1) The term "inner healing" means different things to different people and while healing is biblical, inner healing is not directly mentioned in the Bible. Christians should be wary of methods that are rooted in secular psychology, mysticism, or the occult. 2) Some inner healing practices encourage remembering past hurts through visualization techniques and prayer journeys with Jesus, but dwelling on the past and basing one's view of God on images can be dangerous. 3) True inner healing for Christians comes from focusing on Jesus through reading and studying the Bible, not on ourselves. Allowing the cross to deliver us from sin's power through confession, repentance, forgiveness, and believing in what Christ did for us can bring cleansing

1. "What is inner healing, and is it biblical?" - 16th
January 2017
“The one who gets wisdomloveslife; the one who cherishesunderstandingwill soonprosper.”
(Proverbs19:8)
You may have heardof the term“innerhealing”. Intoday’scontextthistermmeansdifferentthingsto
differentpeople.The term“healing”isbiblical butthe term“innerhealing”isnowherefoundinthe
Bible.Sowhensomeone proposesministering“innerhealing”toyou…I suggestyoufirstfindoutwhat
theymeanby “innerhealing”andwhatmethodstheypropose tousinorderto do thisministry. As
Christianswe mustbearinmindthat not all methods thatpeople claimtoofferas“innerhealing” are
biblical.Some techniquesthatpeopleuse are rootedmore insecularpsychology, mysticismoreventhe
occult.We shouldflee fromthe occult,be waryof mysticismandinmanycases distrustthe worldly
wisdomof ‘secularpsychology. ‘
Thisworld“innerhealing”isfoundquite widelyintoday’scontext. “Innerhealing”referstoan attempt
to free people fromthe negative emotionaleffectsof harmful experiences.Innerhealinghasbecome
more popularlately alsointhe Christiancommunity. “Christian”innerhealingpractitionersuse various
techniquesthatare alsousedinmysticism, including“prayerjourneys”thatencourage people to
rememberpasthurtful situationsandvisualize Jesuswiththematthatmoment.
There are several potential dangersinherentinvisualizationtechniquesandmystical New Age methods.
Three of the mostsignificantare:Firstly the harmthatcouldcome from prolongeddwellingon
occurrencesthat evoke hurtoranger. The Secondis the dangerof basingour ideaof God uponan image
inour mindinsteadof the truth of whoHe is as revealedinScripture.The Thirdisthe possibilityof
openingthe doorsof our mindstodemonicinterference.
God wantsto free usfrom sinsthat arise fromspecifichurtful occasionsinourpast,butHe doesn’tneed
visualizationtechniquesorprolongedemphasisonthe pastto do so.In fact, the Bible isclearthat the
Christianexperience involvesthe deathof ouroldselvesand“risingtowalkinnewnessof life” asstated
inRomans 6:4,” We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that,
just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new
life.” We need to know that the newlife ischaracterizedbythoughtsaboutHimwhosavedus,not
thoughtsaboutthe deadfleshthathas beencrucifiedwithChrist. JesuslikenedHimself toa strongtree.
As we abide inHimHe transformsourheartsand healsus. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you
remain inme andI in you,you will bear much fruit; apartfrom me you can do nothing.” Thereforeas
Christianswe mustknowthat the keyis focuson the Lord, notfocus onourselves…!
As Christianswe needtosteadfastlybearinmindthat“innerhealing” canbe receivedthroughreading,
studyingandmeditatingGodsword – the bible.Godensuredthatwe have the bible forourknowledge
and understandingof whoHe is…the omnipresentGod whoisour saviour.If we seekHiminfaithand
commitour livestoHim,thenthe innerhealingwill be automatic.Because withstrongfaithin Jesus
Christ,nothingcanhinderthe believer!We canlearnbyreading Hebrews 12:1–2, “Therefore,since we
are surrounded bysuch a great cloud ofwitnesses, let us throw offeverything thathinders andthe sin
that so easilyentangles,andlet us runwith perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fixour
eyes on Jesus, the author andperfecter of our faith,whofor the joy set before himendured the cross,
scorningits shame,and sat downat the right handof the throne of God.”

2. Objective truthcentersonthe greatdoctrinesof the faithandtheirrelevance tolife:the sovereigntyof
God, the highpriestlyintercessionof Christ,the promiseof the HolySpirit,andthe hope of eternal
glory.Understandingthese greattruths,centeringourthoughtsonthem, andrehearsingtheminour
mindswill enableustoreasonfromtruth inall of life’strials,andourfaithwill be strongandvital.
Reasoningfromwhatwe feel aboutourselves—ratherthanwhatwe know aboutGod—isthe sure path
to spiritual defeat.
The “innerhealing”thatwe shouldbe willingtoembrace asChristians isthe one where “innerhealing”
reallymeanthe sanctificationandtransformationof the innerlife through faithonwhatJesusdidforus
on the cross and the resurrection.People canbe helpedthroughprayer andcounselingwhere theyare
encouragedtodo the followingthings:
1. Confesstheirsinsasthe HolySpiritleads,recentonesaswell asonescommittedmanyyearsago.
2. Repentor turn fromtheirsins.
3. Forgive the oneswhohave wrongedthem.
4. Allowthe crossto do itswork intheirlivestodeliverthemfromthe powerof sin.People mustreckon
themselvesdeadtosinandalive toGod inorder to breakfree of sin’spower.Theymustbelieve that
theirsinsandsinful nature were dealtwithatthe crossof Christ,that Jesustookitfor them, sotheycan
go on to live inthe freedomof God’sSpirit.The bookof Romanschapter6 isveryimportantinthis
regard.
In response tothisself humblingandfacingof the truth,God will workbyHis Spirit andbringcleansing
and a transformationinthe life of the personreceivingministry.Often,abeautiful emotional healingis
the result. Therefore the more we learntoputoff the oldnature,the more the life of Jesuscanshine
throughus. Thisisa bigpart of God’spurpose forour lives.