FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why do you have to go back to the event that caused you the pain and relive it?
Many people wonder why we shouldn't just be able to forgive and go on. It would be wonderful if it was just that simple, but most of the time, it's not. Many times what surfaces in a person's life is just the tip of the iceberg. If the past wounding event was not a problem, then I wonder why it is still causing them so much difficulty in their present life?.
WE DO NOT DIG UP MEMORIES! When we pray with people, what comes to the surface is up to them and the work of the Holy Spirit. We just help them resolve and deal with what manifests.
One of the reasons people cannot just go on and forget about the past is because the past is still present with them. There can be many possible reasons for this. If it is a traumatic memory, it will most likely cause problems for the adult in their present life because the memory contains lies, pain and erroneous beliefs that hinder or limit the person in the present. Many traumatic memories are often, in essence, "buried alive." The traumatic material is seeking to be resolved.
In the healing process, one does not have to find and resolve every past hurt or abuse -- only the ones that are impacting their present life and the ones the Holy Spirit brings to their awareness. With the help of the Holy Spirit, a person can remove the troubling issue and receive healing; however, it is usually not a quick fix. Healing takes time and a person has to put in place new and functional beliefs and coping mechanisms.
The memory may also have issues connect with it of unforgiveness, oaths, curses, false covenants, erroneous lies, beliefs and spiritual issues that will have to be worked through for the person to be free and have peace and joy. Sometimes, a person is in such an unstable condition that it would be detrimental to their health and peace of mind to work on a traumatic event. God is merciful and not all the past memories have to be processed - only the ones that are triggering the person today or the ones that Jesus and the Holy Spirit reveals.
HOPE & HEALING
Recovering from the pain of abuse
We have witnessed that the pain of childhood and early life abuse lasts long after the victim becomes an adult, even into senior years. Sometimes, the memories of those painful and traumatic events are repressed or dissociated out of conscious awareness together with the lies and perceptions believed about the event. During and after the abuse, demonic spirits often find an entrance and may have found a way to torment the person. The wounding by trauma and abuse leave deep emotional scars has to be healed in order for a person to function with freedom and peace of mind. Healing is a process, not a one time event.
The impact of this trauma and abuse will have a tendency to surface in some way later in life, often around the ages of 25 to 35 years of age. The impact of the trauma seems to surface in the present time like a cloud of calamity from out of no where. Often we have found that this type of troubled past surfaces as a sense of fear about certain places, activities or people coupled with anger; hyper-vigilance; nightmares; anxiety; depression; eating disorders; and many other dysfunctional behaviors.
As stated above, many times the abuse can include a demonic dark spiritual component that can develop and cause many physical and emotional problems, especially if the abuse was at the hand of a trusted parent, family member or friend. Often the person does not have a clue as to the source of the internal torment. Sometimes there are haunting voices criticizing and condemning the abuse survivor. The survivor will often be attracted to people or situations similar to their past traumatic experiences, however be completely unaware of this behavior, even though it causes them pain. Often the person does not have a memory or any understanding of why he or she is being tormented.
People that have been abused have been sinned against, usually at a young age and because of the inability to understand why this was happening to them, the victim may come to believe lies about themselves and God. Survivors often have had trust damaged so badly that they have difficulty even trusting those who would help them recover. Victims of abuse may often react in ways that cause problems for themselves and those who encounter them. Rebuilding trust in a safe environment is critical to the healing process. This just adds to the survivor's stress. Often when a person accepts Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit they are able to begin to work through the healing process. The Holy Spirit is gentle and loving and knows everything that needs to be healed and was sent by God to guide people to the truth, which will set them free.