Sickness, The Cause and the Cure

DCC Devotionals: Sickness, The Cause and the Cure
By Don Vess
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Scripture

1 Peter 2:24 NASB
“And He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed.”

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Reflection

Sickness is one of the great enemies of mankind. It steals strength, shortens life, and brings fear and sorrow. The Bible teaches that sickness is part of the broken condition of a fallen world and, at times, the direct result of sin or disobedience. James reminds us that sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death (James 1:15). Yet the Word of God does not leave us in despair—He reveals both the cause and the cure.

The cause of sickness is rooted in sin and the curse that entered the world through Adam’s fall. But the cure is found in the finished work of Jesus Christ. At the cross, He not only bore our sins but also carried our sicknesses. Isaiah prophesied it: “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried… by His scourging we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). Peter confirmed it: “By His wounds you were healed.”

Healing is not just a hopeful wish or distant promise—it is part of salvation itself. The Greek words Soteria (deliverance) and Sozo (to save, to heal, to make whole) show us that salvation includes forgiveness of sin, freedom from destruction, and restoration to health. The blood that cleanses us is the same blood that heals us.

Still, receiving healing often requires faith. Faith is born when God’s Word becomes more than ink on a page (Logos). When the Spirit makes it alive in your heart (Rhema), it carries power to transform your body and soul. Jesus said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Healing flows when His Word becomes your daily bread.

Sometimes healing is instant, as with the blind man in John 9. Other times it unfolds progressively, step by step, as we walk in obedience and trust. In both cases, the source is the same: God sent His Word and healed us (Psalm 107:20).

Whatever the sickness—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—the cure remains the same. Christ has already paid the price. Healing is not earned; it is received. Just as you received salvation by grace through faith, so healing is received by faith in the finished work of the cross.

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Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You are Jehovah Rapha—my healer. Thank You that Jesus carried both my sin and my sickness to the cross. I believe that by His stripes I am healed. Help me to hold fast to Your Word when doubts arise, to live in faith, and to walk in obedience. Renew my strength daily, restore my health fully, and let my life be a testimony of Your healing power to the world.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.