A Study of Freedom from Luke 15
WESUD: Wounding, Entanglement, Sin, Ungodly Beliefs, Demons
The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10)—Wounding
The coin was lost through no fault of its own. This is a Type A trauma caused by absence. The act of being lost is traumatic and normally leaves a wound, memories, resulting scars and a warped interpretation of what happened that builds in basic lies.
Victimization
Powerlessness—“I am a helpless victim of others and can’t protect myself.”
Fear—“The world and people in it are not safe for me.”
Personal Tainting—“I am scarred and ruined forever by what has happened.”
Hopelessness—“It is terrible and will never get better.”
Confusion—“I cannot find peace and understanding in my world.”
Rejection
Shame—“I am sinful and dirty and deserve punishment.”
Rejection—“The ones I need reject me because I am not worth loving.”
Identity Invalidation—“Who I am is not right nor worth paying attention to.”
Disaffirmation—“I am worthless, unattractive and stupid and deserve to ignored.”
Abandonment—“Those I love and need will abandon me.”
The place where loss occurs is usually dark, hidden, probably filthy and unclean. God as a woman (a gentle nurture, which is characteristic of the Holy Spirit), lights a lamp (brings revelation of truth), sweeps the house clean (removes the filth and pain), finds the coin and rejoices over it with friends and neighbors (restoration).
The primary ministry approach for a lost coin (wounding) is to release wound-based lies compassionately and gently. It is to:
1. help the person define their pain and the lies they believe,
2. hear truth and release the lies,
3. grant forgiveness as appropriate and
4. bless
The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:4-7)—Entanglement
The sheep wandered from the flock, perhaps through a combination of ignorance, naïve rebellion or enticed curiosity. It gets lost and for some reason cannot make its way back, perhaps entangled and ensnared as the old classic picture portrays.
The good shepherd (Jesus) knows the sheep is missing and places very great value on it. He leaves the rest and searches for the sheep, places it on His shoulders (takes the weight or guilt Himself without recrimination) and rejoices over it with friends and neighbors (restoration). Notice he does not blame or chastise the sheep; the entanglement itself did the teaching and warning.
Emotional-spiritual entanglements include ungodly soul-ties, binding self-vows, false covenants and agreements with darkness, self and external curses, generational iniquity, unforgiveness and its consequences, dabbling in the dark side, etc.
The primary ministry approach for a lost sheep (entanglement) is to:
1. recognize the nature and source of the entanglement
2. renounce it
3. let Jesus take or bear it
4. replace it with truth and a right agreement with God
5. bless
The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-24)—Sin
The Prodigal Son openly rebelled, lived in sin and suffered torment. He lost his perspective, his “senses.” He went farther than he planned, stayed longer than he wanted, and it cost him more than he could afford. It ruined him.
His Father (God the Father) ran to him, kissed him, covered (took away his shame), gave him a ring (a restored position as son) and sands (restored destiny) and rejoiced over him with friends and neighbors (restoration).
The primary ministry approach for a Prodigal Son is to repent of sin, to:
1. recognize the sin and come to an awareness about what it really is
2. repent of it
3. receive forgiveness and restoration
4. bless
The Older Brother (Luke 15:25-32)—Ungodly Beliefs
The older brother represents a part of every story. He is unable to come into both intimate relationship with his Father and enjoyment of his inheritance because of his performance orientation. He did not know the Father and believed things about Him that were false. Three main issues of ungodly belief: his false beliefs about his relationship to Papa God (“son”), his own lack of intimate relationship (“you have always been with me”) and his ability to enjoy the inheritance (“all that I have is yours”). He invites into the celebration (restoration) and loving fellowship within the family.
When we heal wounding, undo entanglements and repent of sin but still feel distant and unsatisfied, ungodly belief is almost always the reason. Our foundational sense of God the Father has been warped. Our foundational sense of what Jesus has done is incomplete. Our foundational sense of the moment-by-moment uplifting presence of the Holy Spirit is missing.
The primary ministry approach for false and ungodly beliefs of the older brother is to reveal truth to:
1. recognize the ungodly beliefs that interfere with relationships with God and ability to receive from Him
2. get revelation about the truth
3. repent
4. declare the truth
5. bless
Demonic Issues
The primary ministry approach for the demonic is to rebuke and cast out, to
1. find the reasons the demonic is present
2. remove those reasons
3. assert authority over the demonic to remove it
4. fill the place of the demonic influence with truth and blessing.
(taken from the Freedom Tools by Andrew Reese)