Several years ago, God showed me that if I really want to help people heal emotionally, then I would need to approach therapy from a holistic framework. This framework includes our three-fold nature of body, soul and spirit. Author and minister Ian Clayton offers a picture of this model in his book, Gateways of the Three-fold Nature of Man.
I share this picture with my clients so that we are both aware of the connection between all three parts and how they flow together in the healing process. While we often find ourselves emotionally disconnected from the hurts we encounter in life, we can’t truly heal and recover from those wounds if we are out of touch with our inner being. Unhealthy coping mechanisms that include avoiding, masking or disconnecting from emotional pain, are what the soul so easily grabs hold of. The renewing process of healing starts within and penetrates outwards.
Clayton shares, “The imagination is the single most important part of the soul as it feeds and stores everything we see, do, feel, and hear.”
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV).
The Bible indicates very clearly that we are a gate for the Kingdom of God to flow to the world around us. When each of us is walking in a place of freedom, then we can come together and get a compounding effect as we create an open heaven by just being together. God is waiting for us to lift up our heads as gates for the Kingdom of God to flow through. When this happens, we will find that revival will flow through a community.
“Lift up your heads O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in” (Psalm 24:7)
Steps in Pursuit
- Begin to recognize what you are allowing to control in the gates of your body, soul, and spirit. What has influence over your life?
- Spend time partnering with God in cleansing the gates of your inner being.
- Strengthen the gates of your spirit by inviting Jesus Christ to occupy your First Love Gate. As you are realigned to God’s love, you will be able to experience the deep healing of the soul.
As we realign in our individual spirit, soul and body then we can begin to bring love and light to the community around us.
Continue the Pursuit,
Denise
