Sandra Kersten Removing Heart Bandages 30/03/14

Sunday, 30 March 2014 10:54 am

Introduction

Story

Man had purchased land and found rubbish appearing unexpectedly on his land each

day. When he enquired he found formerly garbage was dumped there and was buried.

Eventually rubbish began to rise to the surface every day. Real danger of polluting the

underlying aquifer…have to do something.

Why do Christians need healing?

People bury the pain and reactions they have deep in their heart

Buried broken parts in the heart surface over and over again in daily life

People spend all their life managing issues in life and trying to contain them

Better to deal with the roots…ask Holy Spirit to Uncover the roots

Example: Worm in cocoon inside the apple …growing unnoticed and then when the

apple is bitten the corruption within is exposed

Must deal with is issues of the heart

Our hearts are Wounded

Matt:15:18 Jesus identifies issues of the heart…the root and source of all problems

Prov.4:23 keep your heart with all diligence for out of itflow the issues of life

We are called to produce the fruit of the Spirit

Gal.5: draw from relationship with God

You don't work to produce fruit…it is the result of growth, relationship, abiding

Can't produce fruit of Spirit by effort and will power.. That is work of the flesh

Is the apple real? Looks good but what is it like inside?

Good fruit reveals good root

Fruit that is inconsistent with Holy Spirit …..continuing patterns of sin have a root

Bad fruit…rooted in pool of bitterness anger unforgiveness trauma envy, judgement

and disconnection

Must ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the root….where does this come from?

Must lay the axe to roots and bring it to death on the cross.

Our hearts are wounded

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,

as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you

partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with

exceeding joy.

People tend to lose heart and hope.

When hearts wounded tend to react and protect

Typical Reactions when the Heart is wounded

Sin……..We sinfully respond

Anger, bitterness, resentment, hatred, unforgiveness, revenge , disconnect

If there was no benefit to anger you wouldn't do it….issue is in the hear

Must listen to heart and not live in head

When I am angry I can control people, keep them distant, be in control, protect heart

Unless give up the benefits of anger will not change even if say sorry

Judgement….don't distinguish people from their behavior….you are what do

Judgements give rise to cycle of reaping…don't know where it comes from.

Bitter Judgements…We bitterly judge and develop deep bitter expectations.

Can try spiritual exercises….but must address the roots.or ask What is wrong with me?

Heart why are you afraid?....what is rooted in you? Listen to HSp and heart

Judging people unleashes a cycle of pain….striving to succeed and overcome

Judgements against earthly father unlock issues against God

Can know the bible but be stuck in the cycle…praying in tongues! Confessing

word…none will shift the issue

Inner Vows…..We make promises to protect ourselves

Eg.…I won't cry, I'll look after myself,

Why don't they vanish at conversion?…issues of the heart and the will remain and must

be resolved….process is called sanctification

Inner vows are always connected to bitter judgements. They are a form of control

Where there is a vow there will be a judgement….a wound…unforgiveness

Ungodly Beliefs…..We believes lies about ourself, others, life, and God

We come to wrong conclusions about ourself, others, life and God.

They are lies…ungodly beliefs that we embrace in our heart in response to pain

We try to control the pain we feel through many different ways

Examples: we medicate or avoid the pain we practice denial, minimizing,, pain

avoidance, pain medication,

Ungodly habits and, patterns of relating and handling conflict form

There are many different ways of coping with unresolved issues instead of resolving

When there are walls in the heart only the external is seen…can't see the real issues of

heart.

Most counsel tries to change behaviors not address the roots in the heart

Changing behaviors results in striving to overcome and does not bring not peace in the

heart

People reach out for relief or for something new. Trade one substitute for the other

instead of resolving the heart issues

Demonic Spirits…….Satan gets a foothold

When there are unresolved heart issues demonic spirits gain entrance and oppress

Deliverance brings short term relief not lasting change….demons come back and bring

friends Matt12:45

Must deal with the heart roots or struggle to be good Christian.

Beyond The bandage

Jer.6:14 …can't just put on band aids saying it is fine

Must address and remove the roots or the change is not permanent

We must learn how to bring heart issues to death on the cross

Prov.4:23 heart is the centre of life flow

Intimacy requires that we remove the walls and strongholds that we have built

Molested..more than forgiveness is needed. There are reactions in the heart that need

to be addressed and healed

How does the little child in heart feel about all this?....

People think they have forgiven but hold deep bitterness, anger, sadness and desire for

revenge.

People forgive with head and will …good… but must be from the heart

Mat 18:34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he

should pay all that was due to him. "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each

of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

Need Holy Spirit to reveal it and bring it to death on the cross

Opening up your Heart

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens

the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

This is written to the church…Jesus outside the door of heart of believers…shut out

from access

Issues we have not wanted to look at or deal with…part of heart….are like a locked

room

Pain buried alive stays alive….grows and expands and overflows.

Wounded people wound people….we need healing or we wound others…often

unintentionally

Bible…eating meant making covenant….People didn't eat with enemies

Rev.3:20 …..I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Threshold covenant…..binding and powerful.

Owner of the home is obligated to protect you even if it means giving up life for you

Thieves recognize covenant…They do not cross threshold but come in a window.

Jesus enters to bring peace, everything you need in your pain

Must die to old ways of self protecting…takes courage, process, and death.

Must walk through the process of bring roots to death and growing in identity/destiny

Michelangelo..studied the marble and chipped away everything that was not David

Be who you are meant to be and it will change the world

Lord what is going on in my heart?…..what is the root? Holy Spirit show me?

Personal example

God uncovered that Sandy had been molested as a child…judged father, men, and

self…

This led to bitter expectations, inner vows to protect herself and build hardened heart

Bad fruit seeped out constantly….all relationships. ….until Lord revealed her heart.

Hidden judgements, expectations affected all her relationships

Bad fruit= Bad root

Ask Jesus into the process…to uncover the hidden roots..

Lord, I am willing to begin the process of change…show me what is in my heart

Ps 139:23 "search me O God and know my heart…."

Personal Application

1. What has the Holy Spirit been speaking to you about during this message?

(What area of your life did you feel Him uncover an issue or challenge you?)

2. Read Matt.15:18 and Prov.4:23

What does Jesus say is the real source of ungodly or sinful behavior?

Why do you think people try to just change behaviors, or make resolutions to

change rather than deal with the root issues in the heart?

How does it affect people when they just try to change behaviors rather than

resolve heart issues?

3. Review the list of ways people react to being hurt rather than face and resolve

how their heart has been affected

Can you identify with one of the reactions people make to painful experiences?

4. Read Rev.3:20 again.

Why is Jesus pictured as being outside the heart door rather than within?

Can you identify any area that you need to open your heart to Jesus to heal?

How will you go about doing this? What would stop you?

5. What could you do as a group to build a culture where people feel safe to be

authentic and share openly about their lives in your group