HEALING THE INNER MAN

INTRODUCTION

The heart is the wellspring of life.

When the heart is wounded, every part of life is affected.

What happens inwardly eventually shows up outwardly.

God has the power to heal the heart and restore the inner man.

I. Where does a wounded or broken spirit come from?

1) Crushing words

Proverbs 12:18 “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

2) A sorrowful heart

Proverbs 15:13 “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.”

3) Oppression

Ecclesiastes 7:7 “Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart.”

Constant pressure, injustice, fear, and prolonged hardship can wound the spirit.

4) Broken trust or betrayal

Deep hurt often comes from those who were once trusted.

5) Hope deferred

Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

6) Sinful choices

Psalm 32:3 “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.”

Sometimes the wounded spirit comes not only from what was done to us, but from what we have done.

7) Father wounds

Colossians 3:21 “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”

God does not intend for us to carry a broken spirit.

Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

II. What does a wounded spirit do?

1) It keeps you from fully trusting God

2) It hinders your prayer life

3) It distorts your identity

4) It cultivates bitterness, offense, and unbelief

5) It limits your fruitfulness

III. What does a wounded spirit look like?

1) Viewing everyone through the lens of distrust

2) Using Scripture to judge others instead of letting it heal you

3) Seeing life through pain instead of freedom

When you see life from pain: (optional)

You become judgmental

You become defensive

You assume everyone is against you

Emotional, mental, and spiritual trauma can become a strategy the enemy uses to keep people bound.

Loss of hope

Deep discouragement

Isolation from community

Loss of joy

Proverbs 17:22 ESV

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

8) Spiritual fatigue

Struggling to pray

Feeling distant from God

Finding it hard to worship

Reading the Bible but feeling disconnected

IV. What heals a wounded spirit?

1) God’s presence

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

2) Confronting lies with truth

2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV) “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

Not every thought is true

Not every thought is from God

Not every thought deserves agreement

Every thought must be brought under the truth of Christ

3) Committing to healing

Proverbs 4:20–22 (ESV) “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.”

Healing requires intentionality

If you do not commit to healing, you will keep repeating the same patterns and reliving the same wounds

4) Forgiving those who wounded you

Unforgiveness keeps pain alive

Forgiveness does not excuse the wound, but it releases its hold on your life

5) Walking in your healing

Declare daily that you are healed and being made whole

Reject the lies of the enemy

Refuse to return to the mindset that kept you bound

CONCLUSION

A wounded spirit affects every area of life, but God does not leave us there.

He heals the brokenhearted, restores the inner man, and renews what pain tried to destroy.

Guard your heart, bring your wounds to God, and let Him heal what has been hidden.