Rashes to Redemption

Painful rashes, intolerable itchiness, sleepless nights, and exorbitantly high medical bills.
The aforementioned constituted my daily life for a couple of years. A period, I call the dark phase. But interestingly, it was here that I got to know God deeply—a meeting that changed my life forever. 

When I turned 35, I was diagnosed with eczema—an autoimmune disorder—which is incurable but can be managed with lifestyle changes and medication. There wasn’t a form of medicine that I did not turn to—homeopathy, allopathy, Ayurveda; you name it, I took it. Finally, I was put under a restrictive diet programme; I was also given supplements to beat any sort of deficiency. Yes, I was able to manage the rashes to some extent but this was not a permanent solution. Every day, it felt like I was going from the frying pan to the fire. For about three years, I dreaded facing every day; my life had become miserable. On top of all this, the financial burden of my treatments and medication on me and my family—a struggle, to say the least.

Later on, I started a new health programme with a lifestyle change, a clean diet plan, and a new set of supplements; I started promoting the concept among my family members and friends. Most of them benefitted slightly from my new concept, but they could not see significant results on their health issues. During my pursuit of wellness, I found that our mental health has a direct impact on our physical wellbeing. The amount of stress, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, and pressure trigger harmful stress hormones which create an imbalance in the body and mind, resulting in sickness. Many books and researches show that mental stress is one of the root causes of many illnesses. My next step was—how to control my thought process? Is it under my control? How can I address it in this stressful world? I tried everything that they talk about in the self-help books—meditations, positive thinking that, I thought, could control my stress levels and emotions when life throws challenges at me. But little did I know that all this is not in my control.

My mother brought me up in the Christian faith despite being born in a non-Christian environment. I knew Christ—maybe not the full essence of who He is and what He can do. However, even with the little I knew of Him, I was fully aware that He loves me no matter what. I firmly believe that God orchestrates circumstances in our lives to draw us closer to Him and know Him more. And it was when I walked through the dark phase of my life that I heard God clearly. At the moment, I was clueless—I did not know where I was going or what I wanted. God, in His mercy, spoke to me through His word:

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

-Proverbs 4:20-22

It almost felt like these words were written for me and for my situation. These words came to life. His Word is my cure. That means, if I know His Word and store it in my heart, I can have wholeness and “health to all my flesh.” Now, reading the Bible was not a mere ritual or a way to get some brownie points from God, it was really exciting to soak and delve into the treasure of His Word for me. I spent day and night reading His Word, every single word had a new meaning for me. And the Holy Spirit helped me to understand the heart of God and His love towards me.

“Surely, He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes, we are healed.”

-Isaiah 53:4-5

Here, it says that Jesus bore my grief and sorrow, He took my sins on himself and He took my judgment on Himself. He was bruised for my iniquities and He healed me by His stripes—this is a complete salvation package.

And this was confirmed again in 1 Peter 2:24:

“Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed.”

Amen, Jesus already healed my physical body by His stripes. “Then why am I still sick?” I thought. So, I decided to believe in the Word of God, rather than trusting physical things which I see on my body or what the world medical experts have to say on my condition. I decided to renew my mind with the perfect will of God regarding my health.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

– Romans 12:2

Now, I was ready to receive my healing, just by asking in prayer and believing 
Matthew 21: 22 “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
The keyword was “believing”. I will receive my healing for sure if I believe when I pray; not after seeing my healing and believing the word of God later. Though my symptoms persisted for some time, I rested on God’s finished work and I was in a state of Peace.

“Let us labour, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest any man falls after the same example of unbelief.“

– Hebrews 4:11

I stood steadfast in my faith and was not double-minded—doubt is a hindrance to receiving anything from God. The Bible says in James 1:6-7—“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.”  With this in mind, I truly believed that I was healed by the finished work of Christ, and I kept thanking God.

I slowly improved, and the symptoms disappeared. I had already left all my restrictive diets, medicines, and supplements but my skin was getting healthier. And then it happened—the skin disorder, touted as incurable, vanished—completely and permanently. And this is not my doing or just a random phenomenon, it was supernatural healing from my Heavenly Father—Glory to God in the highest. It has been more than five years now, and I have not had any skin flare-up, irritation, allergic reactions, or rashes—I eat everything and lead a normal life.

One thing that I understood through this journey is that it is only the Spirit who can quicken our life; whatever we do in flesh with our efforts and expert advice does not benefit us. As John 6:63 says “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Yes, His words, bring life to this mortal body. 

Once we are born again and baptised with Holy Spirit, the Spirit dwells within us. Holy Spirit manifests healing to our body (flesh) when we believe and co-operate with the promise of God. The Bible says “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” 
-Romans 8:11. 

I had the next big question—will I get back the sickness? No! I try to shoot down these thoughts inspired by Satan and believe only in the Word of God. Paul tells, we should pull down those negative thoughts which are against God’s word—”Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
-2 Corinthians 10:5

Post these revelations from God, I started to teach these truths to my family and friends and I could see many healings and signs. About three years back, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with severe appendicitis and the doctors had advised her to operate it within few hours or it may endanger her life. She was physically down with intense pain and the operation theatre was almost booked for the surgery. But that evening we sat for prayer and I shared the truth about healing and I told if she believed, she could receive her healing. We prayed and almost instantly, she got her healing that evening. She went to bed peacefully and woke up without any nauseated feeling or pain in her abdominal area—she hasn’t had any pain to this day.

Another miraculous story is the healing of my uncle. He was diabetic for 15 years and his eyes were affected with serious diabetes-related retinopathy. I ministered to him and he accepted God. We cried out to God for his healing and his sugar count became absolutely normal within three months and his eyesight was restored. 

Healing is a part of our salvation. God heals us not because we deserve it; He heals us because He is good. Let us rest on His promises, His Word—that is enough.

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.
-John 6:63