I. INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS FREEDOM MINISTRY?
- Definition: Freedom Ministry is the process of helping individuals break free from spiritual, emotional, and psychological bondage that prevents them from experiencing the fullness of life in Christ. It involves identifying strongholds, lies, and areas of captivity that need to be surrendered to God, receiving healing, and walking in the authority Jesus gives us over sin and spiritual oppression.
- Jesus’ Mission of Freedom: In Luke 4:18, Jesus declared His mission: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me… He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.” Freedom is at the heart of the Gospel—Jesus came to liberate us from sin, oppression, and bondage.
- Wholeness in Christ: Freedom Ministry addresses every aspect of a person’s life—spiritual, emotional, mental, and relational—helping them experience the wholeness Jesus offers. John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came so that we may have life to the full.
- Equipping Disciples for Growth: Before someone can fully step into their calling as a disciple-maker, they need to experience personal freedom. Sin, wounds, and lies hold people back from becoming the disciples God intended them to be.
- Restoring Identity: One of the primary purposes of Freedom Ministry is helping individuals understand their identity in Christ. When people are trapped in bondage, they often believe lies about themselves, others, and God. Freedom Ministry seeks to replace these lies with the truth of God’s Word.
II. FIVE OPEN DOORS FOR THE DEMONIC
- Unforgiveness: (Ephesians 4:32) Holding onto wrongs that someone did against you. Unwilling or unable to forgive. Making no allowance for error or weakness. It’s like drinking poison and thinking it will harm another person. Jesus teaches that we must forgive to be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15).
- Sins of the Fathers: (Exodus 34:7) Sins committed by previous generations can carry over until broken through confession and renunciation. This includes patterns like addiction, anger, divorce, or idolatry.
- Word Curses: (James 3:1-10) Words spoken with some form of spiritual authority. Negative declarations can bind a person spiritually and manifest in the physical. Example: Saying, “I’ll never be good enough” invites defeat.
- Root Spirits: Scripture identifies specific spirits that seek to influence. When given a foothold, they seek to fill the Holy Spirit’s place and produce bad fruit, infecting others.
- Spirit of Anti-Christ (1 John 4:3)
- Spirit of Death (1 Cor. 15:26)
- Spirit of Error (1 John 4:6)
- Spirit of Divination (Acts 16:16)
- Spirit of Lying (1 Kings 22:22)
- Spirit of Haughtiness (Proverbs 16:18)
- Spirit of Bondage (Rom. 8:15)
- Spirit of Stupor (Rom. 11:8)
- Spirit of Whoredom (Hosea 4:12)
- Spirit of Heaviness (Is. 61:3)
- Spirit of Deaf & Dumbness (Mark 9:25)
- Spirit of Infirmity (Luke 13:11)
- Spirit of Perversity (Rom. 1:26)
- Spirit of Fear (2 Tim. 1:7)
- Spirit of Jealousy/Rage (Numbers 5:14)
- Soul Spirit Hurts: Emotional pain or trauma that is left unresolved provides the enemy with access to influence the wounded areas of one’s life.
III. UNHEALTHY SOUL TIES
Soul ties refer to deep emotional or spiritual connections formed through close relationships, particularly romantic or sexual ones. These bonds, if unhealthy or improper, can hinder a person’s emotional and spiritual freedom. It is crucial to break these unhealthy ties to walk in true freedom.
- Healthy Soul Ties in the Bible:
- David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:1-3)
- Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 1:16-17)
- Jesus and His Disciples (John 15:15)
- Paul and Timothy (2 Timothy 1:2-5)
- Unhealthy Soul Ties in the Bible:
- Samson and Delilah (Judges 16:4-21)
- Amnon and Tamar (2 Samuel 13:1-15)
- Solomon and His Foreign Wives (1 Kings 11:1-4)
- Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 16:30-33)
- Biblical Marriage Soul Tie Context:
In Genesis 2:21-24, the phrase “they shall become one flesh” describes the sacred covenant between a man and a woman in the sight of God. Marriage is meant to be a blessing, symbolizing unity. However, many have entered this covenant with multiple people or have formed ties with idols, as seen in Genesis 16:1-4. These unhealthy attachments must be addressed.
IV. EXERCISE: BREAKING UNHEALTHY SOUL TIES
- Group Separation: Divide participants into male and female groups.
- Personal Reflection: Have participants write down the names of those with whom they’ve formed inappropriate or unhealthy connections.
- Prayer for Healing: Lead a prayer to break these soul ties, asking God for healing and restoration.
- Marital Repentance: Bring married couples together for a time of repentance and forgiveness.
- Symbolic Release: Allow participants to burn their lists as a symbolic act of declaring freedom from these bonds.
- Renewal: Instruct them to take communion as a remembrance and renewal of their covenant with God.
- Marital Renewal: Instruct participants as they return home to take communion again, committing their marriage to God. Then, they should re-establish their covenant with each other.