Laugh and Cry Your Way to
Freedom
Changed Into His Image
Through Inner Healing
by
John
Chappell
Laugh and Cry Your Way to Freedom
Copyright © 2000 by
John R. Chappell, III
All rights reserved
All Scripture
references are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible, unless
otherwise noted. References marked NKJ are from the New King James Version of
the Bible Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.,
The
testimonies we have used as examples are based on actual events. Names of
persons and places have been changed to ensure the privacy of the individuals
involved.
Published by Serenity Books
ISBN 1-884369-97-9
Printed in the
For Worldwide Distribution
Books may be ordered directly from:
Rev. & Mrs. John Chappell
(863) 533-6656
www.laughcry.org
Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible without the rich heritage we received under the ministry of Wallace H. Heflin, Sr., his wife Edith Ward Heflin, and their amazing daughter Ruth Heflin, missionary to the world. I also learned much from Ruth’s late brother, Wallace H. Heflin, Jr., particularly during our many overseas trips together.
The book came forth out of nearly twenty-five years of ministry to the inner healing needs of others, in partnership with my lovely wife Pattie. So much help, so many creative ideas and important editorial changes have come from my daughter Margaret. In the early years of the book’s development, Bonnie Bailey graciously typed several inner healing tapes for me, and I am grateful for this help.
Pattie and I learned invaluable information on inner
healing, particularly in connection with soul ties and fragmentation, from our
friends Ron and Leon Watson of
I also gained much knowledge in the area of inner healing from many Christian authors, particularly from several books by John and Paula Sandford.
My thanks to the many other brothers and sisters in Christ who have greatly encouraged me and prayed for me through the years.
Contents
Introduction............................................................. 7
1. Inner Healing: What Is It?..................................... 11
2. Inner Healing: Who Needs It? ............................... 18
3. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Inner Healing. 32
4. Inner Healing Through Self-travail........................ 45
5. Inner Healing Through Holy Laughter.................. 52
6. Inner Healing Through Forgiveness of
Others, Oneself and God ....................................... 72
7. Breaking the Power of Generational Iniquity........ 89
8. Breaking the Power of Destructive Inner Vows.. 107
9. Negative Soul Ties, Idolatry and Fragmentation. 115
10. The Renewed Mind and Inner Healing................. 133
11. Easy Steps to Life-Transforming Inner Healing
(and Deliverance)................................................ 148
Appendix:
How to
Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit 158
Introduction
Since 1973 my wife Pattie and I have been deeply involved in the inner healing ministry, a ministry of the Holy Spirit that produces a deep inner change (sanctification) within Christian believers so that we are progressively cleansed, healed within and conformed to the image of Christ. This ministry sets us free from various emotional and relationship problems that may have been caused by abuse, rejection or other crippling events of the past. We are enabled to receive deeply the forgiveness of God. We now can forgive ourselves. We are freed from unforgiveness toward others, toward God, and toward ourselves. This, in turn, frees us from bitterness and wrong attitudes so that we can become the loving individuals God has created us to be.
Over the past twenty-five years, we have seen the Lord Jesus, through the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, liberate thousands of Christians to walk in new intimacy with God. Life-transforming changes in their lives and joyful, fulfilling relationships with others have been the results.
Through these years of experience, this book has been birthed. The desire of my heart is to see you, the reader, and many others like you liberated in a similar fashion. I believe that you are not reading this book by chance. Some of you have exhausted every means for help. You have experienced one disaster after another in your life, and you are about to give up. God has the answer for you in this book. We have seen one “impossible” case after another set free by the Holy Spirit. This is a divine appointment, an answer to the cry of your heart to be changed, to be set free, so that you can walk “in newness of life.”
Some of you may be reading this book because you have a desire to be more effective in setting others free from such spiritual hindrances. In either case, I believe your desire will be fulfilled.
A few years after becoming involved in the inner healing ministry, I found, to my surprise, that almost all Christians were oppressed to some extent by evil spirits, and some to a great extent. We thank God for using us to help Christians be delivered from such oppressions.
I am not suggesting that these people were demon possessed.
As born-again Christians, we cannot be demon-possessed or
have an evil spirit abiding within our own spirits. We can, however, be oppressed by evil spirits in our souls (the realm of our
natural emotions, mind and will) and, as a result, need to be set free. In most
cases, such oppression results from having some form of sin in our lives or
from having been sinned against. Repentance, forgiveness of others, or both are usually essential keys to deliverance.
This ministry has changed my own life. I have been astonished at the dimension of pride, rebellion, deception, jealousy, unforgiveness, rage, unbelief and other areas of darkness the Spirit has helped me to overcome through the years. God has made one change after another in my life, and through His grace, I now have peace within and walk in a dimension of intimacy with the Lord Jesus that I feel compelled to share with others.
The Christian life is meant to be beautiful and exciting, and although we are all far from perfect, the Lord is ready to make many much-needed changes in us. When we are changed, then we have a responsibility through the Holy Spirit to help change others.
In the pages of this book, I want
to share with you some of the simple, yet life-changing, truths that have
turned my life and the lives of thousands around. I know that as you cooperate
with the Holy Spirit and hunger to be changed, the knowledge in this book will
revolutionize your life as well. God loves you and has a plan for you to be Changed Into His Image Through Inner Healing.
In our own ministry, we have found that we can minister inner healing and deliverance in several different ways. Sometimes it is by mass prayer for a large group of people, and many lives have been changed this way. Whenever possible, however, we give special attention to each individual, and this is usually even more effective. While we would welcome the opportunity of praying with each of you who read this book, inner healing comes from the Lord, so you can be healed as you read and put into practice what you learn.
You can be set free from the hurts, rejections and heartache of the past without anyone else praying for you. You will discover how — through some simple, Holy Spirit-inspired methods or principles — you can be released from rage, lust, depression and fear and from being a victim or a victimizer of others. You can have victory in all of these areas because the Word of God states clearly:
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Romans 8:37
It is my hope that this book will be used to raise up and equip teachers who will have inner healing/deliverance ministries and who, in turn, will teach others to have similar ministries. In this way the entire Body of Christian believers throughout the world will be benefitted.
When I use the expression “inner healing” in this book, my intention will always be to include deliverance from evil spirits. The two ministries are different, but they are intertwined; they work together. Inner healing is usually needed for deliverance to be lasting. Although much deliverance will occur automatically when one experiences inner healing, there are many occasions when specific, powerful prayer is needed for complete deliverance.
The principles and methods you read about in this book are scriptural and Holy Spirit-inspired, and they have set thousands free. We have used all of them over a period of many years, so we know they work. Use them to be set free yourself and to help free others. Let them be tools for the glory of God and for the upbuilding of His Kingdom.
Now, turn to Chapter 1 and see what exciting things the Lord has in store for you.
John Chappell