{Addendum_4} WHY YOUR HEART KEEPS BEATING - Divine Encounters with God's Sustaining Power

Jan 12
20 min read

Updated: Jan 23

Chapter 9: Spiritual Warfare Unseen

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." — Ephesians 6:12 (NASB)

There's a war going on that most people can't see.

It's not being fought with guns and bombs. It's not covered on the evening news. There are no battlefield reports, no casualty statistics, no peace negotiations.

But it's real. It's intense. And you're in the middle of it whether you realize it or not.

This chapter is about spiritual warfare—the unseen battles between angels and demons, the tactics of the enemy, and the protection God provides for those who belong to Him.

The Unlocked Door

About a week before the vision of hell, something strange started happening: My door lock would be unlocked when I returned home from shopping.

The first time it happened, I thought I had simply forgotten to lock it. But I'm careful about locking my door—always have been. So I made a mental note to be more careful.

The second time it happened, I knew something was wrong. I distinctly remembered locking the door before I left. I even tested the knob to make sure it was locked. But when I returned, it was unlocked again.

I was troubled. Had someone broken in? Was someone stalking me? I looked around the apartment—nothing was missing, nothing was disturbed. Everything looked normal.

But I didn't feel safe.

I immediately set up a camera pointed at my door and lock. From that moment on, the lock stayed locked. The problem never happened again.

At the time, I thought maybe it was a mechanical issue with the lock, or perhaps I really had forgotten. But now, looking back in light of everything that happened that week—the heart issue, the vision, Gabriel's ministry—I understand what was really going on.

It wasn't people. It was the devil.

Ephesians 6:12 — Our Real Enemy

The Apostle Paul makes it clear who our true enemy is:

Our struggle is not against:

People who oppose us
Circumstances that frustrate us
Physical obstacles that challenge us

Our struggle is against:

Rulers (Greek: archas) — high-ranking demonic authorities
Powers (Greek: exousias) — demons with delegated authority
World forces of this darkness (Greek: kosmokratoras tou skotous) — cosmic rulers of the darkness of this age
Spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Greek: pneumatika tēs ponērias) — evil spirits operating in the spiritual realm

These are organized, hierarchical, intelligent spiritual beings with one goal: to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

The unlocked door wasn't random. It was a spiritual attack.

The Enemy's Tactics

The devil has been waging war against God's people since the Garden of Eden. Over millennia, he's developed strategies and tactics that he uses repeatedly:

1. Deception

John 8:44 says of the devil: "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

The enemy's primary weapon is lies. He deceives people about:

Who God is
Who they are
What will make them happy
What sin really costs
Whether hell is real

Deception is subtle. It feels like truth. It sounds reasonable. But it leads to destruction.

2. Accusation

Revelation 12:10 calls Satan "the accuser of our brethren... who accuses them before our God day and night."

The enemy accuses believers:

"You're not really saved."
"God can't forgive what you've done."
"You're a hypocrite."
"You'll never change."
"God is disappointed in you."

These accusations sound like our own thoughts, but they originate from the enemy. His goal is to produce shame, guilt, and despair.

3. Temptation

1 Peter 5:8 warns: "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

The enemy tempts us to:

Satisfy legitimate desires in illegitimate ways
Pursue pleasure over obedience
Trust ourselves instead of God
Take shortcuts instead of walking in faith

Temptation isn't sin—Jesus was tempted (Hebrews 4:15)—but yielding to temptation is.

4. Distraction

The enemy doesn't always attack with obvious evil. Sometimes he just distracts us with things that aren't necessarily sinful but keep us from God's best.

Busyness that crowds out prayer
Entertainment that numbs spiritual hunger
Success that breeds self-reliance
Good opportunities that pull us away from God's specific calling

2 Corinthians 11:3 warns: "But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."

5. Intimidation

The enemy tries to make us afraid:

Afraid of persecution
Afraid of failure
Afraid of what people think
Afraid of the future

2 Timothy 1:7 counters this: "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."

Fear that paralyzes us from obeying God is from the enemy.

6. Physical Attack

Sometimes the enemy attacks our:

Health (Job 2:7)
Finances (Job 1:13-17)
Relationships (Luke 22:31)
Safety (Acts 23:12-15)

The unlocked door was this kind of attack—a physical manifestation of spiritual warfare.

Was the Devil Trying to Kill Me?

Looking back on that week, I believe there was a coordinated spiritual attack against my life.

My heart was weakening. If Gabriel hadn't healed it, I might have died from heart failure.

My door was mysteriously unlocking. Someone—or something—was trying to gain access to my home.

There was a presence in my room before the vision, keeping me from sleeping peacefully.

Was someone trying to kill me? Was the devil attempting to take me out with a heart attack and then claim my soul?

I don't know all the details. But I do know this:

If there are people who want that to happen, I can't be killed until God says it's time.

Job 14:5 says of man: "Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; and his limits You have set so that he cannot pass."

God has set the limits of my life. The enemy cannot cross those limits without God's permission.

The Camera and the Spiritual Realm

When I set up the camera pointed at my door, the unlocking stopped immediately.

Why?

Because the camera represented accountability and exposure. I was bringing light into a situation the enemy wanted to keep hidden.

Ephesians 5:11-13 says: "Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light."

The enemy operates in darkness. When we bring light—through prayer, accountability, Scripture, discernment—his tactics lose their power.

The camera was a physical representation of spiritual vigilance. It said, "I'm watching. I'm aware. I won't be caught off guard."

And the enemy backed off.

The Devil Looks Human

One of the most chilling truths about spiritual warfare is this: The enemy often operates through people who look like friends.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:36: "A man's enemies will be the members of his household."

Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15: "No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds."

The people who smile at you, shake your hand, and say "God bless you" might be agents of the enemy. Not everyone who appears spiritual is genuinely serving God.

How do you discern?

By their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20) — Do their lives produce righteousness, or do they lead to destruction?
By their doctrine (1 John 4:1-3) — Do they confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, or do they distort the gospel?
By the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:10) — The Holy Spirit gives believers discernment to recognize spirits.

I've learned to be cautious, prayerful, and discerning. Not everyone who appears friendly is trustworthy. The devil can work through anyone who's open to his influence.

2 Kings 6:15-17 — Elisha and the Angelic Army

One of the most powerful accounts of spiritual warfare in Scripture is found in 2 Kings 6:

"Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, 'Alas, my master! What shall we do?' So he answered, 'Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.' Then Elisha prayed and said, 'O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.' And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." (2 Kings 6:15-17)

The servant saw only the enemy army and panicked.

Elisha saw both the enemy army and the angelic army and remained calm.

God opened the servant's eyes, and he saw what Elisha saw: The mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire—angels of God surrounding and protecting them.

The spiritual reality was that they were surrounded by protection, even though the physical reality looked like they were surrounded by danger.

That's the truth of spiritual warfare: Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.

Daniel 10:12-13 — Angelic Warfare

When Daniel prayed and fasted for three weeks, seeking understanding from God, an angel finally appeared and explained the delay:

"Then he said to me, 'Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.'" (Daniel 10:12-13)

This passage reveals several truths about spiritual warfare:

1. Our prayers are heard immediately. Daniel's prayer was heard on the first day, even though the answer didn't arrive for three weeks.

2. Demons can delay answers to prayer. The "prince of the kingdom of Persia" was a demon (not a human) who opposed God's messenger.

3. Angels fight demons on our behalf. The angel was engaged in spiritual combat with the demon for twenty-one days.

4. Some battles require reinforcements. Michael, one of the chief angels (an archangel), had to come and help.

5. We don't always know what's happening in the spiritual realm. Daniel had no idea a battle was raging while he prayed and fasted.

This is the reality of spiritual warfare. While we're going about our daily lives, angels and demons are engaged in combat over our prayers, our souls, our destinies.

The Weapons of Our Warfare

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."

Our weapons are not physical—guns, swords, fists. Our weapons are spiritual:

1. Prayer (Ephesians 6:18) — "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit."

2. The Word of God (Ephesians 6:17) — "Take... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

3. Faith (Ephesians 6:16) — "Taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

4. The Blood of Jesus (Revelation 12:11) — "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb."

5. Testimony (Revelation 12:11) — "And because of the word of their testimony."

6. Worship (2 Chronicles 20:22) — "When they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against... their enemies."

7. Fasting (Matthew 17:21, KJV) — "This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

8. Authority in Jesus' Name (Luke 10:19) — "Behold, I have given you authority... over all the power of the enemy."

These are the weapons that demolished the enemy's attack against me that week. Gabriel wielded them on my behalf, and I wielded them through prayer and faith.

Ephesians 6:10-18 — The Full Armor of God

Paul describes the spiritual armor believers must wear:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil... Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit." (Ephesians 6:10-11, 14-18)

Each piece of armor represents a spiritual reality:

Belt of truth — Living in honesty, rejecting deception
Breastplate of righteousness — Living in right standing with God
Shoes of the gospel — Being ready to share Christ
Shield of faith — Trusting God's promises
Helmet of salvation — Knowing your identity in Christ
Sword of the Spirit — Using Scripture to combat lies
Prayer — Constant communication with God

This isn't optional equipment. It's essential for survival in spiritual warfare.

Living in Victory

The week of the spiritual attack ended with me:

Healed in body (heart restored)
Strengthened in faith (through the vision)
Equipped with a testimony (this book)
Protected from harm (door secured)
Ministered to by angels (Gabriel's intervention)

The enemy's attack failed. God's purposes prevailed.

1 John 4:4 declares: "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."

The One in us (the Holy Spirit) is greater than the one in the world (Satan).

Romans 8:31 asks: "If God is for us, who is against us?"

No one. Nothing. The enemy can attack, but he cannot overcome what God is protecting.

The Lesson

Spiritual warfare is real, but so is spiritual victory.

You will face attacks. The enemy will try to:

Steal your peace
Kill your faith
Destroy your purpose

But you are not defenseless. You have:

The Holy Spirit within you
Angels assigned to you
The armor of God available to you
The authority of Jesus' name backing you
The prayers of fellow believers supporting you

Stand firm. Put on the armor. Pray without ceasing. Trust God's protection.

The battle is real, but the victory is assured.

Reflection Questions:

Have you ever experienced something you couldn't explain that might have been spiritual warfare? What happened?
Read Ephesians 6:10-18. Which piece of spiritual armor do you need to strengthen right now?
Why is it important to remember that our struggle is "not against flesh and blood"?
What does 1 John 4:4 mean when it says "greater is He who is in you"?
How can you become more vigilant about spiritual warfare without becoming paranoid or fearful?

Prayer:

Father, open my eyes to see spiritual realities. Help me to recognize when I'm under attack and to respond with Your weapons, not my own. Clothe me with the full armor of God. Station Your angels around me. Fill me with Your Spirit. Give me discernment to recognize the enemy's tactics and wisdom to resist them. And Lord, remind me that the battle belongs to You, and the victory is already won through Jesus Christ. In His name, Amen.

PART THREE: THE HEALING - GOD'S SUSTAINING POWER

Chapter 10: When Your Heart Stops Beating Right

"My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me." — Psalm 55:4 (NASB)

I didn't know my heart was dying.

That's the scariest part—I had no idea. There were symptoms, but I attributed them to other things. Laziness. Depression. Getting older. The normal aches and pains of life.

But my heart—the muscle that pumps blood through my body, that keeps me alive with every beat—was weakening. And if God hadn't intervened, I might have died that week.

This chapter is about what happens when your heart stops beating right, the connection between physical and spiritual health, and the miraculous intervention that saved my life.

The Symptoms I Ignored

For several weeks before the vision of hell, I had been experiencing symptoms that, in retrospect, were clear warning signs:

Excessive sleepiness — I was sleeping 12-14 hours a day and still feeling exhausted. I'd wake up, do a few tasks, and need a nap. Then I'd sleep through the night again.

Lack of energy — Simple tasks felt overwhelming. Cleaning my apartment, doing laundry, even taking a shower required enormous effort. I'd have to psych myself up just to get off the couch.

Mental fog — My thinking was sluggish. I couldn't concentrate. Reading took more effort than usual. Writing—my passion and calling—felt like wading through mud.

No motivation — I had lost interest in things I normally enjoyed. I wasn't excited about anything. Life felt gray and heavy.

I thought I was just being lazy. I scolded myself: "Get up. Stop being so lazy. You're wasting time."

But it wasn't laziness. It was a failing heart.

The Connection Between Sleep and Heart Health

I didn't know this at the time, but excessive sleepiness is a symptom of heart failure.

When your heart isn't pumping efficiently, your body doesn't get enough oxygenated blood. Your organs—including your brain and muscles—are starved of oxygen. This causes:

Fatigue
Weakness
Mental fog
Depression
Excessive need for sleep

Your body tries to compensate by slowing down. Sleep is your body's way of conserving energy when the heart can't keep up with demand.

I was sleeping so much because my heart wasn't pumping properly.

Medical professionals call this congestive heart failure—when the heart muscle weakens and can't pump blood effectively. Blood pools in the chambers. Organs don't get enough oxygen. The person feels constantly tired.

If untreated, congestive heart failure can lead to death.

That's where I was headed.

The Spiritual Connection

Is there a connection between physical heart problems and spiritual issues?

The Bible suggests yes.

Proverbs 14:30 says, "A tranquil heart is life to the body, but passion is rottenness to the bones."

Proverbs 17:22 declares, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones."

Proverbs 4:23 commands, "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life."

The heart—both physical and spiritual—is central to life. When the spiritual heart is troubled (by sin, unforgiveness, bitterness, fear, anxiety), it can affect the physical heart.

I had been struggling spiritually that season. I was saved, I loved God, but I had become complacent. I was "running from God" in certain areas (as He revealed to me in the vision). I had responsibilities I was avoiding, callings I was procrastinating on.

That spiritual sluggishness manifested in physical sluggishness.

I'm not saying all heart problems are caused by sin—that would be wrong and unbiblical (see John 9:1-3, where Jesus corrects the disciples' assumption that a man's blindness was caused by sin).

But I am saying that spiritual health and physical health are connected. What's happening in your soul can affect what's happening in your body.

Psalm 38:1-10 — David's Physical and Spiritual Anguish

King David experienced this connection firsthand. In Psalm 38, he describes both physical illness and spiritual distress:

"O LORD, rebuke me not in Your wrath, and chasten me not in Your burning anger. For Your arrows have sunk deep into me, and Your hand has pressed down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin... My heart throbs, my strength fails me; and the light of my eyes, also has gone from me." (Psalm 38:1-3, 10)

Notice the connections:

God's discipline → physical pain
Sin → lack of health in bones
Heart throbbing → loss of strength
Spiritual darkness → physical weakness

David understood that his spiritual state was affecting his physical body.

The same was true for me.

The Build-Up to Crisis

The week before the vision was a critical turning point.

I had been sleeping excessively for weeks, but that particular week was different. Things were piling up around me:

Trash that needed to be taken out
Dishes stacked in the sink
Laundry overflowing the hamper
Cat litter that needed changing

Normally, I'm fairly neat and organized. But I simply didn't have the energy to do anything about it. I'd look at the mess, feel overwhelmed, and go back to bed.

Then God spoke to me: "Get up and clean."

It wasn't an audible voice, but it was unmistakable. A clear command in my spirit.

So I obeyed. I got up, and I started cleaning. It took all night—literally from evening until the next morning—but I cleaned everything. I scrubbed, organized, threw out trash, did laundry, changed the litter, washed dishes.

By the time I finished, I was exhausted. I showered and lay down to sleep.

That's when the vision happened.

Looking back, I realize God was preparing me. He told me to clean because He was about to do something significant—both the vision and the healing. He wanted my physical environment in order before He addressed my spiritual and physical heart.

The Physical Reality of a Weakening Heart

What was actually happening in my body?

The human heart has four chambers:

Right atrium (receives deoxygenated blood from the body)
Right ventricle (pumps blood to the lungs)
Left atrium (receives oxygenated blood from the lungs)
Left ventricle (pumps oxygenated blood to the body)

For the heart to function properly, all four chambers must contract in a coordinated rhythm. This is controlled by electrical impulses generated by the sinoatrial (SA) node—the heart's natural pacemaker.

When the heart weakens:

The chambers don't contract fully
Blood pools instead of being pumped efficiently
Organs don't receive adequate oxygen
The body compensates by slowing down (sleep, fatigue, weakness)

That's what was happening to me. Parts of my heart weren't contracting properly. Blood was sitting stagnant in chambers that should have been pumping. My body was being deprived of oxygen.

If this had continued, I would have:

Developed fluid in my lungs (pulmonary edema)
Experienced heart failure
Possibly had a heart attack
Died

But God had other plans.

Age and the Heart

I was about to turn 55.

In biblical terms, that's significant. The Levites served in the tabernacle from age 25 to 50 (Numbers 8:24-25). At 50, they retired from active service but continued in advisory roles.

I was past the biblical "retirement age" for active ministry. And my body was showing it.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people over 50. The risk increases dramatically with age as:

Arteries harden
Heart muscle weakens
Electrical systems malfunction
Lifestyle factors (diet, exercise, stress) accumulate

I wasn't exercising. I wasn't eating particularly well. I was under spiritual stress. My heart was simply giving out.

But I didn't look 55. As I mentioned earlier, I look like I'm in my 30s because of the anointing (Psalm 103:5). God's presence on my life has preserved my appearance, but that doesn't mean my internal organs are immune to age and neglect.

God was about to demonstrate that He sustains life internally as well as externally.

Psalm 103:1-5 — God Renews Youth

Psalm 103 is one of my favorite passages because it describes exactly what God does for those who trust Him:

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle." (Psalm 103:1-5)

Notice what God does:

Pardons all iniquities — forgives sin
Heals all diseases — restores physical health
Redeems from the pit — saves from death
Crowns with lovingkindness — blesses abundantly
Renews youth like the eagle — restores vitality

That's exactly what God was about to do for me. He was going to heal my heart and renew my strength.

The Anointing That Preserves

The "anointing" I referenced—the presence of God on my life—has preserved me in ways I didn't fully understand until this experience.

Isaiah 40:31 promises: "Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."

God's presence doesn't just affect us spiritually. It affects us physically. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in believers and gives life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11).

But that doesn't mean we're invincible or immune to natural processes. It means that God intervenes when necessary to keep us alive until our assignment is complete.

My assignment wasn't finished. This book wasn't written yet. The testimony of the vision hadn't been shared. There were people I hadn't witnessed to yet.

So God stepped in.

The Crisis Point

The night I cleaned my apartment and then lay down to sleep was the crisis point.

My heart was on the edge of failure. If Gabriel hadn't intervened a few days earlier (an event I'll describe in the next chapter), I might have died in my sleep that night.

But God had already put the healing in motion. My heart had been jump-started. The blood was flowing again. The chambers were contracting.

I was alive not because of my own strength, but because God keeps my heart beating.

And He was about to show me that truth in the most dramatic way possible—through a vision of hell that would contrast death with the life He sustains.

The Lesson of the Weakening Heart

My failing heart taught me several critical lessons:

1. Life is fragile. We take our heartbeat for granted. We assume it will keep beating. But it's not guaranteed. Every beat is a gift from God.

2. Symptoms matter. I ignored the warning signs. I dismissed the fatigue and sleepiness as laziness. But my body was screaming for help. We need to pay attention to what our bodies are telling us.

3. Spiritual and physical health are connected. My spiritual sluggishness contributed to my physical weakness. When we're not right with God, our bodies suffer.

4. God intervenes. Even when we're on the brink of death, God can step in and heal us. He's not limited by medical prognosis or natural processes.

5. We need both natural and supernatural help. God healed my heart supernaturally through Gabriel's prayer. But I also ordered Cardioclear7 (a natural heart health supplement) around the same time. God uses both miracles and medicine.

The Divine Appointment

It wasn't a coincidence that Cardioclear7 arrived in the mail the same day Gabriel healed my heart.

I had ordered it online a few days earlier, feeling prompted to do something about my health. I didn't know my heart was failing, but God knew. So He prompted me to order the supplement.

It arrived the day Gabriel prayed for my heart and jump-started it.

Why did God use both a miracle and a natural remedy?

Because God works through both supernatural intervention and natural means. He's not limited to one method.

2 Kings 20:1-7 records Hezekiah's healing:

"In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live."'... Then Isaiah said, 'Take a cake of figs.' And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered." (2 Kings 20:1, 7)

God healed Hezekiah, but He used figs as the natural means. The healing was supernatural, but the method was natural.

That's what happened with me. God healed my heart supernaturally through Gabriel's prayer, but He also provided Cardioclear7 as a natural support for ongoing heart health.

James 5:14-15 — Prayer and Anointing

James gives us the biblical model for healing:

"Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him." (James 5:14-15)

Notice the combination:

Prayer (spiritual)
Anointing with oil (physical)
Faith (spiritual)
Restoration (physical)
Forgiveness of sins (spiritual)

Healing involves both spiritual and physical elements. God doesn't reject natural means; He uses them in conjunction with supernatural power.

Preparing for the Vision

God healed my heart before showing me the vision of hell.

Why?

Because if my heart had still been weak during the vision, the stress and terror of the experience might have triggered a heart attack.

God prepared me physically so I could endure the spiritual revelation.

That's how God works—He prepares us for what's coming. He strengthens us before the trial. He equips us before the battle.

Philippians 4:19 promises: "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

God knew I needed a strong heart to receive the vision, so He healed my heart first.

The Warning for You

If you're experiencing:

Excessive fatigue
Inability to complete normal tasks
Mental fog
Depression without clear cause
Lack of motivation
Sleeping more than usual

Get your heart checked.

It might not be laziness or depression. It might be a physical issue that needs medical attention.

Don't ignore the warning signs like I did.

God can heal supernaturally, but He also expects us to be wise stewards of our health. Pray for healing, but also see a doctor. Trust God, but also take care of your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."

Your body is God's temple. Take care of it.

Reflection Questions:

Have you been ignoring any physical symptoms that might need medical attention?
Read Psalm 103:1-5. Which of God's benefits do you need most right now?
How connected do you think your spiritual health and physical health are? Have you experienced this connection?
Why do you think God sometimes uses natural means (like medicine) along with supernatural healing?
What does it mean to you that every heartbeat is a gift from God?

Prayer:

Father, thank You for every heartbeat. Thank You for sustaining my life moment by moment. Forgive me for taking my health for granted. Help me to be a good steward of the body You've given me. When I need healing, give me wisdom to seek both natural and supernatural help. And Lord, keep my heart—both physical and spiritual—strong and healthy for Your purposes. In Jesus' name, Amen.