Can the body be under our control? The Bible says it can. 1 Cor 9:27 suggests that to have our bodies out of control is not a good example to others when preaching the gospel.
“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” 1 Cor 9:27
The Gospel of Christ is about being SOZO: we are saved spiritually, healed physically and delivered of demons; we are prosperous in every way and living in abundance without lack. To have a body that’s not well is just as embarrassing to the gospel as being overweight while teaching weight loss. To preach deliverance while you are an addict is not a great testimony for the gospel; it’s a testimony for the kingdom of darkness. So of course, as Paul said, our goal is to preach freedom and display it the best our faith is able. However, we must preach the truth regardless of our ability to show it and pray with others for healing even if we ourselves have not finished the race; the healing power to raise the dead flows in us and through us who are born-again to ourselves and others. Still, our ultimate goal is to cause our own bodies to submit to the Word of God.
I am not displaying wholeness yet, therefore I do not feel qualified to teach healing. However, healing does flow through me to others and even myself. I have many testimonies of my own victories here on this blog site, while I stand strong in faith for my ultimate victory, paralysis. I suppose it’s like teaching weight loss after losing 3/4 of the weight you need to lose. You know how to do it but you’re not finished yet.
Fasting and dieting are great spiritual tools to boost your ability to make your body submit to healing. When you fast in any way, you exercise your ability to make your body submit to you instead of it telling you what to do. Always remember it is scripturally correct to tell your body what to do, not the other way around. We should be telling our bodies what to eat and when, to be well at all times, to heal quickly; we can force the body to stop bodily reactions to things like allergies. Tell your soul to Bless the Lord (Psalm 103), tell your mind what to think on (Phil 4:8), guard your heart with all diligence (Prov 4:23). And again, make your body your slave (1 Cor 9:27). When you start telling your mind, soul and body what to do, healing will be easier to receive. Get your selfs in order and your body will listen to what you say. Speaking to your body is the first faith step we all should have learned as children in Christ. The only thing we are not to dominate is people, unless they are submitted to our authority. We should dominate animals (BUT NOT CRUELLY), the weather, demons, and our bodies. We were created for dominion.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Gen 1:26
“And over all the earth” includes the weather, growing food and using resources of the earth. Since the fall of man, the earth groans in anticipation for man to take dominion as he should so that it can be freed from its bondage to decay.
19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[a] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. Rom 8:19-20
“the freedom and glory of the children of God”… whose glory? God wants his children to have glory, dominion and power on earth. He created us for success and dominion. Take dominion over your body today. Talk to it and it will listen. Weaken the body through fasting and it will bow to your spirit.
