Chapter 1
Inner Healing: What Is It?
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.
Luke 4:18
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
Man has three parts: body, soul and spirit. It is our spirits
that are reborn at salvation. When we invite Jesus to come into our hearts, we
are born again, made “new creatures”
in Christ. Our spirit, which was dead in sin, becomes alive in God. We are now
one spirit with the Lord (see 1 Corinthians
There is more to us, however. We human beings are complex creatures. We possess a soul (the realm of the emotions, mind and will), and we live in a body. It is within the soul realm that we find things that are still displeasing to God: pride, rebellion, fear, lust, unbelief, unforgiveness, rage, jealousy, emotional pain, rejection and many other areas of darkness. A vast amount of inner healing is needed to achieve the abundant, victorious life God has promised to each of us.
Some call the ministry of inner healing “soul healing” because it is healing that takes place in the soul of a person, primarily in the emotions. Jesus came to set men free, and He does it through inner healing.
Some call the inner healing ministry simply “restoration” because it involves a restoring, or making new, of the soul. As David said, “He restoreth my soul” (Psalm 23:3). God is still in the restoration business.
Others call this ministry “the healing of memories” because the emotional pains and poisons from old memories are removed through inner healing.
Still others call this ministry “death and rebirth” because
it is, in fact, an appropriation of Christ’s death and resurrection for us. As
By any name, this ministry involves a healing of the inner man, distinguishing it from outward or physical healing, the healing of the body. It is the healing of emotional, mental and physical abuse, usually inflicted in the early years of our lives by parents or other family members or friends.
All of us have buried anger, resentment and even rage within us, which began building up in early childhood. Usually this anger builds up over the years until it eventually reaches the boiling point. The degree of unhealed hurts, anger and rage is incredibly great even in those of us who had “good” childhoods.
Common problems that we face include self-hatred, fear, inferiority feelings, depression, anxieties, critical thoughts and anger. These often lead to compulsions such as pornography, sexual lust, overeating, drug use and alcoholism.
The good news is that we can be set free by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. A new life awaits us. Some people have been suffering for ten or fifteen years or longer without knowing that there is hope. Some have been tormented for twenty or thirty years or longer. It is time for them to be set free.
Jesus Ministered Inner Healing
Through His shed blood, Jesus has purchased for us a perfect, complete plan of salvation. Peter wrote to the churches:
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. 2 Peter 1:3
The “all things” here includes not only forgiveness for our sins and healing of our bodies, but also the healing of our sorrows and other emotional hurts. As Isaiah foretold:
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. Isaiah 53:4
Inner healing also includes deliverance from evil spirits and from the curses of generational iniquity. Jesus became a curse for us, and we must learn how to receive, to appropriate, all that He has provided for us.
Of Jesus, it was said:
How God anointed Jesus of
Acts
This is what Jesus did. This is why He came. His divine mission was “to heal the brokenhearted,” “to preach deliverance to the captives,” “to set at liberty them that are bruised.” All of the other benefits of Jesus’ ministry are still available to believers today, and the same is true of inner healing. As I minister deliverance from oppression and pray for people to be healed of its root cause, what I see Jesus doing in the life of believers today is life-changing. This ministry was valid in Jesus’ day, and it is still valid today.
What Healing Do We Need?
What is it that we need to be healed of? Primarily it is rejection or other types of serious abuse by key people in our childhood. Abuse, particularly that committed by mother or father, is the root cause of almost all of our emotional and relational problems. These include problems with a marriage partner, children, friends, fellow church members and fellow workers. Most people are not aware that even while a baby is in its mother’s womb, life-damaging hurts can begin. Yes, even before birth, babies can sense that they are being rejected, that they are not wanted by Mom or Dad. This is emotional abuse and requires much healing in later life.
If you find it difficult to hug your children or to frequently tell them that you love them, or you feel uncomfortable when somebody compliments you or wants to hug you, this may be an indication that you need to be set free from bondages developed in childhood. Rejection and a lack of unconditional love have left scars on many of us.
Some people are married and they still don’t feel comfortable touching and being touched. How can this be? These people need God’s healing touch on their souls.
Some people can’t say the simple words “I love you.” They cringe when they try to say it. That’s not normal, and it requires healing.
Some people cannot understand how to relate to their children, to their spouse or to their co-workers. Some can’t maintain any relationships in their lives. They desperately need the healing Balm of Gilead.
Many Christians have low opinions of themselves, carried over from childhood. But God wants us to see ourselves as He sees us — unique, precious and worthy of compliments. He loves us just as we are — unconditionally. We can’t earn His love, and we can’t lose it either.
You and I were created to have an intimate love relationship
with God through our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is coming to “know” God and
learning to trust Him, becoming totally dependent on Him,
that gives meaning to life itself. From that perfect unity of our soul
and spirit with God, we are enabled to live our lives in godly relationships
with our loved ones and with others.
Because of the fall of man, however, because of Adamic sin, everything that God created in this world has, to a large extent, been corrupted or defiled. We are born in this world with the Adamic, sinful nature. It is only through God’s grace, through the merit of the shed blood of Jesus, that we can be made clean and whole again. And once we know Him, He desires to remove anything that still hinders our intimate relationship with Him.
When we come before God in prayer, He looks forward to it just as much as we do. It is a special time for Him to enjoy our presence. It is His opportunity to show us His love. He delights in talking to us and in listening to us talk to Him. He longs for this fellowship, and misses it when we do not take time for Him. Nothing must be allowed to stand between us and God, and if the hurts of the past are keeping us from His best, it is time for His healing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, inner healing is a ministry of the Spirit intended for use in the Church today to bring us into a closer relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and to make us more like Him. The Lord is still transforming my own life through inner healing, and I am so grateful to Him for this blessing.
If you will determine to be changed and will cooperate with
the Lord, He will bring you the deep inner healing you so desperately seek. He
desires to set you free to be the real you, free to give love, to receive love,
and to be more than a conqueror in every area of your life. He is calling you
to Laugh and Cry Your Way to Freedom and
be Changed Into
His Image Through Inner Healing.