The experience of most Christians who are in pain looks something like the following: they come to a place in their lives where the hurt causes them to reach out to someone they trust or someone they think can help. The seekers become transparent and begin to share deep heart issues. We calm them down and pray for them. We then offer to continue praying for them and maybe even suggest they seek counseling or another version of professional help.

But the church has much more to offer. The mandate given to the church in Isaiah 61:1–3 is to offer hope for the hurting, bind up the brokenhearted, and set the captives free. This mandate was God’s plan for the church to evangelize the world. For the church to do this, we must train leaders in the ways of deep heart ministry. I’m not referring to something new, however it is the best kept secret in Christianity. This model of inner healing has been used since the early eighties. John and Paula Sanford, Derick Prince, Dr. Bruce Thompson, Neil Anderson, only to mention a few of the Christian leaders. Referring someone who needs spiritual healing to a psychologist who does not apply the power of the cross will not help the seeker become whole. Some counselors may be Christians, but they may not be Christian counselors. The default for most Christian churches to help someone with needs they aren’t comfortable with is to refer them to a counselor. Most pastors operate from the spiritual gifts of pastor, teacher, or evangelist most are not equipped with the tools necessary for deep heart ministry to help a member find freedom from spiritual and emotional bondage. In fact, this form of ministry is not taught in the bible college or seminary.

            The various ministries and groups within the church provide much-needed healing and recovery for members at different stages of the healing process. Some groups receive individuals who are recently saved; others receive people who have been released from rehab facilities or directly from jail or those recently divorced or widowed; some receive people who are recently unemployed, those who are hungry, or even those who are homeless. Each group meets the person at different stages in their journey of healing and time of need. YWAM continues to minister to the nations by a slogan “go to the nations taking the two-handed Gospel” the meaning being, (meet a person’s felt need and present them the Gospel of Christ). This is also described in Isaiah 61.

            This book offers a model of ministry bringing hope to those who remain in spiritual bondage from wounds of their past, wounds that continue to seep poison into their spirits and need to be expunged. This book offers many Biblical principles and redemption to apply in releasing prisoners from the walls and shackles of spiritual and emotional bondage.