In our last devotional teaching we talked about our triune nature consisting of spirit, soul and body and we noted that God originally created man as having these systems set to function in good order. We observed that our human spirit is to function in union and communication with God exercising full control over our mind. Our mind in turn was to be subservient to our spirit and exercise control over our flesh body. As long as this harmony and balance is maintained, a person can function optimally. This raises a complex question. Since God created us in divine order, why are so many of us unable to function optimally and be in good health?  To begin answering this, we need to go back to some important basics when God first created man. Observe that when God created the first person, He created him in His own image and likeness (Gen. 1:26) and breathed into him His very own breath of life (Genesis 2:7). That first man’s spirit, soul and body were in perfect order and in perfect harmony. Able to commune daily with God, that first person experienced no sickness or disease. Likewise, he had no deterioration of body, mind or behavior.

The life that God breathed into that first person was Zoë life. The Greek word Zoë translates to mean “God’s kind of life” or the “kind of life God has within Himself”. It is God’s miracle life, His indestructible eternal life! This Zoë life of God, breathed into the first man, caused him to thrive. Now this is important. When God created man, He created him in such a way that it is imperative for him to remain spiritually attached to God. That is the only way man could live “God’s kind of life”.  If something causes man to become disconnected from God’s Spirit of life, it brings ruin to him. And that’s exactly what happened to Adam when he sinned against God. Sin entered his spirit, a sin nature replaced God’s Spirit of life in Adam and where God’s Spirit had ruled, a nature of sin and spiritual death began exerting control and began ruling (Romans 8:1-4).

Spiritual death, eternal separation from God, and physical death became the legacy of all mankind because of Adam’s fall into sin. Romans 5:12 explains that, “…death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Along with death, sin brought deterioration of life, immoral behavior, sickness and disease. Disorder prevailed and man’s mind gained control over and above his human spirit permitting his flesh nature to flare and dominate. Ephesians 4:17-19 explains it this way. It says that from that time on people have walked in, “… the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened…” They became “…alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart…” And they “…have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

This imbalance between spirit, soul and body is correctable only by God. There is nothing that mankind in and of itself can do, including all of the good works you can think of, to correct this breach between man and God. Only God can reconcile mankind back to Himself and establish the way that sinful people could return to Him. Jesus, in speaking to Paul at the time of his conversion experience on the road to Damascus, revealed a key part of how this reconciliation would take place.  He said, “I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:17-18). Jesus would ultimately send forth a reconciliation message to the world letting mankind know that God has made a way for them to return to Him and that way is through faith in Jesus Christ.

Even more to the point is the fact that reconciliation back to God comes only through the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross whereby victory was secured over sin and people were set free from its condemnation. Faith in Jesus Christ is our route to fellowship with God and faith is our route to all of the provision God has made for us in this lifetime and into eternity. Faith is our appropriating agent. It is what positions us with God and makes it possible for us to receive from Him.  Faith is the necessary ingredient in relating to God and receiving from Him (Hebrews 11:6). We will continue penetrating this serious and important subject in our next several devotional teachings in the weeks to come. Be sure to follow along so you won’t miss important elements concerning faith and healing.