Inner healing and liberation as part of the spiritual growth process
Growth is usually associated with a process, both in natural and spiritual life. In his letter to the Romans, Paul speaks of transformation through the renewal of the mind, and in his letter to the Colossians, he speaks of growth in the knowledge of God. Renewal of the mind is a matter of changing our ways of thinking and attitudes with the help of the Holy Spirit to be in accordance with God's Word. We adopt the identity of a child of God and, as we grow, we begin to live it out in our own lives.
Jesus said, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32 NKJV). It is difficult to avoid setbacks in life. We hurt others and are hurt in many ways. We often carry unresolved pain from the past in our hearts, which affects our future on a conscious or unconscious level. God knows our lives from the womb, and He also knows how we have experienced the different stages of our lives. He always sees the root causes that have led us to believe lies about ourselves, other people, and God. Through the process of growth, God wants to lead us to truthfully face the painful memories of the past so that they do not complicate our lives in the present.
As a loving Father, God does not force anything upon us but always acts for our best. If we consent, He lovingly guides us through the pain under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He never breaks what is broken but gently leads us to the root of the pain to pour His healing love into our memories. The comfort that comes from the heart of God the Father brings forgiveness and healing to our hearts. Through this process, memories that once felt painful no longer bind us to the past but gradually become an authentic part of our life experience. When unresolved issues no longer slow us down, we are free to live in the present and look confidently toward the future.
Liberation is part of the inner healing process and spiritual growth. The wounds of the soul are one route through which the forces of the enemy can influence our minds, robbing us of peace and trust in God's plan for our lives. Jesus said of the Devil: "He has been a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44 NKJV). The devil and the spiritual forces under his command operate invisibly in darkness. As long as we are unaware of the lies that bind us, the enemy is free to influence our lives. However, Jesus came into the world as light to destroy the works of the devil in us (1 John 3:8). Unhealed wounds in our souls expose us to the enemy's lies and cause us to believe things that work against God's plan for our lives. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth who guides us into all truth (John 16:13). As we grow spiritually and heal internally, the Holy Spirit brings to our awareness events that have caused us to adopt harmful and binding thought patterns and attitudes. Through encountering the truth, we can forgive and be forgiven, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can break free from the chains that bind our souls and escape their influence. When our past is reconciled and illuminated by the Spirit of God, the Devil cannot use it to strike, accuse, control, or hinder us.
When a person comes to faith, the spirit within them is reborn and the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in their spirit. Although a person's spirit is renewed when they come to faith, this does not apply to our soul and body. The soul is renewed through a gradual process of change, through the renewal of the mind, with the help of the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Harmful thought patterns are gradually renewed to correspond to God's truth, and we embrace our identity in Christ as children of God. God always wants to lead us to the truth that sets us free to live in close relationship with God and with each other. The devil, on the other hand, seeks to keep us bound by lies so that he can control and isolate us.
Inner healing and liberation are connected and are part of the spiritual growth process. Inner healing involves breaking harmful soul ties and being freed from the lies that cause them, through which the enemy controls our behavior at the level of thoughts, emotions, and will. Maintaining freedom, on the other hand, requires the healing of inner wounds. Through inner healing and deliverance, it is possible to find our individual identity in Christ as God intended. God has given us everything in Christ, and only in Him do we have authority against the forces of evil. Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians: "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your [a]understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Eph. 1:17-23 NKJV)
Blessed growth process,
Merja Luoma,
Close to People - Soul Care Therapist, ACC, Available to Meet - Therapist ITT®