I was at an event last year. I was seated at the front directly in front of the AC. Normally, I can’t stand fan because I’m sensitive to cold but I remained on my seat. The material of my top was thin so I had no form of protection whatsoever. I just sat there, exposed to cold and I kept enduring. I felt so cold that at some point, my teeth began to chatter and I began to shiver not so slightly.

All it’d have taken to comfortably enjoy the event instead of struggling not to die of cold was for me to change my seat. But I sat there and suffered in silence. I fell sick when I got home that day. I knew myself. I knew that I couldn’t stand cold but I took in all that cold instead of simply going to another seat. Why?

I was lying on the floor yesterday night when I began to have difficulty breathing — It’s not unusual for me — I did a quick mental check of what could have caused it. Nothing came. So, I dropped my phone and focused on my breathing until I felt fine.

In school of worship, when the joy and light of God’s word dawned on me, I remember saying “anxiety has no hold over me. Jesus doesn’t suffer from anxiety. Therefore, I can’t.”

Anxiety is the reason why I chose dying of cold over changing my seat.

Anxiety is the reason I had to pay extra attention to my breathing yesterday night.

Now, I’ve been meaning to write a post on anxiety disorder or believers and mental illnesses generally but I didn’t know how to start. I guess I’d start by asking these questions.

Is it possible for a believer to suffer from mental illnesses?

Is it possible for a believer to suffer from physical illnesses? I guess this is a rhetorical question because you’re a believer and you literally have scheduled appointments with malaria. I’d like to establish that physical illnesses and mental illnesses are both illnesses. While physical illness affects the body, mental illness affects the mind. But ultimately, they are both abnormalities that shouldn’t be present in a believer’s life. But do believers still experience them? Retweet the first three lines of this answer. Why?

Can prayer cure mental illnesses?

First off, prayer to who? If it’s to God, forget it. Prayer can cure anything because God is great.

Is it possible to be a serious believer and still struggle with things that contradict the finished works of Christ like illnesses?

Okay serious believer, I believe you know it’s one thing to be aware of the finished works of Christ. Then, it’s a different thing to walk in the consciousness of the finished works of Christ. Which one are you doing? Do you just know or you’re convinced and deeply rooted in the truth?

Also, I’d like to point out that Christianity is a lifestyle and a journey. It’s a call to fellowship with Christ in order to be like Christ. There’s a process. Struggling with things that contradict the finished works of Christ is not the issue, normalizing them is. If you’re dealing with an illness — physical or mental — you need to understand that it’s an abnormality and wage war against it. This is where you contend for the faith. This is part of the wrestling Paul was talking about in Ephesians. Bringing situations that contradict God’s word is one way the devil attacks your faith. It’s not against flesh and blood. So, you actually need the armor of God.

God is beautiful. God is dynamic. God is simple. God is mysterious. Then again, God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways. Hence, You can be healed of depression this instant and have to believe God for a month to be healed of an headache.

That you’re struggling with mental illness, physical illness or anything that doesn’t align with everything Jesus’s blood has made available for you doesn’t make you less of a believer. It becomes a terrible thing when you get comfortable with these abnormalities enough to normalize them.

Finally, what do you do when you’ve been praying against these things that do not align with the finished works of Christ in your life but nothing’s happening?

1. Engage the Holy Spirit on these things.

2. Keep praying. Don’t ever stop praying.

3. Find out what God’s word says about the situation and confess it like your life depends on it — it actually kinda does. Doesn’t it? — speak the truth of God’s word over yourself. Meditate on these scriptures. Pray them back to God. See, God is liable to you. Remind him of his word.

4. Give thanks. Not because God will do it but because God has done it. You’re believing God for breakfast, it’s 3pm and you’re still starving. Give thanks.

5. Take advantage of your brethren in the Lord and ministering gifts. God works in dynamic ways.

6. Live by faith not by sight. You’re believing God for ulcer healing but stomach pain still harrasses you, focus on God’s word and keep testifying of your healing.

This is how you contend for the faith. What has God said? Contend for it because it’s true. Don’t let anybody lie to you or deceive you. Contend for the truth you’ve received regardless of what your circumstances or faithless people say. Don’t let anyone corrupt the gospel for you. Reject every bad rubbish satan is logically presenting to you.

I started feeling the symptoms of ulcer since I was about nine or ten. I’ve always been indifferent about food. The constant has always been meat and fish and maybe junks. The downside is that I easily get tired of even these ones. I don’t have a favorite food. My appetite is like the Nigerian economy, unstable and unpredictable. Voracious today, nonexistent tomorrow. Anyhoo, I’ve healed myself of ulcer more times than I can count. I’ve been prayed for. I’ve drank herbs. I’ve taken drugs but the ulcer keeps coming back.

I believed the end of school of worship would be the end of ulcer for me but the stomach pain grew worse. But I know I’m healed. It doesn’t look or feel like it but I know I am. I know. An operation was literally carried out in my stomach. The devil is just a bastard and he’d see.

I trashed my gelusil and omeprazole. So, when the stomach pain comes. I can’t be pampering something I’ve been healed of. I speak my truth. I have the life of God. I held on to my meds because I didn’t want to faith my way through the pain. I wanted instant relief. But now, nah. I’ll faith my way out of this. I’ll believe it until I see it.

To an average person, this sounds like foolishness because I mean, come on, sickness is normal. Sorry dear. That’s not my normal. I’m more particular about uprooting this ulcer because I know once it’s done, forget it. I’ve unlocked a new level of divine health.

Once the devil gives you a headache and you pamper it with meds, he comes back with migraines and fever until you reject it, he keeps bringing more rubbish. I’ve experienced enough healing and health miracles to know that no bruhh, my body and your body are not the same. God lives in my body. Therefore, my body can not contain God and still contain ulcer. There’s actually no space because God is really big.

So, does taking meds, seeing a therapist and health care mean you don’t have faith? Never. Far from it. Every manifestation is sponsored by a revelation. I’m this bold about divine health because I know and I’ve seen. I’ve experienced. It’s real to me. Until it’s this real to you, please let God’s Spirit of wisdom guide you in taking good care of yourself.

See, you’d get to a point where it becomes impossible to doubt God in your walk with God. Doubt will never cross your mind because you’d have seen, experienced and handled so many supernatural things.

The point where you know. You’re convinced and your conviction burns like fire. The point Shedrach Meshach and Abednego got to. They were bold enough to say even if he doesn’t save us, we will never sin against him. It’s the confidence for me. If this kind of faith was expressed by people without the Holy Spirit then the world must hear from me because ha!!!! I have zoe!!!

Let’s talk about David’s faith when he went to war against Goliath or should we talk about how Abraham was going to offer Isaac without any questioning or reluctance. What did these people know? If these people can be this firm with the sample, how will I not carry the real thing on my head?

Why am I sharing all these? I’m saying this to say that as a child of God, you’re exempted from sickness. Perfect healing is yours but if by chance, you’re still struggling with one illness or the other. Either mental or physical, that’s okay. Just stay with God. Keep growing in the consciousness of all God has made available to you. Keep speaking the truth over yourself. Keep confessing and testifying of Christ’s finished works. Don’t stop.

This is how I think “It’s either you heal me or you heal me because your word doesn’t align with this rubbish my body is doing.” Does it work? By the special grace of God, yes it does.

I am not a powerless Christian in Jesus. How will I bless others if my knowledge of God’s word is not blessing me? Nah. God works. He works for me. I’m not going to be a Christian that makes excuses for Jesus. My own Jesus is a miracle working God. He hears and he answers speedily.

There are quite a number of things I don’t do well because of anxiety. Quite a number of things I avoid. Quite a number of triggers and symptoms I live with. Do I feel less of a Christian because I’m dealing with a mental health issue? Lol. Never. I’m perfect just as Christ is perfect. And my truth will forever remain that I cannot have anxiety because Christ doesn’t have anxiety even in the midst of an anxiety episode. This is how I persist like the widow with the unjust judge until I’m entirely free of anxiety.

Until it becomes obvious to you that faith is a madness, you haven’t exercised faith. Faith is a risk. You can’t express faith without putting something on the line. I say I’m a trust fund baby. So, even when my account balance is just three or two numbers, I’m joyful because kabaye!!! I’ve been blessed. With all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. God has called me a child of abundance. A child that causes increase and brings forth plenty.

I don’t believe these things because I see them.

I see them because I believe them.

Believing is seeing and I believe Jesus.

I’m a believer in Jesus. Are you?