Have you ever found yourself as a prisoner but you could not see the bars of the prison? Have you felt heavily weighed down inside? Have you fought depression? Do you ever feel like you are a victim to anger or fear, and you just don't know how to make it stop? Do you find yourself behaving in ways that you are ashamed of, but just cannot find the power to change? Do you walk into a group of friends or acquaintances, perhaps even at church, and say "fine" when they ask you how you are doing, and you know your are not telling the truth? Most of the time they don't want to know the truth. Do you find yourself addicted to drugs, alcohol, pornography, overeating, or any other such addiction? Are you tired of the "programs" that promise much but do not deliver?
My two contributing editors and I have been there, and we all have been set free! We will walk you down the paths that we have been on. We pray that your path will collide with God as ours did and that through applying the same biblical principles you will also be a free person.
There is hope!
Jesus, the Creator of the universe, came as a man into this world to give you the power to change and be free. His mission statement was prophesied in Isaiah chapter 61 hundreds of years before His birth. When He was ready to begin His earthly ministry He quoted a portion of that Isaiah Scripture.
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified." And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations" (Isaiah 61:1-4).
"And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 'The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.' Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing'" (Luke 4:17-21).
Notice He mentioned help for:
The poor
The brokenhearted
The captives
The prisoners
The Acceptable Year of The Lord is the Year of Jubilee as stated in Leviticus chapter 25. That was the year when all debt was cancelled and the helpless debtors were set free.
He promised to bring sight to the blind. This includes the spiritually blind.
He said He could console those who mourn. Mourning is the emotional pain of grieving a loss. Most of us mourn inside because we have lost, or never have had, the "real us." We also may be mourning the loss of dreams and hopes, or maybe even the loss of a loved one.
Jesus promised this, and He has the power to carry out His promise.
So what is the problem? Perhaps you are a Christian struggling with a life-controlling problem or you feel bound up. Maybe you have made Jesus your savior but not the Lord of your life. There is a huge difference between Him being your savior and your Lord.
Having a savior is all about "me" and it is a self-centered life. We who struggle with sin, that includes all of us, must make Him Lord. When we truly give up our lives and turn the control over to Jesus, even if we fail from time to time we will not become a prisoner again to sin, we will fall right into the loving arms of Jesus. We are in a position to get up and continue our forward progress.
Perhaps you have been a follower of Jesus and a Christian for many years, and you still find yourself bound up, a prisoner. Then this book is for you. We hope to show you how to intentionally seize the promised inheritance Jesus died to give to you.
You can make a change right now. Just tell Jesus that you believe He was crucified and raised from the dead as a payment for your freedom. Then tell Him that you hereby make Him Lord, or Master of your life. You take control out of your hands and give it to Him. Then prepare to take up your cross, "die," and follow Him. The result will not be some sort of religious bondage, but rather you will see Him and will be captured by His glory and love. He will eventually become your all in all. Your seeking Him will change from seeking His deliverance and other advantages, to seeking just Him for who He is. He will become your all in all passion in life. You will find that you crave constantly just to be near Him and have a strong desire to seek Him.
Count the cost.
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:28-33).
There is a cost when you allow the Holy Spirit to reveal past wounds and issues this can be very painful. We have to move past the deception that blocks the truth, which can bring repentance, forgiveness, and freedom. We have to count the cost of letting go of control and allowing the Holy Spirit complete access. Very few are willing to count this cost, are you?
The problem is with the inner wounds that you cannot see.
Humans are subject to being wounded in an invisible way, on the inside, in their souls. Most people, even many Christians do not realize this, nor do they realize that Jesus came to heal these wounds and make their souls whole. Instead people with wounded souls attempt to "medicate" their wounds with all kinds of ineffective "medications" instead of going to the One who heals. Some of these are drugs, alcohol, sexual addictions, religious attitude, or busyness. Others pour themselves obsessively into their work or fill their lives with worldly possessions as a means to medicate their wounds. Still others simply attempt to repress and bury the wounds through denial, and even become somewhat good at living a life that seems normal. But inside they feel oppressed and burdened, they know that something is terribly wrong, and they experience depression, anger and live without hope in emptiness.
Others live in a fantasy world where they always come out the winner because reality hurts too much. So they live in a fantasy which keeps them in bondage from doing anything productive. I can testify that this was my case before Jesus saved me in 1979. Fantasy in one's mind is a dangerous thing. It is a real temptation to many people as a way of escape.
All of these attempts only hinder us from our true purpose and destiny in life.
We have created several video series[1] that are intended to equip pastors and leaders to form small groups to walk through the inner healing process as God intended. However not everyone who is in need of inner healing will have access to this series. Therefore we wanted to prepare this book in order to give individuals and small groups the opportunity to become free from past wounds and experience the abundant life as Jesus described it.
Where do wounds come from?
The inner wounds that bind and oppress you come from three main sources:
1. Wounds put on us by others. In this book we will call this "sins against you."
2. Self-inflicted wounds. These are wounds that come from our own lifestyle of sin.
3. Generational curses. These wounds are caused by the sins of your forefathers.
Notice in all of the above three types of wounds, each one has to do with some kind of sin. Most people do not like to use the "sin" word. They see it as some sort of a religious disease and attach condemnation to it.
But sin is the issue, and removing sin is Jesus' work. You can compare removing sin like removing a cancer through surgery. Removing sin is also known as repenting and forgiveness.
Hang on; Jesus conquered sin.
Forgiveness is shown as the way to re-connect with God and have a personal and intimate relationship with Him. Forgiveness thus is the doorway into being made whole and inheriting everything that God has for us.
Acts 26:18, gives us a look into the value of forgiveness, and says, "…to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me."
Jesus' mission of setting people free has to do with setting them free from sin, which is called forgiveness.
"Jesus answered them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin'" (John 8:34).
"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).
"…and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood" (Revelation 1:5).
You might think that you know everything about forgiveness, or don't like to even think about it. This book may give you a new, fresh, and refreshing way to allow Jesus to help you forgive so that He may remove the cancerous root of sin. For now, just keep your mind open for a different view towards forgiveness.
In this book we will discuss God's provisions and supernatural power for the healing of all three of these types of wounds mentioned above.
In the book we will focus on the following primary issues for healing:
The work of Jesus at the Cross
Absolute Lordship of Jesus
Forgiveness
Changing your thought life
Relationship skills for hearing from God
Baptism in Holy Spirit
The work of Jesus at the Cross.
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).
He actually took and bore the wounds that were afflicted against you so that you could be free.
"Wounded" means not only to be pierced, but also means to be profaned, to be polluted and the word prostitute is also included in the definition. It means to be sexually abused, defiled, and stained, to become common as opposed to being holy.
Bruised means to be crushed, broken, to be made contrite, to allow oneself to be beaten into pieces, oppressed.
Here is what you can expect.
It's all in the relationship!
Now say that with me. "It's all in the relationship." Say it three more times because I don't want you to forget it. It's all in the relationship with Jesus. This book is not a do-it-yourself tool for psychological healing. Real healing is not a do-it-yourself issue.
Jesus said in John chapter 15 that we should abide in Him. In other New Testament Scriptures it says that He abides in us. There is a oneness that God desires with you, and it is developed progressively as you give attention to your relationship with Him. Inner healing is not a therapy that we ask God to do for us. Inner healing comes naturally as we abide in Him and He abides in us.
Most people do not give enough value to relationships.
Women are much better than men. Often people from Asian, African and other Eastern cultures are better at relationships than Western minded people. But even in these more relational cultures, often men treat their wives as mere possessions. Sin has tainted relationship skills and values in all cultures. A personal relationship with God is essential because as we grow in our relationship with Him He will make us free, resulting in better relationships with others.
Jesus said that it is all in the relationship.
In John chapter 15, just before His crucifixion, He left His disciples with the key issue for them to keep in mind. He told them that the important thing in life was to glorify His Father God. He told them they could only do that by bearing fruit. Then He told them that they could only bear fruit by being connected with Him as the branch is to the vine. That meant close and intimate relationship and connection.
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:1-8).
Since 1998 we have seen people all over the world set free from bondages and wounds to become fruitful disciples for Jesus through our discipleship books. These books all stress bearing fruit through intimacy by using relationship skills with God on a daily basis.
It sounds very simple, not at all religious, and has been rejected by many because of its simplicity. However, this simplicity is from Jesus, not from our books or from us.
"But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3).
We will stress these major disciplines in this book.
1. Relationship skills with God on a daily basis.
2. Being obedient to God as you walk in relationship with Him. In this book we hope to teach you some practical tools to help you hear God's voice and walk in obedience.
Exodus 15:26 says, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."
A powerful side benefit of inner healing
3 John 1:2 says, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers" Notice, outward prosperity is in direct relationship to soul prosperity!
Becoming a free person on the inside will also benefit your outer life. During this time, 2008-2009, most of the world's systems are failing and causing great fear. Even the USA, normally known for its opportunity for financial well-being, is tottering. Major financial institutions are failing; millions of families are suffering from lack of financial resources. Most of the world around us has been in financial difficulty for centuries, but now it is becoming worse. There are major wars going on. Food is becoming scarce, major earthquakes and other weather disasters are affecting millions of lives. There is judgment taking place on this earth that is unprecedented.
We are promised, "The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You" (Psalms 9:9-10).
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).
As you seek Jesus for inner healing, you will find that other practical issues in your life will also be taken care of. You will see your relationships with spouses and children improve, you will notice Jesus taking care of your financial needs, even performing miracles in the financial realm. My contributing editors and myself are all witnesses to these things on a very personal basis.
Jesus did not come to make Christians; He came to make disciples.
A disciple is someone who has submitted his or her life to be taught by and obey another person.
At this point I want to relieve you of a potential overload as you think about discipline. You might ask, "Are these authors going to tell me that I have to invoke self-discipline in order to stop a habit, or an ungodly lifestyle?" Yes and no.
You cannot discipline yourself to stop anger, fear, or to cease medicating your wounds with drugs, or whatever your problem may be. If you could do that then Jesus would not have had to make the sacrifice on the Cross for you. You cannot self-discipline your sinful lifestyle. You cannot self-discipline the results of others sinning against you. You cannot cure the manifestations of generational curses with self-discipline.
The Bible is clear that discipline of that sort only makes the problem worse.
"Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—'Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,' which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh" (Colossians 2:20-23).
The answer is that you must discipline yourself in your relationship skills with Jesus and allow Him to re-program your mind.
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:1-4).
Living a life of discipline and implementing relationship skills with God may sound simple-minded and too easy. Trust me its not easy, unless however, you are desperate like I was. My contributing editors Michael and Karen Vincent, who were also desperate, testify that that they knew what the solution was, but it was not easy. They had warfare battles with their "flesh" and demons to press into the relationship skills that they knew would deliver them. Yet in the long run it was worth the fight!
I knew that my life was shipwrecked, and that nothing I tried worked. I was broken to the point that I could not wait to meet Jesus every morning. He gave me life, and I actually felt freedom and love while meeting with Him. During the other times of the day, I felt oppression until I could get back with Him, then all was well. That was in 1979 and now 29 years later, I still cannot wait to meet with Him. I am healed from most of the issues that caused my oppression; so going through the day now is a pleasure, most of the time. I normally feel His presence all throughout the day. There is nothing in life more satisfying that being with God on a personal basis.
It is hard to explain the experience. It is like trying to educate you about water by telling you that it consists of H2o. You might accept that fact, but until you drink of the water, H2o has very little meaning.
Make your decision now!
If you have been discouraged over the years and now feel hopeless that you or God can do anything about your situation, then hear this. Do not read this book with the burden that you have to use your own strength one more time and experience one more failure. My question to you is this, will you just submit to developing your relationship with God and watch Him do the miracle in your life?
If you are not prepared to take the needed time daily, even hourly to keep your relationship with Jesus strong, then we recommend that stop here and give this book to someone else.
A quote from Watchman Nee from The Joyful Heart May 15th.
The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:41
The disciples are in Gethsemane. In every sense, therefore, this is a pre-Pentecost experience. It reminds us that the Christian cannot live by his own willpower. The greatest willpower can only bring to the point of willingness, no further. To be willing cannot give strength to the weak flesh. Something much more than that is needed. Willpower is like a car without gas. It has to pushed or towed. Left to itself, it grinds to a halt. To trust to the human will for spiritual ends is then to encounter defeat. Spiritual power does not come from the human will, but from the new life in Christ. This life provides another, deeper power beyond our volition, and by that power we find ourselves gloriously carried along in the Lord's victory.
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[1] For information on the videos go to www.isob-bible.org