UNDERSTANDING RESTORATION, DELIVERANCE, AND INNER HEALING

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."Luke 4:18

For restoration to occur, the person must be ministered to through liberation and inner healing. Therefore it is necessary to clarify the differences between these ministries and the need within the restoration. These ministries are performed within the Church, but many times due to ignorance, errors are made in the form of ministration, and instead of bringing peace and freedom to the person who seeks God, they confuse and worsen their spiritual and emotional situation. Therefore, it is important to know what the differences and needs are that make these ministries closely related and part of the restoration. The Bible states that man is a tripartite being, he is made up of spirit, soul, and body and the three areas work integrally: If one area is damaged, it will negatively affect the other areas.

From the spiritual point of view, a person possessed under the power of an evil spirit; will also manifest disturbed emotional behavior and will suffer in his body. This person must be ministered in prayer of deliverance according to the power that Jesus Christ gave to his Church (Luke 10:19). In this action the forces of the devil will stop operating before the power of the Spirit of God and His Word. In the Gospels, Jesus manifests His restorative power through his ministry of teaching, preaching, healing, and delivering people from spiritual and physical brokenness. Restoration is possible no matter how broken a life may seem.

Surrendering control and trusting in God’s plan requires humility and courage. The person must let go of perceived control and self-reliance to create space for God’s grace to enter. This letting go allows the person to release past hurts, disappointments, and resentments and let God into the broken places of his heart. Letting go is not easy, but it unleashes great power. As the person releases his grip he frees himself from unnecessary turmoil and suffering. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the verb "restore" as to bring back to or put back something to a former or original state. The promise of restoration, “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 30:17, is a repeated theme throughout the Bible, offering hope when all else seems to contradict it. Restoration, in the biblical sense, holds immense meaning for those seeking spiritual guidance and healing. It refers to the act of renewing or bringing back something to its original state. The roots of the word “restoration” can be traced back to the Latin term “restauratio,” which signifies renewal and repair.

When exploring the concept of restoration, it is important to delve into the Hebrew and Greek origins of the word. In Hebrew, the word for restoration is “shūb,” which signifies the act of turning back or returning. This reflects the idea of repentance and the restoration of one’s relationship with God. In Greek, the word for restoration is “apokathistēmi,” which conveys the sense of bringing something back to its rightful place. This emphasizes the idea of returning to a state of wholeness and righteousness.

By understanding the Hebrew and Greek roots of restoration, we gain a deeper insight into the biblical view of restoration. It goes beyond mere repair or renewal; it encompasses a holistic transformation that involves turning away from sin, returning to God, and reclaiming what was lost or broken. The concept of restoration holds great relevance in today’s world, as individuals seek healing, renewal, and reconciliation in their personal lives.

As the person is under the dominion of demonic oppression, he is unable to free himself; He needs God's help. However, he is aware of his situation and in his emotional area (his soul) he feels fear, anguish, shame, and anger. The people who are ministering must be discreet, and wise, and operate in love. We should not make ministry a public spectacle because this will affect the person being ministered to negatively.  

Furthermore, it must be kept in mind that every liberated person must continue in the ministry of inner healing to lead to his restoration. Inner healing is the result, in the soul of the person, of a process of renewal of his mind and heart, which brings him inner peace, frees him from painful memories, and allows him to restore his present life according to God’s will and plans for his life. Inner healing encompasses the healing of harmful emotions and feelings that bring depression, anxiety, anguish, and lack of peace, due to unhealed painful memories that also distort thoughts and create one's own lies to justify the experience or repress it.

Unlike demonic liberation, in internal healing the active participation, decision, and perseverance of the person are essential and an indefinite time is required when the Holy Spirit works, guiding, rebuking, and revealing the truth that sets one free (John 8: 32). This is a gradual process of "removing the thorn" and sowing the word of God in the thoughts and the perfect love of God in the heart; Gods Word for the sick mind and love for the wounded heart full of hate and resentment because of the pain of the past.

All people need inner healing because we are all wounded, but not all of us need demonic liberation. However, in both cases, manifestations such as anger, anxiety, depression, and anguish can occur, but they are not always due to spiritual causes. Most of the time it is due to the fruits of painful memories from the unresolved past, therefore care must be taken in the way of ministering.

In this aspect, many mistakes are made that worsen the person's situation. Let's look at the following examples: A person who has suffered from depression for a long time seeks God and is delivered from a spirit of depression. The person returns home and the depression worsens. Then, he feels that God has abandoned her, that his last hope does not exist, or that he is unworthy and there is sin in his life. This situation causes him to fall into a deeper depression and he loses confidence in the power of God. The problem is that this person needs to be ministered to inner healing and not deliverance and guided toward his restoration.

Similar errors occur when ministering demonic deliverance to a person suffering from the disease of epilepsy. This disease presents manifestations similar to those of the boy with the mute spirit (Mark 9:17-22): It takes hold of him, knocks him down, and he foams, gnashes his teeth, and wastes away. The case of people with hormonal disorders who manifest severe anxiety or depression due to physical causes can also be mentioned. How many children have also suffered traumas that in their adulthood will prevent them from trusting God, or fear being ministered to? Because of painful memories the person also creates images that cause fear and are distorted from reality. Logically, all of these people need ministering; but we cannot know if it may always be because they are possessed by an unclean spirit. Of course, Satan uses these situations to oppress the person, but oppression is not the same as possession.

Every person who needs deliverance should have an inner healing and restoration follow-up, but not every person who needs inner healing needs to be ministered to as a demon-possessed person. Whatever the situation, the love of God must be authentically emphasized through the acts of God's servants who need understanding, wisdom, and above all to have been called by God to this ministry. For God whom he calls prepares, through his own experience (II Corinthians 1:4).

Why is it that some people are not restored even though they are in Christ? Many times it is because they do not dare to recognize their own responsibility due to fear and feelings of guilt. They prefer to blame every problem on others and close the door to their heart. God demands a condition: that we open the door to Him (which is the will), believe in Him, and obey Him because He does not force us. He invites, He knocks... He asks that we hand over our burdens to Him and follow Him "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and I will eat with him and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). Jesus wants to enter with his ministry of salvation, liberation, inner healing, and restoration. But in each area, the person must open the door through honesty, humility, and faith.

Deliverance is the act of liberating someone from the influence or control of evil spirits or demonic forces. It is a vital step in spiritual growth and freedom. However, deliverance alone is not enough to ensure lasting change and true freedom from negative influences. Inner healing and restoration must also be part of the process. Mark 5:1-20: This passage recounts the story of Jesus delivering a man possessed by a legion of evil spirits. After the deliverance, the man is found sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, signifying the restoration and inner healing that took place alongside the deliverance.

Inner healing refers to the process of addressing and resolving the emotional, mental, and spiritual wounds that may have resulted from past traumas or negative experiences. Restoration, on the other hand, is the act of rebuilding and strengthening one's spiritual life, helping the individual to return to their original state of wholeness and well-being. Psalm 147:3: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." This verse emphasizes the role of inner healing in addressing emotional and spiritual wounds.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Christ provides us with a clear commission, which serves as the foundation for the importance of inner healing and restoration in deliverance. In Luke 4:18, Jesus states: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

From this passage, we can see that Jesus emphasizes the importance of healing the brokenhearted and setting the captives free. This implies that deliverance should not be an isolated event, but rather a holistic process that encompasses inner healing and restoration.

It is crucial to recognize that true deliverance involves more than just casting out evil spirits or demonic influences. It is a comprehensive process that includes inner healing and restoration, leading to emotional, mental, and spiritual growth. By adhering to the teachings of Jesus in Luke 4:18, we can better understand the importance of combining these elements in the deliverance process and experience true freedom and wholeness in our spiritual lives.