It is so important that you protect your heart and your spirit. Once your spirit has become crushed and broken, your emotions will be totally out of control. "A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones" (Prov. 14:30).

Many people are physically sick today because they have problems in the emotional realm! Sickness often begins because of a broken spirit. Depressed and discouraged people do not stay healthy for long. A sound heart is the life of the flesh.

Too many times we have gotten things out of order. We say, "Well, if they get healed, everything else will be all right." It could be that the physical affliction is simply a symptom of a soulish problem that has not been dealt with.

It is interesting to study the stress test you can take to see if you are at high risk for sickness. Such things as divorce, death of a loved one, or losing a job are all emotionally explosive situations. These are said to bring a high risk of sickness.

"The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?" (Prov. 18:14). A man's spirit, when it is strong, will sustain many physical wounds. we all know of people who because of their illness should have been dead, but because of their strong spirit, they lived.

However, when a person's spirit is wounded, he can't handle anything else. Even the most insignificant problem seems overwhelming. You can be physically weak, but if your spirit is strong, eventually your body will get well. But when your spirit is broken, and hopelessness, hurt, disappointment, and rejection take over, you can be destroyed not only emotionally, but physically.

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones" (Prov. 17:22). When your spirit is broken, it can affect your physical body in many ways. Many emotionally ill people are being treated with drugs because their brain chemicals are out of balance.

Medical science takes the view that many cases of paranoia and schizophrenia are a result of chemical imbalance. I believe that is possible, but I also question if the emotional state some people are in has actually created that chemical imbalance.

When your spirit is wounded, the chemicals in your body will be affected and will change. Your heart may beat faster, or your blood pressure may go up, among other changes. In order for you to stay well, your soulish area must prosper and be healthy also.

The walls of your soul must be built up with no holes so that your spirit is continually protected. Begin the process of renewing your spirit by spending time with God in prayer, in His word and by fellowshipping with other believers grounded in the Word.

Source: Reverse The Curse by Annette Capps
Excerpt permission granted by Annette Capps Ministries