The book content below is available in paperback & printable downloads at a low donation level price. The latest edition has been extensively revised (updated) beyond this online first edition. The book is titled: Breaking Spiritual Strongholds and Healing the Wounded Spirit: Dealing with Root Causes. Links are provided for its bookstores.
 Breaking Spiritual Strongholds and Healing the Wounded Spirit: Dealing with Root Causes (book by Eric Gondwe)
Chapter 8. Healing the Wounded Spirit: The Christian Approach
Avoiding jumping to conclusions on the root causes Jumping to conclusions is basically guessing and assuming the guessed matter is the true answer to the subject of inquiry. A person reaches such a conclusion due to either, 1) lack of needed information to make an informed inquiry, or 2) due to disregarding the need for objective inquiry. Jumping to conclusions is the opposite to objective inquiry. Objective inquiry considers all available information before making any conclusions. It is a search for the actual truth rather a search to prove one’s side of understanding, biases or preferences. More on this subject in the chapter ahead that addresses it in detail (chapter titled: “The Enemy Within: Breaking Strongholds Hiding in Our Lives”). The most vulnerable areas in life that people tend to be less objective are areas that that do not need to be subject to laboratory or evidenced based inquiry. And what other field is not subject to laboratory or evidenced based inquiry than religion? As religious people we are the masters of making easy conclusions even where objective inquiry can be made. For example, in USA after New Orleans and neighboring states were badly hit by Hurricane Katrina there were nearly as many answers on its causes as the people you’d come across. It was worse when you heard from ministers. It’s worse because you expect ministers to be well informed people and more cautious not to make guesswork conclusions. This tendency is among the major factors that have contributed to us ending up having many denominations (and non-denominations) in the body of Christ. The other major factor is as the bible says: we know in part, i.e. we do not have perfect knowledge. Some people disagreed on certain interpretations ended up forming their own group after being constantly ignored. Some were right in their understanding –like Martin Luther, the protestant church reformer who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. Others were very wrong in their analysis - like the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ founder. Centuries ago we used to fight over our denominational differences or hang those that differed from the dominant denomination. The dissenters or doctrinal rebels in those days used to be called heretics. Now we’re more mature and more tolerant of each other (for the most part). We’re able to tolerate our somewhat different interpretations and convictions by focusing on the fundamental issues most of us all agree on. Nonetheless there is only one truth. We cannot all be right on one issue with different interpretations (or different misinterpretations). We’re all God’s children yet what we know or don’t know will influence our outcomes in this life. That is why it’s not worth being stubborn about holding on to teachings that have been found to be in err or misinterpretations of scripture. In this section my emphasis is to be careful not to be jumping to conclusions on the root causes of matters in our spiritual areas. Objective inquiry is essential whether as a Christian counselor, minister, as an intercessor, as a patient, or as a believer helping someone. Objective inquiry for us Christians is what we call biblical inquiry or biblical analysis. With biblical analysis we use the bible by considering all available information before making any conclusions. We search for the actual biblical truth rather searching to prove our own side of understanding, biases or preferences. This becomes more crucial when dealing with major obstacles others may be facing. Instead of prescribing easy answers we seek sound biblical answers. It also becomes crucial when dealing with matters that partly require our spiritual discernment. This is because our spiritual discernment is not perfect. It can be limited or colored by our own understanding, emotional hunches, and expectations. If you think our spiritual discernment is perfect try taking someone with a spiritual problem to seven different ministers who claim to be so anointed with the gift of discernment. You’re likely to get at least two different answers. It won’t surprise me even if you get five different answers. The bible says we’re to test the spirits. “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world,” 1 John 4:1. John was saying that each Christian was liable to receive revelations from various spirits other than the Spirit of God. There are two categories of spirits that are other than the Spirit of God. One category consists of human spirits and the other category consists of evil spirits. Chapter 4, “Deception, the No. 1 Doorway for Spiritual Wounds,” covers extensively on these sources of deception. The most important way of testing the spirits behind matters we’re analyzing is by using God’s word as the standard of evaluation. We use the bible by considering all available information before making any conclusions. Avoiding Easy Conclusions in Relation to Dealing with a Wounded Spirit There are two ways demons or fallen angels can have access to human beings. These so called loopholes are what have enabled them to have increased access to affairs in the earthly realm. God in his own design allowed fallen angels to use these avenues: 1. Through demonic influence or demonic interference. 2. Demonic possession: a form of demonic indwelling or inner occupancy of demons. 1. Through demonic influence or demonic interference This is external access whereby the evil spirits in the spirit realm are able to access our inner human faculties and our physical makeup. For example, God gave permission to Satan to afflict Job with diseases. His physical body was accessed. He lost his material possessions: His material belongings where given access to. He lost his family: His social life was given access to. The only area that was not given access to was his inner human faculties: his spirit consisting of the mind, will and emotions. None of the experiences of Job were aspects of demon possession. They were aspects of demonic influence or demonic interference. Someone we know in the bible whose inner human faculties were given access to is Saul, the first king of Israel. In his case it was actually an angel of God that was sent to torment him. God’s angels can be sent to cause harm if God wills. Let’s not blame every bad matter on demons (fallen angels). For more info on the nature of angels please read chapter 6 “The Nature of Angels: God’s Angels and Fallen Angels,” in my book Breaking Curses, Including Generational Curses. Thus in the case of Saul an angel from God was sent to torment him. Saul had disobeyed God on many occasions. Through his continued disobedience the Lord allowed a tormenting spirit to come upon Saul. “Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him,” 1 Samuel 16:14. David, the person God had secretly chosen to replace Saul as king, comforted Saul by playing music for him. The music from David proved to be good medicine for Saul. “Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him,” 1 Samuel 16:23. The torment Saul experienced was from an external position. In any case God’s angels do not possess people. It is fallen angels that do this whenever they can find the opportunity to possess people. His experience was therefore an aspect of angelic influence or angelic interference. I say angelic influence in his case because it was not as a result of fallen angels that we also call demons. Some people, like Saul, may be facing angelic interference in their lives. God specifically assigns one of his angels to interfere in an individual’s life in a certain area. It’s not that God delights in doing this. There is a cause and effect relationship. Thus something in a person’s life led God to have one of his angels to hinder a person. The most common causes are unforgiveness of others, unrepented sins, ignoring the troubles of the underprivileged (spiritually, materially, socially, or physically), repeated disobedience in areas God has called for change, and so on. Related to Job is Apostle Paul. God allowed Satan to hinder Paul in an area he called his “thorn in the flesh.” We may speculate on precisely what this was but it still ends up pointing to the fact that God can give evil spirits to hinder us in areas they have no legal grounds. “There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me,” 2 Corinthians 12:7. Even in such situations where God allows an evil spirit to bring a particular hindrance he does not delight in doing this. There is a good reason God allows it. In Paul’s case God wanted to keep him from growing proud from the many exploits God did through him. Paul also ascended through visions to the third heaven and received revelations God said were just for his consumption. His writings constitute a third of the New Testament! More content available in the Second Edition of the book: Click here to acquire it 2. Demonic possession: a form of demonic indwelling or inner occupancy of demons Christians cannot be indwelt, owned or possessed by demons. If you need more detailed information on whether or not Christians can be possessed, owned or occupied by evil spirits please read my other book, Major Spiritual Warfare Principles: Biblical Do’s and Don’ts of Warfare. The topic is covered in chapter 6 “Can a Christian be Demon Possessed?.” Christians can be oppressed from an external interference position but not from within. External demonic interference is what constitutes demonic influence as described above. Dealing with demonic influence in relation to severe cases is through the same way all cases of demonic interference are dealt with. More content available in the Second Edition of the book: Click here to acquire it Making easy conclusions and applying false teachings can be harmful to a believer Christian counseling and deliverance ministry has had its limits and blunders in such a work of piecing together one’s entire life and hoping to fix it. I grieve with anyone who ended up with more wounds after innocently visiting deliverance ministries that apply false doctrine on deliverance. There are heaven destined born again Christians today having a hard time living on earth partly due to spiritual wounds and partly due to having fallen into the wrong hands. From these deliverance ministries a councilor (usually the church pastor) would listen to a problem and before long begin to identify spirits attacking the victim. Some of the most commonly mention spirits include generational spirits, territorial spirits, spirits of lust, witch spirits, spirits of infirmity, familiar spirits, jezebel spirits, spirits of homosexuality, spirits of prostitution, and so on. The entire life of a believer is said to be in the hands of one or more of these spirits. Once they are cast out freedom comes. The spirits are ordered to come out but deliverance does not come. Why not? It is because the evil spirits were not even in the believer in the first place. Demonic influence from an external position was the cause, not demonic possession. Demonic possession is the indwelling of demons. The Christian had a demon influence problem not a demonic possession problem. What may follow in a believer’s life is usually one application of false doctrine after another, hoping to find freedom. But there is a way out for every sincere believer. No need to blame any ministry embracing false doctrine for any further losses you may have faced - spiritually, socially, materially and so on. Categorize the experience as a storm of life in which God allowed it to occur without choosing to stop it. If he allowed it in your sincere search he knows how to work the entire experience to your good. The ministries that embrace false doctrines on deliverance are mostly sincere but deceived saints. It is not deliberate misinterpretation of scripture if it’s from deceived saints. Explaining why God allows such harmful deception in the body of Christ is another lengthy topic with its own limitations. Our work as Christian counselors in deliverance ministry is to enable wounded believers, most of whom are intelligent people, to effectively connect with the Holy Spirit. God desires to walk with each of us on a personal, one to one level, not through another human being who assumes to be more spiritual. When this direct relationship is consolidated we’re able to effectively deal with matters in our own lives. In the case of a wounded spirit the Holy Spirit will be able to make the matters to work to our good instead of against us. He is also able to show us the key doorways that are allowing demonic influence (not demonic possession. Doing Our Part in the Healing Process: Embracing Truths in God’s Word Where do we start in applying the Christ-centered principles that enable the Holy Spirit to bring deliverance and healing to the wounded spirit? We start with the understanding that we have a part to play in the healing process. Our individual input or role in the healing process is fundamental. A person with spiritual wounds does not have a demonic possession problem. He/she is not owned by some other power. So he’s in control of his own core faculties (mind, emotions, will). It can be a demonic influence problem but hardly (for unbelievers) or never (for believers) a demonic possession problem. Demonic influence is something we all face and are divinely empowered, through the Holy Spirit, to overcome. We’re in control of our own faculties when it comes to demonic influence. That’s why we’ll be judged on how we handled demonic influence in our lives – triumphing over it or yielding to it. For example, in the case of a wounded spirit from a bad past demonic influence comes in the form of evil spirits trying to exalt the bad past above the power of God against it. They tactfully present the unpleasant past to appear hopelessly damaging that an individual is constantly tormented and overpowered by it (the past). This lie that demons present to us is overcome by God’s word. The truth frees us from believing the lie. It takes an individual’s personal input and inner witness of the Holy Spirit to embrace the truth and forsake the lies. An inner witness of the Holy Spirit is not some voice, even though this can happen –rarely. If still unsure please read my book, Hearing from God: How to Hear God's Voice. An inner witness of the Holy Spirit is a conviction from within that God brings, saying some action needs to be taken. Enough of making excuses that limit God’s ongoing work in each of us. Acknowledging the fact that a problem exists and that it needs to be handled God’s way is the first step to overcoming it. Justifying the problem, making excuses, blaming the past or others are barriers to conquering it. The inner witness of the Holy Spirit overcomes these barriers to enable the person to be willing to confront and deal with the matters. It is God’s way of bringing the truth and the individual being responsive enough to be able to receive it. God may use different avenues for different individuals to bring the truth. It may be through qualified spiritual individuals at church or through counseling. It can be a book such this one. It may be through internet resources, audio/visio resources and so on. Whichever way the truth is revealed the individual’s personal input will determine the final outcome. The individual has to be willing enough to labor in doing his/her part of embracing God’s way and overcoming the lies that stand in the way. Some may receive instant freedom after embracing the truth, others may take longer while some if they remain in denial for the truth may take forever to heal or recover. More content available in the Second Edition of the book: Click here to acquire it God’s Role: The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Healing Process Healing the wounded spirit is primarily the work of the Holy Spirit. Many secular counselors, psychiatrists or psychotherapists have something to offer but a lot has to be integrated with spiritual principles. There is actually much research and information we can benefit from the secular world of psychology and related medical fields. On the other hand, secular academics have also benefited from the bible by learning most workable principles from the scripture (with little or no acknowledgment to the bible). God’s prescription is always the ultimate prescription. Without the integration with spiritual or Christian principles the secular prescription is largely limited in its effect. That is why many under secular treatment are under perpetual care that they fail to stand and deal with matters on their own. Secular counselors, psychiatrists or psychotherapists are popularly known as shrinks in USA. Its sarcastic meaning descends from an old term “headshrinker.” This means a shrink shrinks the brain of a person by disabling him/her from thinking for himself or herself. In extreme cases a person literally ends up under the constant care of a counselor year after year. The word “shrink” now refers to all counselors, secular or Christian. The challenge for those seeking counsel is to find a counselor who does not shrink one’s brain but empowers it. By any rate the best counselor is one who connects a person with his/her true Counselor, the Holy Spirit. “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans,” John 14:16-18. The Holy Spirit lives inside each inside each of us born again Christians. We are like cared for orphans and not like ones left to struggle on their own against forces more powerful than them. The Holy Spirit has a parental role over us. He is able to bring true healing when we enable him to work in the innermost parts of us. Certain mindsets that evolved throughout our upbringing and through various experiences are transformed into Christ-like nature. The transformation of our minds directly affects the other areas in our spirits - emotion and will areas. Only the Holy Spirit knows how to piece together matters of our past and use them to work to our good not against us. Secular counseling cannot enable this. This is also not to say all of us Christian counselors are better than secular counselors. There are some Christian counselors who use false teachings in their counseling or deliverance ministries. These false teachings end up doing as much damage, if not worse, on innocent believers seeking deliverance. Of major concern are deliverance ministries that easily jump to bind and cast out demons from people who are under demonic influence, not demonic possession. They shrink the brains of innocent believers who seek deliverance by casting out demons that are not in a believer. When the Christian returns home in the same state he/she assumes he could have some powerful demons inside him. Christian shrinks have done the harm by focusing on non-applicable matters. Once these innocent souls finally get to where there is biblical deliverance it can be quite a battle in convincing them that the problem is not demonic possession but demonic influence. Other battles include moving them away from harmful false teachings innocently adopted through books, multimedia and ministries that preach false doctrine. Some are preoccupied with binding and loosing demons, pleading the blood of Jesus against evil spirits (which is a way of talking to them), speaking in so called spiritual warfare tongues, spiritual warfare or deliverance prayers against evil spirits, and so on. Most of them are very intelligent Christians yet can still be misled when they seek deliverance out of desperation not biblical truth. The believers can end up with more demonic activity after embracing harmful false teachings. That is why this book was inspired (by the Lord) - to enable fellow Christians to avoid deliverance ministries that invite more demonic activity and to equip the body of Christ with biblical principles of Christian deliverance and deliverance ministry. These principles if applied provide the required counsel for biblical deliverance and healing in areas of interest. No need of further counseling if one reads and applies the biblical principles in this book. Reading through more than once may help in grasping certain unclear areas. Plus there are more resources online at our websites: JesusWorkMinistry.com and SpiritualWarfareDeliverance.com (the two websites for Jesus Work Ministry are interlinked through easy navigation). Avoid rushing to any nearest deliverance ministry that tries to cast out demons that are actually operating from outside, not inside. You’ll avoid much heartache by following Christ-centered principles instead of demon-centered ones. Christ-centered principles may not have a lot of drama and sensation yet they work. Prayerfully searching for doorways of access As we draw near to God and submit to his will we also prayerfully search for doorways that are allowing demonic influence. There is no need to wait for some strange discernment or a supernatural word from God while searching. God may speak in a still small voice in our hearts but this usually comes in the midst of the search, through prayer, his word, a sermon, a book, and so on. Sometimes while just resting, minding your own business. Staying still and hoping God will speak is like transcendental meditation, a non-Christian practice. And guess what? You will always hear something when you “blank” your mind out. This because our minds were created to always be active. What you may hear may just be a product of any one of the two sources: your own mind at work or Satan speaking like an angel of light. It is doubtful if god would want to speak in a moment of “blanking out.” This is because he never prescribed it as a way for us to hear from him. My other book has more detailed information on hearing from God: Hearing the Voice of God and Fulfilling God's Purpose for Your Life. God gave us a mind to use and he usually speaks through it. It is not evil to think. The only difference with unbelievers is that we have “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) controlled by the Spirit of God. After praying to hear from God the next step is to apply your faith of believing that he has answered your prayers. You begin to think and think, read and read, on areas relating to your obstacle. Key matters that need to be effectively dealt with may have come through any of the four doorways: 1) deception, 2) ignorance, 3) sin, and 4) storms of life (when responded to in a wrong way). Basic steps of faith to deliverance and healing The doorways that have been found need to be placed on his mercy seat (through repentance). One can now move to applying the basic steps of faith to deliverance and healing: 1) prayer of repentance for walking outside God’s will, 2) ceasing all known association and practice of matters that bring bondage through a) deception (false teachings), b) through ignorance (lack of knowledge), c) through sin, and d) through storms of life (particularly when responded to in a wrong way), 3) being familiar with and applying biblical requirements in areas were deliverance and healing is sought (most biblical requirements in different areas are covered in this book), and 4) a simple prayer to ask God for continued guidance, equipping and grace in opening one’s eyes to true biblical living. Repentance on matters that came through storms of life is necessary when our response to them was in a sinful way. For example if one had an abusive upbringing and remains bitter about it, the bitterness and anger constitutes unforgiveness. Unforgiveness is a sin. Repentance for being bitter, angry or vengeful begins the healing process. Prayer and fasting may be necessary on certain matters. We are dealing with spiritual strongholds that have consolidated their make-up in our lives. These are mindsets, emotions and defense mechanisms that have evolved throughout years of our upbringing and through various experiences. They become our identity and demonic influence has reinforced their hold on us. At such a level we become brainwashed whereby we either easily follow the deception or easily stumble to certain sins. Prayer and fasting is one of, if not, the greatest key to deliverance and healing. Please see chapter 4 - on prayer and fasting as a major weapon to deliverance and healing. Prayer and fasting enables the Holy Spirit to effectively work in the innermost parts of us. He is able to overcome certain mindsets, emotions and defense mechanisms that we find difficult to give up or unwilling to let go. He transforms our minds to value his ways than our ways. The transformation of our minds directly affects the other areas in our spirits - emotion and will areas. However he also works on these areas individually until we each have “a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline,” 2 Timothy 1:7. Power is an aspect of the Holy Spirit’s ability to act, love is an emotional aspect of his nature and self-discipline is the will aspect of his nature. He throws away our nature which has no power to act over spiritual influences, he removes the dirt in our emotions while putting love in them and he removes our un-disciplined will which fluctuates according to circumstances and other external influences. Above all the Holy Spirit enables us to grow in having “the mind of Christ,” (1 Corinthians 2:16) so that we can effectively be under his influence, guidance and nature. Once a human spirit begins to take on his nature the healing is in progress. Being under his nature is a lifelong work because the sinful nature in us always tries to return to its former throne. Demonic influence works through the sinful nature. That is how Adam and Eve fell. And that is why the bible cautions us to flee influences and situations that feed on the sinful nature. People will notice the difference by the time the Holy Spirit reaches an advanced stage in working inside us. We will be producing not fruits from our negative past but the fruit of the Holy Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit,” Galatians 5:22-25. One who is bearing such fruit in abundance has a healthy spirit. He/she may not be perfect in every way or may not have all she desires yet she is an overcomer in the spirit realm. Demonic influence bounces off for as long as the Holy Spirit works in her life. More content available in the Second Edition of the book: Click here to acquire it Breaking Spiritual Strongholds and Healing the Wounded Spirit:
i. INTRO: Breaking Spiritual Strongholds and Healing the Wounded Spirit
Chapter 1. Our Triune Nature: Spirit, Soul and Body
Chapter 2. Nature of Spiritual Strongholds: In the Mind, Emotions and Will
Chapter 3. The Nature of a Wounded Spirit, Crushed Spirit, or Broken Spirit
Chapter 4. Deception, the No. 1 Doorway for Spiritual Wounds
Chapter 5. The Other Three Sources of Spiritual Wounds and Strongholds
Chapter 6. Effects of a Wounded Spirit (Broken or Crushed Spirit)
Chapter 7. Personality’s Role in Influencing our Spiritual Health
Chapter 8. Healing the Wounded Spirit: The Christian Approach
Chapter 9. Healing the Wounded Spirit: With Secular Approaches
Chapter 10. The Enemy Within: Breaking Strongholds Hiding in Our Lives
Chapter 11. Maintaining a Healthy Spirit and Embracing God's "Plan B"
Chapter 12. Overcoming Guilt, Guilty Conscience and Self-Condemnation
Chapter 13. Deliverance from Demonic Experiences and Demonic Manifestations
Chapter 14. Deliverance and Healing from the Occult, Witchcraft & Satanism
Appendix 1. Cognitive Biases: How we Think Inside our Boxes
* Breaking Strongholds Book References
* Breaking Strongholds Book Index Breaking strongholds & healing wounded spirit book 1: Breaking Spiritual Strongholds and Healing the Wounded Spirit
©2008 Eric Gondwe
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