Shane Idleman: A Solution for COVID Fear and Overcrowded Hospitals
No matter what your view of COVID, we can agree that it is impacting all our lives. Since June I’ve been saying that when the cold, flu and pneumonia season gets here, it’s going to get worse, but I also have a solution. I recently talked to nurses at each hospital in our area as well as in other cities, and they all said the same thing: Many of the people crowding the hospitals don’t need to be there.
So why are the hospitals so crowded? One word: fear.
Yes, the virus is real, and I am not suggesting that sick people should not seek medical assistance, but you will not find a cure for fear at the hospital. The media and most politicians are fueling fear rather than offering hope.
There is zero mention of God and a lot of dire, dreadful and grim talk. Given the nature of politics in our day, this is not surprising. But it’s also as if many Christians, some in political offices, are too embarrassed to mention the true source of hope—God.
Is this perhaps because they themselves lack a vibrant relationship with Him?
What if instead of telling America that our situation is dire and hopeless and that we are all doomed, we instead say there is no hindrance too great, no battle too hard and no power too strong for God? What if we completely turn to Him? What if we remind people of Jeremiah 17:7, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord”?
We must offset fear with hope—hope in God.
Many are scared because they don’t know God. That’s the painful truth.
When you fear God, you don’t fear death. Romans 12:12 reminds us to “rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.” Again, we must spread hope, not fear.
Why Aren’t We Building Immunity God’s Way?
Let’s shift gears to natural immunity. Yes, wash your hands, distance yourself if you need to and take commonsense precautions. But why aren’t many doctors helping people build their own immunity? Why are they silent on this?
A vaccine is not the answer. I’m not against vaccines per se; I’m against what doesn’t work. If the immune system is already taxed because of poor health and bad eating habits, COVID will escalate problems, and no vaccine can balance out poor lifestyle choices.
We need more physicians who understand how the body works to help the patient from the inside out. They need us, and we need them. But I cringe at the number of Type 2 diabetes patients who are sent home from their doctor’s office with even more medication, or the countless overweight individuals who leave with high blood pressure drugs instead of real solutions.
These conditions actually increase the chances of losing the COVID battle. Why not recommend dietary changes, exercise and natural remedies? These work because that’s how God designed us.
Most disease is related to dietary choices and a lack of key vitamins and minerals. You can mock it all you want, but that’s the truth. For example, a recent news story suggests that certain vitamins lower risk of severe cases of COVID-19.
I’m not suggesting that we bypass prayer, disregard the advice of physicians or forfeit medication. We must use wisdom, but I have found that God heals primarily through fixing the toxic state of the body. How can we pray, “Lord, please heal my heart disease”—or COVID—while driving to McDonald’s?
How Are You Still Standing?
People will ask, “How are you still standing in the midst of your unemployment?” or “How are you able to cope during all your health issues?” and we can answer, “Because God is with me, and I know Him.”
I’m still standing—as are many of you—because God is with us, and we take great comfort in that. When you truly know God, you don’t fear death. But when you don’t know God, the fear of death surrounds you. This is exactly what we see happening across America. I address this topic and offer encouragement in my sermon, “Another in the Fire.”
I’d like to share a few key Scriptures, especially for those who do not have assurance that they truly have a relationship with God. Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. He died for us, took our spot and paid the price of our sin.
Romans 10:9 says “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” You can take the promise in Romans 10:13 to the bank: “For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'” That’s our only hope.
For those who would like prayer support for their battle with fear or who need help with health and fitness, Idlemans’ books are available as free downloads at wcfav.org.
