The spirit of infirmity

“And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.”
Luke 13:11

I am learning that there are two levels of sickness at work in people's bodies. There is the physical problem in a person's body - whatever the sickness or disease is - but there is also a spiritual level. The Bible calls it the 'spirit of infirmity'.

The spirit of infirmity is a demonic spirit that oppresses people in their body. Now let me say, first of all, not all our sickness begins with a demonic attack. If you've eaten too many hamburgers all your life, and you end up with a weak heart, that's not the devil, that's too many hamburgers.

If you trip and twist your ankle - that's not the devil, you just tripped.

But, the devil takes that weakness and begins to come on you to keep that weakness in your body and make it worse. He wants to establish a spirit of infirmity that you can't shake off.

The spirit of infirmity tries to make your sickness into your identity - 'the blind man', 'the deaf woman', 'the cripple' - Satan loves those titles.

This is why, when I pray for the sick, I really view it as deliverance. I see all sickness like a snake seeking to poison us and suck the life out of us. Satan's plan for your life is to steal from you, kill you and destroy everything you have. (John 10:10)

We see repeatedly in the scriptures that sickness is oppression of the devil:

“…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
Acts 10:38

“… The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.”
1 John 3:8

“Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.”
Matthew 17:18

So what does Jesus come to do? He comes to free us from bondage. Back in the story in Luke 13:10, we see Jesus' response to the spirit of infirmity.

But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.”
Luke 13:12

And we know that Jesus still wants to do that same thing today. He still wants to loose people from their infirmity because he is the same today as he was then.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8

A Prayer
I pray for those of you who are sick today - I curse every sickness and disease in your body. I bind the spirit of infirmity at work in your life. I break the power of sickness and disease attacking you today. I declare you are loosed from all sickness and disease. May the Holy Spirit come and touch your body right now. Sickness is going and healing is coming! Right now, in Jesus name. Amen.

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