The Physiology of Faith
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made to Live and Prosper in Health
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
God‘s prescription for prospering in health is found in the Bible. The author calls this study of Scripture Homotrophic Theology. Just as proper nutrition is contingent upon eating a healthy diet and taking vitamins and minerals daily, good spiritual nutrition is based upon reading the Bible and following God’s plan daily. The word “homo” relates to the human species and “trophic” relates to nutrition. The biblical homotrophic approach is learning to apply God’s Word as nutrition - spiritually, mentally, and physically.
The Bible contains almost 9,000 promises. There are nearly 7,500 promises from God to man (about 85 percent of all the Bible’s promises!). Because of God’s great love, the Christian will never face any life-situation for which He has not supplied specific promises that include mercy and grace to help in time of fear and uncertainty. His great promise in times of sickness and disease, trial and testing, is that He “will never leave you or forsake you.” (Josh 1:5 NIV) Christians must learn to cast all their fears upon God because He “cares for you.” (1 Pet 5: 7)
The author believes that the real issue needing to be addressed is not divine healing but rather divine health. Divine health is not just the absence of disease but also the optimizing of one’s daily living potential. Throughout his years as a Christian the author has seen God touch people with incredibly amazing physical healing - himself included. He knows beyond a shadow of doubt that God heals today and will heal tomorrow. His promises have never ceased - nor will they ever.
The problem in the modern church has been that healing prayer ministry is allopathic in its approach, focusing on the symptom, rather than the root cause. Healing ministry has become just spiritual “weed whacking” cutting at the stem of the weed rather than pulling out the root.
When the “Weed Whacker” garden tool was invented it quickly replaced old fashioned digging and pulling up weeds by hand because it was fast and easy. It neatly trims and manicures the unwanted weed giving the appearance that all is well, but give the ground a little water and up come the weeds and off we go with the “Weed Whacker” again. Healing ministry has been doing the same thing on a spiritual level as the western medicine has done for centuries treating patients. They most often treat the symptom rather than addressing what caused the weed (sickness/disease) to take hold in the first place. In order for roots to be removed the ground has to be tilled and softened by water. So also, the flesh has to be tilled with repentance and watered with the Word.
Cutting the stem of the weed is much easier because it doesn’t require the hard work of intercession, the tilling of humility and the diligent study of - and obedience to - God’s Word. If the root has not been pulled, and the rain begins to fall from the storms of life, the weeds of doubt, fear, worry, unbelief, anger, and bitterness will grow right back again because the root cause was never exposed and pulled out at its core.
Prospering in health doesn’t come from without, it comes from within. It is a balance between the spiritual, emotional, and physical. Divine healing is a promise of God but He has given us His Homotrophic prescription for prospering in divine health. Christians shouldn’t have to ask for healing - they just need to appropriate the truth of God’s Word!
It must be made clear that ALL sickness and disease, whether emotional, physical, or spiritual, is the result of sin having entered into the world and not necessarily personal sin. It is part of the fallen nature of man and affects Christians and non-Christians alike. The truth is that no one is immune to the possibility of sickness or disease and death. Maximum health can be achieved daily by applying the truths of God’s Word. He is looking for those who will trust Him – no matter what!
"I sought the Lord and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. The angel of the Lord encamps around about us and saves us out of all our troubles and delivers us - because we fear him." (Ps 34:3-9 NIV)
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
The Physiology of Faith provides an insightful look at the wonders and marvels of the human body. It truly is God’s greatest creation, and He originally intended it to function and prosper in health forever. The body was designed to defend itself, heal itself, and protect itself from all types of threats. It is a single organism with systems that work together in a complex organization of cells, tissues, bones, muscles, glands, and fluids, which have their own specific function. All of the systems work together in a unique harmony of purpose and design. However, when one system is not functioning properly, it will most often affect the others and result in sickness and disease. A person’s health is made up of their every move, function, and thought, which are affected and influenced by what they eat, how they exercise, and how they deal with the daily challenges of life. Good health is more than the absence of disease. It is a state of complete physical, emotional, and mental well-being on all levels.
About the Author
Craig A. Nelson is the director of LifeSprings USA, which exists to share the message of how to live in divine health—emotionally, spiritually, and physically—by living forgiven. His personal mission is to fulfill the Great Commandment and Great Commission by helping prepare the bride to meet the groom. Craig is a pastor, international speaker, church planter, author of six books, and businessman. Through sharing personal experiences and insights of the Scriptures gained through years of overwhelming health hardships and personal tragedy, Craig has helped many people to grow in greater intimacy and communion with God.