By Robert J. Hawkins, Jr. General World Missions Coordinator
“Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: AND HE HEALED HIM, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw” (Matt. 12:22). From this, we can see that some sicknesses (the world might call these disabilities) can be caused by evil spirits as opposed to “natural causes.” Of course, not all sicknesses are cases of possession or affliction by evil spirits, but the devil will try to afflict every one of us at various points in our lives. A case in point is Job. He was stricken by Satan with boils all over his body. He wasn’t possessed, but the source of his illness was supernatural. Only the blood of Jesus can destroy these attacks of the enemy and heal an individual! Nothing that we can do in the flesh will bring deliverance. Devil possession can also cause mental illness. “Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, AND IN HIS RIGHT MIND: and they were afraid. They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was HEALED” (Luke 8:35, 36).
How will we know what sicknesses of the mind and body are caused by a spirit afflicting another or us? We may never know, but God does, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST WILL TAKE CARE OF IT ALL! That’s why God provided divine healing for us through the sacrifice of His Son! The blood of Jesus takes care of it all and will never fail! “When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him” (Mark 9:25). “And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, AND HEALED THE CHILD, and delivered him again to his father” (Luke 9:42). “And, behold, there was a woman which had A SPIRIT OF INFIRMITY eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, WOMAN, THOU ART LOOSED FROM THINE INFIRMITY. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God” (Luke 13:11-13). Although it was an evil spirit causing this problem, Christ told the woman she was loosed from her INFIRMITY or SICKNESS, indicating what kind of evil spirit this was. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12).
There seem to be different kinds and strengths of spirits, for Jesus did say in Mark 9:29, “This KIND can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” The scripture doesn’t say that the woman who had a spirit of infirmity was possessed, although she may have been. Again, you might ask, “How will we know the origin of our affliction?” Well, we may never know, but God does, and the blood of Jesus will take care of every problem! Divine healing never fails! If a spirit is causing our illness, THE ONLY THING that will heal us and deliver us is trusting in the blood of Jesus! The devil would like nothing more than to camouflage himself, but OUR FAITH AND TRUST in the blood of Jesus Christ will find him out and destroy ALL HIS WORKS! Amen! In John 10:10, Jesus makes us a great promise: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Amen!