Inner Healing

WHAT IS INNER HEALING?

Traditionally, counselors have tried to transform lives by changing thoughts and behaviors. What keeps this from being fully effective is ignorance of the powerful law of sowing and reaping. Galatians 6:7-8 says: “Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

Dealing only with thoughts and behaviors is like weeding a garden by clipping off weeds at ground level. We also need to pull up the roots! “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:15, emphasis added).

A common example: a boy judges his father for his abusive anger, but, in a vain effort to  keep from becoming angry like his dad, he denies that he has judged him. Nonetheless, his anger is still there, hidden deep inside, and by natural law, this root of bitterness must eventually yield a negative harvest.

As an adult, the man may reap the harvest in any of the following ways. Suppressed anger finally erupts abusively, like it did for his father. Or he may turn his anger inward and abuse himself, becoming depressed and self-defeating. Or he may expect others to abuse him, sending out subtle but powerful messages that tempt them to do so.

This reaping is not God's punishment; the effects of natural law are as impersonal as the law of gravity. Rather, Jesus wants to reap on this man's behalf! If he comes out of denial, repents for judging, and forgives his father, the law of sowing and reaping will be satisfied by the cross, and the compulsion to abuse or expect abuse will be much more easily overcome.

Dealing with angry thoughts and behaviors is important. But the cross is what makes this fully effective.

WHAT ABOUT DELIVERANCE?

Satan is the “father of lies” (John 8:44), and demons are empowered by lies. In his heart, a  man with an anger problem may believe the lie that anger will protect him. This lie may empower a demon of abuse to help him abuse others.

Or, in the case of the man who is in denial about his anger, if his heart believes a lie that self-abuse is more righteous than abusing others, this lie may empower a demon of self-hatred to help him abuse himself. And if he believes the lie that others will always be abusive toward him, this lie may empower a demon to help him tempt others to do so.

Inner healing and deliverance in tandem work so much better than inner healing alone. Through the power of the cross, repenting of lies and the roots of bitterness that feed those lies deprives demons of their power. Then, when you send them away, they can't return, for they have no lies or bitterness to return to.

A RESURRECTED LIFE: THE GOAL OF INNER HEALING AND DELIVERANCE

Sin is not who we are; it is what we do. Bringing bitter roots to the cross clears away sins. Christ's resurrection brings us to life, calling us back to His original design for us. It also enables us to recognize and bless the original design of those we have judged. 

We are already “raised up with Christ and seated ... with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6, NAS). But how many of us really feel like we're living in the heavenly realms? At Elijah Rain, we use inner healing and deliverance to set God's people free to live that out experientially and enable others to as well.

“Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1, NAS).