Infirmity means: The quality or state of being infirm. The condition of being feeble: frailty. Disease, malady. A personal failing: foible one of the besetting infirmities of living creatures is egotism -A.J Toynbee. Definition by Merriam-webster dictionary. But there’s no dictionary definition for spirit of infirmity. It can only be understood by reading your Bible.

We all have had infirmity that render us crippled. When we are spiritually tired (meaning virtue has left your body, being vulnerable), but yet never give up the fight by keep on praying and fasting, unknown to us, our flesh do gets weak. Jesus himself said in Matthew 26:41 “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Whenever we are battling spiritually, according to Paul in Ephesians 6:12 “wrestling against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places,” and lets not forget sometimes our own selves, like our thoughts. When all hell breaks loose in your life by the devil, and he can’t break a determined spirit that keeps the faith regardless, he then touches your body like he did Job in the book of Job, when he made a wager to God, that if he took away all Jobs positions, he will curse Him to die, Job 1:8-11.

The spirit of infirmity obviously is her not being able to stand straight. Anything concerning your back can prevent you from standing straight. This implies that she was carrying some kind of a burden. I use to wondered why didn’t Jesus say to her like so many he had healed in the past, “your sins are forgiven or your faith has made you whole.” Instead Jesus said, “woman thou art loosed!” He saw her, she didn’t go to him. Because she was in the synagogue and it was mentioned she had the infirmity for eighteen years. I have to believe it wasn’t her faith that kept her bound, but something about it? Or could it be like the woman with the issue of blood, who couldn’t find a cure for twelve years other than to touch the hem of Jesus garment, Matthew 9:20-22? Could it be for the eighteen years, faithfully attending the synagogue this woman was praying for a miracle about her condition till her faith was faltering? No one seems to have even noticed her in the synagogue and the fact that Jesus did and touched her could have also meant that he was the first person to recognize, she had a need. And even to the fact this woman was there at the synagogue for all those years all alone? Back in those days a man is not to touch a woman in public and her not being his wife or daughter, especially in the synagogue. They didn’t even sit together like we do today.

Luke 13:16 Jesus knew that this woman was bound by Satan. It wasn’t nothing she had done. This woman was bound by Satan obviously because of her faithfulness in God. From the time I read this woman immediately straighten up, I knew it was because it had to be some kind of weight she was carrying.