Humble Doctors

Learn Humility and Live in it!

The Wisdom of the World

Tonight we have come to commission you to go into the world a be a Christian healer

You have acquired a mass of knowledge that will in time be increased and tempered by experience to become this world’s wisdom. Do not let this achievement give rise to pride

Remember that there is a major problem with part of the knowledge you have accumulated—Paul the apostle called the problem foolishness

The World’s Wisdom

Much of our knowledge, though, is not foolishness, for it is knowledge that God has revealed to usHe intended for us to use it for the benefit of mankindSo he commissioned and empowered us to proclaim the Gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead

Heal the Sick

You are better prepared to heal the sick than was my generation

When I graduated from medical school there were only three antibiotics, no medications for mental disease, no steroids, no antihypertensives, no clinical cardiac catheterization procedures, only four or five anesthetic agents, a few sedatives, and only one antiepileptic drug

Heal the Sick

Healing for the most part was in the hands of the surgeons, so in their pride it was no wonder that many of them developed a god complex

Some of them looked with disdain on we non- surgical colleagues

They called us psychiatrists “spooks”, and sent patients to the internists for them to “philosophize over”.

Heal the Sick

They said of the dermatologists that they would treat their patients with the red paint, and if that did not work they would use the green paint, and on to the yellow, purple, etcAll of this was a reminder that we did not have much to offer patients except comfortSadly we did not know how to do that

Heal the Sick

When I began my medical career as a practitioner I realized medicine’s inadequacy. I watched patients die of many diseases and could do nothing to heal them

When I went to work in the Dorothea Dix State Hospital we had 3500 patients for whom we could do little. We were essentially warehousing them

My compassion for these unfortunates motivated me to choose a career in psychiatry and research

Heal the Sick

During my training I was blessed to have a several mentorsThe first one recruited me into psychiatry. He loved me and cared for me as a son, and guided and directed my training so I could accomplish what God had planned for meAt the same time my father was praying for me everyday

Heal the Sick

My career took off and I was able to achieve more than most other psychiatristsI got the world’s recognition But God had planned that for me because I needed academic tenure, so I could not be fired when I became a ChristianThen in the fullness of time God reached down and claimed me for his own

Heal the Sick

This experience changed my worldview. Something I had not been taught about in medical schoolI now had a new view of the universe, and the worldI knew that there was a God and he loved meHe had created it all

Heal the Sick

I also acquired a new value system that was other directed

I also had a futurology

The most amazing change was that I could love in a new dimension. I could love my wife, my children, my patients, my colleagues and God a hundred times more!

Heal the Sick

He installed the Holy Spirit in my mind and changed my entire focus on medicineInstead of being preoccupied with things of the world I was now preoccupied with things of the KingdomI had a passion to know Him more, and greater compassion for the lost, and traumatized people of the world

Heal the Sick

I also had a desire to know more about how my faith changed the way I thought and behaved

My research that concentrated before on clinical and experimental neurophysiology now focused on the changes that take place when a person is regenerated (saved)

Heal the SickWhen other people found out I was a Christian they came to me for help, and as I treated them I realized that my patients had spiritual diseases that needed treatmentGod also showed me that he provided interventions that I could use to bring about healing of their spiritual diseasesI also realized that my training had given me the understanding that made it possible to use these interventions

Heal the SickThis meant that I had to learn about God’s medical practice including psychiatryDuring the ensuing years he helped me to develop a classification of spiritual disease and how to heal itHe had given me power to heal when he initially touched me, and amplified it when he filled me with the Holy SpiritNow I could proclaim the gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead.

Healing the SickI soon also had a reputation as a Christian professor so a medical student came to me and asked me to teach him how to integrate his faith into his practiceThe Holy Spirit took over and we learned togetherOther students came so I then submitted a course to the curriculum committee entitled “Christianity, Medicine and Psychiatry”Amazingly it was approved

Teaching Integration

During the next years I had 108 medical students, over 50 residents, plus many other physicians including missionaries who took the courseI later taught it in 31 countries overseasAnd I am still teaching seminarians how to use their faith to heal psychospiritual problems today

Practicing Christian Medicine

What do I teach?The first thing is that we have to change our worldview. There is a supernatural dimension to existenceIt is inhabited by supernatural beingsWe have a supernatural dimension to our being. Our mind is supernaturalThis means that supernatural beings can communicate with us in our mind

Practicing Christian MedicineThey can come and be installed in our mind or influence our thoughtsThey can only do so with our permissionHaving a supernatural mind we also can have spiritual disease. There are four or these

To be unregenerate—It is congenitalTo be in sin—It is infectiousTo be possessed—It is being infected and controlled by the supernaturalTo be fanatical—It is to overemphasize beliefs

Practicing Christian MedicineGod has, however, given us spiritual interventions to heal spiritual diseases. They are:

EvangelismDiscipleshipPrayer for healingExhortationConfession, repentance, and forgivenessInner healingBibliotherapyDeliverance

Practicing Christian Medicine

To apply these we need to know which ones are indicated so we take a spiritual history along with our medical history

We then plot a strategy in which we will use these interventions

Our strategy will begin by first loving the patient. Having God’s love we will have compassion and the patient will know we care

Practicing Christian Medicine

Next we will attend to their medical problems

And when we get to know the patient and have established a relationship, we will attend to their spiritual problems

If they are unregenerate we will evangelize them

If they are in sin, (which they will all be) having confessed we can use repentance and forgiveness

If they have unresolved grief we are to resolve it

Practicing Christian MedicineIf they are saved and they need discipleship we disciple themIf they are discouraged we use exhortationWe will always pray for and with our patientsIf they have a load of memories from a traumatic childhood we will use inner healingIf they are demonized we are to deliver themWe will always encourage them to read the Bible and books that are written to bring about healing

Obstacles to the Practice of Christian Medicine

Available timeFear of rejection and criticismPreoccupation with incomeLack of power–The Holy Spirit is quenched or grieved in your lifeA belief that all you are called to do is heal their medical problems. Wrong! Christians are called to be holistic healers!!!

Obstacles to the Practice of Christian Medicine

The belief that you do not have a call to do more than the secular world prescribes

Persecution

Believing Satan’s lies

Spiritual and intellectual sloth

Lack of humility

Overcoming Obstacles1. Maintain your relationship with God

A. Pray unceasinglyBe in the word. Read three chapters of the Bible each day and meditate on what you readWorship God with praise and thanksgiving

2. Absolutely surrender and do whatever he tells you to do3. Never forget that you are a priest of the most high God4. Be humble and enjoy serving the Lord.

For Further ReadingWilliam P. Wilson MDProfessor Emeritus of PsychiatryDUMCDistinguished professor of CounselingCarolina Evangelical Divinity Schoolwww.InstChristiangrowth.orgGo to Essays, and click on Basics for Christian Psychotherapy, and Clinical Christian Psychotherapy