There are many believers who
go through deliverance, counseling, and or inner healing programs. I do not have a problem with this sort of intentional ministry, since it is
really just teaching and discipleship; but there is danger in relying too
heavily upon them for transformation. Many people
experience transformation from these intentional prayer and
counseling times; which is great, but I have also seen how many people come to
depend on these programs to validate their faith and identity in God. They
render the work of Jesus to an ongoing process rather than a finished work. I
don't have a problem with the programs themselves, I believe that they are
good, but our understanding about what goes on in these sessions needs to
change. We are not people who are 'becoming who we are supposed to be', we are
not adding on to who God has already made us; rather, we are 'realizing' who we
already are. These programs help to identify a lie and speak the truth,
which isn't a process of change but of moving from unbelief to belief!
Inner healing and deliverance seem to be the same thing as teaching and
discipleship; they were just created because we aren't normally very
intentional with our discipleship and teaching. God has made us whole,
He has made us complete. You are a new creation, the old has gone the new has come! Do not fall into the deception that you need to
go through rituals and practices to become whole, you already are, you might
not realize that yet, but claim the truth anyway. "Jesus has become
our salvation redemption, and sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30)." We now
have the glorious opportunity to continually grow in our understanding of who
God is and who we are in Him. Just like at Christmas, we completely posses and
own the presents under the tree, but we begin to realize what they are upon
opening them up.
The reason why this distinction is important is because 'inner healing', as we understand it, can easily become a form of works based righteousness; where people think that they must put effort forth to become more whole and/or holy. If however, we recognize that our experience may be different then reality, and that reality is still reality whether we believe it or not, we are able to proclaim and accept our full identity without needing experience to prove it. If we speak the truth over ourselves, and each other, despite our experience, we will move from revelation to revelation more quickly, and therefore experience the fullness of the truth in greater degrees. The process of renewing our minds will not be hindered by a works based mentality.
Experience, emotion, and thoughts do not dictate who we are. We are not defined by the way we see ourselves but by the way God sees us, the way we actually are. We literally are who He says we are, even if our experiences don't seem to reveal that. "We live by faith not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7)." Note that it doesn't say we will not see, but that our lives are defined by something outside of our realm of experience. When we are given the gift of faith, after hearing the truth, our experience will follow. "Faith without works is dead (James 2:17)." Therefore, faith without experience isn't faith, but we also don't define our faith by our experience. If we try to validate, qualify, or perfect ourselves, we have failed to have faith in what was already accomplished for us by Jesus. We do not try and please God anymore, because without faith it is impossible (Hebrews 11:6). Faith in what? Faith that He is already pleased with us because of the cross. This gives us freedom to stop striving and to be completely vulnerable, allowing Him to be the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Because of Jesus we live from a place of fullness and wholeness, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). Faith is powerful, it is evidence of a renewed mind, of a gift from God, it completely changes us, and in turn, changes everything around us.
We are all at different places in our faith and therefore at different levels of spiritual maturity; this is true in that some believe less lies and others more (Romans 12:3). However there is still no ultimate distinction among us because we all have the same blessings, the same forgiveness, the same spirit, and the same wholeness. "For the love of God controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer (2 Cor. 5:14-16)."
We need people who are more mature than we are, so that we can submit under them to learn and grow; to be discipled and taught. "For God wants all people to be saved and come to a full knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4)." "And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13)." As leaders and as those who are mature, we have the wonderful joy of speaking truth over one another, allowing people to hear the truth that they might believe it and experience the freedom that is already paid for. We can co-labor with God in 'calling things that aren't as though they are (Romans 4:17).' It is easy to be humble in these situations when we know that we did not attain on our own merit the place where we now stand. It is a gift from God so that no one may boast. We just move from glory to glory, from revelation to revelation, from experience to experience; we come to 'comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that we may be filled up to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:18-19).'
So be vulnerable, be honest with yourself. Find your edification, fulfillment, and qualification in Christ's work alone. As we behold Him in His glory we, like a mirror, reflect that glory as we are transformed to look like Him (2 Cor. 3). Love one another, love yourselves, eagerly expect the Holy Spirit to manifest in and through you. Don't worry, don't take yourself too seriously, pursue the spiritual gifts, BE WITH GOD. It is a glorious ride of growing into who we are, holy, humble, encouraging, and loving. God is good and is faithful to complete the good work He started in you (Philippians 1:6).
The reason why this distinction is important is because 'inner healing', as we understand it, can easily become a form of works based righteousness; where people think that they must put effort forth to become more whole and/or holy. If however, we recognize that our experience may be different then reality, and that reality is still reality whether we believe it or not, we are able to proclaim and accept our full identity without needing experience to prove it. If we speak the truth over ourselves, and each other, despite our experience, we will move from revelation to revelation more quickly, and therefore experience the fullness of the truth in greater degrees. The process of renewing our minds will not be hindered by a works based mentality.
Experience, emotion, and thoughts do not dictate who we are. We are not defined by the way we see ourselves but by the way God sees us, the way we actually are. We literally are who He says we are, even if our experiences don't seem to reveal that. "We live by faith not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7)." Note that it doesn't say we will not see, but that our lives are defined by something outside of our realm of experience. When we are given the gift of faith, after hearing the truth, our experience will follow. "Faith without works is dead (James 2:17)." Therefore, faith without experience isn't faith, but we also don't define our faith by our experience. If we try to validate, qualify, or perfect ourselves, we have failed to have faith in what was already accomplished for us by Jesus. We do not try and please God anymore, because without faith it is impossible (Hebrews 11:6). Faith in what? Faith that He is already pleased with us because of the cross. This gives us freedom to stop striving and to be completely vulnerable, allowing Him to be the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Because of Jesus we live from a place of fullness and wholeness, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). Faith is powerful, it is evidence of a renewed mind, of a gift from God, it completely changes us, and in turn, changes everything around us.
We are all at different places in our faith and therefore at different levels of spiritual maturity; this is true in that some believe less lies and others more (Romans 12:3). However there is still no ultimate distinction among us because we all have the same blessings, the same forgiveness, the same spirit, and the same wholeness. "For the love of God controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer (2 Cor. 5:14-16)."
We need people who are more mature than we are, so that we can submit under them to learn and grow; to be discipled and taught. "For God wants all people to be saved and come to a full knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4)." "And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13)." As leaders and as those who are mature, we have the wonderful joy of speaking truth over one another, allowing people to hear the truth that they might believe it and experience the freedom that is already paid for. We can co-labor with God in 'calling things that aren't as though they are (Romans 4:17).' It is easy to be humble in these situations when we know that we did not attain on our own merit the place where we now stand. It is a gift from God so that no one may boast. We just move from glory to glory, from revelation to revelation, from experience to experience; we come to 'comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that we may be filled up to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:18-19).'
So be vulnerable, be honest with yourself. Find your edification, fulfillment, and qualification in Christ's work alone. As we behold Him in His glory we, like a mirror, reflect that glory as we are transformed to look like Him (2 Cor. 3). Love one another, love yourselves, eagerly expect the Holy Spirit to manifest in and through you. Don't worry, don't take yourself too seriously, pursue the spiritual gifts, BE WITH GOD. It is a glorious ride of growing into who we are, holy, humble, encouraging, and loving. God is good and is faithful to complete the good work He started in you (Philippians 1:6).
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