"And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had the spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could 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 13:10-13
Infirmity: want of strength; weakness; feebleness of the mind and body;...
There is a major attack of the spirit of infirmity in the world today. People are more emotionally, mentally, and morally weak than ever before in our lifetime. According to statistics, suicide has risen over the last three years. It seems that just about everyone you come in contact with is on some kind of mood-altering pill. There are pills for depression, anxiety, bad moods, and even human spirits that have zero discipline and are out of control(bi-polar disorder). There is a pill for nearly everything known to man today. The problem is, these meds don't cure and have never been able to completely cure; they only numb the symptoms. The problems are still there but they are hidden under the influence of drugs. Science, in all of its sincere attempts to cure people, doesn't know how to help a wounded spirit.
Let's look at what the Bible says concerning a wounded spirit.
"The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?"
-Proverbs 14:18
No human can bear a wounded spirit successfully; we weren't made to do so. We were created to dwell with God, and His Spirit fulfilled us. However, Adam ruined this relationship in the garden. Our world now hurts to the core. It is full of people who are dying inwardly and hide it behind laughter, a smile, and other frivolities. They don't want you to see the anguish they deal with when they close their eyes at night while lying upon their bed. They don't want you to see them slip away to the restroom by themselves, lean over the sink, and tell themselves to pull it together. They don't want you to see the disgust they feel at times nor hear what goes through their mind when they look in the mirror. Their souls are crying out, "Take me to God!". They try to drink it away, sex it away, smoke it away, carouse it away, but they are still empty!! The spirit of infirmity bows them over, just like the woman in the Bible. It rules their life, day in and day out. They can't shake it, so they learn to live with it. "The pain of changing seems to outweigh the pain of remaining the same."
There is an answer, there is a cure out there, there is a deliverer!! His name is Jesus and it's more than just you making a profession of faith and accepting. He has a power that He can and will pour into your soul if you allow Him to do so. It is called the Baptism of the Holy Ghost! The idea that you just have to "have faith", totally accept it without any undeniable proof, did not come from the Bible. People often forget, or willingly overlook, that God proved himself to people from the beginning to the end of the Scriptures. As a mater of fact, He recorded those words in the Old Testament.
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
-Malachi 3:10
He said, "Prove me now!". Even though this particular verse is referring to faithfulness in money, the principle is still the same, that being God likes to prove himself to an honest heart! He doesn't owe anyone an explanation but He has proven himself over and over again to those that seek Him with all their heart. If you reach for God and ask Him to deliver you from your infirmity, from those things that torment you, He will do it! He will lead you to TRUTH and allow you to be filled with His Spirit.
That woman just showed up to church like she always did, but the difference this time was Jesus was there. I wouldn't set foot in a church where I couldn't feel God. I wouldn't waste my time in a dead religion that offered me no change. God is real, His power is real, and He can and will deliver you from depression, oppression, anguish of soul, torments of the mind and spirit, anxiety, schizophrenia, anger, etc. There is nothing He can't deliver you from if you sincerely seek Him. Come and seek Him at Lifeline Apostolic Church. We will help you find the one that delivered us! God bless!!