Charismania, Healing & Reality
By Craig Bluemel
Being chronically ill and suffering
from severe daily pain has taken a terrible toll on me physically, emotionally,
mentally and spiritually. It is not so
much a spiritual battle as it is a physical one. Unless you have suffered from
some type of long-term, chronic and debilitating pain, such as combining
Fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and migraine headaches, there’s just no way
you could relate to what I feel. Now
imagine migraines every day, all day, and Fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid
arthritis pain symptoms spreading like myofascial pain across your entire body;
that’s what it’s like for me each day.
I have been a born-again Christian and
involved with charismatic and Pentecostal type churches since 1974. My chronic pain issues began as occupational
injuries around 1991 and my physical condition slowly deteriorated since then
until now.
My own words are inadequate to convey
the feelings and thoughts I grapple with each and every day, especially when
the pain is completely out of control.
The chronic pain I experience every hour of the day and night is so
debilitating that even high dosages of narcotic pain medication barely make a
difference.
Living with multiple complex severe
chronic pain issues as a Christian, I’ve become acutely aware of my innate
existence as an eternal soul and spirit. Before my illnesses and symptomatic conditions I was oblivious to
the distinctive differences of the human spirit, soul and body. I THOUGHT I knew the differences between
body, soul and spirit, but what I had was merely a DOCTRINAL point of view; my
“doctrine” had not been seasoned with tribulation, so that it becomes refined,
real and blatantly honest.
I now experience life from a vantage
point and perspective best explained by saying, “I have this treasure
subsisting within a cavity of flesh that is replete with painful nerve
endings.” Paul wrote to the Corinthians
saying in this house I, “groan.” I can
relate. (2 Corinthians 4:7-18 with 5:1-6)
Long-term chronic pain makes me feel
like my body of flesh is just a house I live in. Paul went through tremendous suffering and yet he was privy to an
experience he described as, “whether in the body or not, I do not know!” (2
Corinthians 12:1-5) I can relate.
Millions and millions of nerve cells quietly and painfully cry for the
attention of my brain, the computer center of my body. It is bizarre. Every day I sense my body is just a cavity and not the real me;
it’s very difficult to put in words; I hope you get an inkling of what my
feeble attempts to describe reveal.
The ONLY reason I’m aware my flesh and
spirit are so distinct from my body of flesh is pain. There is a book my dear wife read once, titled, “Pain, The Gift
Nobody Wants,” by Dr. Paul Brand. That
book title says it all for me. For me
this “gift” of pain (which no dyed in the wool charismaniac desires), gives me
access to a realm I had only faint glimpses of before.
Pain and suffering shape and mold character
like nothing else does. I believe Jesus
suffered a LIFETIME of pain; how else could he have been tested in, “all
points,” like us?
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable
to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and
infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but one Who has been
tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. AMP
This article is not intended for an
apologetic defense of my views on healing and charismania. Instead, I hope to show you the reader what
damage and hurt charismatic churches and individual believers cause to those
that suffer. Somewhere along the line
in the 20th century, charismatics became a term used for born-again
Christians that practice the so-called “gifts” (such as speaking in other
tongues, miraculous healing prayers, etc).
From among charismatics arose the
looney practices and doctrinal beliefs of what I have coined as, “charismania,”
and individuals carrying the less-than-desirable title, “charismaniacs.” Lest I get accused of speaking evil against
my own brethren in Christ, let’s define the term, ‘charismaniac.’ Broken down into component parts, it is
defined as follows:
·
Charis = gifts
·
Mania = an offensive term for somebody who
behaves in such an uncontrolled manner as to appear to be affected by
mania
·
Hence the charismaniac is someone(s)
acting offensively, using their so-called spiritual “gifts” in an uncontrolled
manner
I speak in other
tongues and have done so since 1974, so I’m not biased against using the gifts
of God’s spirit. However, I DO take
exception to the USE of so-called “spiritual gifts” that amount to little more
than the patronization of one’s own fanaticism and ego. How many of us having
seen a particular televangelist with a bright white suit and a backwards cleric
collar say, “Come Holy Spirit,” and then blow into his wireless microphone to
signal the waiting recipient, who then falls backwards into the waiting arms of
the “catchers?” Either this guy is
eating way too many Altoids, or he’s the world’s biggest fake, and the
charismatic church has taken the bait… hook, line and sinker!
I won’t discuss
those in the “renewal movement” that do all the silly giggling and equate it
with the, “manifest presence of the Holy Spirit.” These are the same ones my wife, daughter and I saw barking and
crawling on all fours, acting like dogs (or wolves?) just out of the cages of
the Humane Society. I cannot really
make fun at them without poking the same fun at myself; I’ve done many of the
same nutty things, just following the crowd, because I wanted God. The problem was THAT was NOT God.
My beef in this
article is with charismaniacs that think it is God’s will to heal the sick
every time they pray. These are the
same ones that refuse to accept sickness, suffering, and tribulation as part of
God’s design and plan in fabricating the moral fiber of His people. Listen, I can criticize what they do in the
name of God if it’s contrary to scripture, and I’ve admitted I once did the
same immature things, so it’s not like I’m getting on a self-righteous soapbox
here.
The typical
charismaniac believes that his or her prayer can move God’s hand in miraculous
healing EVERY time hands are laid upon the sick in Jesus’ name! These well-intentioned and terribly deluded
Christians will not accept anything besides a 100% effectiveness ratio in their
intercessory prayer for others.
What’s wrong
with expecting God to move when you pray?
Nothing, if the prayer is in line with His word and His will. For example, charismania is an apt
description of ALL the ‘name-it-and-claim-it’ preachers (aka ‘wolves’ in wolves
clothing).
Misled by the
lunacy of demented, greedy, egotistical blowhards that spew forth the gospel of
self-indulgence over the television and radio airwaves, selling everything from
miracle anointed water (aka ‘snake oil’) to pieces of anointed prayer cloths
(aka ‘filthy rags’; if you’re familiar with the Hebrew, you know what this
means!).
In America
born-again Christians by the millions are suckered into following and mimicking
these counterfeit con artists. Some
will read the last paragraph and say I’m being mighty hard on the ‘prosperity’
or so-called, ‘faith teachers.’
Yep. I’m being every bit as hard
on them as the leather tips of Jesus’ whip were on the moneychangers he drove
out of the temple! (John 2:14-15)
2 Peter 2:1-3 But also there arose false
prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among
yourselves, who will subtly and stealthily introduce heretical doctrines
(destructive heresies), even denying and disowning the Master who bought them,
bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many will follow their immoral ways and lascivious doings; because
of them the true Way will be maligned and defamed. 3 And in their covetousness (lust, greed) they will exploit you
with false (cunning) arguments. AMP
Look, I’m not a
guy that goes around just blasting everyone that I disagree with. I spend most of my time trying with God’s
help to bind up the brokenhearted and set the captives free. Sometimes it becomes necessary for a believer
to speak out against the travesty he or she has witnessed and experienced.
I have had a
LOT of damage done to me through the well-intentioned charismatics that prayed
for my healing. There was a time when I
was guilty of doing the very same thing; two wrongs don’t make things right,
but maybe speaking the truth in love will.
You are probably wondering how simple prayer for the sick causes harm…
read on.
You see, the
diehard charismaniac cannot offer up a simple prayer of faith, and then
actually trust in WHATEVER God’s will is.
No siree! When they pray all
heaven stands at attention, ready to do their beckon call. This figment of their imagination is what
they perceive as spiritual reality, and it gets really scary from here on out
folks.
There’s no room
for boasting on my part, because I myself did to others that were chronically
ill, or suffering from incurable diseases, what charismaniacs have done to me
these past 11-12 years (ugh).
I was once a genuine
charismaniac with my great faith that could move mountains (ha!). My spirit-filled knowledge of scriptures
about healing qualified me to tackle any disease known to man. I was usually the first to quote Mark
16:16-17 and I ACTUALLY BELIEVED “signs” would follow my every prayerful words
for the sick. Well, they didn’t.
I remember one
poor guy I tried to pray for healing that was paraplegic and in a
wheelchair. I was actually shocked when
he didn’t stand up and walk in Jesus’ name!
Now you’d think I would leave, “well enough” alone… right? Wrong.
The poor guy, I
grabbed his upper torso, lifted him up onto his wobbly, atrophy withered legs,
and said, “I command you to walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth!” FLOP… he plopped down into his wheelchair
and begged me not to do it again, so I didn’t.
In my mind I thought, “This man can’t be healed because he hasn’t got
the same faith as me.” What a FOOL I
was!
Back then I
couldn’t admit I was a fool and had acted in utter disregard of the truth
because of how I was taught and what I’d seen others do. Like the good fanatical charismaniac that I
was, I left this dear brother justified in my own mind, absolutely certain (in
my own puffed up vanity) that he wasn’t healed because of his lack of faith, a
demon, or some hidden sin preventing his instantaneous miracle healing. How embarrassing.
The reason I’m
sharing my own mishap (which occurred many times) is to let you know I’m not
dogging the charismaniacs because I feel all self-righteous and smarter than
they are. It’s not as though I’m saying
God cannot, does not, or will not do a miracle and heal somebody either. He’s God, and I don’t purport to advise Him
what to do or not do, because it wouldn’t make one bit of difference. God does what HE wants to do, not what we
WANT Him to do.
Twelve years of
chronic illnesses, multiple orthopedic surgeries and severe pain, pain clinics,
dozens of doctors, hospitals, sutures, etc have broken me and humbled my
heart. Eleven years of legal hassles,
court hearings, tremendous stress from legal mitigation related to occupational
injuries and compensation, and much more has brought me near to the heart of
the Father through His word in scripture.
With nowhere else to turn, God was my only option.
You see, I
prayed and prayed and got on every prayer chain I knew of. I subjected myself to deliverance from
demonic forces that might be involved; I turned inside out and became so
transparent I’d confess my sin to even an unbeliever if I felt I was in any way
being deceitful. I studied the word, and didn’t allow a negative confession to
proceed from my lips for a good, long season.
I sought the help and prayers of charismatic Christians from all kinds
of churches and Christian organizations.
After all of this, my hopes were dashed… I was STILL SICK! In fact, I was WORSE!
Everyone thinks
they have the solution in the charismaniac churches. I was one of them, so I know.
The problem is, I did not have the TRUTH about healing in the scripture!
I THOUGHT I had
the truth, but it took YEARS of tremendous pain, suffering, and
disillusionment… with myself… with God… with the church… and even with
the Bible… before I got to the point of objectivity,
whereby I could and would reexamine my belief about divine healing in the
scripture. I felt trapped, so to speak, in this house of flesh that has
millions of nerve endings screaming for painful attention day in and day
out.
It has been just over 11 years since I
was first injured, enduring multiple major surgeries between 1996-2001, to
repair several orthopedic problems in my elbows, hands, broken jaw, numerous
fractured teeth (lots of root canals & periodontal surgeries to cut away
flesh & jawbone), broken right ankle, many broken ribs, broken fingers,
broken toes, severe concussion, numerous herniated discs. I have a tumor the size of a big jawbreaker
growing around a large metal pin that was surgically implanted at the Veteran’s
Hospital in 1972 and is pressing on nerves.
It seems unbelievable, but I have all
the x-rays and reams of medical documentation to prove my story is true. My spine is perhaps the most severe pain I
live with; the pain is caused by degenerative disc disease in the lumbar and
sacral discs and I have a form of rheumatoid arthritis called ankylosing
spondylitis. Also, my lower back is
very painful (sacroiliitis causes sciatica) and I have scoliosis, kyphosis
(deformation of lower thoracic disc), lordosis (deformed sway in mid-lumbar
discs).
I wished the list stopped there;
remember, God is my Healer, right?
Well, He does heal my heart, but I also have psoriatic arthritis in my
hips and knees, heel spurs in both feet, a painful hand disease called
Raynaud’s Phenomena that swells my fingers and joints… okay, okay, I’ll stop
here already! It makes me hurt thinking
about it!
What makes my
enduring trial with severe chronic pain conditions worse is all the bogus
charismaniac teaching about miraculous healing accumulated in mind and
heart. It has warped and badly
distorted my relationship with the Father.
It has made me angry with God for not honoring His word and His healing
promises. Can you see how bogus charismaniac
doctrine and practice can hurt someone?
Satan is real
happy if we believe God is obligated to heal us because it “says so” in the
Bible. Oh yes, he thinks that is just
grand. Why? Because he knows a day is coming when all of our nifty doctrines
will get us in a heap of trouble. When
the scriptural formulas don’t “work” what happens? You’ll never know the answer to that question until you are
pushed to the very limits of what you can handle, and believe me brothers and
sisters, it ain’t pretty. I’m sure I’ll
get all manner of flak for this article… so be it.
Maybe I can
help one other person that is suffering and angry with God. Maybe I can stop one suicide from
happening. If so, it is ALL worth
having me embarrassed and people criticizing me. So beloved, whomever you are, here’s a list of America’s Most
Ridiculous Charismania regarding divine healing. This corrosive list of so-called, “anointed answers,” is the
caustic human element and ignorance of good, well meaning, God-fearing,
Jesus-loving Christians who keep telling me one of the following:
1. They say I’m healed & must now, “walk in the healing by
faith.” It’s pretty hard to walk by
faith when my back is bringing me to my knees in pain, and when I have severe
arthritis in both knees, heel spurs on both feet, and my right ankle has no
cartilage or synovial fluid.
2. They tell me my healing has already taken place, but that it (the
healing) has not “manifested itself yet.” Hmmm? This makes no sense whatsoever, but let’s apply their logic to
something else, say food, for example.
Mommy calls little Johnny in for supper and when little Johnny looks at
his empty dinner plate, he asks his mommy, “Mommy, where’s my dinner?” Being a
good charismaniac mommy, she replies in faith to little Johnny, “Johnny, your
food is already there, we’re just waiting for it to manifest itself,
then we can eat.” Go figure.
3. They tell me, “Brother, God is going to set you free from this
pain soon.” These benign and unanointed
solutions come from a sect I have decided to call, ‘generic charismaniacs,’
because they NEVER tell me exactly WHEN “soon” is going to be! It’s extremely frustrating! I wonder just how they figured out God was
going to heal me “soon?”
4. They tell me, “Brother, God won’t allow this suffering to
continue.” I wished somebody had told
God this! If only God realized such
wisdom… if only someone would inform Him… doesn’t God realize He won’t allow
this suffering to continue?! It must be
confusing for God not to know how He feels about stuff, and has to wait for us
to tell Him. I guess God is waiting for
a united consensus of charismaniacs to realize, “by faith,” how He feels!
5. They tell me, “Brother,
this chronic pain is just an attack of Satan.”
Even if it is an attack of Satan, which it may very well be, what does
that prove? I hope you can see how this
rhetoric affects me, and others like me that suffer… it can really mess a
person up! When I’m down and depressed
and haven’t slept for 3 or 4 days in a row, I might believe just about anything
you tell me! The other problem is that
such unreliable evaluations of my health and its cause and/or spiritual origin
tend to contradict the scriptures. For
example, if God won’t allow the suffering to continue, and God does not
tolerate attacks of Satan, what do we do with the story of Job’s trial? Wasn’t Job’s trial based upon an argument
between God and Satan, and wasn’t Job used as the battleground to test whether
he would hold onto God or not? And
what in the world do we do with the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness? Nobody knows how long Job’s trial was, and
nobody can predict for certain what God decides is “enough.” If you speak hastily, consider what your
words might do to a person in their darkest hour. I actually believed some of this charismania garbage and one of
my worst encounters happened when I found myself rebuking Satan through bleary
and teary eyes that had not slept because of horrific pain that lasted for 9
days (yes, nine days & nights).
Thinking it was, “Satan,” doing this I didn’t seek proper medical care,
and get the necessary pain medications to treat my symptoms! Charismaniacs are famous for engaging their
mouth before putting their brain in gear.
What do they say about Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” which is a “messenger
of Satan” sent at the behest of God to “buffet” Paul, and keep him humble? (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) I’ve asked them, and their egotistical reply
is, “Well, THAT was PAUL!” Okay, so
they think Paul is God’s exception to humanity… that is ridiculous! I’m serious, this kind of charismania messes
me up emotionally and sometimes spiritually.
If I take the position God won’t allow the suffering to continue because
so-and-so is praying and it continues, guess who I’m tempted to blame?
6. They tell me, “Brother, you need “real intercessory prayer
warriors” to knock down this attack and get all of these illnesses off of you.”
I’ve heard this line so many times I
could puke (which I do when I’m nauseated).
For those who read this and think I’m overly skeptical, don’t forget all
the things I suffer. What if it was
you? Second, I HAVE humbled myself and
had people pray for me on MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, and these are strong believers
who would be considered by God as “true prayer warriors” and
“intercessors.” So what’s up doc? I’m still not healed! Was it because they weren’t “real” intercessors? Nope.
The next thing someone in this camp will say to me is this: “Well
Craigo, did he or she pray till they got a ‘breakthrough?’” Ahhh… the proverbial breakthrough. I don’t know. I just know they prayed with fervor and I’m not healed… period.
7. They tell me, “Brother, I love you and I’m not going to let Satan
continue doing this to you!” Another
line I hear quite a bit is, “Brother, I’m going to begin interceding for you
until you’re totally & completely healed!”
Now these brothers and sisters I just love because their hearts are full
of mercy and compassion and they are motivated by love. I don’t lump them in with general
charismaniacs, but their pledge to protect me is misguided and out of their
power and control. Look at it this way,
if God is using pain and suffering to humble me, and you want to take all of
that pain and suffering away so I don’t hurt, (even if the pain is caused by
Satan), what happens? Does God throw in
the towel and say, “Okay, you’re protecting Craigo, so I’ll just have to tell
Satan to back off.”?
8. They tell me, “Brother, you are 50 years old now, and in the
Bible, 50 years is the, ‘Year of Jubilee.’
This means your Jubilee is at hand Craigo & all that has been taken
from you, (meaning my health), will be returned!” These really are the quintessential charismaniac in all splendor…
ugh. These kinds of comments are so far
out in left field. Sadly, I know some
really sick and hurting brethren who were told something similar, and they
BELIEVED it. Well, wouldn’t you know,
their 50th birthday came, and went, and they’re still sick, hurting
and in greater pain! They now have to
deal with the disillusionment of hope that is deferred. Their heart is now sick too. (Proverbs
13:12)
9. They ask me, “Brother have you ever gone through demon
“deliverance” to be set free from “generational family curses?” If I
accidentally make the HUGE mistake of telling them my birth family is Mormon,
they jump on their charismaniacal bandwagon and proclaim, “Craig, you have a
demonic ‘curse’ upon your life & health.
You need to get delivered from this and plead the blood over your
house!!!” Geesh, I did that 20 years
ago, do I have to do it again? This
stuff is just so stressful and out there, I can’t believe that people buy into
it. If I chase family generational
curses every time a bad thing happens, I’ll be seeing demons in my sock
drawer! If you’ve ever said this to
someone, stop it. You don’t know their
problems are caused by generational curses!!
All this does to the person that suffers in sickness is provide one more
lie that Satan can use to pummel their mind and heart with in those moments of
extreme weakness.
One sister told me if I start reading
the King James Version of the Bible God will heal me because it’s, “the only
true ‘word of God.’” This list could go
on and on, but for me, I just want to unplug from what most people say.
It sounds rude and atypical of me to
act this way, but my doctor once said this kind of rhetoric is “corrosive” and
so I’m going to set up some boundaries.
As for me, the whole issue of miraculous healing is disingenuous. I don’t mean to judge people’s motives (God
forbid), but I have to tell you, for someone like me, being on the receiving
end of the kinds of things people have said to or about me often makes me want
to hide when I see certain folks coming my way.
Charismatics in general hate pain and
suffering; no, I take that back. They
RUN from pain and suffering! The modern
day American charismaniac thinks Jesus was this buffed and super healthy guy
that walked around Judea as the fountain of youth. Isaiah chapter 53 has a description of him that is much
different.
To illustrate my point, here’s an
imaginary scenario that is sure to make you think:
Imagine you’re in your home, relaxing in your favorite
recliner reading a good book. Suddenly
you notice the smell of smoke and you look around, trying to discover the
origin of the problem. Next you feel
some heat, but strangely the smell of smoke disappears. The heat isn’t really bothersome and you
attribute it to perhaps a nice, sunny day outside. You go back to your recliner, sit down, and after a few minutes,
the heat intensifies.
With each passing
hour the heat builds up until finally you cannot stand it any longer; it’s now
obvious something is terribly wrong, and you HAVE to escape. You make a mad dash for the door and as you
grasp hold of the doorknob, “OUCH!” You
recoil in pain, but panic and fear kick your adrenaline into overdrive;
grasping hold of the door handle once more, desperate to escape.
This time the doorknob won’t turn to open the latch
mechanism; the knob itself spins and spins and spins, but the familiar clicking
sound that tells you the door is sprung open never happens. Beads of sweat cling to your forehead, and
you’re stuck inside your house as the heat begins taking its toll on you.
Minutes pass by, but they seem like hours; then hours pass
by, but they seem like days. You ask yourself, “Will I ever get out of here
alive?” Now your shirt is soaked with perspiration and a few droplets of the
salty brine drips over an eyebrow stinging your right eye, causing temporary
blindness. This triggers the ‘fight or
flight’ mode in your brain, and the adrenal glands are pumping full blast. Time seems to stand still, as it does when
the bloodstream is laced with adrenaline.
You try the windows
and they won’t open or break. You kick
the kitchen door leading to the back porch, but it is resilient so you slam
your whole body weight against it with your right shoulder… nothing! The once flimsy wooden kitchen door is as
solid as a bank vault door.
You begin to shout, “Help, help, won’t somebody PLEASE help
me!!” Then you reach for the phone,
and, to your relief, the dial tone is active.
Quickly punching in the numbers, ‘9-1-1’ you get a voice on the other
end saying, “911, what is your emergency?”
“I’m trapped inside of my house and it’s on fire!” you say,
voice raised, phone receiver clenched tightly in your nervous hand.
“Settle down sir.
What is on fire?”
“MY house… MY HOUSE IS ON FIRE!!”
“Alright sir, your house is on fire, and you live at 319
Maple Drive, correct?”
“Yes, yes, please send help right away! I’m trapped inside my house and I can’t get
out!’
“Did you try using the door sir?”
“Yes, yes, of course I tried the door, but it won’t
budge. I tried to break a window out
too, but it just won’t break. I don’t
know what’s wrong, but I’m TRAPPED.”
“Have you tried calling a friend or neighbor sir?”
“No, I called you first; if I can’t budge the door, how can
I expect my neighbor to do it?”
“Well, let’s pray for a miracle.”
“I don’t NEED a miracle, my house is 2 minutes away from
the fire station; just send the emergency crew here!”
“Have you considered you’re not a strong as you thought you
were? Are you spending time in the
word?”
“Gads lady, are you nuts?”
“Sir, that’s a demonic manifestation; you need
deliverance.”
Well, you get the idea. This is what it’s like to be around
charismatics in the 21st century if you’re sick or hurting. Sure God CAN heal, and on rare occasion I
believe He DOES heal. I do not think it
is the “norm” and I do not think it should be something Christians pray for
continually.
You see, it’s very tricky; if you alter
a word or two in this sentence quotation, you might make it fit. But in the New Testament there’s no mention
of the church or an individual believer praying for his or her sick brethren
over and over until, at long last, God is forced to concede by virtue of their
importunity. Do you see my point?
When Jesus or the apostles healed
others, it happened, “Boom… done.” I
know there’s the passage where Jesus says that certain evil spirits cannot be
commanded out except by prayer and fasting, but this is not a parallel at all
to what I’m saying.
You see, for me, it is not difficult at
all to embrace death, because for me, it is my release from this body of
pain. I suffer agonizing pain every
day, often minute-to-minute. I’d rather
have people pray for God to give me the inner strength and endurance than waste
time praying for a miraculous healing.
Pray for me to be purged of sin and become more compassionate and more
dependent upon the Lord.
I know that God can and does still do
miracles, and if He so desires to give me one, I won’t reject His loving
touch. But I am done, done, done asking
and praying for or wishfully following the blind lead of blind charismaniacs
that lead each other into illogical futility.
I have watched so many Christian friends die of cancer that were good, faith
toting charismatics, trusting God for their miracle healing until they up and
died
Charismaniacs do more harm than good
with their misplaced faith. They make
people feel badly if they choose to take medicine to normalize the bodies’ deficiencies,
because, “Bless God, I trust the LORD for my healing.” Hogwash.
That is arrogance and pride talking.
I hope you don’t go through what I’m going through to learn the truth.
It has caused too much heartache, too
much consternation, and even made me feel like God has let me down (which He
has not let me down) believing the ‘pie in the sky’ divine miracle healing
illusion.
Don’t forget, I said I BELIEVE in
miracles. I just don’t say I’m
“entitled” to them like I used to say as a deluded charismaniac. Thank God I learned something from all the
pain and suffering. My wife says I’m a
lot more loving and tender, so suffering must be a good thing… if we BELIEVE in
it!
You see if I buy into what people say
and go along with the err of their ways, and if I actually DO believe God will
one day miraculous heal me, I am setting myself up for a terrible fall. I think of all the Christian brothers and
sisters in Jesus I know that have died, many younger than me, and many with
terminal diseases like cancer.
Oh yes, people prayed until the barn
burned down, but just the same, they DIED.
This should be a no-brainer, but sadly, it is another one of
charismania’s nonsensical antics to get God to “do” for them what they cannot
“do” for themselves.
I believe there is healing from God in
and through Jesus Christ, but not physical healing per say. God is MORE concerned with the condition of
our HEART than the condition of our bodies.
Flesh and blood will NOT inherit the kingdom of heaven! So why are they trying so hard to get their
bodies fixed, and ignoring the value of suffering? Hmmm?
The scriptures used Charismatics to
“claim” their physical healing are almost like a Hindu mantra to them; they use
scripture in order to “get God to heal.”
These scriptures exist only in their misinterpretation of the content,
including 3 John 2!
I once did a study on 3 John 2 because
I have had so many people quote that verse and say it applies to one’s physical
healing, “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good
health, just as your soul prospers.”
This is a convenient mistranslation
suited to the whim of whomever wants to make Jesus into a magic genie who comes
to their aid if they pray hard enough, believe hard enough, pray sincerely enough,
and/or have enough so-called “faith.”
Again, this
sets them and chronically sick folks like me up for a major-league
disappointment in God. Here’s the study
if you’re interested; it’s not a very long study, but documents that John the
beloved is not referring to divine healing in 3 John 2.
In
Good Health or Uncorrupted Doctrine?
It is my hope and prayer that just one
person who is suffering reads this. I
hope you find freedom in allowing sickness, suffering, affliction, sorrow and
pain to work in you a far greater and eternal weight of glory. Love you guys! Craigo
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