Healing the Broken Hearted: After Care — How to Keep Your Healing
THE GOAL OF INNER HEALING AND DELIVERANCE MINISTRY IS NOT ONLY RELEASE FROM THE
INFLUENCES OF DARKNESS, BUT THE RESTORATION OF THE SEEKER’S SOUL AND BODY TO
SPIRITUAL WHOLENESS, SO THAT THEY MAY ONCE AGAIN BE THE PERSON GOD INTENDS THEM TO
BE.
Immediately Following the Prayer Time
The following suggestions may be followed once the major prayer time is completed.
1. Check with the Lord: Ask the Lord to reveal any additional darkness that may still be present, or any other open doors that need to be closed and healed.
2. Check yourself: Only you know what the bondage has felt like. Do a personal inventory — do you sense that the healing is complete?
3. Be filled with the Holy Spirit: Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Dedicate each part of your body to Christ (Rom. 6:12-13).
4. Begin a scripture memory program: Colossians 3:16 admonishes us, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly….” Begin a scripture memory program and serious Bible study — particularly if gates of lust, perversion, addiction, or other forms of carnality were open in your life. Colossians 2:6-7 counsels, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith….” Feast regularly upon God’s Word and His promises.
5. Ground yourself in Bible doctrine: Romans 12:2 explains, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The truth revealed in God’s Word is essential to the transformation process. If rebellion, witchcraft, heresy, or participation in false religions was evidenced in your life, a strong dose of Bible doctrine is invaluable for healthy growth and development, provision, and protection.
6. Focus on the positive: Your testimony of healing should focus on the positive aspects of coming into the light of Jesus, not on the details of leaving the darkness.
7. Be discerning: There is a difference between hearing the voice of darkness trying to influence you from outside your body and feeling the presence of darkness from within. You are free — but darkness will attempt to deceive you and convince you that you have not received your healing. The two voices may sound similar. Do not believe the lie that you were not healed after all. The voice of darkness will diminish in volume over time.
Why After Care Is Necessary
The Lord has blessed you and healed you. He has poured out His light upon you. He has done His part — and now you must do yours. Without being alert and on guard, it is extremely easy to fall back into old habits and thought patterns, to be tempted in your associations with old friends and old routines, and to let the assurance of the healing you have received “drift away.”
Beware that the forces of darkness will try very hard (for a while) to get back into the comfortable home they previously inhabited. They will try to convince you that you were not really healed and that you were not truly forgiven — although you were, when you first asked. Stand firm on this promise: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
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Healing the Broken Hearted: After Care — How to Keep Your Healing
It should not be expected that when the Holy Spirit blesses you with an inner healing, the healing experience is finished and no further maintenance is needed. It is dangerous to assume that after care is not required.
Remember, Jesus cautioned: “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee”
(John 5:14).
Read Luke 11:24-26, which speaks of what can happen after the Lord cleans your spiritual “house” — if you do not replace the areas that have been cleansed with godly light, welcoming Jesus into your heart and spirit rather than leaving that house empty for the darkness to return.
Healing is a process, not a destination or a once-and-for-all experience. If you return to habitual practices of sin, or to any of the forbidden practices or demonic objects you have renounced, you can once again lose your freedom and become subject to the influences of darkness and bondage — often in a manner far worse than before.
“GETTING RID OF THE NEGATIVES IN OUR LIFE IS BUT HALF THE STRUGGLE : EACH
SUBTRACTION MUST BE FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY AN ADDITION .”
Keeping the Healing God Has Given You
The following recommendations will assist you in keeping the healing God has given you:
1. “Go, and sin no more” (John 8:11): Being repentant means that we have sorrow for wrongdoing and a desire to live in the Lord’s righteousness. We choose to stop doing what we understand is wrong before
God, and we choose to do what is right in His sight. As Colossians 3:2 advises, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” We take a new path and we remember our former sins — and our former way of life — no more, as Paul also determined in Philippians 3:13-14. We remember and value the fact that God has forgiven us. We become “rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith…” (Col. 2:7).
2. Keep short accounts of sin: We are to be obedient and not sin — but if we do sin, we need to bring it immediately before the Lord in confession and repentance. Even if you stumble, do not stay down; get right back up and continue to walk in the Lord (1 John 1:5, 9; 2:1). Following Christ means choosing to be obedient to His teachings.
3. Share your testimony of healing: Sharing your testimony will help your faith grow and will keep you focused on Jesus. You will be a blessing and a witness to others.
4. Be aware of your thought life: The battle between good and evil begins in the mind. You do not have to accept evil or wrong thoughts. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”
(Rom. 12:2). If the onslaught of evil thoughts continues to be a problem, it is better to say, “God, I don’t want this thought,” than to rebuke the devil and give him any attention. Remember, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (Jas. 4:7). Just because a delivery man (Satan) brings a package to the door
(of your mind) with your name on it does not mean you have to accept it. Keep your eyes and ears open for all the sneaky traps, little and big, that the devil will leave around for you. Then cast “all your care upon him….” (1 Pet. 5:7) — your Heavenly Father — and He will answer to give you victory.
5. Fill your mind and spirit with positive thoughts of Jesus: Philippians 2:5 admonishes us, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus….” In prayer, gratefully confess the areas in which you have received freedom. Listen to nurturing Christian music and hymns. Be reminded, “Finally, brethren,
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Healing the Broken Hearted: After Care — How to Keep Your Healing
whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, … just, … pure, … lovely, … of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8).
6. Pray every day: Prayer is the best defense against darkness. At all times, maintain open communication with God. Allow for quiet time — to “be still” — to listen for His voice (John 15:7; 1 Cor. 14:14; 1 Thes.
5:17).
7. Read the Bible and daily devotionals: The good spirit in you needs daily spiritual nourishment. Read the encouraging testimonies of others and the uplifting biographies of former heroes of the faith. Engage in activities that build up and stimulate positive growth and development.
8. Praise the Lord in all circumstances: “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Phil. 4:4).
Embody the law of gratitude (Phil. 4:6-7). The words of our mouth invite either Jesus or darkness. Refrain from complaining, murmuring, muttering, grumbling, finding fault, and making judgments — all of which sow seeds of darkness. Paul recommends and informs us: “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thes. 5:18).
9. Learn to stand firm (by faith) on the promises of Jesus Christ: Read and study the Bible to discover what His promises are — then appropriate them and proclaim them as your own.
10. Involve yourself in local church life: Attend regularly. Serve. Develop or join a support group that will hold you accountable and will pray with you and for you. Beware of thinking that you do not need others and can make it on your own.
11. Be a disciple: Join a Life Group, and invite your Life Group leader to walk with you.
12. Seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit: Yield to the Holy Spirit. You have heard Him speak to you as you received your healing. He will speak to you again on a regular basis if you ask and prepare.
13. Discover your spiritual gifts and your place of service within the body: Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and to empower you, shaping you for effective service — then commit to serve.
14. “Put on the whole armor of God” every day: As an added covering, clothe yourself with the armor spoken of in Ephesians 6:10-18.
15. Commit all your thoughts, desires, and plans to the Lord Jesus: If you do, He will guide you continuously, and you will be humbled by the generous and blessed things He reveals to you and does for you. He has promised to make you like a watered garden and a constant spring of water. In trusting
Him, depending upon Him, and acknowledging Him in all things, He shall “direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:5-
6).
16. Walk in forgiveness as a lifestyle: Quick forgiveness is important. Do not carry what God has already released.
DECLARE
Jesus has made me whole, and I will walk in the freedom He has given me.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
“Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more” (John 5:14).
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