lowering his bed through a hole in the roof of the home where Jesus was. In this instance, Jesus looks upon the faith of the afflicted man and his associates and declares: “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Only after relieving this man of his spiritual burdens does Jesus command him to “take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house” (Mark 2: 3-12).
This incredible manifestation of power blessed not only the previously afflicted individual, “but when the multitudes saw it, they marveled, and glorified God” (Matt 9: 8). A miracle like this would strengthen the faith of those already inclined toward faith, and cause extreme discomfort to “certain of the scribes” who then accused Jesus of blasphemy.
Other times, it appears that a physical healing wrought by Jesus catalyzes spiritual healing as well! When Jesus heals two blind men, he touches their eyes, “And their eyes were opened.” Immediately upon receiving their physical sight, these men “spread abroad [Jesus’] fame” throughout the area. It sounds like their spiritual eyes may have also benefited from being the recipient of such a miraculous healing!
Miracles, then, were not rendered in order to convert people to Jesus and his gospel, but rather it appears they served to further separate the faithful from the faithless. Only those who already possessed some measure faith on Jesus’ name and who desired to do good would be enlivened by his miracles. In one book of scripture, this principle is confirmed as Jesus speaks to a people besieged by destruction and states: “. . . return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted that I may heal you” (3 Nephi 9: 13).
Another somewhat controversial principle that is quite clearly taught in the scriptures is the close connection between devils and unclean spirits, and all types of diseases and disorders. Very frequently, Jesus heals individuals of afflictions by casting devils or unclean spirits out of them. Furthermore, the scriptures repeatedly link the casting out of spirits with healing indicating the close relationship that can exist between being set free from the demonic, and being set free from a variety of ailments. For instance, Jesus “cast spirits out by his word, and healed all that were sick” (Matt 8: 16-17).
On one occasion, a man who was both blind and dumb was brought to Jesus to be healed. Jesus cast the devil out of him, “and the blind and dumb both spake and saw” (Matt 12: 22). Interestingly, Jesus is condemned by the Pharisees who witness this healing saying: “This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils” (Matt 12: 24). Jesus reproaches them and teaches: “. . . if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?” (Matt 12: 25) Casting spirits out of people caused Jesus a lot of grief from the unbelieving set. It must have been important to continue doing, however, because he appears undeterred by the scoffs and accusations of the faithless.
This brings us to the next question – if the casting out of devils was important to healing in the time of Jesus, what about now? If individuals, even Mary Magdalene “out of whom went seven devils” (Luke 8: 2), were commonly tormented by devils and unclean spirits in the days of Jesus, why do we presume to think that cases like these are rare in our day? Why do many apparently believe that the only ones at risk for being tormented by devils are those involved in evil activities such as the worship of satan?
The argument is ludicrous that supposes Jesus and his disciples must have been mistaken about these devils because they didn’t have the understanding or technology we have today to diagnose, and that some of those people probably just had some sort of chemical imbalance and weren’t really under the influence of devils and spirits after all. If Jesus were still living on the earth today and healing the multitudes, I wonder – would he be prescribing Zoloft and Prozac, or would he do what he always did and get to the very deepest, root cause of peoples’ issues so they could be set completely free, with no side effects? And what would society have to think about that?!
Another extremely important point regarding healing already lightly touched on and requires further discussion is this: healing can come instantly, and when it does, it is because of FAITH – faith in Jesus Christ, in particular.
Jesus touches the hand of Peter’s mother-in-law to instantly raise her from a severe fever, after which she is well enough to immediately minister unto them (Mark 1: 30-31).
The centurion whose servant was sick with a palsy comes to Jesus and asks him to heal that servant merely by “speak[ing] the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” Jesus remarks: “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. . . . Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee” (Matt 8: 5-13).
A woman not of the covenant approaches Jesus and implores him to heal her daughter, who was “grievously vexed with a devil”. Even though his ministry was not to the Gentiles at that time, Jesus declares: “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour” (Matt 15: 22-28).
Faith is also essential for the one doing the healing. When his disciples were unable to heal a boy afflicted with a devil, Jesus castigates them with the words: “If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, . . . nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matt 17: 14-21).
Conversely, a lack of faith made it impossible for Jesus to manifest miraculous healings to the people; Jesus “did not many mighty works [in Galilee] because of their unbelief” and because “they were offended in him” (Matt 13: 55-58).
Jesus seems to have a pretty high success rate in his healing of sickness and disease. Maybe we should pay more attention to his methods and the pattern he set for healing. Not only do they seem more effective than what we find in modern and even alternative medicine, but is also appears to cost a lot less!
A Viewpoint on Healing – Part 3
Not only did Jesus heal people on a physical and spiritual level when he walked the earth over 2,000 years ago, but in fact, the entire purpose of his earthly ministry, his atoning sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross, and his eternal mission was, is, and will be to “preach the gospel to the poor . . . heal the brokenhearted, . . . preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” (Luke 4:18, also see Isaiah 61:1) Is this not healing on each and every level – mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and even temporal?
In the scriptures, when Jesus ministers to people, the teaching of his word is most often accompanied by a demonstration of the truthfulness of the word. “And Jesus went about . . . teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” (Matt 9: 35) It appears that Jesus didn’t want people to just sit and listen to doctrines, but wanted them to experience their truthfulness and effectiveness – up-close and personal!
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed him.” (Matt 4: 23-24)
The New Testament is full of beautiful stories of healing and restoration – the woman with the 12-year long battle with an “issue of blood” that merely touches the hem of his garment as Jesus walks through a crowd and is miraculously healed; the lunatic boy who throws himself into fires and foams at the mouth, who when Jesus “rubuke[s] the devil” with which he was afflicted, becomes “cured from that very hour;” and many, many others.
In the Book of Mormon, we find an account of the visitation of Jesus Christ to the American continent after his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to the Father. In the new world, Jesus follows the same pattern he set in the old world during his mortal ministry – he teaches his plain and precious gospel including the importance of faith on his name, repentance, baptism, and the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. He teaches them a higher law based on love, rather than mere compliance with outward performances. He teaches them how to pray. He prophesies of last days events in the Americas. He calls 12 disciples to teach, baptize, and confer the gift of the Holy Ghost, and organizes his church among them. And of course, he heals their sick –
“Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you. Have you any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy. . . . for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you. And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him. And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.” (3 Nephi 17: 6-10)
His message is redemption. What is redemption, if not healing and reconciliation? And Jesus showed that redemption in action is the cleansing of a leper, the physical restoration of sight to the blind, the casting off of devils and other unseen and unclean entities, the restoration of the ability to use one’s legs or hand, and even the raising of the dead! By these miraculous healings, Jesus is providing those with faith on his name with just a taste of what will come to them if they continue in the faith – eternal life where every wrong thing is made right, and peace and rejoicing abound. What a compelling method of teaching!
Jesus was fully aware that his days on the earth were numbered, and not only that, but there was only so much that he could personally do in the flesh to bring his message of peace to the masses:
“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Matt 9: 36-38)
Jesus then commissions his twelve disciples. It is interesting to note what the twelve are called to do – Jesus commands them:
“And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matt 10: 7-8)
In fact, Jesus “gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” (Matt 10: 1)
They are also warned that they will be “hated of all men for my name’s sake” (Matt 10: 22) because of their ministry of preaching, healing, and later on, baptizing.
Jesus truly is the Great Healer. And it is clear from the scriptures that the powerful healing that comes because of him and through him is available for his servants to tap into in order to help others to heal as well!
Was this commission to preach and heal given only to those ordained servants back in those days, or only to ordained servants whatever period of history they be in? Who has the authority to heal in the name of Jesus in our day, if anyone?
I have some ideas, but I don’t claim to know the exact answer to that question. But I do know what the scriptures have to say about miracles –
“Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God? . . . And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles. And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles. And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust. Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.” (Mormon 9: 16-21)
I don’t know about those who perform healings and miracles without confessing the name of Jesus – most of them probably have good intentions, and many of them may be legitimate. Those who are acting out of genuine compassion and charity can do much good. But perhaps we may safely surmise that anyone who believes in Christ, ordained or not, and asks without doubt to either heal or be healed will be given those abilities, since “whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ [] shall be granted him.”
Jesus gives credence to this principle when he teaches Philip shortly before his crucifixion: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do” (John 14: 12).
I am reminded of the scripture in 2 Timothy about the sorry state of men in the last days, and can’t help but see how this applies to our self-sufficient, scientific, technological paradigm that doesn’t allow for much if any mention of God –
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud . . . Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away . . . Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim 3: 1-7)
I must conclude that any method of healing that doesn’t acknowledge the power by which healing comes is probably not going to be as effective as it might otherwise be.
And for those of us who consider ourselves followers of Jesus Christ, who have hope to one day live and rejoice in his presence in an immortal, perfected state, what is holding us back from receiving more redemption into our lives right now, whether spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, or temporal? Can we not increase our faith on his name in this life, and begin to see more fruits of redemption? If nothing else, can we not ask him to “help [our] unbelief”?
I submit that we can. We can ask him to help us develop the faith we need in order to receive desired blessings in this life, including healing on any number of levels. He wants to bless us and cause us to rejoice now – just a taste of what’s to come!
And if we happen to desire to help others find healing through faith in Jesus Christ, what sin is there in that?
In the scriptures, when Jesus ministers to people, the teaching of his word is most often accompanied by a demonstration of the truthfulness of the word. “And Jesus went about . . . teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” (Matt 9: 35) It appears that Jesus didn’t want people to just sit and listen to doctrines, but wanted them to experience their truthfulness and effectiveness – up-close and personal!
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed him.” (Matt 4: 23-24)
The New Testament is full of beautiful stories of healing and restoration – the woman with the 12-year long battle with an “issue of blood” that merely touches the hem of his garment as Jesus walks through a crowd and is miraculously healed; the lunatic boy who throws himself into fires and foams at the mouth, who when Jesus “rubuke[s] the devil” with which he was afflicted, becomes “cured from that very hour;” and many, many others.
In the Book of Mormon, we find an account of the visitation of Jesus Christ to the American continent after his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to the Father. In the new world, Jesus follows the same pattern he set in the old world during his mortal ministry – he teaches his plain and precious gospel including the importance of faith on his name, repentance, baptism, and the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. He teaches them a higher law based on love, rather than mere compliance with outward performances. He teaches them how to pray. He prophesies of last days events in the Americas. He calls 12 disciples to teach, baptize, and confer the gift of the Holy Ghost, and organizes his church among them. And of course, he heals their sick –
“Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you. Have you any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy. . . . for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you. And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him. And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.” (3 Nephi 17: 6-10)
His message is redemption. What is redemption, if not healing and reconciliation? And Jesus showed that redemption in action is the cleansing of a leper, the physical restoration of sight to the blind, the casting off of devils and other unseen and unclean entities, the restoration of the ability to use one’s legs or hand, and even the raising of the dead! By these miraculous healings, Jesus is providing those with faith on his name with just a taste of what will come to them if they continue in the faith – eternal life where every wrong thing is made right, and peace and rejoicing abound. What a compelling method of teaching!
Jesus was fully aware that his days on the earth were numbered, and not only that, but there was only so much that he could personally do in the flesh to bring his message of peace to the masses:
“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Matt 9: 36-38)
Jesus then commissions his twelve disciples. It is interesting to note what the twelve are called to do – Jesus commands them:
“And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matt 10: 7-8)
In fact, Jesus “gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” (Matt 10: 1)
They are also warned that they will be “hated of all men for my name’s sake” (Matt 10: 22) because of their ministry of preaching, healing, and later on, baptizing.
Jesus truly is the Great Healer. And it is clear from the scriptures that the powerful healing that comes because of him and through him is available for his servants to tap into in order to help others to heal as well!
Was this commission to preach and heal given only to those ordained servants back in those days, or only to ordained servants whatever period of history they be in? Who has the authority to heal in the name of Jesus in our day, if anyone?
I have some ideas, but I don’t claim to know the exact answer to that question. But I do know what the scriptures have to say about miracles –
“Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God? . . . And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles. And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles. And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust. Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.” (Mormon 9: 16-21)
I don’t know about those who perform healings and miracles without confessing the name of Jesus – most of them probably have good intentions, and many of them may be legitimate. Those who are acting out of genuine compassion and charity can do much good. But perhaps we may safely surmise that anyone who believes in Christ, ordained or not, and asks without doubt to either heal or be healed will be given those abilities, since “whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ [] shall be granted him.”
Jesus gives credence to this principle when he teaches Philip shortly before his crucifixion: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do” (John 14: 12).
I am reminded of the scripture in 2 Timothy about the sorry state of men in the last days, and can’t help but see how this applies to our self-sufficient, scientific, technological paradigm that doesn’t allow for much if any mention of God –
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud . . . Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away . . . Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim 3: 1-7)
I must conclude that any method of healing that doesn’t acknowledge the power by which healing comes is probably not going to be as effective as it might otherwise be.
And for those of us who consider ourselves followers of Jesus Christ, who have hope to one day live and rejoice in his presence in an immortal, perfected state, what is holding us back from receiving more redemption into our lives right now, whether spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, or temporal? Can we not increase our faith on his name in this life, and begin to see more fruits of redemption? If nothing else, can we not ask him to “help [our] unbelief”?
I submit that we can. We can ask him to help us develop the faith we need in order to receive desired blessings in this life, including healing on any number of levels. He wants to bless us and cause us to rejoice now – just a taste of what’s to come!
And if we happen to desire to help others find healing through faith in Jesus Christ, what sin is there in that?
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