One of the greatest struggles in the Christian life is this question, especially in relation to healing of the body: What do I do when God’s Word says one thing, but my body, my mind, and my feelings say another?
The Bible promises forgiveness and healing through Christ, yet many struggle because they lean on their senses more than on His Word. In pain or weakness, we often speak what we see and feel instead of what God has already declared.
But faith does not rest on senses. Faith rests on Christ.
Faith Comes by Hearing #
Paul wrote his letter to the Romans to both Jewish and Gentile believers living in a world filled with false teachings and uncertainty. He wanted them to understand that salvation is not dependent on human effort but on hearing and receiving the Word of Christ.
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
— Romans 10:17 (ESV)
The Greek word for hearing here is akoē. It is not just sound entering the ear. It implies understanding, paying attention, and embracing what is heard. Faith does not appear automatically. It grows when the Word of God is welcomed into the heart and mind and allowed to settle there.
James complements this teaching with a practical emphasis on obedience:
“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.”
— James 1:22 (AMP)
Hearing opens the door, but walking in obedience is what activates faith. The difference between a deceived hearer and a living believer is action. Faith is not only intellectual agreement but a daily decision to respond to Christ and His Word in every area of life.
The Word vs Our Senses #
Have you ever felt frustrated because your body, emotions, or circumstances seem to contradict God’s promises? You are not alone. Many believers struggle to reconcile what they feel with what God has already said. This is where faith begins: trusting the Word over our senses.
The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians facing persecution and doubt. They knew God’s promises but were tempted to rely on what their eyes and emotions reported. The author reminds them that Christ is unchanging:
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
— Hebrews 13:8 (ESV)
This statement is profound. Our senses: sight, hearing, touch, and emotions, fluctuate constantly. Yet Christ’s Word is eternal, unshakable, and absolute. While our eyes may see pain, and our emotions swing between hope and fear, none of this changes the truth of God’s promises.
Old Testament: Israel often relied on visible signs (Numbers 13:31–33). Their senses misled them into fear, rebellion, and unbelief. God repeatedly called His people to trust His Word rather than their perceptions.
New Testament: Faith in Christ operates the same way. When we first believed in forgiveness, we could not see it. Yet we received it through trust in His Word (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:7).
Christ-Centred Focus: Healing, restoration, and life in Christ are likewise already accomplished. Our senses do not determine reality — Christ does. Faith aligns our soul with what is true in the spirit.
Think of a lighthouse on a stormy night. Waves crash violently, and the wind howls. The sailors’ senses tell them danger is everywhere. Yet the light from the lighthouse remains constant, guiding them safely to shore. Similarly, God’s Word is the lighthouse. Our senses may report sickness, weakness, or pain, but Christ’s Word, unchanging, eternal, and true, guides our faith to life.
The Cross: Forgiveness and Healing Together #
Have you ever wondered why so many believers accept forgiveness yet struggle with sickness or brokenness? Could it be that we sometimes separate what God has already united at the Cross? Understanding this begins with Scripture, history, and the preeminence of Christ.
The prophecy in Isaiah 53 was written during the Babylonian exile, a time when Israel suffered under oppression and anticipated a Messiah who would redeem them not only spiritually but also restore what was broken. Isaiah describes the Suffering Servant as one who bears sin and brings healing:
“He was pierced for our transgressions… and with His wounds we are healed.”
— Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)
The Hebrew word for “healed” here is rapha, which means to restore, to mend, to make fresh. It conveys a holistic restoration — spiritual, emotional, and physical. The suffering of the Servant was not only for sin; it was also for our brokenness.
Centuries later, Peter points to the fulfilment of this prophecy in Christ:
“…by His wounds you were healed.”
— 1 Peter 2:24 (NET)
The Greek word iaomai means to make whole, to cure fully. Both the Old and New Testaments declare the same truth: forgiveness and healing were completed at Calvary. They are inseparable because Christ’s sacrifice dealt with all that separated humanity from God — sin, sickness, and death itself.
Training Your Senses with the Word #
Faith is not only a matter of the mind or spirit; it trains our senses to recognise who God is and what He has done for us. Our eyes, ears, and even our emotions can be influenced by doubt, fear, or the world’s reports. But when trained with God’s Word, they begin to perceive His reality instead of the world’s illusions.
When weakness tells you that you are finished or incapable, respond with the truth of Scripture:
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.”
— Psalm 28:7 (AMP)
When pain whispers that you are not healed, speak the Word back to your body, mind, and soul:
“…by His wounds you were healed.”
— 1 Peter 2:24 (NET)
Healing, strength, and victory are not distant promises or future possibilities. They are already present realities in Christ, deposited in your spirit at the new birth. Faith trains the soul and body to align with this reality, so that what your senses report does not negate what God has already accomplished.
Repeatedly declaring God’s Word transforms your perception. Your eyes begin to see His goodness, your ears hear His truth above the noise, and your body starts to respond to the life flowing from your spirit. This is how faith trains the senses, not through imagination or positive thinking, but by anchoring every sense in the authority of Christ’s finished work.
Healing Is Life in Christ #
While medicine can provide relief and support, it cannot give life itself. True healing flows from the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and now dwells in us.
“…for in Him we live and move and exist…”
— Acts 17:28 (AMP)
Life itself — the energy, the restoration, the wholeness of body and soul — comes only from Christ. Medicine may assist the body temporarily, but it cannot impart the eternal, uncreated life (zoē) that is already deposited in our spirit.
We are not to despise medical help; God can use doctors, treatments, and natural remedies as channels of His provision. Yet our dependence must always rest in Christ alone. When symptoms linger or the body feels weak, we return to Him, trusting in His sustaining life rather than the temporary relief of human methods.
Healing in Christ is spiritual, physical, and eternal. It begins in the spirit, flows through the soul as faith and confession align, and manifests in the body as life, strength, and health. Just as He is the source of all life, He is also the source of true healing, sustaining us moment by moment, day by day, until the final resurrection.
Not Positive Words, But God’s Word #
This is not about self-help, positive thinking, or the power of human optimism. Faith is not anchored in how strongly we believe in ourselves, but in what God has already spoken and accomplished in Christ.
“He sent His word and healed them, and rescued them from their destruction.”
— Psalm 107:20 (AMP)
The power of words is not in human imagination but in God’s eternal authority. When God speaks, creation obeys. His Word carries the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. Speaking His Word is not mental affirmation; it is agreeing with Heaven’s decree.
- Human positive words may uplift emotions for a time, but God’s Word penetrates the spirit, soul, and body (Hebrews 4:12).
- Positive confessions rely on the strength of man, but divine confession releases the life of Christ already dwelling within.
- The world tells us to “manifest” outcomes; Scripture teaches us to rest in what is finished in Christ.
Therefore, confession is not “trying to make something true,” but declaring what God has eternally declared true in Christ. We are aligning our mouth with His Word so that our soul and body may come into harmony with the spirit.
The Power of the Tongue #
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
— Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)
Our words are never neutral—they carry either death or life. What we repeatedly confess reveals where our faith truly rests. If we continually speak of sickness, weakness, or lack, we reinforce unbelief. But when we speak God’s Word, we release His life and power into our situation.
James gives a sober reminder:
“Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
— James 3:10 (NET)
The tongue must not be double-minded—blessing God one moment and speaking fear or doubt the next. Instead, it must be disciplined by the Spirit, aligned with the faith of Christ within us.
- The tongue is like a rudder; it steers the whole life (James 3:4–5).
- What the heart is full of will spill out through the lips (Luke 6:45).
- When the believer speaks God’s Word, it is not mere sound, but agreement with divine truth.
Our tongue, then, becomes an instrument of the Spirit, confessing what God has declared finished in Christ. It no longer reflects the reports of the world or the flesh, but testifies to the eternal reality of Christ in us.
Senses vs Word of God #
| Senses Say | Word of God Declares |
|---|---|
| I feel weak | The LORD is my strength (Psalm 28:7) |
| Pain is still here | By His wounds I was healed (1 Peter 2:24) |
| I cannot overcome | I can do all things through Christ (Phil 4:13) |
| Death is near | I shall not die but live (Psalm 118:17) |
Life in the Body of Christ #
Faith is not meant to be lived in isolation. God created His people to walk together, to bear one another’s burdens, and to rejoice in one another’s victories.
“If one member suffers, all the members suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.”
— 1 Corinthians 12:26 (AMP)
This verse reminds us that we are part of a living, interconnected body. Your struggles are not yours alone, and your victories are shared in the joy of the Body. Fellowship is not optional; it is a vital channel through which the life of Christ flows to each member.
The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead also dwells in us:
“He… will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who lives in you.”
— Romans 8:11 (AMP)
When we walk together, the Spirit’s life in one member encourages, strengthens, and even heals the other members. Prayer, worship, teaching, and mutual encouragement are all ways the Spirit distributes His life through the Body.
Being part of the Body also helps our faith grow. When we see Christ’s work in the lives of others, our trust in Him deepens. When we support others, our own spiritual life is strengthened. Fellowship allows God’s life to flow not just in our spirits, but through our souls and bodies, reinforcing the connection between spirit, mind, and body in practical ways.
In Christ, no believer is alone. The same Spirit that quickened Jesus is at work in every member, sustaining us, energising us, and bringing resurrection life into our daily walk.
Do Not Neglect Fellowship #
The Christian life is not meant to be solitary. God designed His people to gather, encourage, and strengthen one another.
“Not forsaking our meeting together, as believers for worship and instruction, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.”
— Hebrews 10:25 (AMP)
Fellowship is more than attendance. It is a vital expression of Christ’s life flowing through His Body. Every gathering is an opportunity to receive encouragement, instruction, and the practical outworking of God’s Spirit in others. Christ purchased the Church with His own blood. To neglect the Body is to neglect the One who made the ultimate sacrifice for it. Spiritual gifts, while given for our benefit, are never for personal boasting. They exist to build up the Body in love, to strengthen the weak, and to unify all members in the shared life of Christ.
When believers gather, the Spirit distributes His life, aligns hearts with truth, and activates gifts for mutual edification. Worship, prayer, teaching, and shared encouragement are all channels through which the resurrection life of Christ flows into mortal bodies and daily living. Neglecting fellowship hinders this flow. It is not only a loss for the individual but also decreases the joint strength and vitality of the Body. True faith thrives in community, where Christ’s life is manifested through love, support, and shared spiritual growth.
Application #
- When pain comes, speak the Word instead of repeating the problem.
- When discouraged, remember you are already forgiven and healed in Christ.
- When tempted to isolate, join believers in fellowship and prayer.
- Train your senses daily by confessing the Word until it becomes your natural response.
In Christ,
Godwin.
