Healing Is the Children’s Bread

Let’s talk about something real and difficult: congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD). Parents notice it early—babies born with low muscle tone, what doctors call “floppiness.” Later on, tight joints may show up—hips, knees, elbows that don’t want to bend right. Sometimes breathing muscles are weak, eyes have trouble, and learning doesn’t come as easily. If you’ve walked this road, you know it’s not easy.

But here’s where we must go back to what Jesus said. In Luke 13:16, He pointed to a woman bent over and declared, “Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” That word “ought” is powerful. It means she had a right to be healed. Friend, if she had a right under the old covenant, how much more do we under the new?

Jesus called healing the children’s bread (Mark 7:27). If you belong to Him, then bread belongs at your table. The enemy may try to serve you weakness, pain, and limitation, but God says, “I’ve already provided healing.” Isaiah reported it this way: “Surely He hath borne our sicknesses and carried our pains” (Isaiah 53:4). That includes congenital weakness, joint contractures, breathing troubles, and every inherited disorder.

Now, some might say, “But if God wanted me healed, wouldn’t I already be?” That’s not how faith works. You don’t measure the will of God by what happens in your body. You measure it by the Word. And His Word says, “I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26). That settles it. Sickness was never part of His original creation. On what day did He create CMD? None. He made everything “very good.” Disease came later, but redemption restores us.

Psalm 63:8 says, “My soul follows hard after You.” That’s the posture of faith—sticking so close to Jesus that when He stops, you bump into Him. Healing begins there. Even when symptoms shout otherwise—weak muscles, stiff joints, breathing struggles—you lean into the truth of God’s report.

Here’s the lesson: CMD may be a medical diagnosis, but it is not your spiritual identity. Your identity is in Christ, and His report says you are healed. The bread belongs to you. Keep it on your plate. Keep it in your mouth. Keep it in your heart.

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Power and Authority Over Weakness

Here’s the second part: Jesus not only heals—He gives you the authority to walk in healing, even in the face of something like CMD. Luke 9:1 says, “He gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.” Notice the word “all.” CMD is not excluded.

The Bible uses two words: dunamis (power) and exousia (authority). Think of it like this: CMD tries to bring weakness, but God has already placed power in you by His Spirit. And He’s given you authority in Jesus’ name to release that power. CMD may say, “You can’t walk, you can’t breathe strong, your joints will tighten.” But faith says, “By His stripes I was healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

Sometimes the hardest battle is not with the disease but with discouragement. Maybe you’ve seen doctors shake their heads—“There’s no cure.” Maybe you’ve gone from one specialist to another with little hope. I understand. But here’s the truth: faith doesn’t wait to see it before believing. Faith believes first. Healing may come instantly, or it may unfold step by step, but God’s Word never fails.

Now, here’s where your authority matters. Don’t let CMD define your life story. Instead, release the Spirit’s power daily. Speak life over weak muscles. Lay hands on stiff joints. Declare strength in breathing. Pray boldly, not timidly. Jesus said in Mark 16:18, “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” That includes CMD.

And remember this: healing is not only for yourself but flows through you. Even in weakness, God can make you a vessel of healing for others. That’s victory—when the very place the enemy tried to break you becomes the platform where God’s power shines.

So here’s the takeaway: CMD is not bigger than Jesus. He bore it at the cross. He gave you power and authority over it. Refuse to quit, refuse to be lukewarm, and hold tight to the report of the Lord. Rise up in faith and declare: “I have the Healer, and in Him, I am healed.”

Join Me in a Prayer for Healing If you are looking for physical relief and a moment of spiritual peace, I invite you to pray along with me in this video. Let’s stand in faith together.

For more information on the various types of congenital muscular dystrophy, management of symptoms, and supportive therapies, please visit the Mayo Clinic Guide to Muscular Dystrophy.

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 parks, and everyday street encounters.

Spiritual Encouragement & Medical Disclaimer The content on PrayerForFree.com is provided for spiritual support and encouragement purposes only. We believe in the power of prayer, but we also respect the medical profession. This post is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Understanding Illness Through Faith and Science

In every generation, humanity wrestles with suffering and sickness—mysteries of the body that resist easy answers. Scripture does not ignore this. Instead, it confronts pain with compassion and offers both practical wisdom and divine power.

One modern condition that deeply illustrates the complexity of suffering is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). It is a long-term (chronic) neurological illness that impacts the nervous and immune systems. As the NHS outlines, people with ME/CFS experience severe fatigue and pain, especially after any form of exertion—a symptom called post-exertional malaise (PEM). Unlike normal tiredness, this fatigue is crushing, delayed, and long-lasting. (NHS: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, accessed April 14, 2025).

Can the Bible speak into conditions like these? Does God still heal? What does Scripture reveal about long-term affliction?

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Sickness in Scripture: A Historical and Theological Overview

From Genesis to Revelation, sickness is presented not as a divine punishment for individuals, but as a result of humanity’s fall and the broken world we inhabit. In the Old Testament, God makes a clear distinction: while He allows affliction for refining and testing (Deuteronomy 8:2), He also reveals Himself as Jehovah Rapha, “the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26).

The Psalms reflect the emotional toll of physical pain. Psalm 38:8 says, “I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.” This mirrors the daily experience of someone with ME/CFS, where emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion collide in waves of invisible suffering.

Yet in these laments, there is also hope. Psalm 103:2–3 proclaims:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits—who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.”

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3. Jesus the Healer: The New Testament Model of Mercy

In the ministry of Jesus, healing was not rare—it was essential. Matthew 4:24 records: “They brought to Him all sick people… and He healed them.” Among those He healed were people who had suffered for years—like the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5), sick for 12 years and likely exhausted, isolated, and misunderstood.

Jesus also healed from a place of compassion. He never dismissed suffering as imaginary. He never blamed people for their condition. His heart was to restore, not to shame. In this, the Bible provides profound dignity to sufferers of conditions like ME/CFS—those who are often misunderstood, judged, or dismissed because their pain is not easily seen or measured.

Moreover, Jesus recognized that healing was sometimes progressive. In Mark 8:24–25, a blind man sees “men like trees walking” before receiving full vision. Healing may begin in layers—physical, emotional, spiritual.

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4. Post-Exertional Malaise and the Sabbath Principle

One of the key symptoms of ME/CFS is post-exertional malaise—the body’s inability to recover from even small amounts of activity. It is an internal crash, often delayed by a day or more, triggered by what would otherwise be minor tasks.

The Bible has something to say about this too—not in a medical diagnosis, but in a spiritual rhythm of rest. God instituted the Sabbath not only as a command but as a gift. “Six days you shall labor… but the seventh is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work…” (Exodus 20:9–10)

This wasn’t just ceremonial law. It was divine wisdom. In today’s high-speed culture, those with ME/CFS might find themselves frustrated at their need for rest. But Scripture dignifies rest, and honors the weary. Isaiah 40:29 says, “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.”

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5. Paul’s Thorn and the Mystery of Delayed Healing

What happens when healing does not come instantly? Paul the Apostle faced this. In 2 Corinthians 12, he writes of a “thorn in the flesh”—a persistent issue for which he pleaded three times for healing. God’s reply was not a miracle but a message: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

This doesn’t mean God is unwilling to heal. It means healing sometimes comes through grace for the journey, not just release from the journey. Those suffering from ME/CFS may find comfort in this tension—God is present even in the wait, even in the weakness.

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6. The Role of the Church: Compassion, Not Condemnation

The Church must avoid simplistic answers. To tell someone with a chronic condition to “just have more faith” can wound rather than heal. True Christian community responds like the Good Samaritan—binding wounds, providing rest, offering ongoing care.

James 5:14 instructs us:
“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.”

This is not a guarantee of instant healing, but a command to engage in care and prayer. The Church is not called to fix everyone—but to stand with everyone.

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7. The Hope of Resurrection and Restoration

The Bible closes not with perpetual illness but with a promise:
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain…” (Revelation 21:4)

For those with ME/CFS and other chronic conditions, this is not a distant fantasy. It is the sure hope that all broken things will be made whole. Healing in this life is partial; healing in eternity is complete.

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Conclusion: A Balanced Perspective on Healing

The Bible doesn’t promise that every illness will vanish immediately. But it does promise that God is with us, healing is possible, and eternity is certain. For those with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the Scriptures offer:

• Compassion in suffering
• Rest as a spiritual right
• Prayer as a means of support
• Healing as both present hope and future reality

Join Me in a Prayer for Healing If you are looking for physical relief and a moment of spiritual peace, I invite you to pray along with me in this video. Let’s stand in faith together.

For more information on the symptoms, potential triggers, and management strategies for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), please visit the Mayo Clinic Guide to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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 parks, and everyday street encounters.

Spiritual Encouragement & Medical Disclaimer The content on PrayerForFree.com is provided for spiritual support and encouragement purposes only. We believe in the power of prayer, but we also respect the medical profession. This post is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.