Take out the garbage

Hello!

So we just started the inner healing course called "Pure Heart" at IHOP this past week. It's about an 8 week course, lasting for the duration of this internship. And already, with the issues God has been dealing with in my heart, if there's ever one reason I'm here for a season at IHOP, I can attest that this class is it!

I've never taken a full out inner healing course before- but already the Lord has been drawing so much stuff out of me- things I've denied or repressed...and He's shining His light on the areas of darkness in my heart-

EVERYONE on the track is taking this class. And the thing is- with stuff like "inner healing"- we can easily be judgmental with this stuff. Judgmental towards the concept of inner healing, and even the idea that perhaps, we possibly may need it? I'm kinda like the charismatic black sheep in my family of presbyterians- I remember calling my mom and telling her about some of the experiences I've had thus far within the genre of inner healing at IHOP, and I remember her kinda lovingly joke with me- "so did you receive your "inner healing"?"

But, all kidding aside- I'm convinced more than ever that inner healing is something that would benefit everyone. The thing is, there is not one soul on Earth who hasn't experienced their fair share of abuses and is not a broken vessel- not if you live in the fallen reality of life on Earth, at least before the 2nd coming of Christ. Hearing testimonies from various people- even people who you would consider "very normal people"- has left me convinced. And thus alas, it's the people who "have it all together"- people I respect and admire that have had the most traumatic histories, but have gone through their own healing to become the whole people they are now.

Anyways, I was taught a fresh paradigm in regards to inner healing, and demonization.

Now!! I believe (IHOP too) that our Spirits are saved with the Lord when we accept Christ as Savior- the HOly Spirit is in us, and that in most cases we can never be totally possessed by demons a la "exorcist" style. That CAN happen however, if we open and willingly choose rebellion against the Lord and choose to stay in whatever keeps us in bondage (unforgiveness, etc). I've personally seen it- I've ministered to and seen Christians who have given the enemy willing access to their lives through unforgiveness and what not, become pretty possessed (lose control, manifest in creepy ways). So it can happen. But by and large, those of us under the lordship of Jesus, the Holy Spirit- we're cool.

But then there are areas of our lives where we've been wounded and hurt, and the enemy has some control over, through the lies we've believed in our woundedness. For some of us, it's the way we were raised by our parents and treated by our fathers and mothers that left us with feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness. For some of us, we've just been abused in some way or another- and that left us emotionally, sexually, spiritually crippled and we don't realize it. It's like sometimes you feel this anger, rage come about over a certain trigger- and you wonder where it came from? Alot of is the junk of the past in what we've went through- lies that we believe, that the enemy has taken a hold of.

I've been taught this paradigm that has illustrated this principle in a fresh way- if you have a messy house with garbage, food lying around, you'll have rats who come in and fester around in the garbage. But if you get rid of the garbage, you also get rid of the rats. In the same way, with us, there's garbage in our hearts and lives (the wounds and hurts, lies that hold us bondage) that demons fester in- just like the rats who fester in garbage. But as soon as we're able to rid ourselves of the baggage and garbage, and keep a "clean house"- there's nothing for demons to cling to in the purity and holiness of the place. And that's the will of the Lord! To destroy the works of the devil in our lives- uproot the lies and garbage- And from a haven for demons-set us free by leaving our hearts a complete and whole dwelling place of the Spirit!

It's profound to me- because even now, God is revealing plenty of garbage in my heart- stuff I didn't even know I had...but I'm excited with this course that He's going to do the measure of drawing it out of me- false mindsets, false beliefs, false understandings of who God is, how I see myself, how God sees me- how I see people, etc. And in the end, walk in the fullness of all Christ intentioned through the ministry and healing of the heart. I honestly thought I was walking in all of this stuff- but it's like the Lord is increasing the measure and depth of revelation in these areas, while eradicating the garbage that still keeps me down from pressing in to Him. As they teach at "Pure Heart"- that's the point of inner healig- to remove everything that would hinder love. Love towards God. Receiving the love of God towards us. Love with each other. The baggage we carry so gets in the way, whether we realize it or not, sadly.

Anyways, for these reasons, it leaves me with the conviction that these type of ministries- everyone should experience- you'll just come out healthier emotionally, and more whole- having dealt with the various issues of your life that we too often dismiss or excuse as "just life". I'm reminded in the end, that "hurt" people only hurt people and that "healed people" heal people. And in your own ministry as a believer, you can only minister to the limit and extent of the wholeness of your heart. But praise the Lord, Christ desires to set us free in Him! And He redeems us- turns our scars into stars as we shine His light in our weakness to set others free.