We’re all messed up and need prayer for healing
We arrived safely in Hong Kong for the World Race debrief. I slept enough on the plane to make a 7 a.m. appointment. Karen and I have a crazy week ahead of us – three team debriefs (two in HK where our daughter Talia is and one in the Philippines where our son Seth is).
I used to be skeptical about theophostic prayer. Then one evening I had an experience (that I’ll share in another blog) that defused my concern. My concern was that a method might supplant the role of the Holy Spirit. And certainly it can happen. At the same time, I’ve seen that so many people are the walking wounded and need prayer for for inner healing.
So I thought I’d try to shed some light on what theophostic prayer is. It is: “intentional and focused prayer with the desired outcome of an
authentic encounter with the presence of Christ, resulting in mind renewal and subsequent transformed life.”
According to Wikipedia, it is part of the Inner Healing Movement. Those who practice it believe that certain counseling methods can be used for the calling up of suppressed or hurtful memories in order to deal with them.
It emphasizes prayer that is Christ-centered for its direction and outcome. It encourages a person to discover and expose lies he has believed.
The counselor then helps him to have an encounter with Jesus through prayer, allowing the Lord to reveal His truth to the wounded person’s heart and mind.
As I’ve interacted with a broad cross-section of people, I’ve seen that most people have been deeply wounded as a child or as an adolescent. Because life doesn’t stop, they bury the wound somewhere dark and deep within themselves and keep moving on.
As a result, a part of themselves remains stuck. To become whole, they need to go back and ask Jesus to meet them in that broken place.
It’s hard, but it’s so worth it.
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Prayer Request.
I had to break the relatioship off with Debbie my girlfriend.
I still feel very hurt, and hurt w. her about certain things she is doing. I still need more peace of mind. PrY also for God’s will to be done.
Don
thanks so much for your thoughts on this subject. it has been a touchy one for some people in our church…even asking, “so what happens if Jesus doesn’t show up in your painful memory?” to me, it is unlike Jesus’s character to not show up for healing. He always has.
i understand the trepidation on this topic, but how can we humans decide who God wants to heal through supernatural means? is it so unlike God to want his children to be able to recognize their ‘wholeness’ in Him? most times people are walking around with these hurts and pains because they have become second nature. to not have them would be odd.
but the good news is “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” – 2 Cor. 5:17. God’s design is for us to be NEW in Him, forgetting what’s behind and straining towards what’s ahead (phil. 3:13). what’s ahead? Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done. On earth as it is in Heaven (luke 11). we can’t bring His Kingdom to earth until we have fully realized our citizenship there and can operate in it here.
Interesting topic about Inner Healing. I became involved in the IH movement in Germany during the early 70’s – Fr. Francis McNutt, Quinn Brothers, Ruth Carter Stapleton, and many others. It fit very well with my psychology background, so I jumped in! Well…it has taken on many names over the years, and has been of great controversy in the body of Christ. However, I have taken the stand that if Jesus spit on someone’s eyes – he can use different approaches to healing. I have been in the social work/counseling field most of my adult life; seeing Jesus’ hands work inwardly in people’s hearts. As to the approach the Lord has led me toI just wait on the Holy Spirit, let him speak, and then we all listen and Jesus heals. Sorry, I have so much to share about this topic, especially being a current foster parent, former Children’s Services worker, and pastoral counseling – this has struck a “heart-nerve.” Lord Jesus, let us all be healers in your name…however you want it to be. Psalms 147:3
cool stuff dad love u leah
It is so great to hear that you are learning the basics of TPM. But, as a practioner of TPM, I want to caution that it is really not about healing of memories at all.
For more information on this, I have a series of teachings on the biblical foundation of Theophostic at gatewayfellowship.blogspot.com
Thanks for posting your experience. I will continue to read about what your impressions of this excellent ministry are.
I would like to know where to go to see (via the internet) complete services for the Ignite Church.
http://www.ignitedchurch.com/
or see my blog here:
https://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=revival-in-lakeland-fl&bookmark=true#comments