Chicken Soup is not Enough

We live in a world that is full of all kinds of germs. Many of us, including myself, keep a container of hand sanitizer close by to help keep unwanted germs from infiltrating our immune system. There are containers of sanitizer wipes in the grocery store to give us the opportunity to wipe off those nasty germs left on the cart handle by someone else. The fact is, though, we all carry germs around. They live in us, on us, and on the surfaces around us. When the germs overpower our immune system we find ourselves getting ill. By using hand sanitizer and washing my hands on a regular basis I can reduce my risk of becoming sick, but it doesn’t mean I can’t get sick. There are also other things which can help keep us healthy, such as proper nutrition, good rest, exercise and an extra dose of vitamin C.  All of these are great for helping to keep us physically healthy, but what about staying spiritually healthy?

I wish it was as easy as taking a sanitizing wipe and scrubbing ourselves down to get rid of the spiritual germs which are constantly trying to invade our souls. How nice would it be to have a simple handwashing process that would reduce our risk of spiritual sickness? There are things we can do, but the problem is many times we neglect them and become the culprits behind our own spiritual illness.

Here are some ways to help combat spiritual germs and reduce your risk:

1. PRAY! If you feel like you haven’t heard from God in a while, chances are it is because you are not talking to Him. When we lose touch with God we replace His voice with our own. God desires to hear from you and wants to talk with you, but He will not force Himself upon you. When we are in constant companionship with God we can discern truth from the lies of the enemy. The enemy wants nothing more than to make your soul sick. Your prayers do not have to be fancy or thought out. Just talk to God like you would anyone else. The more you talk with God the more resistant you will be against the enemy.

Ephesians 6:18
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your   prayers for all believers everywhere.

2. EAT GOOD SPIRITUAL FOOD! This world is full of junk food which can taste great, but be very harmful with all of its additives, empty filler and processed garbage. Be careful what you watch, read and listen to, because it affects every system including your heart. Just because something “tastes” good doesn’t mean it is good for you. The enemy is a counterfeiter. The devil will ALWAYS lead you down a path of destruction. This is why it is important to know WHAT you are eating. Feast on God’s word and His promises and fill your soul with the tasty tidbits of His unconditional love, mercy, grace and the gift of your salvation. It is a proven fact when we are consistently eating good food it takes away the desire for “junk” food. Don’t let the enemy serve you up on a plate! God has an abundance of good food to fill your soul from here to eternity. Read His word!

Philippians 4:8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

3. WEAR PROPER CLOTHING! You would never think of going into a blizzard without a coat, hat and gloves. God doesn’t expect you to enter the elements without protection. When we are left to face the elements, unguarded and unprotected, we know there will be implications such as frost bite, hypothermia and possible death. When we face a world system that belongs to the enemy we have to prepare ourselves for the unexpected. God tells us to wear His armor and not to worry about our back because HE HAS IT! God never wants to send us to battle the storms of life by ourselves. His armor protects us from a world which is trying to find our weak spot to gain access and wear us down. He is ALWAYS with us despite what our circumstances are and will fight for us because we are His child!

Ephesians 6:10-12
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

4. GET PROPER REST! Rest is so important to God that He created an entire day every week for it. Rest is essential for our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. The world will tell you differently, but there is no passage in scripture that says if you work seven days a week you will become healthy, wealthy and wise. Actually, it was Ben Franklin who said something like that, and he died of a lung infection. Rest gives you stamina, wisdom and the proper perspective to make good choices for yourself. The most important aspect of rest is the time it allows you to spend with God. What better way to make yourself healthy than to rest in Him and allow God to equip you with everything your soul needs to face the week ahead?

Genesis 2:2-3
And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

These are a few good ways to combat spiritual sickness. What are some other ways to fight off spiritual germs? We all can benefit by learning from one other. If you are feeling physically or spiritually ill, I pray these words will remind you the importance of taking care of yourself and staying well! Sometimes, homemade chicken soup is just not enough.