When diagnosed as having cancer, many people refuse treatment since they believe that the treatment is worse than having the disease itself. The word “chemotherapy” carries very negative connotations in the minds of many, and they fear that receiving treatment with chemo will adversely affect their quality of life. I, however, reacted differently and chose to receive medical treatment. As a result, I have had to face the rigours of chemotherapy for a number of years and I’d like to share today how a believer can exercise their faith in order to endure the treatment and triumph.
Cancer cells generally multiply at a much faster rate than normal cells, so traditional chemotherapy drugs act by halting or slowing down cell division in the body. This is designed to compromise the progress of the cancer selectively, but it invariably also impacts other healthy, fast-growing cells in the body.
Rapid cell division takes place in our bone marrow in order to produce new blood cells. Unfortunately, most chemotherapy drugs negatively impact the production of blood cells by slowing down cell replication in the bone marrow. To make sure that the drug dosage is not having excessively negative effects, oncologists generally insist that a full blood count be done before administering the next cycle of chemo. If the blood counts are too low the dosage will be decreased or the treatment postponed.
Other organs and tissues in the body also have rapidly dividing cells which are unfortunately also negatively impacted by chemotherapy drugs. These include our hair follicles (that is why some drugs cause hair loss) and the epithelial layers of our alimentary canal (that is why we may develop ulcers in the mouth or suffer nausea, constipation or diarrhoea.) One area of the brain also has rapidly dividing cells and may be adversely affected. People talk about having “chemo brain” which can cause forgetfulness.
From the above, we can see that, since these drugs affect so many areas of our body and slow down cell division, being treated with them is somewhat like drinking deadly poison. But, all is not lost; Jesus said an interesting thing before He returned to heaven:
...these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." —Mark 16:17-18
Did you get the one about deadly poison? ...when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all…
As a believer I take this verse literally as applying to me. I pray before my chemo treatments that the drugs will go straight to target and kill cancer cells but cause minimal damage to healthy cells and have minimal side-effects. I pray that, as I am infused with what could be regarded as deadly poison, it would not harm me at all. (If you are a cancer patient receiving treatment I would encourage you to do the same!) Now you can berate me for being a literalist, but my testimony is that I have experienced almost zero side-effects whilst receiving chemo over the past five years. God is so good! – He answers prayer!
A Prayer to Pray
Jesus, you said that believers could drink even deadly poison and it would not harm them. I believe in you and I ask that as I receive my chemo today it will not harm any healthy cells in my body but that it will go straight to target and kill only cancer cells. I speak death to cancer and life to my body in your mighty name. Amen.
May your cancer treatment have maximal impact with minimal side-effects!
Notes
This is an excerpt from the book “Going Against Goliath” (How to fight cancer and win). If you've read this blog you are on my website philiprobson.co.za Please take a look around and see how you can order your copy.
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