Cancer Diagnosis Is a “Death Sentence”: But There Is Recourse for the Faithful in Christ

By Godwin Airuoyuwa

You get hit with cancer, considered a terminal disease; and you are left wondering, Is this the end of the road for me? But then, you realize, as a believer, that the disease considered terminal by man is not necessarily terminal with God. This was my state of mind in 2016 when I was diagnosed with stage 2 prostate cancer. The confusion, fear, and anxiety that followed the diagnosis made it look to me like a death sentence.

As a believer, I know that God can do all things, and He is always faithful in keeping His promises. But am I faithful enough to trust Him with my problems? If ever I was to answer this question, this diagnosis was the opportunity. So I resolved to see it as a test of my faith.

For those who may say that cancer is now treatable, the following quotation from the America Cancer Society (ACS) will give you an idea of the true state of affairs: "In 2004, 21 out of 100 people diagnosed with lung cancer were living 3 years after their diagnosis. By 2018, that number had risen to 31 out of 100 people." This report was meant to show progress in the fight against lung cancer. Notice however that out of one hundred patients diagnosed, sixty-nine died after diagnosis; only thirty-one were found still living three years later. What is not reported is the quality of life of these thirty-one and what happened to them after three years. If the efficacy of any treatment is only 31 percent and it is efficient only for three years, it is as good as administering placebos.

The doctors recommended surgery or radiation therapy for my problem, but I chose none because I had no faith in any of them; the Scripture says that believers shall live by their own faith. Instead, I sought the mind of God, and He chose a pathway for me. This book explains that pathway, and how it can be sought. It also reminds all especially the faithful in Christ that God makes a way even where there seems to be none.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888321935

Book preview

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Cancer Diagnosis Is a Death Sentence

But There Is Recourse for the Faithful in Christ

Godwin Airuoyuwa

ISBN 979-8-88832-192-8 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88832-193-5 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Godwin Airuoyuwa, PEng

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Different Types of Cancers and Their Sources of Origin

Conventional Treatments Have Serious Devastating Side Effects

The Usual Patients' Reaction to Cancer Diagnosis

How It All Started

The Diagnosis Was as Anticipated

How Much Should Cancer Patients Trust Their Doctors

Knowing What to Pray for Is the Most Important Part of Praying

Intimacy with the Lord Is Key to Having Our Prayers Answered

Talks Are Cheap… Until Reality Sets In

Time to Seek Direction from the Lord

The Lord Answered Me and Gave Me a Pathway Forward

My God-Given Pathway Is Change of Diet and Lifestyle

God Doesn't Make Unhealthy Food Healthy

Eat Foods That Are Medicinal so You Don't Eat Medicine as Food

The Faithful's Recourse Is His Confidence in God's Abundant Promises and Provisions

Overcoming Adversities by Faith Involves Using the Mind

Let Us Have a Holistic Approach to Cancer Treatment

About the Author

But There Is Recourse for the Faithful in Christ

Introduction

This is the Lord's promise to all the faithful, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you (Psalm 32:8). But He attaches a condition, Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control (V9). God made a promise and then gave a condition for fulfilling the promise. But very often, what we hear is preachers encouraging their congregations with the promise, but never including the conditions. A similar and related promise of the Lord is given in the book of Proverb, in the third chapter, and it says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take (Proverb 3:5–6).

God's desire, based on these two promises, is not only to show believers the best pathway for their lives, but to guide them along it. He, however, gave certain conditions that they must meet in order to appropriate the promises: they must, for example, be self-controlled and not be like the horse or mule; they must trust the Lord, seek His will in all they do, and never depend on their own understanding. Imagine how wonderful it will be that God, who sees the end of all things from their beginning, is guiding you along a pathway for your life, which He has chosen for you. These conditions are not too hard to understand and follow, yet many believers, including myself, cannot with certainty, say that they have always sought the Lord's will in all that they do, especially in the daily routines of life. And many of us, I believe, generally assume that we have the understanding of most of what we do daily, and that seems to drive our decisions and actions.

And because we make this assumption, we often do not feel it is important seeking God's will in anything we do, even when it is a command of the Lord. It is usually when we are faced with issues for which we have no solution that we tend to seek the will of the Lord. This should not be the practice of any child of God. The Scripture says we should seek His will in all we do. Even in the mundane things of life, believers in Christ must cultivate the habit of involving the Lord. Just as nothing is too difficult for the Lord to do, nothing is too trivial for Him to attend to as well. The end result of anything we do, in which the Lord is involved, is always far greater than what we can possibly think or imagine. The Scripture says, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20). Also, in the book of Isaiah, the Lord said, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8–9). The Lord is God. He knows all things and sees the end of all things even from their beginning; He sees the big picture of all that He does.

And so, when in 2016, the doctor told me that I had stage II prostate cancer, I had enough understanding of the Scriptures to at least know where to go for guidance. The Lord's promise, according to the psalmist quoted above, is that, in addition to guiding us along the best pathway, he would counsel us and watch over us. Apart from what I have heard from stories told by individuals and what I have read in the internet, I had no thorough understanding of cancer disease. Even the doctors, who treat people of the disease, I am told, do not have full understanding of it either. Therefore, as far as my problem was concerned, I certainly didn't need to be told not to lean on my own understanding because I had no understanding to lean on.

The doctors offered me two treatment options, namely surgery and radiation. The surgeon, in explaining the surgery procedure, tried to colorfully paint a beautiful picture of hope, which he thought would ease my worries, but it wasn't of much help. He told me, for example, that the surgery procedure will be quick and painless, and that once the prostate is completely removed, all of my problems will be over. The radiation therapist, on the other hand, said that she will simply focus the rays on the exact spots where the cancer cells are located and destroy them, and my life would be back to normal. However, all of these reassuring words would become unnerving, when I started asking some probing questions.

Because of the little studies I did on these treatment options, I was able to ask questions that compelled the doctors to reveal all of the accompanying side effects for each option. And they all turned out to be very damaging to the quality of life. One other disturbing fact about the two options, according to the doctors, is that the disease has a 50 percent chance of coming back, about three to five years after the treatments. When pressed to explain why there is a resurgence of the disease after treatment, the doctors talked of the possibility of leaving behind in the body, some of the cancer cells which tend to grow back; neither the surgery nor the radiation, they both agreed, is able to completely eliminate the cancer cells. I found that very difficult to believe, especially in the case of surgery; if, according to the surgeon, the entire prostate, where the cancer cells are localized, is removed, where do the cells that grow back come from?

However, the serious damaging side effects of these treatments to the body, coupled with the possibility of a resurgence of the disease, were just enough to discourage me from going along with any of them. But what next, what was I to do, when those who seemed to have all the answers have spoken? I temporarily felt very helpless. I guess it is at this point in time that most cancer patients generally become very vulnerable and are willing to completely surrender to the doctors; they are now fearful and helpless and ready to do whatever the doctors tell them. But I wasn't going to be cajoled into accepting any of these suggested treatment options, at least, not until I have taken my case to the Lord; I simply did not have faith in any of them. So I calmly asked the doctors to please give me enough time to think through all of what they have told me. I was given three weeks to come back with a decision.

Notice that while I was going through all the diagnostic tests and having all the discussions with the doctors, I never said anything to anyone, not even my family members. So after all of the discouraging information from the doctors about the treatments and their side effects, my first decision was that I would maintain my silence and keep all of the information to myself. I was determined not to seek anyone's advice, but to see the problem as one between me and God, though at some point in the process, I almost broke my silence. I took this decision because I did not want to be distracted from focusing on the Lord.

It was clear to me that the common reaction of many who would hear the news will be panic, and their panic will not only distract me, it will create confusion in me. Panic and distraction were the least I needed to have at that point. The Scripture says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7). The man who is distracted cannot focus on God, and that promised peace of God will certainly elude him. I needed to relate this powerful advice of Apostle Paul to the Philippians, with the one our Lord gave to His disciples when He said, "Come to me,