Inner healing is the process of allowing God to heal areas of emotional, spiritual, and psychological woundedness in a person’s life. These inner wounds are believed to negatively impact a person’s relationship with God, themselves, and others. Advocates of inner healing believe that God wants to bring restoration and wholeness to all areas of a person’s life, including their inner being.
There are differing views among Christians on whether inner healing is biblical. Some key considerations include:
The state of the human inner being
The Bible teaches that the human heart is fallen and inclined toward sin (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:18). Emotional and psychological wounds can develop when a person experiences pain, trauma, rejection, or hardship. Advocates believe inner wounds give the enemy footholds in one’s life and that God desires to heal these places in order to restore people to wholeness.
Jesus’ ministry of inner healing
The Gospels record many instances where Jesus brought emotional, spiritual, and psychological restoration to people. He forgave and healed a paralyzed man’s sins before physically healing him (Luke 5:20). He restored Mary Magdalene emotionally and spiritually, delivering her from demonic oppression (Luke 8:2). These demonstrate Jesus’ concern for the whole person.
The role of community
The Bible exhorts Christians to bear one another’s burdens and restore those caught in sin gently (Galatians 6:1-2). God often uses Christian community to facilitate inner healing through deliverance, prayer for emotional wounds, and biblical counsel. Some believe that professional therapy can also play a role when submitted to God’s authority.
Cautions about inner healing
While inner healing can be beneficial, Christians also express cautions about it. There are warnings about false teachings, relying on inner revelations over Scripture, recovering repressed memories, and demonization of mental illness. Christians are called to test teachings and practices against Scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).
God’s desire for wholeness
The Bible shows that God cares about human pain and brokenness. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom to the captives, heal sickness and disease, and forgive sins (Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18). God promises to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). Complete inner healing will ultimately occur when God wipes away every tear (Revelation 21:4).
Overall, Christians acknowledge that emotional and inner wounds can negatively impact people’s lives. They believe God is able to bring healing, restoration, and freedom in these places through the power of Jesus Christ. There are differing perspectives on what inner healing looks like and concerns to have biblical discernment. But all agree that God cares deeply about human pain and His desire is to see people made whole.
Biblical accounts of inner healing
There are many examples in the Bible where Jesus and the apostles facilitate emotional, spiritual, and psychological healing in individuals they encountered. Here are some key accounts of inner healing:
Jesus heals a paralytic
In Luke 5:17-26, Jesus heals a paralyzed man lowered through the roof by his friends. But before physically healing him, Jesus first says “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Jesus saw the man’s deeper need for forgiveness and dealt with his spiritual paralysis before physical.
Jesus casts out Legion’s demons
Mark 5:1-20 records the demon-possessed man Jesus delivered in the region of the Gerasenes. The man was tormented and wounded emotionally and spiriturally. Jesus brought inner healing by commanding the demons to leave the man. He was then described as being “in his right mind.”
Jesus heals persistent bleeding
In Luke 8:43-48, Jesus heals the woman who had constant menstrual bleeding for 12 years. Her condition left her socially isolated and destitute. Beyond physical relief, Jesus also gave her emotional and relational restoration by publicly calling her “daughter.”
Jesus forgives and heals paralytic
When Jesus heals a paralytic in Matthew 9:2-8, He first forgives the man’s sins. Jesus saw the deeper spiritual and emotional needs before meeting his physical need. The teachers of the law recognized Jesus’ authority to forgive sins.
Ananias ministers to Paul
After his Damascus road conversion in Acts 9, Paul is blinded for three days and does not eat or drink. God sends Ananias to go lay hands on Paul to regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ananias prayed over Paul and God healed him physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
Jesus restores Peter
In John 21, Jesus ministers emotionally to Peter who had denied Him three times at His crucifixion. Jesus asks Peter three times if Peter loves Him, paralleling the denials. He invites Peter to reaffirm his love and commitment to Christ, restoring him spiritually and emotionally.
Biblical principles for inner healing
While the Bible does not provide a formulaic approach, it does lay out principles that can facilitate emotional and inner healing:
Confession and repentance
Confessing and repenting from sin is key to experiencing spiritual and emotional freedom according to verses like 1 John 1:9, James 5:16, and 2 Corinthians 7:1.
Renewing the mind
Romans 12:2 and Philippians 4:8 instruct believers to renew their minds according to godly truth that brings transformation.
Deliverance from demonic oppression
Scripture gives authority to believers through Jesus to cast out demons that afflict people emotionally and spiritually (Mark 16:17, Acts 16:16-18).
Inner transformation by the Holy Spirit
As Christians behold Jesus and have minds renewed by the Spirit, they are transformed inwardly (2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:5-6).
Biblical counseling and discipleship
Receiving biblical counseling and ongoing discipleship with other Christians facilitates inner change through applying God’s truth (Galatians 6:1-2, Colossians 3:16).
Prayer for emotional healing
Bringing painful emotions and memories to Christ through prayer for inner healing is encouraged (Psalm 147:3, Philippians 4:6-7).
Living in God’s love
Abiding in the Father’s love for us brings security and enables us to work through inner wounds, according to verses like 1 John 3:1 and Psalm 103:2-4.
How inner healing happens
There are various believes about how inner healing takes place. Here are some common perspectives:
Divine healing through prayer
Some believe that emotional wounds can be supernaturally healed as we bring them to God in prayer, asking Him to bring His healing.
Receiving healing at inner healing ministries or retreats
Inner healing ministries and retreats provide intensive times of prayer for emotional healing. Common activities include identifying wounds, forgiveness, guided prayer, and deliverance.
Healing through the Scriptures
The Bible and its truths are seen as living and active (Hebrews 4:12) with power to penetrate hardened hearts, release trauma, renew minds, and bring spiritual refreshment.
The healing presence of God
Entering into worship and God’s presence is believed to bring healing as we receive divine love and grace. Christians talk of “soaking” in God’s presence.
Healing through community
Wounds can be exposed to loving Christian community to receive prayer, counseling, modeling of health, and learning to form secure attachments.
Integration with mental health treatment
Some advocate professionally treating mental illness alongside pursing inner healing with trained Christian therapists and psychiatrists.
Cautions about inner healing
While inner healing can be valid, Christians also raise cautions about how it is practiced:
No guaranteed formulas
There are no guaranteed techniques, methodologies, or rituals that automatically produce inner healing. Approaches should be biblically based versus technically based.
Testing revelations and teachings
Christians must test all teachings, prophetic revelations, visions, and inner voices against Scripture and only accept what aligns (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).
Avoid recovering false memories
Recovered memory therapy has led people to imagine false memories of trauma that did not occur. Christians should avoid recovering assumed repressed memories.
Not all mental illness is spiritual
While mental illness can have spiritual roots, often there are biological factors. Christians must avoid simplistically labeling all conditions like depression or anxiety as demonic oppression.
No quick fixes
Deeply entrenched emotional wounds developed over years, so inner healing is an ongoing process. There are no quick fixes that permanently remove all inner brokenness.
No “blaming demons”
While Scripture affirms evil spirits’ existence, Christians can erroneously blame all problems on demons versus taking personal responsibility for behaviors. Discernment is required.
No “truth dumping”
Biblical truths must be applied carefully to emotional wounds versus indiscriminate truth-dumping which can damage instead of heal.
Integrate with other resources
Inner healing should be part of a holistic process of growth and discipleship along with biblical study, counseling, medical treatment, life skills, etc.
Biblical inner healing in church history
Throughout church history, Christians have recognized Jesus’ ministry of bringing spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical healing. Here are a few examples:
Desert Fathers and mothers
Early monastics like St. Anthony saw battling demons, sins, and emotional wounds as part of the process of draw near to God.
St. Ignatius of Loyola
In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius developed guided meditations to facilitate inner healing through encountering biblical truths.
Puritans and Pietists
These movements emphasized personal piety, devotion, and godly living in one’s inner life as the foundation for relating to God and others.
Great Awakenings
Revivals in the 18th-19th centuries focused on deep spiritual conviction and renewal, facilitating emotional healing.
Holiness movement
Holiness groups in the 19th century taught that sanctification cleans the inner life of sinful desires and habits that wound people emotionally.
Pentecostalism
Pentecostal practices of baptism of the Spirit, speaking in tongues, and deliverance target spiritual-emotional aspects of salvation and healing.
Inner healing movement
This more recent movement specifically emphasizes prayer for emotional wounds, sins, demonization, forgotten memories, and other inner aspects of healing through counseling and deliverance.
Benefits of inner healing
Here are some potential benefits of biblically-based inner healing:
Wholeness
Inner healing seeks to bring together the fragmented aspects of one’s life under the Lordship of Jesus, resulting in greater wholeness.
Freedom from past pain
Inner wounds from trauma, rejection, betrayal, loss, and abuse can be healed and their power broken by applying biblical truth.
Breaking destructive patterns
Inner healing facilitates breaking free from destructive habits, addictions, and behaviors rooted in emotional wounds.
Relief from shame and guilt
TheSpirit applies the forgiveness and cleansing of the cross to wash away shame and guilt that haunt people’s inner lives.
Secure identity in Christ
Healing inner places of brokenness enables people to more fully embrace their identity as beloved children of God.
Improved relationships
As emotional wounds are healed, people can more freely give and receive love. Healthy relating becomes more possible.
Spiritual maturation
Allowing the Spirit to transform our inner being results in greater spiritual maturity and fruitfulness (John 15:1-5).
Psychological benefits
Inner healing can lead to reduced anxiety, depression, increased self-esteem, and improved psychiatric symptoms along with other psychological benefits.
Cautions for those seeking inner healing
Those desiring biblical inner healing should also heed the following cautions:
Have proper expectations
While Christ redeems all of life, believers won’t experiencecomplete inner healing and restoration on this side of eternity. Managing expectations is important.
Submit to Scripture
God’s Word must remain the supreme authority over any inner impressions, visions, prophecy, or teachings about your inner life and healing.
Find a trustworthy community
Have a church and small group that knows you, can discern your wounds and process, and care for you through inner healing in the long-term.
Beware of recovered memories
Be very cautious about recovering assumed repressed memories, as false memories can be psychologically induced.
Treat causes appropriately
Identify whether emotional struggles may require medical help, counseling for mental illness, deliverance, or lifestyle changes along with inner healing.
Remember progress takes time
There are no quick fixes. Inner transformation happens gradually; don’t become discouraged by gradual progress.
Guard your heart
Be aware that focusing excessively on your inner wounds could exacerbate self-absorption. Fix your eyes more on Christ than your inner self.
Conclusion
Inner healing is a process where God renews areas of emotional and spiritual woundedness to bring greater wholeness. The desire for biblically-based inner healing springs from the belief that God wants to redeem all aspects of people’s lives through Jesus Christ. Scripture gives many examples of Jesus facilitating emotional, relational, and spiritual healing beyond just the physical. The Bible provides principles for how God brings inner change and transformation. While inner healing can provide many benefits, there are also important cautions for how it is pursued in a balanced biblical manner. Christians believe that complete inner healing awaits eternal life. But diligently walking with Christ and submitting to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in the inner person can facilitate substantial healing and wholeness even now.