Before going on a hike in the woods, or spending an evening on the beach, it is wise to use mosquito repellent or insect repellent. There are many varieties available—sprays, lotions, roll-ons, and even pendants. We use this to prevent being attacked by unwanted insects that can make our outing very unpleasant.
If you had a cut on your arm, or skinned your knee, chances are insect repellent would not help you any. Perhaps some band-aids or bandages would do a better job to bind up your wound and to stop the bleeding.
If you unfortunately broke your leg while on the hike, neither the insect repellent nor the bandages would do you any good. You would need the help of strong arms to get you out of the woods, and a doctor to help reset your leg, put a cast on it, so it can heal correctly. Even after it is healed, you may need the help of a physical therapist to make sure your leg functions properly.
There is a parallel with physical first aid and spiritual first aid. Praise and thanksgiving are like insect repellent. If you are going into situations where you may be harassed by negative spirits, by all means load up with praise and thanksgiving all the while you are engaged there.
If you get hurt with cuts and bruises on your journey, bind up your scrapes and cuts with generous amounts of forgiveness and repentance so infection does not set in. Praise and thanksgiving, though good, will not soothe your hurts, bring healing, nor prevent infection.
Should you be traumatized at any time in your life, you will need more than first aid. You will need strong pray-ers to help get you to a doctor who knows how to reset your body, mind, and soul. You may need a cast made up of new life habits to keep you in alignment so you can heal correctly. Even after you are healed your will need a spiritual mentor to make sure you function properly in the Kingdom of God.
It’s time to assess your spiritual condition so you can get the right kind of treatment. If infection has set in so that you are always angry, hateful, down trodden, or lonely, you will need to know how to apply repentance and forgiveness. If you have issues with fear, depression, bitterness, no joy, or reoccurring traumas, you need a prayer minister who can address trauma and deliverance.