The Bible teaches that we can be saved and receive forgiveness for things we’ve done but what does it say about healing for things done to us? In this sermon, Pastor Mark teaches on how to move from shame and condemnation to freedom.
Finding Freedom from Defilement and Inner Vows (ch 10-12)
· Sin = we sin, and we are sinned against
· Hurting/Wounded? Vulnerable to demonic attack: 1. Defilement 2. Inner vow
Letter from Dinah
Assault victims feel defiled & take shower
Defilement
Genesis 2:25 the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
Genesis 3:7-8 they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God
Genesis 3:21 the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
Roughly dozen Bible words – stain, defilement, filthy, unclean
- Places – Samaria (walk around/avoid)
- Objects – Heb. 13:4 “let the marriage bed be undefiled”
- People – “unclean”
= Defilement causes shame & suffering; you or God cover your shame
Your body and soul both get dressed every day
Zechariah 3:1-5 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.
Scene from unseen realm
- Middle – Joshua – representing all of God’s people
- One side Counterfeit Identity– “Satan” – puts filth of sin you committed, & committed against you on you to wear
- Other side Created Identity – “the angel of the Lord” = Jesus Christ
– Double Imputation
– Expiation
Heb 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Many XN’s like Lazarus – made new wearing old grave clothes, friends removed
- When Jesus rose, he left His grave clothes behind
- Colossians/Ephesians – put off & put on (dress body & soul)
Jesus makes you clean
1 John 1:7 if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Revelation 19:7-8 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
Defiled: 1). hide 2). Identity pride 3). Cleansed
= Physical rituals remind spiritual truths – Wear white, when you clean your dishes, laundry, shower, brush teeth, wash hands or face, car wash
Inner Vows
Don’t make any vows!—Matthew 5:34, tlb
Inner vow – when hurt, we make promises to ourselves (not God) to keep us safe
1. Betrayed? “I’ve been hurt too much & will never trust anyone again, including God”
2. Lonely? “Since God & people abandoned me, I need to just take care of myself”
3. Abused? “I should have kept my abuse a secret. Not others know and are upset”
4. Victim? “They are getting away with it, so I need vengeance to make them pay”
5. Controlled? “I need to be the controlling one in my relationships to protect myself”
6. Traumatized? “If I avoid and ignore it, it will go away as time heals all wounds”
=1956 I picked Grace up on a cul de sac, years later we had another one – my vow
Ten Insights on Inner Vows
Proverbs 20:25 “It is a snare to say rashly . . . and to react only after making vows.”
Matthew 5:34-37 (NLT) “…I say, do not make any vows!…this is from the evil one.”
=Inner vow w/self counterfeit to covenant w/God (“never again”)
1. We make inner vows rashly amidst pain.
- When we are hurting deeply, we are often not thinking deeply.
2. Some of us make inner vows at a very young age.
- We carry childhood – adulthood, become unconscious habits.
3. Some inner vows become entrenched as generational behaviors.
- Men – we don’t (lose, hug, say I love you, apologize, cry)
4. Inner vows can take God’s place.
5. We become loyal to the inner vow instead of the Lord.
- When loyalty is tested, we remain devoted to our inner vow, not God & people
6. We often make inner vows without deep conscious awareness.
- Remain unaware of an inner vow until someone violates it and triggers us.
7. Violating an inner vow often triggers an emotional overreaction.
8. We have a hard time not seeing our vows as equal to God’s laws.
- Legalism
9. We punish people who break our inner vows.
- Disobedience unleashes punishment on others to make them pay.
10. An inner vow opens the door to the enemy.
- John 8:44 Satan Father of lies
- Inner vow = demonic stronghold
Satan – first inner vow
Ezekiel 36:26-29 “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly…I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”
- Remains true to his inner vow, recruits angels & people to adopt his inner vow
- Inner vow – for/against & this is how we get spiritual war
- What inner vow do you hold (look for fears, strong emotion, fight or flight)?
- Will you renounces it and replace it with the Spirit?
= God & Grace forgave me, I cancelled inner vow = deliverance, healing, intimacy