Healing Beyond Counseling

It seems, before a person in pain seeks a healthy choice for solving or dealing with their struggles, we are naturally inclined to try wrong choices to cope with our issues. Some of us try to cope by performing, getting married, having an affair, getting divorced; we believe our comfort awaits in another relationship, job, or house; sometimes we cope with our pain through compulsive behaviors, addictions. Or, we sink into self-pity or depression. Some take a positive step and attempt counseling, medications, or twelve-step groups. Any of these positive steps can be instrumental in the process of inner healing. But many of us, through the yearning of our own spirits to be complete, or the prompting of God’s Holy Spirt, find ourselves concluding that complete healing cannot be achieved by our own devices…we need God. These are the ones who have “come to an end of themselves.” And those who are desperate are those we can help the most.

The Many Ways to Healing:

It is usually the storms of life that cause one to reach out for help, and quite often the church is one of the last options those in need will pursue. Whatever mindset a person in need comes with, we are happy to provide help. This book will hopefully equip the church to provide what the seeker needs. This program is designed for SPIRITUAL and EMOTIONAL healing. Depending on each individual’s circumstances, they may have pursued any number of methods for healing: counseling, twelve-step programs, support groups, college classes, medication, or treatment facilities. Whatever the steps an individual may go through in their journey, any one of these – or a combination of them – may be needed and are an integral part of the healing process. However, the application of the Spiritual aspect of healing is a necessary step for healing. Many fall short of being made whole, either because they aren’t aware of their Spiritual need or they don’t know what Spiritual healing looks like. And, the truth will always remain for anyone in need of healing, that “timing is everything.”

One component of the human condition is that it’s not until we are broken and desperate that we reach out to God. In truth, God will often allow us to experience heart break and loss in order to draw us to The Cross. Indeed, our spiritual healing must always begin at The Cross and in applying that principle to our individual circumstance. When a seeker experiences the weight of burdens being lifted, either through the confession and forgiveness of their own sin, or through forgiving another and releasing that pain they’ve been carrying for years, the seeker will desire even more freedom. And lo, the journey toward complete healing has begun.

When reflecting on the different church movements, countries, and cultures we have ministered to, I am convinced The Church is only scratching the surface in terms of applying the power of The Cross to our lives. Too many Christians are accepting mediocrity in their emotional lives, mistakenly believing that accepting pain and sorrow are what Jesus meant when He said that whoever does not hate their own life is not His disciple. The Church, as a whole, is effectively communicating the need for Christ and miracles are surely happening. However, how to apply the power of The Cross to our lives is often not made clear.

For many of us, what needs to take place will not be accomplished at the altar on Sunday or in a small group. Inner healing requires mature brothers and sisters, working one-on-one, and walking with them in a time of ministry by praying, forgiving, releasing and renouncing until they are free. This commitment, may take multiple ministry times to accomplish freedom.

What Jesus accomplished on The Cross is magnificently more than most Christians are experiencing in their day-to-day lives.

Possible sources of spiritual bondage:

Listed below are possible sources of spiritual bondages we normally see in ministry with brief descriptions.

Unforgiveness is the most common root of a spiritual bondage. It can lead to resentment, bitterness and internal torment.

Relinquishment is releasing our right to something that we feel like we deserved. It can also be the act of holding onto someone for which we feel responsible for his/her life or actions.

Condemnation can come from others’ expectations of what we should or should not have done. It can also be the result of our own negative self-talk or failure to live up to our own standards. Vows, inner vows, or pledges are spoken or unspoken oaths or promises made in our hearts. These can blaze a trail for our choices in life. Bitter root judgments. These are basically judgments about others that are caused by our resentment of that individual. We can begin to act like the ones we resent.

Curses are often the result of negative words spoken over us. An authority figure may make a negative statement to a young person and the person will repeat it to himself or herself over and over until it has become his/her core belief, it then has the power of a curse.

Soul ties are formed between any two people who have a strong emotional connection. This can be the result of a sexual relationship, an inappropriate authority, or fantasies.

Shame is the feeling of unworthiness, disgrace, or dishonor toward our own personhood. It can be a consequence we experience when we do not live up to expected or perceived standards or values. Non-Christian spiritual experiences (false religions and the occult) are an open invitation to demonic influence in our lives.

Generational or hereditary sins can be recognized by family patterns such as alcoholism, divorce or adultery that are passed on from parents to children and to the children’s children.

Nationality or ethnic bondages can result from living under a commonly spoken, negative phrase regarding cultural traits such as: “Americans are prideful and materialistic.”