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Healing the Memories - Lesson 2

by Dr. Ray Self

Talking About It

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Talking About It

Satan wants to capitalize on the emotional hurts in our lives and keep us in condemnation.

Whenever Satan finds a sore spot he will continue to use it over and over again. That is one primary reason we see destructive patterns repeat themselves through our lifetime. Satan conceals but God reveals.

John 8:32 - And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

An important key to remember is that there will always be a truth to replace a lie.

Talking about the incidents that hurt us brings healing - James 5:16 - Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.

The biblical principle is to confess first. We are to be open and honest about what is going on inside. This can be difficult but it is God’s way. Mark 4:22 says, “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.”

Talking about issues or problems usually takes place in layers. As the conversation progresses, if the environment remains safe, then more and more typically will be revealed.

The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth and He is willing to help us reveal the reality of a problem and the truth of God that brings healing to that problem. John 16:13 tells us, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.”

Once a problem is revealed and the truth is known we can pray for that truth to manifest in our individual lives.

Healing Steps

Ask the Holy Spirit for help.
Honest talk for discovery
Confess what is discovered.
Receive healing prayer - “pray for one another.”

The Nehemiah Principle

Nehemiah wanted to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem.
The king gave him authority.
Your King has given you authority - Luke 10:19 - Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Matthew 10:1 - Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
First Nehemiah had to survey the damage (see Nehemiah 2:11-18).
If Nehemiah had not first taken a serious look at the damage then the wall could not have been rebuilt.
If we are not willing to take a serious look at the damage in our souls then we will not be able to rebuild.
We need to survey what is broken and then build on the basis of Scripture.
We cannot intelligently rebuild until we know how much damage was done.
Telling people just to move on can cause damage. If they try to move on too quickly they may just bring the damage with them into their future.

How Jesus did It

Jesus brought up a woman’s past in order to lead a woman to healing and salvation.

John 4:16-18 - Jesus saith unto her, “Go, call thy husband, and come hither.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said unto her, “Thou hast well said, ‘I have no husband;’ For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband; in that saidst thou truly.”

Jesus was bringing some healing into her past to prepare her for the future He had for her.
The woman was reminded of her past in order to bring the healing light of Christ into her life.

The ultimate way that Christ brought our healing was to offer His own body as a legal sacrifice to provide for our healing.

The benefits of His sacrifice were prophesied by Isaiah - Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more (Isaiah 54:4.

Our Legal Position

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. This is our legal position in Christ.

We must work with the Lord and allow Him to get our condition in line with our position.

Philippians 3:13 - Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.

When reading the above Scripture in context you will note that Paul had just spoken about his past.

Paul said not to dwell on the past in a way that it constricts your future.

Paul never ignored his past but would use it in contrast to what God had done in His life.

His past - Galatians 1:13 - For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.

His truth in God - Galatians 1:15 - But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace.

Even though we are not to focus on the past we must at the same time be healed of anything that keeps us from forgetting and reaching forth for all that God has for us.

Healing the Memories - Lesson 1

by Dr. Ray Self

Introduction

Key Scriptures

John 8:32 - And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Isaiah 53:4-5 - Surely He has borne our grief’s and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with His stripes we are healed

Isaiah 54:4-5 - Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widow-hood you will remember no more. For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth He is called.

Psalms 34:18 - The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.

Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

A Word about Memories

Memories include feelings, concepts, patterns, attitudes, emotions, and visual images. Memories contain the expressions of how we felt at a particular moment. These memories can be factors that guide or hinder us in our present lives. Memories do not necessarily go away nor can they be simply forgotten. However, their influence in our present and future can be managed in a healthy way. Painful past events can be open doors to further troubles. These old doorways have labels such as rejection, abandonment, betrayal, shame, guilt, and unworthiness. All of these labeled doors are redeemable with the healing truth of Christ. These doors can be shut and new doors of wonderful opportunity can be opened.

Revelation 3:8 - I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name.

The door ways of Satan can be shut, but the doors God opens for your healing and your purpose no one can ever shut!

Psalms 51:6 - Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Talking about Painful Memories

Talking and expressing the feelings associated with painful memories does not change what happened but it does open the door for healing.

Most victims hold very intense emotions inside. Feelings can be trapped by years of repression.

There can be many blocks to that lead to repression:

Fear of the feelings can be a major obstacle
Fear of self-exposure
Low self-esteem
Lack of teaching
Cultural influences
Self-protection
Not wanting to “relive”
Demonic influence
Lack of verbal skills
Feeling intimidated

Methods of repression can vary and be very creative:

False self-image
Alternate personalities
Fantasies
Escapes including but not limited to – drugs, alcohol, sex, food, shopping, work, T.V., religion, denial, projection, control issues
Denial
Ignorance

Escape methods have benefits or they would not be used. These benefits can include:

Can live with a sense of false security that will feel real for a period of time
For the person who procrastinates they are helpful
They allow a person to avoid what may be unpleasant at first
They enable the addictions that create the escape
They allow fear not to be faced
They allow the false persona to continue

Unexpressed feelings tend to manifest in unusual ways. Even though emotions may be blocked out of our minds they still have consequences.

There can be exaggerated reactions to certain stimuli
Rage instead of irritation
Depression instead of sadness
Rejection instead of small offense
Unrealistic expectations
Various reality distortions
Perceived aggression through normal circumstance

There are other consequences of repressed feelings or memories. These consequences can be varied and include such things as unresolved shame, false guilt, feelings of inferiority, worthlessness, unexplained anger, anxiety, A.D.D., depression, detachment, living in a fantasy world, broken fellowship with God, and many others.

Consequences are simply signs that can be read by the counselor or yourself. The signs point to the truth of the problem which when exposed to the light of Christ can be healed.