Why Do Christians Get Sick?

I have spoken with many sincere believers who know that healing is a New Covenant right and they believe, confess, declare, and do whatever they think might work in order to be healed. I have done this. I have wondered at times why I was sick, or why I was not healed. While we know that the legal side of the redemption Jesus purchased includes healing, we know in our minds that this does not always translate to our experience. How can we bridge the gap?

In Jesus’ day, sickness seems to have been very common. Great crowds followed Him to be healed: “…And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all” (Matthew 12:15).

In Israel, in spite of the promises of blessing established in the Law of Moses and the steps to receive healing, multitudes were sick. While Jesus didn’t spend time investigating why so many were sick, He did give us some insight within the context of Israel’s relationship with God.

For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them (Matthew 13:15).

The problem was hardness of heart. Though the covenant of the Law provided healing for all in Israel, and though the Passover lamb was a type of Christ that brought healing to Israel many years before, it was the heart of the people that was the true problem. Hardness of heart, unwillingness to hear, and closed eyes are all reasons that multitudes in Israel were sick.

As we know, sin entered the human race through Adam, and mortality was the result. Sickness and death are the fruit of Adam’s sin. I am not referring to individual sin right now, but rather to the impact of sin in humans. There were no Coronavirus, no genetic defects, no horrible cancers, there was no heart disease, no Alzheimer’s, no blindness or deafness, and no death until sin entered the world. Sin came first. Sicknesses came second.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Humans consist of spirit, soul, and body. The impact of sin is not limited to the physical body. People can suffer on other levels as well. The immediate impact of Adam’s sin was to unplug mankind from God in the spiritual sense. The human spirit became independent from the Source of life—it was fallen and could not fight against the power and corruption of sin on any level. The independent spirit became subject to the desires of the flesh, the body, and soul. Mankind could still respond to God and the Old Testament is full of such stories; but apart from hearing a direct word from God, the human spirit was subject to the soul and flesh.

The soul, usually understood as the mind, will, emotions, and personality, became subject to distress. Mental anguish and depression are common symptoms in many today, which can be understood as sickness on the level of the soul. Emotional breakdowns are also common due to sin in the world. Outbursts of anger, bitterness, strife, lust, greed, pride, and other such emotions can do great damage.

Whole Healing

Healing isn’t just about the physical body! Humans are beings consisting of spirit, soul, and body—and all of those areas can suffer. And, all those areas can be healed and enjoy health. Being born again not only heals our spirits, it is a “new creation” created in righteousness who is one with Him (2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 6:17).

But we are not only spirit. We also have a soul and a body. Mental anguish can give birth to emotional breakdowns and physical sicknesses. Physical sickness can create mental and emotional symptoms. When one area of our being suffers, the other areas become candidates for suffering as well. Many times a healing from emotional trauma can bring physical healing.

The glaring fact is, even born-again Christians can continue to suffer. Being born again does not make all suffering disappear. Jesus declared that in this world we would have tribulation:

…In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

Jesus was speaking of persecution for our faith and the challenge of living in a fallen world. While persecution was promised, sickness was not. Sickness is not the kind of suffering that Jesus or the New Testament writers referred to when they spoke of suffering. Thank God that Jesus has overcome the consequences of sin and that by faith we can enter into His victory!

That which has been made available through the cross must be accessed by faith. Though you are a new creation, created in righteousness, free from the power of sin, you can still choose to sin. Though you are a born-again Christian who believes that by His stripes you were healed, you can still be sick. The benefits of redemption are not always automatic. Like seeking a financial inheritance that may be tied up in the courts, there are often steps that must be taken in order to receive what is legally ours. In our case, it is simply an issue of understanding and believing.

Wisdom and Grace

Understanding why we may be sick could help in bringing the healing that we need. I am very aware that Jesus didn’t question those He healed in order to pinpoint the source of their suffering. However, His statement about the hardened heart is revealing (Matthew 13:15). It won’t hurt for us to consider some of the possibilities for sickness that we may have ignored or grown hardened toward. Wisdom from God can be part of the healing we seek.

Please remember that there is grace for every need and every sickness. The source of sickness won’t stop the grace of God, but it is possible that the source of the sickness may hinder the expectation of health and peace. Ultimately, the source of sickness is Adam’s sin. That revelation alone can heal you. But perhaps there are some issues in our lives that are the result of Adam’s sin and can be addressed in order to receive the healing that is ours.

The two subjects that often stir the most negative reaction in the subject of healing are when we speak of personal sin and personal faith. These two subjects are “sacred cows” to many, so I am very aware that there may be some resistance to the following discussion. Nevertheless, if we aren’t willing to be brutally honest with ourselves, we will only delay the healing that is so readily available.

Possible Open Doors for Sickness

Personal Sin

According to Jesus, it is possible for personal sin to be the cause of a physical affliction. Personal sin is simply a symptom of Adam’s original sin. In the story of the man at the pool of Bethesda, we find Jesus ministering to an individual who had been suffering for thirty-eight years (John 5:1-4). After being healed, the man later encountered Jesus in the temple. Jesus said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (John 5:14). The implication is clear. Personal sin holds the potential for sickness and even worse things. The fact that Jesus said, “Sin no more,” implies that it was this man’s sin that was the problem in the first place. Sin didn’t stop the healing, but it was the cause of the sickness. There was grace for this man, followed by an admonition.

Can you get venereal disease if you and your spouse have never engaged in sex with others before or after marriage? No. Can you get lung cancer from smoking if you never smoke? No. We could go on listing a number of physical issues that are directly related to our personal choices. The consequences of our choices are due to Adam’s sin; but nonetheless, our choices allowed the consequences to enter our lives.

It is possible that our personal lifestyles are open doors to sickness and disease. Paul speaks of sowing to the flesh and says the following, “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption…” (Galatians 6:8).

This principle can be applied to all aspects of our lives. Sowing to the flesh can speak of our morals, our integrity, our lifestyles, indulging our feelings, poor diet, etc. Corruption can come in many forms, and sickness would certainly be a possibility.

Let me be clear that not all sicknesses are the result of personal sin. Sin in the human race is the root of all sickness, but not all sickness can be traced to personal sin. However, as Jesus pointed out to the man at Bethesda, personal sin can be the source of the problem.

Let’s consider some other possibilities in our lives that could be an open door for sickness. What does it mean to sow to the flesh? Strife in our relationships certainly falls in this category.

Strife and Division

But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there (James 3:14-16).

Strife in our relationships will not only create mental and emotional stress but can also lead to physical problems. In this same epistle of James, we find his conclusion for those who are sick:

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed… (James 5:16).

When we read the book of James in context, you can find a number of exhortations about the strife and fighting among them (see James 4). I don’t think it would be wrong to say that some of the sickness in their midst was a result of strife. For that reason, James exhorts the confessing of faults one to another. When we cease to be an accuser and decide to be an intercessor for those with whom we have contention, we create an environment for healing. Jesus taught about this as well:

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44).

Strife is certainly a symptom of the flesh out of control. “Every evil thing” can have strife and bitterness as its source. Sickness can certainly be considered an evil thing.

I have known many who have lived lives of strife and bitterness who later struggled with chronic ailments. While my observations are not scientific, I have no doubt there can be a correlation. I am not saying that this will hold true for every person every time, but it is a possibility.

This same theme can be found in 1 Corinthians:

For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you… (1 Corinthians 11:18).

Paul’s letter of 1 Corinthians contains a number of corrections and exhortations for this group. In chapter 11 he addresses the strife in their midst. Let’s follow the story in this chapter.

For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you (1 Corinthians 11:21-22).

The custom in the early church was for the believers to gather around a meal that included what we now know as “communion.” In the Corinthian church, a meal was the practice and there was much eating and drinking going on. From Paul’s description we can find undisciplined behavior to the point of gluttony and drunkenness. The phrase, “do you despise the church of God, and shame those who have nothing,” is at the heart of his exhortation. The self-centeredness and attitude of some toward others in the church was an open door for what James described as “confusion and every evil thing.” What are the results of such behavior?

For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep (1 Corinthians 11:29-30).

Eating and drinking in an unworthy manner is a direct reference to the selfish gluttony, drunkenness, and shaming those who had nothing. Such carnal behavior in this time of communion with the body of Christ was self-condemning to those who were guilty of this conduct. “For this reason” many were sick and even dead!

Not discerning the Lord’s body can have another profound connotation. We have already discussed His body suffering the stripes, His beatings, for our healing. When we do not discern the finished work of the cross, an area of unbelief still has a place in our hearts.

It is possible that sickness can gain access to our bodies through strife, selfishness, and any divisions that we may have allowed or created in our lives. If sin is the root of all sickness in the human race, then personal sin can certainly be a possible cause of our infirmities. It must be considered.

Praise God that His mercies are new every morning and we can come boldly before the throne of grace and restore our relationship with the Father and with others! (See Lamentations 3:22-23 and Hebrews 4:16.)

Self-Centeredness

It is interesting to consider Isaiah 58 in this discussion. We have seen how self-centeredness and strife can create an environment for sickness, but let’s see the impact of a life lived to bless others.

Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily… (Isaiah 58:6-8).

This passage in Isaiah 58 is an interesting revelation of God’s view of the fast that He has chosen. In verses 6-8 we find praise for a life that is concerned about others. One of the results of such a lifestyle of giving and serving is that “your healing shall spring forth speedily.” In other words, self-centeredness is not an environment for health and healing. Those who simply live for themselves, seeking to satisfy their lusts and desires, are more likely to reap corruption than those who are giving themselves to bless others.

For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (Galatians 6:8).

This coincides very well with Jesus’ statement on the power of giving. Those who give, receive.

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom… (Luke 6:38).

As we give to others, our own needs get met, including the need for healing. Self-centeredness is an opportunity for sickness. It allows the “death” of Adam’s sin an opportunity in our lives.

When we choose to live for others and allow the love of God to guide us to be a blessing, healing shall spring forth! No doubt this would include healing on every level—mental, emotional, and physical. The actions of love and sharing are the environment for health and healing. This is certainly alluded to in Peter’s description of Jesus’ ministry on earth.

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38).

Doing good was the motivation for healing. Being a blessing will create an environment for health and healing because God is in that motivation.

We are looking at possible causes of sickness and have thus far considered personal sin, strife and self-centeredness. Let’s move on to some other possibilities.

Diet

No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities (1 Timothy 5:23).

In this verse Paul is advising Timothy of what to do concerning his frequent stomach infirmities. This is an interesting verse because it reveals a number of things to us. Paul’s first reaction was not to pray for Timothy or encourage Timothy to fast and pray. Paul understood Timothy’s physical issues to have a natural reason that required a natural solution.

When I say “natural,” I mean that the solution was not spiritual. We can assume that Timothy had been bothered by germs or parasites from bad drinking water. That is still common in many places in the world. The properties of wine could be a natural remedy for such contamination.

This situation brings us to the topic of the “natural” aspect of health and healing. Not all sicknesses stem from strife or personal sin. It could be that a poor diet is the culprit. Food is fuel for the body, and our bodies were designed to need certain nutrients and vitamins for optimum health. When the human body is denied proper nourishment or is fed with unhealthy foods, there can be health issues that arise.

We need to understand that sin in the world has impacted the food we eat. Food is not pristine and without the impact of corruption. How we approach our diets and our faith for food are important. Some disregard the issue of diet and claim they are eating “by faith.” If so, they should be healthy.

Without getting into a full blown discussion of diet, suffice it to say that many of the health issues in our country are due to poor food choices. Obesity, heart disease, and other physical maladies are many times the result of poor eating choices over years. Coupled with stress, strife, and other factors, diet can be an open door to health issues. Sowing and reaping impact our lives on this very basic level.

If you are not healthy and have frequent physical challenges, it could be the result of what you are eating. Prayer may not be the answer. Changing your diet might be the answer. Some tend to take better care of their cars than they do of their bodies!

Overeating is often a response to the body craving certain minerals, nutrients, and vitamins that it is not getting. When the body is not properly nourished, the response is often to keep eating. Food is fuel, and inadequate fuel will sooner or later create consequences.

Often what we want is a miracle healing, but what we need is a healthy lifestyle. Choosing health is frequently the key to the healing we seek.

A Spirit of Infirmity

And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God (Luke 13:11-13).

In this story, Jesus ministered to a woman who had been oppressed by a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years. The gospels speak several times of healings that involved a demonic presence in the life of the afflicted one.

When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick (Matthew 8:16).

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38).

Some sicknesses are demonic in nature. A spirit of infirmity is a demonic presence that afflicts a person mentally or physically. In the case of physical oppression, the body is impacted in a way that to the natural eye could seem to be a known, medical condition. If we took this woman to any doctor in the world, after x-rays and other tests no doubt her condition could have been described and diagnosed with medical terms. But there would be no remedy. No doctor would conclude that she had a spirit of infirmity. It is doubtful that any medically trained person on the earth would reach such a conclusion. Thus, the medical community in this case would be powerless to help. Medicine and surgery won’t break the power of a spirit of infirmity.

Jesus saw something that no one else could see. Jesus saw a spiritual oppression that created a physical symptom. This woman had been oppressed by a spirit for eighteen years. X-rays would reveal a condition familiar to doctors. There would be medical terms and symptoms that could be seen. But when Jesus cast out the spirit of infirmity, all of the physical symptoms left with it! What seemed incurable left instantly!

Before assuming that an affliction is spiritual in nature, the other causes should be considered. Most of our sicknesses are self-induced. Of course, strife, bitterness, and personal sin could be possible opportunities for spirits of infirmity to enter into the picture. A spirit of infirmity can be cast out, but the impact of an unhealthy lifestyle can’t. There is grace regardless of the immediate source of the sickness, but ongoing healthiness may require adjustments in our lifestyles.

Fear

and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Hebrews 2:15).

One of the fundamental changes that took place in Adam and Eve after they sinned is that they were transformed from bearing the image of God—faith—to bearing the image of death and corruption—fear. After eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God appeared in the Garden in search of Adam and Eve.

Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:9-10).

The voice of God, which should have given Adam and Eve great joy and peace, was now met with fear. They no longer bore the image of God. They were separated from His life. Death—separation—had taken place and mortality—death in the flesh—had begun. Sicknesses would soon manifest in humans.

The fear of death mentioned in Hebrews 2:15 is the birthplace of all fears. Fear is really faith in reverse. It is faith in the devil, faith in fallen humanity, and faith in fallen nature to do you harm. Fear comes by hearing the words of the world. It is stimulated through negative thoughts. It is expressed through words. Fear expects negative things. Fear is a force that attracts according to its nature—sin and death.

Many sicknesses are directly related to fear. Fear of disease is promoted continually on TV and in the media. The onslaught of new drugs with new side effects keeps many in a state of constant fear. Such anxiety opens the body up for sickness. You will attract what you expect. Faith and fear work in the same way but with opposite results. We will look at the subject of faith in more detail in a later chapter.

Fear of failure, fear of heights, fear of people, fear of the dark, fear of driving, etc. The list could go on and on. Every fear is a weakness in our soul that exposes us to the corruption of the world. Sickness is corruption.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love (1 John 4:18).

Fear is an indication of not embracing the love of God in some area of our lives. The more we allow His love to overwhelm us, the less chance there is that fear will exist in our hearts. Healing is God’s love in action, but fear can hinder the healing that is ours.

Stress

Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me (Philippians 2:25-30).

Epaphroditus, a friend and helper of Paul, was dedicated to taking care of Paul to such an extent that he overextended himself and became sick. In our way of thinking, he stressed out. He over-committed. He burned the candle at both ends. In our modern, multitasking society, many of us are challenged in this area. Stress, whether it deals with ministry or stems from the cares and concerns of job and family, is a powerful, negative force that can open the door to sickness.

When we allow stress to consume us, we are not regarding our lives. Burnout is common in our fast-paced lives, and burnout can put so much stress on the body that it begins to shut down or be unable to resist sickness. It may not be a prayer of faith that is needed, but a decision to take control of one’s life and choose to establish limits on activities that create stress.

Not regarding our lives can also include choices that damage our bodies. Vices such as smoking, drinking, and illegal and even some legal drugs are toxic to our bodies and sow the seeds of corruption. The diseases that come from these activities steal life and potential. It doesn’t mean that healing is not available, but it may be more difficult to be free of guilt and full of faith for those who have willingly chosen these activities.

If you feel that your lifestyle choices are probably the reason for your physical affliction, it can seem harder to receive from God. This doesn’t mean it is hard for God. Healing is already available to all regardless of where the sickness came from. There is grace. It simply can complicate the sick person’s faith. Feelings of unworthiness or guilt will always steal faith from our hearts.

In all of the areas I have mentioned, it must be understood that our healing and health have been provided for in “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:2). The more we understand the spiritual side of sin and sickness, the more we can cooperate with God’s will for us. There is grace for every need.

Healing Prayer

Father, help me to see the root of any sickness or affliction in my life. Reveal to my heart Your wisdom for living in health on every level. I choose to guard my heart from strife, fear, self-centeredness, unhealthy desires, and stress. I receive Your grace of healing in Jesus’ name! Amen!

Barry Bennett