The Dr. Josh Axe Show
Episode: Lisa Bevere – The Truth About Spiritual Attacks on Your Health (That the Church Isn’t Teaching)
Date: January 12, 2026
Guest: Lisa Bevere
Episode Overview
This episode dives deep into the intersection of faith, health, and spiritual warfare. Dr. Josh Axe and Lisa Bevere tackle under-discussed issues in both the church and natural health communities: how spiritual attacks impact physical and emotional health, the hunger for discernment and truth, reclaiming biblical standards for family and identity, practical tools for spiritual warfare, and how to reconnect with God’s design for healing and wholeness. With candor and warmth, Lisa shares personal stories, biblical insights, and urgent advice for living victoriously in our current culture.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. Everything Is Spiritual: Breaking Down False Divides
[01:00–03:20, 33:49, 35:01]
- Lisa and Dr. Axe both stress: There’s no real separation between the physical, emotional, and spiritual realms.
- “Everything is spiritual. Everything.” – Lisa Bevere [00:59]
- Depression, anxiety, loneliness, even physical health crises often have spiritual roots—or, at minimum, spiritual components.
- People often look for purely physical explanations (“It’s mold, it’s my diet, it’s my hormones”), missing the spiritual undercurrent.
- True healing starts with addressing spiritual roots, not just the symptoms.
2. The Crisis of Truth & Discernment
[03:51–11:59]
- Social media and culture are feeding “an epidemic of opinions” and starving us of truth.
- “Truth is not opinions, and a lie repeated doesn’t become a truth.” – Lisa Bevere [05:04]
- Lisa shares how she learned the hard way about food as an idol, and that healing came from repentance, not just willpower or diet changes.
- “Discernment does not happen in the multitude of noise.” Instead, take time to withdraw, meditate on scripture, and let “the word read you.”
3. Fruit and Accountability in Leadership & Everyday Life
[08:23–16:13]
- Dr. Axe and Lisa discuss biblical “fruit” as the real test of character and spiritual authority (Matthew 7:16).
- Ask: Does this leader/influencer bear good fruit over time—shown through love, compassion, patience, humility?
- Lisa describes how she and her husband John proactively built accountability:
- Transformational, not transactional, relationships are critical.
- “You need to have people on your board who don’t want anything from you… who will bring out your best.” [14:23]
- True accountability may be uncomfortable (“We’ll be in your business”), but it’s what fosters healthy leaders and healthy families.
4. Family Is the Future
[17:22–21:40]
- “The future is family. Everybody wants to belong.” – Lisa Bevere [17:23]
- There's a profound human drive for real community and belonging, but without standards and accountability, transformation is lost.
- Lisa recounts a conversation with a Belgian data scientist who warned the U.S. risks the same family collapse Europe experienced, and that radical, ongoing “courageous conversations” (like in Acts 2) are the only antidote.
- “How did the early church grow? They went from house to house… broke bread together… and had the hard conversations.” [18:34]
5. The Hunger for the Spiritual and Spiritual Warfare in Daily Life
[21:40–28:53]
- Many today turn to New Age practices, drugs, or the occult as substitutes for true spiritual connection—often because they've never encountered the Holy Spirit in church.
- Health crises (e.g., infertility, chronic illness) are often compounded by spiritual battles, not merely physical issues.
- “The highest form of spiritual warfare is obedience.” – Lisa Bevere [24:38]
- “You cannot fight spiritual warfare with intelligence.” [24:24]
- Lisa’s vivid personal story: She encountered a “Jezebel spirit” in a season of extreme spiritual attack and learned to fight by humility, renouncing any subtle agreement with evil, and relinquishing control to God.
6. Practical Spiritual Warfare Steps
[39:14–45:59] Lisa offers a biblical, step-by-step framework for those struggling with health, mental, or spiritual issues:
- Get frustrated enough to press through (referencing the woman with the issue of blood, Mark 5:25).
- Seek God as the Creator, not just another treatment.
- Confess and repent for misplaced trust (in medicine, people, or self).
- Ask for the Holy Spirit to illuminate open doors the enemy uses.
- Pray scripture (e.g., Psalm 139) over your body, mind, and life.
- Persevere—spiritual breakthrough may require bold, persistent faith.
Quote:
“If we preach Jesus as healer, he’s healer. If we just preach him as good teacher, that’s all he is.” – Lisa Bevere [45:54]
7. Cultivating Spiritual Sensitivity and Hearing God’s Voice
[47:21–55:09]
- Dr. Axe credits Lisa and John's prayers with his own recovery from a major health crisis, emphasizing the necessity of “taking every thought captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
- Look for God’s encouragement (rainbows, “flowers in the desert”)—but you only notice when spiritually tuned in.
- Lisa gives a prophetic story (from 1984) about the coming of the smartphone—“a box we hold in our hands”—and warns it’s eroding our sensitivity to God.
- “Put down your phone… make margin for the Holy Spirit.” [49:29]
- Start and finish your day with God (not notifications), tune in to worship, and foster a home atmosphere that honors the Spirit.
8. Restoring True Identity for Women (and Men)
[56:29–69:30]
- Lisa historically unpacks how feminism gained traction because the church failed to honor women biblically.
- She describes the unique, seasonal design of womanhood (echoed even in ancient medicines), urging women not to resent the season they’re in.
- Practical wisdom for both genders: “The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing for a woman.”
- “God does not love us equally, he loves us uniquely.” [66:15]
- Identity isn’t based on performance, marital status, or roles—it’s anchored in being a beloved daughter/son.
- Breaking generational bondage requires personal repentance and spiritual warfare. Lisa shares her own breaking free from family curses.
9. Repentance, Ongoing Renewal, and the Spiritual Edge in Healing
[75:23–end]
- “Repent means you turn 180”—not living with constant guilt, but an attitude of humility and readiness to change direction as God leads.
- Dr. Axe underscores how our culture separated the spiritual from the physical, but biblically and historically, they are always intertwined.
- For real healing—start by addressing the spiritual, then work outwards (prayer, community, laying on of hands, practical steps).
- “Our spiritual health has such a big impact on our physical health.” – Dr. Josh Axe [77:11]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “Everything is spiritual. Everything.” – Lisa Bevere [00:59, 33:49]
- “Discernment does not happen in the multitude of noise.” – Lisa Bevere [05:04]
- “The highest form of spiritual warfare is obedience.” – Lisa Bevere [24:38]
- “You need to have people on your board who don’t want anything from you... transformational relationships.” – Lisa Bevere [14:23]
- “If we preach Jesus as healer, he’s healer. If we just preach him as good teacher, that’s all he is.” – Lisa Bevere [45:54]
- “God does not love us equally, he loves us uniquely.” – Lisa Bevere [66:15]
- “Your identity is who you are to God. Not what you do, what you have, or who you’re married to.” – Lisa Bevere [68:29]
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:59–03:20 — Everything is spiritual, misplaced hope, spiritual vs. physical causes
- 05:04–08:23 — Defining truth, personal testimony about food/idolatry, need for repentance
- 14:23–17:22 — Building accountability, difference between transactional and transformational relationships
- 17:23–21:40 — Importance of family and belonging, cultural collapse, courageous conversations
- 24:38–28:53 — Spiritual warfare basics, obedience and humility, intense battle with “Jezebel spirit”
- 39:44–45:59 — Step-by-step spiritual warfare for health, miraculous healings by faith
- 49:29–55:09 — Cultivating spiritual awareness, prophetic story about smartphones, practical tools (put down your phone, worship environment)
- 56:29–69:30 — Restoring women’s identity, dangers of performance-based worth, prophetic insight on unique love of God, breaking generational patterns
- 75:23–77:11 — Repentance, the need for ongoing renewal, spiritual and physical health integration
Resources & Next Steps
- Lisa Bevere’s books including Fight for Female, Girls with Swords, and more (available on Amazon and major retailers)
- Lisa’s podcast and resources at LisaBevere.org or Messenger International
- Dr. Axe emphasizes the need to combine spiritual and natural health strategies for complete healing
- Encouragement: If you’re facing a health battle, turn to Jesus first, repent, seek spiritual community, and pray with faith for breakthrough
Summary prepared in the conversational, encouraging tone of Dr. Axe & Lisa Bevere, highlighting practical steps and spiritual depth for listeners seeking holistic healing.