Over the last few weeks, we’ve unpacked the Soul—our mind, will, and emotions. We discussed the mind as the Gatekeeper and the will as the Decision Center. Today, I want to turn our attention to the part of us that often gets misunderstood, neglected, or overspiritualized: the body.
The body is not separate from our faith. It’s not something we simply “put up with” until heaven, and it’s definitely not meant to lead our lives either. It is the training ground where we learn to lead the physical with the power of the Spirit.
For many believers, faith feels easiest when it stays theoretical—when it lives in thoughts, prayers, or convictions. But the moment faith faces the physical reality of pain, symptoms, or limitations, things change.
Suddenly, belief has to move from what we say to what we actually stand on. I was reminded of this in a deeply personal way this past week. As many of you know, I’ve been recovering from knee surgery for the last eight weeks. It’s been a process of learning to “suffer well” and choosing to depend on God’s strength when my own physical frame felt weak.
I also saw this play out with my mom. She has been walking through a physical challenge—an abnormal lump that brought up a lot of “what if” questions from the enemy. She didn’t ignore the situation, but she refused to let a medical report become the final authority over her life.
We attended a healing conference together last weekend. My mom went forward for prayer, expecting a general moment of intercession. Instead, my friend Chad Gonzalez—who had no prior knowledge of her situation—stopped and spoke specifically to her.
He addressed the exact thing she was carrying, whether “benign or malignant,” and commanded it to dry up in Jesus’ name.
My mom’s first carnal thought was, “Did Dayne tell him?” I hadn’t said a word. It was a “But God” moment—a gentle reminder that He knows exactly where you are, and He is intimately involved in your physical body.
(My mom, Sierra, will be sharing her full testimony soon in her own Substack publication, under Overcomers, called Mom’s Who Pray. Stay tuned for that!)
One of the most important truths we have to grasp is this: The body is not the enemy, but it is not the leader. Scripture teaches that while we live in a physical body, we are not meant to be governed by its “signals.”
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5)
In my book, Choose Prayer Not Despair, I explain that your soul has a dashboard—your emotions. Your body is part of that dashboard. It reports symptoms and pain, but it doesn’t get to steer the car.
The body communicates.
The soul interprets.
The spirit leads.
When that order is reversed, we live in a state of constant anxiety, reacting to every physical “signal” rather than responding to the Truth of the Spirit.
Biblical faith does not deny reality; it submits reality to Truth. Jesus Himself experienced hunger, exhaustion, and physical pain, yet He never allowed His body to override His obedience to the Father.
Whatever you feed is what grows.
Think: We choose to focus our minds on the Spirit.
Do: We use our Will to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1).
Have: We “have” the result—a life that produces fruit and experiences the peace of God, regardless of the physical “report.”
Your body will feel weakness. But weakness is not failure; it’s an invitation to let the “Resurrection Power” that lives on the inside of you flow out of you.
Take a moment to pause and reflect. Choose just one of these questions to answer in your heart today:
Who is currently “leading” my life? Am I being governed by the reports of my body (the flesh) or the Truth of my Spirit?
Am I trying to answer the “What if” questions of fear? Or am I asking God for the wisdom that He gives generously and without reproach (James 1:5)?
What physical “signal” am I focusing on right now? How can I submit that physical reality to the spiritual Truth of God’s Word today?
Am I “abiding” in the Vine? Do I recognize that apart from Him I can do nothing, but with Him, my body is a temple for His glory?
Every believer will eventually reach the moment where faith faces the physical. In those moments, the question is: Who has authority here?
The body may report symptoms, and the emotions may feel overwhelmed, but faith reminds us where Truth is anchored. Your body is not the problem—it is the training ground where your faith is made real, and God’s glory becomes visible to the world.
What’s Coming in Part 2: Next week, we’re going to go even deeper. We’ll talk about:
The body as a living sacrifice.
The connection between physical discipline and spiritual maturity.
How healing and peace flow when the Spirit—not the body—leads
Heavenly Father, I thank You that You desire to give me good things, including strength and health in my body and mind (Matthew 7:11). Your love for me is beyond anything I can imagine—You even know the number of hairs on my head (Luke 12:7). As a loving Father who gives good gifts to His children, I ask for and receive Your healing and health in my mind and body (3 John 1:2). In Jesus’ name, I command sickness, disease, and weakness to leave my body now (Luke 10:19), because by Your stripes, I am healed (Isaiah 53:5). Amen.
If you want to dive deeper into the foundations of this prayer, here are the truths we are standing on:
Matthew 7:11: “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
Luke 12:7: “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
3 John 1:2: “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
Luke 10:19: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
Isaiah 53:5: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
If this message resonated with you, or if you know someone currently walking through a “storm” of their own, please consider sharing this with them. You never know who is waiting for a reminder that their life challenges are not their destiny.
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If you have never asked Jesus to be the leader of your life and forgive you of all your sins, this is the right time to act. Pray this simple prayer and believe it in your heart:
“Dear God, Your Word says that You loved me so much that You sent Your Son Jesus to die on the cross for me. I want to be saved and have all my sins forgiven, past, present, and future. Forgive me now as I receive Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. You promised me salvation and an abundant life. I believe and receive Your free gift. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me grow stronger in You each day, in Jesus name I pray, Amen” (John 3:16).
If you just prayed that prayer for the first time, reach out and let us know! Email us at support@litwithprayer.com - We want to celebrate with you and help you get plugged into a local church so you can take the right next steps in your walk with God.
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
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