Post # 24 – INNER HEALING MULTIPLICATION

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Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in Him. "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are My disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you" (John 8:31-32 MSG).

If it’s Truth with a capital “T” that set’s us free, then it’s the lies we unwittingly believe that oppress and enslave us. We believe lies about ourselves, God, and relationships as a result of growing up in a fallen, dysfunctional and broken world. The hurtful, disappointing, and abusive childhood and adolescent events you’ve experience have wounded you down deep inside … in your core. They’ve broken, ruptured, fragmented, crushed, and shattered your heart.   

GOSPEL = GOOD NEWS

But there’s also some exceptionally good news:

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15 ESV).

“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” (Luke 4:18 NKJV). This is Luke’s historic account of the inauguration of Jesus’ earthly ministry in the synagogue in Nazareth.

The healing of the brokenhearted and the liberation of captives is not an offshoot of the New Age movement, the counseling craze, or of the syncretism of eastern mystical religions into contemporary Christianity. Isaiah prophesied that inner healing would be an integral facet of the Messiah’s gospel ministry six-hundred years before Jesus was born! Others have sought to copy and counterfeit what God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit yearned for His broken and lost human race. But it’s clear that inner healing for broken people originated within the passionate heart of the Creator.

MULTIPLICATION

It’s also clear that God’s intention was and is to reach our world through mended and mending broken ones. In chapter 61, Isaiah went on to prophesy that the brokenhearted the Messiah would recruit, heal, and set free would be called “oaks of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:3b). Jesus did not go after the cream of the crop. He instead built His Kingdom on the backs of fishermen, tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. He did this intentionally so it would be clear to all that His Kingdom was completely different than the performance-based religious structure of His day. When compared to the scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees, there was an awesome miraculous character to the Messiah’s realm. Jesus’ movement was clearly the incredible outworking of unfailing love and astonishing grace … so that all of the glory would reflect back and reveal the magnificent character of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit … so that He would be glorified (Isaiah 61:3b).

Isaiah 63:4 states it this way: “Then they (the wounded healers) will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.”

Fully aware that his encounter with the Messiah had healed his brokenness and set him free, the man who referred to himself as the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) wrote an apt summary of this paradox:

“Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of ‘the brightest and the best’ among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these "nobodies" to expose the hollow pretensions of the ‘somebodies’? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That's why we have the saying, "If you're going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God" (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 MSG).

APPLICATION

A few questions: Where are you in your healing journey? Have you recognized areas of slavery, bondage, oppression, and subjugation that afflict you in your day-to-day life? Maybe you struggle periodically with painful emotions such as shame, anger, worry, anxiety, guilt, self-hatred, irritation, aloneness, depression, inferiority …?

Or maybe you battle with compulsive habits that hinder your ability to live fully and freely like people pleasing, perfectionism, a need to be in control, same sex attraction, body image fixations, pornography, masturbation, drivenness, inability to relax …? 

Or from time to time perhaps you overreact to something that someone says or does? What the other person did or said may have been somewhat insensitive or hurtful but you find yourself overreacting by going into a week-long depression, withdrawal from relating, or binging on something that isn’t really good for you? These are all signs that you could benefit from the inner-healing ministry of the Messiah.

Or maybe you’ve embraced your need for healing, but are either stuck or aren’t quite sure what to do to actually get the healing you desire?

Or possibly you’ve received healing and are at a better place. But perhaps you haven’t taken the time to learn how to be of service to others you meet who would benefit from your help in inner-healing.

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