Spiritual Dialysis: A Vision of Healing in the Battle for Truth

There are moments when God gives us insight so vivid, so spiritually weighty, that it forever shapes how we view our walk with Him. One such revelation came in the form of what I now call spiritual dialysis—a way God showed me how essential it is to stay connected to Him for survival, especially in the midst of deep grief.

Satan and his demons work relentlessly to distort the truth of God’s nature and character in the mind of every believer. These distortions—these lies—don’t just bounce off us; they seep in.

Like water trickling down into the soil around a tree, they find their way into the hidden places of our hearts. Just as a tree’s roots absorb both life-giving nutrients and harmful toxins from the ground, our minds—when left unguarded—begin to absorb subtle distortions about God and ourselves.

Over time, these roots grow deeper, spreading into every area of belief and behavior. They circulate in our thoughts like toxins in the bloodstream, gradually poisoning our spiritual vitality. And just as poisoned roots affect the health of the entire tree, so too do these lies affect our spiritual walk, our relationships, and our effectiveness in God's Kingdom.

Staying Connected to the True Source

This contamination is not unlike a person suffering from kidney failure. Without regular dialysis, their blood becomes septic, leading to death. Likewise, if we are not consistently connected to our sovereign God—through prayer, His Word, worship, and community—we become vulnerable. The lies take root, truth is choked out, and spiritual sepsis begins.

Just as a dialysis patient must be connected to a machine regularly to survive, we must remain continually connected to the life-giving truth of God.

This isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about spiritual survival

When the Vision Became Personal

This metaphor became deeply personal in the years following the tragic death of my son, Joshua. I became a believer in the aftermath of his passing, clinging to God because I had nothing else. But in that surrender, grief made me vulnerable… it left me exposed. Satan knew it—and he exploited it.

Satan is cunning. He is crafty and cutting. And he knew exactly where to aim. The lies came hard and fast:

“You will never heal.”
“God is punishing you.”

His whispers echoed in the silence of grief:

“You won’t survive this.”
“You’re completely alone.”
“You have to carry this by yourself.”
“No one will ever truly love you.”

He doesn’t shout—he whispers. Just enough to isolate. Just enough to plant doubt. Just enough to make you believe you aren’t worth fighting for.

He isolates, then suffocates.

And that is exactly why we must remain secured to the voice of Truth. In the depths of my grief, when I could barely breathe under the weight of loss, God was showing me something sobering: 

If I didn’t remain connected to Him—if I didn’t tether and anchor myself in His presence—I will not survive the death of my son.

The enemy’s lies were relentless, whispering condemnation, despair, and guilt into every vulnerable place. And without that lifeline to God, those spiritual toxins would have overtaken me. I wasn’t just spiritually weary—I was drowning.

As I chained myself to His presence, I found breath again. I found strength not my own. And I realized:

Remaining in Him wasn’t optional—it was my survival.

The Battle Still Rages

Even now, the battle hasn’t stopped. The enemy still whispers:

“You’re not enough.”
“You’re too broken.”
“You’ve gone too far to come back”

But now, I recognize it for what it is: an attack directly against my identity as a child of God. I have been chosen, and through the blood of our risen King, I have been made holy and blameless.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world...”
— Ephesians 6:12

This is warfare.
We are at war with the enemy of our souls, and only way to survive is through the ongoing renewal of our minds by the Spirit of God.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does...We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God...”
— 2 Corinthians 10:3–5

Remain Tethered

This is not about performance—it’s about presence.

Just like a dialysis patient can’t afford to skip treatment, we can’t afford to drift.

Saturate yourself in His Word.
Surround yourself with His people.
Worship when you feel strong, and worship when you do not.
Keep bringing every fear, every wound, and every lie before Him in prayer.
Give God access to the hidden places, and let His presence cleanse, renew, and restore you from within.

There is a real enemy, but there is a greater God.
And in Him, hope breathes again.
Healing begins where lies once lived.
Peace returns to what the enemy tried to steal.
And life, anchored in truth, flows freely once more.