Surrender to Win (2)

Focussing on disease makes the disease bigger. Focussing on the Healer makes Him bigger.

This is adapted from my memoir, The Lie Called Cancer

I wrote last time about the necessity of surrendering to circumstances in order to have victory over them. When I fight reality, I lose. When I surrender (inviting Christ in as the ultimate Victor), I win.

The essence of healing is to keep an eye on the Healer. We take a journey with God in these matters. Remember these three things:

1. God does not bring sickness; it’s a manifestation of a world broken apart by sin.

2. By Jesus’ stripes I am healed; I recognise I won’t see it fully until I’m in eternity with Him.

3. How I speak about these things affects me physically, not just psychologically.

There are two watchwords for us when tearing down strongholds. One is found at the beginning of Romans 12:2 (Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…). It’s companion is Romans 10:17 (So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God).

How I speak impacts my identity

Many people refer to cancer as “my cancer”, as though they’ve taken ownership of it and grafted it onto their identity. They’ve allowed it to change how they see themselves.

Truth: receiving a cancer diagnosis and getting treatment took up gross amounts of my 2019, and made life painful and inconvenient.

Further truth: this was far from the most important thing to happen to me that year. When I’m not praying with someone about it now, I rarely think about it at all.

Ultimate truth: Cancer is not my master. Jesus is my Master.