Theophostics...Inner Healing...How important is your past?

How important is your past?

How do we form our opinions of ourselves and others? Regarding others, we usually gather information about their past, their reputation, their wealth and their appearance. There is a much more accurate way of gaining a truthful opinion of people.

Paul came to a place where he purposely changed the way he viewed others. No longer, then, do we judge anyone by human standards. (2Co 5:16) And again the same thought comes through in 1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Can you sense his resolve, his firm decision not to allow any other knowledge to influence his opinion of people? The truth about man was revealed by the true light – Christ. In Him we discover who we are and why we live. How can we see mankind in any other light? Every man is now defined by Christ and Christ Jesus blew our definitions away!

It is absurd to overlook the divine qualities of man and instead focus on his weaknesses. But, if we do not determine to see every man in the light of Christ, looking past the exterior and acknowledging the image of God within them, then we will soon be disillusioned by the contradictions we observe in the natural. If our focus is not single – defining man by the revelation Christ brought – then we’ll revert back to humanistic psychology mixed with a bit of bible, to try and delve into peoples past to find the problem – and miraculously the answer – there.

People might have problems due to past experiences, but the answer IS NOT IN THE PAST. IT IS IN THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH IS PRESENT. The answer to any darkness is light. No matter how long the darkness has been there, when the light shines, it dispels darkness. Satan might have worked for decades to introduce lies to a person, but it can all change in a moment that revelation shines into that person’s heart. The length of the solution (time-wise) is not at all related to the length of the problem. Every deception the enemy has, has a fundamental purpose of questioning your identity. This is also the first temptation that he used on Jesus: “If you are”. So we don’t have to search to find the exact event that introduced a lie, and so find the exact lie. The lie is always reducing our identity to something less than what Jesus revealed. The solution, the truth is always seeing clearly what Christ brought to light!

Concepts such as ‘Inner Healing’ and ‘Theophostics’ can’t be found in scripture. We could avoid much misunderstanding by simply using the terminology of scripture. The closest concept we can find is ‘renewing the mind’ I say closest concept because they are not the same at all. To renew your mind has nothing to do with delving into your past to seek a solution there. The very attention we give to past problems is the energy they need to prolong their existence. Give them no attention, set your mind on where the action is – with Christ – and soon you’ll not remember what the problem was.

To renew your mind is to see from God’s point of view.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind (KJV)
Rom 12:2,3 Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him. (MESSAGE)

2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (KJV) Some translations have obedience ‘TO Christ’ instead of ‘OF Christ’ – that simply misses the point. Here’s why. It is what Christ accomplished – his obedience, that now becomes the definition of my life. The whole of Hebrews chapter 10 explains that. This verse summarizes it:
Heb 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified.

It was the obedience of Christ that dealt with all of my past. It was the obedience of Christ that dealt with the sin problem. It was the obedience of Christ that ‘perfected’ or completed us. It’s when we undervalue His obedience that we start looking somewhere else to try and add to His work. It is when we undervalue His work that we subtly begin again with our own work to try and accomplish what we don’t think He accomplished. The only thing you can add to the work of Christ is your adoration – that will transform your outer life.

The following is an amazing verse describing how God transforms our outer lives by the revelation of our identity. Act 15:9 He treated the outsiders exactly as he treated us, beginning at the very centre of who they were and working from that centre outward, cleaning up their lives as they trusted and believed him. (MESSAGE)

Can you sense the attitude and spirit of Jesus when he entrusts a man – a man that was demon-possessed a few hours ago – He entrusts him to go and declare the good news to 10 cities! Should he not rather book 10 counselling sessions with him, enrol him on the latest courses, administer inner healing or break all those deep rooted generational curses? Somehow Jesus had no knowledge of our modern day practices. I don’t think he has any time for them today either and neither do I. They are a product of ignorance concerning the power of the gospel. Not esteeming the work of Christ as we should, is what creates room for these techniques.

When Jesus dispersed a crowd who tried to stone a prostitute, what does He tell her next? “You are going to need years of work! There are obviously many soul-ties to be broken. (Can’t wait till we get to the details of your confession) Enrol for my deliverance workshops, starting next Wednesday at your local synagogue.” No! He simply says: “Go and sin no more”!! How could He say that? He obviously believed that a true encounter with God, was all that was necessary to transform her life. He still believes that.

Maybe this lack of God-encounters is the reason why so many man-made techniques are invented; maybe it is because the message that is proclaimed is too weak to produce an encounter with God. A message “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” will need all the help it can get to bring change to peoples lives.

Let’s turn our attention for a moment to the woman at the well (John 4). Despite her past, despite her obviously flawed character, Jesus sees a greater reality about her. None of the facts can disqualify her from being introduced to a well of living water within her. She then, despite her reputation, proclaims Christ to her whole town!

In the same breath that Paul says that we should no longer view people from a human point of view, he also says “old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” Notice, he did not say: “Behold the old things that passed away” His admonition is to set our gaze upon the new that has come! Focussing on the truth of what Jesus accomplished in and for us, contains within itself all the necessary ingredients to transform our outer lives.

God desires to occupy you with the present reality of His indwelling. From this vantage point our desire will be to include others also in the same experience, independent of their past.

How important is your past? When our focus is the present reality of His indwelling, our past is completely irrelevant. Even our future is stored in our present appreciation of fellowship with God. We become what we see – that is why we are encouraged to focus on Christ – therefore don’t focus on your past, lest you make it your future.

2Co 5:14-16 Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused centre: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own. Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look.

By Andre Rabe
andre.rabe@gmail.com
http://eclesia.blogspot.com