Inner healing is one of the most powerful prayer approaches we use. It is inviting Jesus into the scene of a painful memory, looking and then seeing Him appear on the screen inside our mind. We invite Him to move freely, tune to flow, and watch the flowing pictures (vision) and receive flowing thoughts (His voice).
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Patti’s mom had just died within the last two days, and all Patti could see in her mind’s eye was the last time she had visited her mom in the hospital, which was the day before her death. Patti’s mom was shriveled up in the bed, at 86 pounds or so, and in tremendous physical pain. She was barely conscious.
This was in stark contrast to the way her mom had lived all of Patti’s life. Her mom had been a noblewoman with great poise and grace.
So Patti prayed an inner healing prayer. She asked the Lord to let her see her mom as He saw her.
The picture that lit upon Patti’s mind, while in prayer, was her mom in heaven, hand in hand with her dad, who had gone there several years earlier. They were dancing together in a lush green field. They were in the prime of their life. Her dad once again had a full head of hair, and her mom had the BIGGEST smile on her face Patti had ever seen (as her mom had been prone to melancholy).
Wow! All the pain in Patti’s heart vanished immediately and Patti was filled with JOY at seeing them so happy in heaven, and even dancing, which was something their church had never allowed.
Key principles underlying Inner Healing
Principle 1: Emotions are by-products of pictures. If I don’t like the emotions I am experiencing, I simply ask God to help me identify the picture I am looking at in my mind which doesn’t contain Him in it. That picture, of course, contains a lie, which is that Jesus isn’t present, everywhere, all the time. Since He is omnipresent, He is everywhere I look (Ps. 139:8). I am asking Jesus to show me the truth. “Lord, where were You in that situation?” The new picture I receive is a picture of Truth.
Principle 2: We are transformed “while we look” (2 Cor. 3:18; 4:17,18). Seeing what Jesus did and hearing Him, HEALS!!! A picture is worth 1000 words, which is one key reason inner healing is so powerful.
Principle 3: Picturing lies (evil imaginations) takes us backward: Walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward (Jer. 7:24 KJV). Pictures containing lies produce negative emotions of fear, anger, hurt, and bitterness. Pictures containing Jesus present, moving, and speaking produce Kingdom emotions of love, joy and peace.
Principle 4: A hurt is healed when we can see the gift God has produced in my life through the experience (Rom. 8:28). Gazing upon the gift continually keeps me in the attitude of gratefulness and thankfulness.
Principle 5: Focus ONLY on the NEW picture, and NEVER look back at the old picture, if I want the emotions of my heart to remain healed.”
One skill we want to establish in life is that of abiding in Christ (Jn. 15). This means seeing Him at my side all the time as you walk through the day (Acts. 2:25). When a tense or painful experience arises, I turn to Jesus right on the spot and see what He is doing and experience the release of His presence, emotions, and power, right in that moment.
Three Key Steps to Inner Healing
Inner Healing Defined: “A living encounter with Jesus. I invite Jesus to replace the pictures in the art gallery of my mind, removing pictures that do not have Jesus in them and replacing them with pictures that do.”
Step 1 - Using vision, go back and see the painful scene for one second ONLY. (You don’t want to be re-traumatized, you just want to be present and feel a bit of the emotion.) In extreme trauma, it is wise to go back to just after the event occurred.
Step 2 - Using vision, invite Jesus into the scene. Look at the pictures that will alight on your inner screen.
Step 3 - Using vision, invite Jesus to move freely. Tune to flowing pictures and thoughts and cooperate as Jesus heals the hurt with His loving presence. Expect "forgiving of self and others" to be involved in Jesus' instructions to you.
Biblical examples of inner healing
A biblical example of this three-step inner healing process would be the trauma Peter experienced when he denied Jesus three times. This occurred at dawn around a charcoal fire (Matt. 26:69-75). Jesus healed this trauma by resetting the scene in which the trauma occurred (Jn. 21:2-17 - dawn, charcoal fire and threefold confession) and Jesus ministered love and acceptance into the midst of that trauma, allowing Peter the freedom to go on and fulfill his destiny.
Another biblical example of inner healing is the disciples on the Emmaus Road (Lk. 24:13-35). Jesus’ crucifixion was a traumatic experience for them. They were sad. Jesus entered into dialogue with them and opened their hearts to a new understanding, a new interpretation of what had happened, and the good that would come out of this horrific experience. This new picture turned their sadness into joy.
Assignment
In your morning devotions for a number of days, ask Jesus to bring to your attention any painful scenes you are holding within. As they come to your attention, jot them down, and then one by one present them to Jesus, asking to see Him present. Where does He appear in the scene? What He is doing? Journal out what transpires. Follow and cooperate with His leading. If he is touching you, soak in that touch and feel His energy entering, transforming, and healing your body. Forgive and release all involved so your prayers are not hindered (1 Pet. 3:7 – HONOR everyone, rather than judging, despising, and hating – Mk. 11:25). As you work with one or two scenes daily in your devotional times, you may find this inner healing prayer process will take you several weeks to complete. Take the time. Full inner healing of ALL painful scenes in your mind is a priceless gift allowing you to walk steadfastly in Kingdom emotions and Kingdom power. So each morning you ask a simple question. “Lord, is there any painful scene from my past that You would like to heal today?” When no more scenes float into your attention, this prayer approach is complete for the time being. Move on to additional prayer approaches.
Training on inner healing prayer
Prayers That Heal the Heart is available in all the following ways:
- DVD training module with book and workbook
- Add a coach to the above. A highly recommended coach who focuses exclusively on inner healing and deliverance prayer is Pastor Don (See his website)
- Take Prayers That Heal the Heart in our electronic School of the Spirit. This includes e-Learning materials, a chatroom, and you can add a coach if desired.
- Take Prayers That Heal the Heart as a college course with Christian Leadership University.
Other Resources
- Healed of 35 Years of PTSD Through Inner Healing and Deliverance Prayer and The Most Effective Inner Healing Program on the Planet!
- Dr. Karl Lehman discusses inner healing with Mark Virkler
- Perfect peace when your imagination is... (Additional links provided on "imagination")
- Rita Bennet has a wonderful book, Emotionally Free, which lays out many testimonies of the above approach to inner healing.
- Does Heart Surgery Cause the Heart to Pick Up a Spirit of Fear?
- Download this “Inner Healing for an Organ” – Prayer Worksheet and complete it (free and interactive), or you can do your journaling in your journaling notebook.
- See a listing of more than 60 Spirit-anointed ways to pray.
Related Resources:
How to Be Emotionally Free! How to Enjoy Vibrant Health! Prayers That Heal the HeartRelated Blogs:
Casting Out Demons Gifts of Healings Healing Emotional Dis-ease How to Hear God’s Voice Prayer Approaches
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