07/10/2026
Psalm 139:23–24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
When we hear the word “cancer,” many people immediately think of fear, pain, and uncertainty. Cancer often begins with something very small a cell that becomes abnormal. At first, a person may not feel anything. But if it is not discovered and treated, those abnormal cells can multiply and affect the whole body.
In the same way, there are things in our spiritual lives that may begin very small: bitterness, jealousy, pride, unforgiveness, secret sin, anger, or compromise.
They may seem harmless at first. But when we allow them to remain, they can grow and affect our relationship with God and with other people.
Three spiritual lessons from the picture of cancer.
1. SPIRITUAL CANCER CAN BEGIN SMALL BUT GROW BIG
Hebrews 12:15
“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
A cancerous growth doesn't usually appear overnight. It begins with abnormal cells that multiply.
Likewise, sin often begins with something small that we tolerate.
“It's just a little anger.”
“It's just a small lie.”
“I'm only keeping this bitterness in my heart.”
“Everybody is doing it.”
“God will understand.”
The problem is not always how big the sin looks today. The question is: What will happen if we continue feeding it?
2. WHAT WE CANNOT HEAL BY OURSELVES, JESUS CAN HEAL
Mark 2:17
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Cancer reminds us of our need for a doctor.
Spiritually, we also need a Healer.
Sometimes we try to hide our spiritual struggles because we are afraid that people will judge us.
We may say:
“I'm okay.”
But God already knows what is happening inside us.
The good news is that Jesus does not reject us because we are spiritually sick. He calls us to Himself because we are sick and need Him.
Confession brings our sickness into the light so that God can begin His work in us.
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Jesus is not looking for perfect people.
He is looking for people who are willing to say:
“Lord, I need You.”
3. SPIRITUAL HEALTH REQUIRES DAILY CARE
Being healed from an illness is not the end. A person must often change their lifestyle, follow medical advice, take medicine, eat properly, exercise, and have regular checkups.
The same principle applies spiritually.
We need to continually take care of our relationship with God.
Three Spiritual “Checkups”
A. Check your HEART
Proverbs 4:23
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Ask yourself:
What am I allowing into my heart?
Is there bitterness?
Is there unforgiveness?
Is there hidden sin?
B. Check your WORD
Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
The Bible helps us identify things in our lives that we may not see clearly.
Just as a medical test can reveal something hidden inside the body, God's Word reveals what is happening inside our hearts.
C. Check your WALK
John 15:4
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.”
We cannot remain spiritually healthy by visiting God only occasionally.
We need:
Prayer
God's Word
Worship
Fellowship
Accountability
Obedience
Spiritual health is not a one-time event; it is a daily walk with Jesus.
CONCLUSION
Cancer teaches us an important lesson:
What we ignore today can become a serious problem tomorrow.
Spiritually, we should not ignore the warning signs:
Bitterness
Pride
Anger
Unforgiveness
Jealousy
Secret sin
Loss of hunger for God's Word
Prayerlessness
Drifting away from God
But there is hope.
Jesus is our Healer.
He doesn't ask us to pretend that everything is okay. He invites us to come to Him honestly.
Psalm 147:3
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
So tonight, the question is not:
“Am I perfect?”
The question is:
“Am I allowing Jesus to examine, heal, and transform me?”
Maybe there is a spiritual “cancer” that has been growing quietly in your heart. Don't wait until it becomes bigger.
Bring it to Jesus.
Let Him search your heart.
Let Him expose what needs to be exposed.
Let Him heal what needs to be healed.
Let Him remove what needs to be removed.
