The Serpent on the Pole: Jesus Took Our Sickness
Head and neck cancer can bring deep physical and emotional pain. Tumors, swelling, difficulty swallowing, loss of voice, weight loss, pain in the throat or jaw, and fatigue—these are heavy burdens to carry. Yet God’s Word declares that Jesus carried them first. “It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief.” (Isaiah 53:10) That Hebrew word “grief” means “sickness.” The Father laid upon Jesus not only our sin, but also our sickness. Cancer, in all its cruel forms, was part of the sorrow He bore at the Cross.
In Numbers 21, when the Israelites were bitten by fiery serpents, God told Moses to lift up a brass serpent on a pole. Whoever looked upon it lived. That serpent represented sin and its curse—yet it was lifted up, defeated, exposed, and powerless to destroy those who believed. Jesus said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” (John 3:14) On the Cross, Christ became the picture of sin, curse, and sickness. He bore the venom so you could be healed.
The serpent on the pole was a type, a prophetic shadow. Jesus is the antitype—the fulfillment. If healing was in the type, it must also be in the fulfillment, for God’s redemptive plan is never misleading. When we behold Christ crucified, we are looking upon the true and eternal Healer. Every symptom that rises in your body—every pain in your neck, every weakness in your throat—is a defeated serpent. It was nailed to the Cross with Christ.
When the devil whispers, “If you had more faith… if you hadn’t failed God…” you answer, “Mercy covers all that.” Healing is not about perfection—it’s about redemption. Jesus didn’t heal you because you earned it; He healed you because He paid for it. When the Israelites looked upon the bronze serpent, they didn’t earn their recovery—they received it by looking and believing.
Keep your eyes on Jesus, not the diagnosis. Thank Him daily for His mercy. Gratitude opens the way for revelation. “Be thankful… and in His light, you’ll see light.” As you behold the Cross, you will rise in strength. The serpent has no more power. Look and live.
The Fight of Faith and the Finished Work
Healing doesn’t always happen in an instant. Sometimes it’s a fight of faith, as Paul wrote: “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.” (1 Timothy 6:12) A “good fight” is one you win—and in Christ, your victory is already secured.
Peter looked back at the finished Cross and declared, “By His stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24) Notice the tense—it’s already done. Every healing before Calvary pointed forward to this moment. Every healing since points back to it. Whether you are in treatment, recovering from surgery, or fighting through the side effects, remember: you’re not trying to get God to heal you—Jesus already bore that cancer at the Cross. You are enforcing what grace has already provided.
Head and neck cancer often attacks vital areas—speech, breath, nourishment. But God still speaks life into every cell of your body. The same voice that called, “Lazarus, come forth!” is still speaking resurrection over you. When Lazarus came out of the tomb, wrapped in graveclothes, Jesus said, “Loose him and let him go.” (John 11:44) That is His command over you: be loosed from this affliction. The cancer that tried to silence your voice will not have the final word—Jesus will.
Miracles are not religious ornaments; they are signs—signals that point to the living Christ. Every healing is a declaration that Jesus is alive. Fear and unbelief may whisper otherwise, but faith looks at the risen Lord and says, “He took my infirmities and bore my sicknesses.” (Matthew 8:17)
When you are weary, thank God for what you already have. Thank Him that His mercy endures forever. Faith isn’t about feeling strong—it’s about trusting that Jesus’ strength is enough. If you have lost weight, lost your appetite, or lost your voice—He has not lost His power. Keep your eyes fixed on the One lifted up. The same life that healed multitudes flows in you today.
You are not fighting alone. You are standing with the One who has already triumphed. Your healing is not a wish; it’s a finished work. So look up, child of God—lift your eyes to the Cross, where the serpent was destroyed and the Savior was glorified. The voice that once said, “Lazarus, come forth,” now says to you, “Be made whole.”
Join Me in a Prayer for Healing If you are standing in faith for a miracle today, I invite you to pray along with me. Let’s believe together for God’s power to bring life and health to your body.
For more information on the symptoms, types, and medical treatments for these conditions, please visit the Mayo Clinic Guide to Head and Neck Cancer.
Prayer Request Page:
Lorna and Tony will pray for your healing.
About the Authors:
Tony and Lorna Egar are dedicated Christians based in Brisbane, Australia.
With a heart for seeing the sick made whole.
Lorna moves in a gift of healing that isn’t confined to church walls; she has witnessed God’s power touch lives in supermarkets, city centers, and everyday street encounters.
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