Healing The Wounded Spirit

 

1.      Introduction:

 

     Proverbs 4:23  - “Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life”

                              = to keep close, guard from dangers.

·         When our heart, inner man is wounded or damaged - every area of life will be affected.

·         Luke 4:8  - The Ministry of Jesus.

·   Anointed = empowered by Holy Ghost to accomplish God’s purposes.

·   Reconciliation;  Healing heart;  Deliverance;  Healing vision;  Restoration.

·   Jesus came to offer healing and hope to those who are crushed and broken.

 

  1. The Importance of Hope:

 

·         Definition of Hope = Confident expectation of something good is about to happen.

·         Hope is an anchor for the soul.

-          Hebrews 6:19 – Which hope we have, an anchor too the soul.

-          Hope is to the soul what an anchor is to a ship – stabilizes.

-          A strong anchor presents a ship being swept along by wind and seas.

-          Without an anchor a boat/soul is in danger of shipwreck.

 

·         People that are damaged, loose hope – hopelessness and despair.

·         Without hope – people live for the present - Now, to feel good.

·         Without hope – you cannot walk in a life of faith.  Hebrews 11:1

·         “God wants to fill our lives with hope and expectation”

·   Jeremiah 31:11 – “I know the thoughts I think – peace – to give hope.

·   Romans 15:13  -  “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you might abound in hope through the Power of the Holy Spirit.

·         Abound = 4052 = abundance, overflow, to have so much of something that it overflows.

·         Hope = 1680 = a joyful confident expectation of Good things from God.

·         The Power of the Holy Spirit can overcome all despair, grief and transform us.

·         Believers can become the most positive joyful confident people.

 

  1. The Wounded Spirit:

 

·         Proverbs 15:13  -  “a merry heart makes a joyful countenance…..by the sorrow of a heart the spirit is broken”

·         The spirit of a man – gives his body life. James 2:26

-    nourishes and support his life.  Proverbs 18:14

-    enables communion with god.  1 Corinthians 6:17

·         When the spirit of a man is wounded his whole life is impacted.

·         Sorrow = 6094 = idol, pain, wound, grief, despair, suffering.

·         Broken = 5128 = wounded, afflicted, driven back by painful experience.

 

·         When the spirit is broken the effect is:

(1)    Inward  -  Proverbs 17:22  - “broken spirit drieth the bones”

·   Merry heart = 5050 = joyful, full of gleam, rejoicing.

·   Does good = 3190 = makes beautiful, good, brings pleasure.

·   Drieth = 3001 = to dry up, wither, remove moisture.

·   Mind, Emotions, health are all impacted by a broken spirit – sickness, premature aging.

 

(2)    Out ward  -  Proverbs 15:13  - “merry heart makes a cheerful countenance”

·   Your face reflects your inner condition.

·   With a merry heart the face glows  –  sorrowful heart the face dull.

·   Medicine = 1455 = cure, healing, remove the bandages from wound.

·         When a spirit is broken the life and energy to rise up and overcome is lost                  - needs God.

·         Example:  Genesis 37:34-35  “Jacob refused to be comforted in his grief”.

 

4.  How the Spirit is Wounded:

     Proverbs 15:13…..  by sorrows of heart the Spirit is broken.

 

(1)    Abandonment – human spirit is wounded by abandonment.

·         Psalm 14:4  - “no man would know me, refuge failed me, no man cared for my soul”.

·         -  Children abandoned by parents

-    Husband abandon wife for another

-    Parents die prematurely

-    Feel God has abandoned then  - Hebrews 13:5

 

(2)    Abuse – human spirit is wounded by abuse especially by those suppose to protect.

·      - Abusive words – Proverbs 18:21Psalm 69:20  Reproach has broken my     heart.      

-    Physical abuse – Ephesians 6:4

-    Sexual abuse (2 Samuel 13:20  - Tamar; desolate, deserted, devastated).

-    Mental abuse – silence, neglect, threats.

 

(3)    Betrayal – human spirit - when we are betrayed by friends that you trusted.

·         -  Psalm 41:9  - it was my own familiar friend in whom I trusted

-    Betrayal comes through the closest relationships - Matthew 26:49-50

-    Adultery is a betrayal  - Malachi 2:15-16

-    Betraying confidence, exposing secrets

-    Speaking against a person behind their back.

 

(4)    Sin – sin produces sorrow and can wound the spirit.

·          Psalm 51:3  - My sin is ever before me – Daniel overwhelmed by sin.

Proverbs 6:32  -  he that commits adultery – destroy own soul, wound.

 

(5)    Traumatic Experience – traumas can result in wounding.

·         John 9:3  Not all bad things are a result of sin, judgement of God.  Luke 13:1-5

·         Accident, Crashes, Fires, Floods.

 

 

 

(6)    Rejection – rejection deeply wounds the human spirit.

·         Psalm 27:10  -  when my mother and father forsake me.

·         Unwanted Child, Broken relationships.

 

5.  God offer Hope and Comfort:

  Psalm 147:3  He heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds.

·         God offers hope  - He is able to heal and is willing to heal.

·         “He heals”  - Jehovah Raphia  - I am the Lord that Heals.

       “to mend by stitching; to repair;  be a physician.

·         Broken Heart  - to burst; brake in pieces;  crush; tear.

·         Wounds  - pain;  injury; sorrow.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17  - he has loved us and has given us everlasting comfort and good hope through grace.

1)      Comfort

2)      Good Hope