Begin by asking God, "Father, what memory would you like to bring up right now so we can work on what You want us to address?" Then allow yourself to be brought back to a particular memory from your life's past. Trust in the power of Holy Spirit to choose one that is key in your life, even if you may think there are better ones. God works in stages in your healing process, and can be trusted to release revelation leading to partial or full healing in the areas He is targeting. 

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Remember

RECIPIENT > O God, You know how and when my heart has been wounded. I open my heart to You. Would You remind me of what You want to heal? Would You take me now to a time when my heart was affected by what happened in my life?

(Think about simply being with God. Wait until something crosses your mind... Ask him about it... Let him bring up the painful emotions as you open your heart to him... Let him take you back to a time as early as you can remember having this kind of pain...)

What The Bible Says

• "Remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.” - Lamentations 3:19-24 NIV

• "The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!'  The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.” - Lamentations 3:19-24 NLT

• "Search me, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." - Psalm 139:23-24

• "These things I remember as I pour out my soul." - Psalm 42:4

• Deuteronomy 8:2-3 - After the exodus, Moses encouraged God’s people to look back and remember the difficulty and hunger, but also the provision of God. Remembering drew them closer to God.

• John 4 - When Jesus encountered the woman at the well, he caused her to remember, and Jesus did not condemn her.

• Philippians 3:7-14 - "forget what lies behind" – forgetting accomplishments and reasons for confidence in the flesh – not talking about forgetting pain

As God brings a memory to your attention, allow yourself to feel the feelings and emotions associated with that memory. Let yourself pray out what you were feeling in the flashback of that memory. There may be deep, honest questions and wonderings as to why would allow this event to happen. Pour out these thoughts, questions, concerns, and frustrations out to your heavenly Father. 

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Pour Out

RECIPIENT > 

• God, thank You for reminding me of ______________ (state incident or time of life).

• I see ___________ (describe the scene and who is in it with you).

• I hear __________ (describe any words you are hearing in this scene).

• I feel ___________ (describe your reaction – as if you were the age when it happened).

• My darkest thought is __________ (describe thoughts that were whispered to you).

Explanation

As God causes us to remember, we will pour out our hearts to Him–fully and honestly. We will express to Him all the anger and all the anguish. He already knows what is in our hearts, but he longs for us to bring it before Him in detail. (See Kings 8:39; Ps. 44:21; Acts 15:8)

At the bottom of the pain is often a lie–a conclusion we have drawn ourselves, or that has been suggested by an emissary of the father of lies. Lies can ensnare and dishearten us, but God wants to save his people from the hands of the enemies who bring such lies. Expressing the pain, along with the accompanying painful conclusions, brings the pain and lies into the light of God's presence, opening the way for healing. (John 8:44; Rev. 12:10; Ezekiel 13:20-23)

What The Bible Says

• "'Not so, my lord,' Hannah replied, 'I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.''' - 1 Samuel 1:15-16 NIV

• "Oh no, sir!' she replied. 'I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.'” - 1 Samuel 1:15-16 NLT

• 1 Sam. 1:1-20 - Hannah was rewarded by God when she poured out her soul to him.

• Psalm 64:1 - Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint.

• Psalm 38:9 - my longings lie open before you; my sighing is not hidden from you.

• Psalm 109:22, 26 - I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

• Psalm 62:8 - Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

• Psalm 69:29 - I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me.

• Isaiah 26:17 - As a woman with child and about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pain, so were we in your presence, O LORD.

• Jeremiah 15:18 - Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable?

• Psalm 62:8 - Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

• Luke 22:39-44 & Mark 14:32-42 - Jesus himself poured out his soul to God, as he faced the anguish of what was ahead. The sorrow he had already started carrying for us during his life, he was about to ultimately bear for us on the cross, so that we could be healed.

• Lam. 2:19 - Jeremiah encouraged the people to pour out their hearts to God in their severe difficulties.

Welcome Holy Spirit to come and release revelation, in this memory, as to where Jesus was while these things were happening to you, what He was doing, and what He might be saying to you. The Holy Spirit is releasing new perspective and helping you reframe this memory in ways that bring healing to it.   

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Wait

RECIPIENT > O God, I look to You for Your help. O God, where were You then? O God, where are You now? O God, show me a sign of Your presence. From the bottom of my heart, I long for You. Like a little child, I want to be touched by You. I am listening. I will wait for You...

(We wait until we experience his healing presence. We may need to do some breaking prayers on the left hand – covered in later chapters – until his healing flows, until we meet him at the place of our pain.)

Explanation

When God heals us, he does not change the event itself, but he opens the curtain so we can see the whole picture of that event. He wants to give us now what we did not receive from him then - his help, his healing word, his presence. We know when he has healed our pain when we encounter him in a hurtful scene that we remember, and the pain, shame, fear, anger, rejection, hate, self pity, etc. are lifted from us. We may hear him, see him, sense him, feel the pain lift, experience peace and joy, or feel his light and warmth.

What The Bible Says

• "One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock." - Psalm 27:4-5 NIV

• "You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues." - Psalm 31:20 NLT

• "Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him." - Psalm 105:4 NLT

• "I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!" - Psalm 139:7 NLT

• John 8 - To the sinful woman whose life he had just saved from a lawful stoning by religious leaders, Jesus said, “... neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin."

• Luke 19 - Zacchaeus experienced blessing and salvation that replaced the guilt that hung over him and his household

• John 9 - A blind beggar accused of bringing disaster on himself through his sin (or his parents' sin), was healed and honored

• Luke 5:13; Luke 17 - Ostracized lepers were touched, healed and received again into the community that rejected them

• People knew when they came near to Jesus, God's healing power flowed.  (Luke 6:19)  | Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28-30). | All who touched him were healed (Mark 6:56). | Parents brought their children to him to be touched and blessed (Mark 10:13). | Many came to hear his words and were healed and delivered (Luke 6:18).

• Before he ascended to heaven, Jesus met a hopeless Peter on the beach as he was fishing for fish instead of men (Matt. 4:19). | Jesus' words carried the healing power of God, and Peter was restored from the devastation of having denied Jesus on the night of his arrest. Peter's fateful words, "I don't know him!" were spoken three times over hot coals in the courtyard of the high priest where Jesus was being questioned (Luke 22:54-62). | And now, healing words, "Feed my sheep," were spoken to him three times over hot coals and a freshly cooked breakfast (John 21:7-19). | In addition, Jesus indicated that Peter would one day be killed because of his love for Jesus. Jesus was promising Peter that next time, he would pass the test and stay true to his Master. This healing prepared Peter to receive the astounding anointing soon to be given to him, such that thousands came to faith when he preached (Acts 2:14-41), | and even his shadow brought God's healing to anyone touched by it (Acts 5:15).

Explanation

Pain comes to us from from sin we have committed and sins committed to us. Even our response to being wrong can at times step into ways of self-protecting or responding that are not pleasing to God. Often, in an inner healing session(s), you may become aware that you have been holding unto thoughts and assumptions, based on limited facts, leading to grudges, bitterness, etc. These lies over time keep you bound and not experiencing the freedom Christ came to give.  In such times, we must confess our own sin and receive forgiveness. We may also need to forgive those who have wronged us, if we find that we are actually doing damage to ourselves in the resentment, bitterness, and anger we are holding towards them. 

Forgiving a Person

We need to specifically speak forgiveness toward any people who caused hurt. We can be hurt either because someone did something, or because someone did not do something. We are not letting them “get off the hook,” but are instead handing them over to God. He will decide how to handle their sin.

• Luke 6:37

• Romans 12:19

• Matthew 18 – the man who didn’t let go

• Gen 50 , 33 – OT – God helped Joseph forgive his brothers, and Esau forgive Jacob

• 1 Kings 8:39 & 2 Cor. 5:16 - Since God alone knows the hearts of all people, he can help us see them from his point of view. This will help us to "regard no one from a worldly point of view." Often, this kind of insight from God helps us to forgive and release our offenders to God more easily.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Forgiving a Person

RECIPIENT > O God, would You show me _______ (state the name of the person who hurt you) from Your point of view? I totally release ________ (state name, even if the person has died) to You. You alone are wise and fair. God, You are the one who will deal with _________ (state name). I forgive ________ (state name). God, please wash me of all unforgiveness toward this person. I ask You to bless _______ (state name if the person is still alive).

Confessing Our Reaction

• Eph 4:26,27 – Sinful reactions to pain need to be confessed as a response to God’s healing.

• 2 Chronicles 6:29-30

• Psalm 19:12 – hidden faults

• James 5:16

• 1 John 1:9,10

• Psalms 103:12

• Mark 2:10

• Matthew 26:28

• Acts 13:38

• John 20:23

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Confess Our Sinful Reaction

RECIPIENT > O God, would You show me my reaction to the pain You have just healed?Would You show me any patterns in my life that started or were reinforced at the time of this pain? I looked for comfort in _________ (state anything God is showing you). I reacted by _________ (state anything that may have grieved God). O God, I repent. Please forgive me. I receive your cleansing and forgiveness, through the sacrifice of Jesus. I agree with You, God, that I am forgiven for ___________, and therefore I forgive myself.

Confessing If We Blame God

Possible reactions to pain include not only sin or unforgiveness on our part, but also the human tendency to blame God. As God heals our pain, He may remind us that we have put the blame on Him, where it did not belong. As we ask His forgiveness, He releases us from the guilt of "charging Him with wrongdoing" (Job 1:22), "contending with the Almighty to correct Him" (Job 40:2), or "discrediting His justice and condemning Him to justify ourselves" (Job 40:8). Since being mad at God carries great risk with it, such as being put to shame (Is. 45:24) and straying far from Him (Jer. 2:5), He wants to set us free from judging Him. As we taste and see that he is truly good (1 Pet. 2:3; Ps. 34:8), experiencing his goodness first hand, we deeply know that he is "upright and that there is no wickedness in him" (Ps. 92:15). We believe that He "is light and in Him there is no darkness at all" (Is. 45:24) and we "rely on the love He has for us" because "God is love" (1 John 4:16). He will not disappoint us (Is. 49:23).

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Confessing If We Blamed God

RECIPIENT > O God, forgive me for being angry with You. O God, forgive me for blaming You for my pain. Please release me from anything I hold against You that keeps me from soaking up Your love for me and loving You in return. Let me experience Your goodness first hand. I receive Your cleansing and forgiveness, through the sacrifice of Jesus. I agree with You, God, that I am forgiven, and therefore I forgive myself.

Forgiving Ourselves

We agree with God and forgive ourselves as he has forgiven us.

• Psalms 32:1 - Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

• Romans 4:6-8 - David speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works... Blessed are the ones whose sin the Lord will never count against them.

• Romans 8:1 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Forgiving Ourselves

RECIPIENT > O God, I agree with You. You have forgiven me and made me righteous apart from works. I agree with You that I am blessed, and therefore I forgive myself.

What The Bible Says

• "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9 NIV

• "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." - James 5:16 NLT

• "Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’  Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. 'That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.'" - Matthew 18:32-35 NLT

• "and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." - Matthew 6:12 NLT

• "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32 NIV

• “Will you discredit my justice and condemn me just to prove you are right? Are you as strong as God?..." - Job 40:8-9a NLT

• "I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance." - Job 42:5-6 NLT

Cast out any demonic presence or command any demonic oppression to go. (You may need to first deal with one or more categories of the LEFT hand, in order to loosen Satan's grip - footholds and strongholds give Satan's a rightful claim to be there). 

"There is an assault, a bondage, and an oppression—whether in subtle whispers or in screeching fury—that can hold us back from walking in freedom and entering into our destiny. But, ...God desires to set us free from the wiles of the demonic and usher us into our divine destiny." - Restoring The Foundation

Explanation

In all spheres of life, opponents and enemies attack and oppress at the point of greatest weakness (Ps. 12:5). This pattern is observable with demons in their relentless attacks on humans as well (1 Peter 5:6-8; Job 1:6-11; John 10:10). Scripture indicates that inner pain and emotional wounds greatly weaken us (Psalm 69:29; Psalm 109), thus making us susceptible to the onslaught of the evil one. When we are overwhelmed and our spiritual armor is compromised, one of the enemy's fiery darts may find its mark (Ephesians 6). Therefore we often see the need to go through prayer for freedom from evil spirits once we have experienced healing from wounds of the heart.

As followers of Christ, we have been given authority over evil spirits by Jesus (Luke 10:19), who has received ultimate authority from God (Eph. 1:18-23; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Heb. 5:4-9; Heb. 7:26). We use this authority over any lingering evil spirits that may have found their way into our lives through pain or our reaction to it.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Ordering Evil Spirits to Leave

LEADER > Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world! We command any and every spirit related to the wounds that have just been healed by God, to come into the light of God now. (Wait for an indication of the presence of any evil spirits.) We command the spirit(s) causing _________ (state what the spirit has been doing), by the authority granted to us through Jesus Christ, to leave now, along with any other spirits who have been working under you. (Do this until the spirit leaves, for each spirit that has been identified.) We praise You, O God, for Your power.

We place the sacrifice and victory of Jesus Christ between ______ (person’s name) and these evil spirits forever. We cancel all assignments these spirits had against _____ (person’s name). We forbid these spirits to return, retaliate, or send replacements.

O God, thank You for washing away all effects of these spirits from the life and physical body of _____ (person’s name). Fill every empty place with Your Holy Spirit. Bless ______ (person’s name) with ____________________ (speak out blessings).

What The Bible Says

• "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." - John 10:10 NLT

• "Do not give the devil a foothold" - Ephesians 4:27 NIV

• "Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. 'What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!' " - Mark 1:27 NLT

• “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” - Luke 10:18-20 NLT

Many Examples Of People Being Freed of Evil Spirits In Scripture

• Luke 8:1-3; 13:10-16

• Mark 5:2-19; 9:17-27

• Luke 6:17-19

• Luke 7:21-22

• Matthew 4:23-25

• Matthew 8:16-17

• Matthew 12:15-30

• Matthew 28:18

• Mark 3:13-15

• Mark 6:7,12,13

• Luke 9:1-2

• Luke 10:1, 17,19-20

• Matthew 10:7-8

• Acts 5:12-16

• Acts 8:4-8

• Acts 16:18

• Acts 19:11,12

• John 14:12-14

• Rom. 8:37-39

Generational Bondage Explanation

Scripture teaches that we can be negatively affected by the sin and actions of our ancestors, just as we can benefit from godly decisions made by those who have gone before us. Though God does not want us to blame our ancestors for our difficulties, he gives us the opportunity to ask forgiveness for what they have done, as did Moses, Hezekiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, Nehemiah, Solomon, Ezra, and those who responded to Peter's preaching in Acts.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Breaking Generational Bondage

RECIPIENT > O God, I acknowledge that my ancestors grieved You by not always walking in Your ways. Forgive _______ (name of ancestor) for ________ (specific sin). Forgive me for participating in this by _______ (state if you have participated in any way). O God, I acknowledge that my ancestor(s) experienced the pain of _________. I forgive _______ (names, if known) for causing pain in the life of ________ (name of ancestor).

We break the power of this sin and pain, coming down from my mother’s and/or father’s family, from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generations, all the way back to the beginning, in my life and the lives of my children and their children's children.We render powerless the plans evil spirits have against my family concerning this sin and pain, by the authority You granted over the Devil's work through Jesus Christ.

Thank You for the sacrifice made by Jesus and blood He shed, giving us the power to declare a new blood line in Him. O God, pour out Your Spirit on my offspring, and Your blessing on my descendants. Reveal to me any heart wounds related to this. I long to be healed by You.

What The Bible Says

• "Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." - Exodus 34:5-7 ESV

• "You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." - Deuteronomy 5:9-10

• "Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors! Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair. Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name." - Psalm 79:8-9 NLT

• "But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees. Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the Lord their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the Lord.' " - Leviticus 26:40-45 ESV

• Exodus 32, 34, Numbers 14 - Moses – Repentance on Behalf of his People

• 2 Chronicles 29 - Hezekiah – Perceiving the Cause of Disaster and Responding

• Ezrah 18 - Ezekiel – The Effects of Generational Sin and the Justice of God

• Jeremiah 31, 14 - Jeremiah – the Promise of Freedom from Generational Bondage

• Daniel 9 - Daniel – Repenting for Generational Sin in Light of a Promise

• Nehemiah 1 - Nehemiah – Generational Bondage Broken and Lives Rebuilt

• 1 Kings 8 - Solomon's repentance prayer

• Ezra 9, 10 - Ezra's prayers

• Lamentations 5:7 - Our fathers sinned and are no more, and we bear their punishment

• Jeremiah 16 - It is because your fathers forsook me... but you have behaved more wickedly than your fathers

• Psalm 106 - We have sinned, even as our fathers did... Yet he saved them for his name's sake, to make his mighty power known

• Jeremiah 3 - From our youth shameful gods have consumed the fruits of our fathers' labor—their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our fathers...

• Leviticus 26 - If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands... I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful... I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. If you will confess your sins and the sins of your fathers... I will remember my covenant

• Psalm 79 - Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need

• Acts 2 - When the good news of Christ first went out, the people of Jesus' day realized that they, their leaders, and their people had sinned by not recognizing him. Their response was repentance, and great blessing followed for them and their descendants.

• Psalm 102 - Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.

• Deuteronomy 30 - The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.

• Isaiah 44 - I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

• Luke 1:50 - His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Canceling Judgments Toward Others

RECIPIENT > O God, I confess my sin of judgment against ________ (state the name) by thinking or saying _________ (state in what way you judged this person). Please forgive me. I bring this judgment to You and renounce it.

I confess that You are the only Judge over _________ (state the name). Release _____ (state the name if person is still alive) from the effects of being judged by me, and instead bless this person with _______ (name several blessings). Release me, O God, from the results of my sin of judging another person.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Canceling the Power of Judgments Made Against Us

RECIPIENT > O God, I feel judged by ________ (state the name) because _______ (state what was said/done). We take this judgment to You, and pronounce its power destroyed in my life. Cause me to readily forgive ______ (state the name) from the heart. You are my Judge. You are able to make me stand, keeping me in Your dwelling, safe from accusing tongues.

Vow Explanation

When we are hurt, we feel unsettled, unsafe and not at peace. We often cope by making decisions in our own strength, hoping to avoid further hurt. We think or even say out loud statements such as these: “I will never trust another man/woman again.” | “I will never be like my father.” We may be able to shield ourselves from a degree of hurt, but we end up shielding ourselves from God's help as well, because our striving distances us from him. At other times we may make vows to God (or to others) that we are later unable to fulfill.

God provided a way for release from thoughtless vows through the offering of a sacrifice (Lev. 5:4-6), of which Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment (Heb. 7:27). For vows that cannot be fulfilled, God provided a way for them to be re-valued by a priest (Lev. 27:8). The role of a priest is ultimately fulfilled in Christ, who is our great high priest (Heb. 4:14,15), the fulfillment of what is foreshadowed in the Law.

We will not strive to fulfill vows made in our own strength, but will surrender fully to God and lean on his strength, as he lifts the burden of these vows from us. We will no longer rely on our own vows to protect us from hurt, but instead will turn to God to protect and shield us (Ps. 18:2; Eph. 6:16, 1 Pet. 1:5).

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Canceling Vows Made Out of Hurt

RECIPIENT > O God, forgive me when I vowed ______ (state the context when you made the vow, your pain that caused you to make it, and the nature of the vow itself). I look to You to nullify this vow. Thank You for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that cancels this vow. I rescind the vow of ______ (state the vow). We break its power and affect on my life, from this day forward. I will no longer protect myself with this vow – I look to You to protect me. I will no longer be guided by this vow - I yield to You to guide me in everything. Show me any heart wound that contributed to my making this vow. 

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Canceling the Power of Unfulfilled Vows

RECIPIENT > O God, forgive me when I vowed ______ (state the vow) in my own strength. Forgive me for not fulfilling it. May Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest, cancel this vow, or re-value it, should there be any part of it that you still require me to fulfill. I thank you for the sacrifice you provided that makes atonement for this vow. Reveal to me any heart wound related to this vow.

Curses Explanation

To curse someone is to declare the opposite of blessing over a person, or to wish calamity upon someone, or to speak negative things concerning a person's future. We can curse God (Lev. 24:15; Job 2:9; Ex. 22:28), curse our parents (Lev. 20:9, Prov. 20:20), curse ourselves (Job 3:1-26), curse others (James 3:9-10), or pay a practitioner to curse someone (2 Pet. 2:15). We can unknowingly curse one of our children by favoring one child over another (as in Gen. 37 where Jacob favored Joseph over his brothers). Our sin can cause God’s curse to fall on us (Deut 11:26-28; Gen 3:17,18). Solomon recorded the words of God saying that an undeserved curse does not come to rest (Prov. 26:2), but is anyone of us completely innocent and undeserving of trouble? Experience shows that even believers have been affected by others’ curses. The way to freedom from curses is to confess anything that may have given rise to the curse, and to break the power of it by the authority God gives us through Christ, who “redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13). We then agree with God who replaces curses with his blessings (Deut 23:4,5; Ps. 109:28), and we bless those who curse us (Luke 6:28; Rom. 12:14).

Num. 22-24 – Balaam - In seven other places in the Scriptures, Balak and Balaam's actions are soundly denounced (Deut 23, Josh. 13, Josh. 24, Micah 6, 2 Pet. 2, Jude 1 and Rev. 2). In the end, God overruled Balaam, and only words of blessing came out of his mouth. Rev. 22 - One day, there will no longer be any curse.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Canceling Curses Toward Others

RECIPIENT > O God, I confess that I cursed _______ (state name) by saying or thinking ______ (state the nature of that curse). Forgive me, O God, because of Your provision of the sacrifice of Christ who took the curse in our place. I renounce the curse and break its power in Jesus' name. Free ______ (state name) from the results of my curse. Instead of my curse, give ______ (state name) Your blessing. Free me from the power that this sin of cursing has had in my life. Show me what restitution, if any, You want me to make. Show me any heart wounds that contributed to my cursing this person.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Canceling Curses Toward Oneself

RECIPIENT > O, God, forgive me from the sin of cursing myself. You are the one who has created me. I have said or thought _____ (state the nature of the belittling, negative or harmful things that were said or thought). By the authority of Jesus Christ who became cursed for me, we break the power of this curse over me. Heal me from all the effects that this curse has brought into my life. Replace the curse with Your blessing.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Canceling Curses Due to Sin

RECIPIENT > O God, I feel that I am cursed because of the sin of ______ (state the sin). I confess my sin to You. Forgive me. Cleanse my heart from this sin and lift the resulting curse over my life. We place the sacrificial death and victorious resurrection of Christ between the curse of my sin and my life and the life of my children. Deliver me and my family from the effects of this curse from this day forward.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Canceling Curses Made Against Us

RECIPIENT > O God, I feel that I have been cursed by ______ (state name) in the area of _____ (state nature of curse). Forgive me for the sin of ______ (state any sin that may have caused someone to curse you). Cleanse my heart from any effects this curse has had upon me. By the authority of Jesus Christ we cancel this curse and destroy its power over my life and the life of my children from this day forward. O God, take this curse and make it a blessing, according to Your Word. I forgive and pray for blessing for _____ (state name of the one who cursed You).

What The Bible Says

The Power of Words

• "Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose." - Proverbs 18:21 MSG

• "...For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way... the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!" - James 3:2,5,7-9 NLT

• "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire." - Matthew 5:22 ESV

• Psalm 62:4 – spoken out loud or in the heart

• Proverbs 18:21 - power of life and death is in the tongue

• Hebrews 12:24 - better word God has spoken in Christ

Judgments

• Acts 17:31 - God is the just Judge who will judge through Christ, the one he has appointed. We overcome judgment by taking judgments back to the Judge.

• 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 - judge nothing until the Lord comes

• 1 Timothy 4:12; Titus 2:15; Col. 2:13-17 - resist coming under the judgment of others

• Psalm 31:19-20 - In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues

• Psalm 109:30-31 – God saves us from those who condemn us

• Romans 14:1-13 – the Lord is able to make us stand

• Deuteronomy 18 - Korah judged Moses

• 2 Samuel 6:12-23 – Michal judged David

• Matthew 7:1-5 - Do not judge, or you too will be judged

• Luke 6:35-42 - But love your enemies, because God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.

• 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 - judge a dispute between believers

• Romans 14:1-13 - stop passing judgment on one another

• Galatians 5:14-15 - If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

• James 4:11,12 - Do not speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you – who are you to judge your neighbor?

Vows

• Judges 11:1-40 - Jephthah made a vow outside the will of God; it is possible he did not know of the provision of release from a vow through sacrifice

• Prov. 20:25 - It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows

• 1 Samuel 14:24-45 - Saul also made a rash vow... he was about to kill his own son, but others stepped in to save Jonathan, and thankfully Saul did not fulfill his vow

• Mathew 5:33-37 - Jesus taught us that vows made in our own strength are related to the evil one

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Breaking the Effects of Using Forbidden Sources of Power

RECIPIENT > O God, I repent of grieving You through my involvement (and / or my ancestors’ involvement) in the occult. Forgive me and my ancestors for participating in any traditional rituals by which we unknowingly invited the involvement of evil spirits in our lives. I sought help through the occult in this way: ______ (state the type of involvement).

Forgive me and cleanse me. Save me from the consequences of my own sin. I confess that any spirits of the dead that I summoned, that I thought were for my benefit, are really evil spirits that want to destroy me.

By the power of God and the authority of Jesus Christ I reject all benefits, abilities, blessings or powers: ________ (speak out anything that you are reminded of) obtained through occult encounters. I rescind any occult pacts/covenants I or my ancestors made: ____ (speak out any agreements made).

I cancel all spells or mantras I have spoken (speak out details of spells or mantras). I renounce the taking in of any occult substance – food, drink or potions. We command all items inserted into the body by magical power to come out now by the power of God and the authority of Jesus Christ.I bring to You, O God, any items connected to the occult. Give me strength to destroy charms, amulets or any other object that is associated with dark powers (these should be destroyed as soon as possible).

By the authority of Jesus Christ we command all evil spirits connected with this occult involvement to go immediately. We forbid you to touch me, my family, or any of my descendants.

O God, I receive from You alone all help, blessings, healing, abilities, power, gifts or protection that You want to give me to replace what the enemy has given me. Show me any wounds in my heart that may have influenced me to turn to the occult.

EXAMPLE PRAYERS: Breaking Oppression from Forbidden Sources of Spiritual Power

O God, I believe that others have used magical powers to help me. I forgive _______ (state the name of person to be forgiven) for what he / she did _________ (state the type of involvement) in order to obtain something on my behalf _________ (state the type of help being sought). I turn _____ (state the name) over to You. I reject any help, benefit, blessing, healing, protection, ability or power supplied by evil spirits.

In the name of Jesus Christ we break the power of any mantras or spells said on my behalf. We break the power of any pacts or vows made on my behalf. I renounce the taking in of any occult substance – food, drink or potions.

By the authority of Christ we order out any evil spirits that may have come to me as a result of someone else’s involvement in the occult. I receive from You, O God, all help, blessings, healing, abilities, power, gifts or protection that You want to give me to replace what the enemy has given me.

Thank You that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and give me abundant life. Show me any hurts connected with this occult oppression. I open my heart to You.

What The Bible Says

• "Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power." - Acts 19:18-20 NIV

• "Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God." - Leviticus 19:31 NIV

• The LORD said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death. The members of the community are to stone him. I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people; for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death, I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek. I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.  Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy." - Leviticus 20:1-7 NIV

• "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” - Revelation 21:8 NIV

• "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21 NIV

• "When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and  darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness." - Isaiah 8:19-22 NIV

• "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,  or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so." - Deuteronomy 8:10-14 NIV

• "Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or suffer the loss of children.’ Both of these will overtake you in a moment, on a single day: loss of children and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and all your potent spells.  You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’ Disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away. A calamity will fall upon you that you cannot ward off with a ransom; a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly come upon you. "Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror. All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by." - Isaiah 47:8-14 NIV

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Breaking Unhealthy Soul Ties

RECIPIENT > O God, forgive me for sexual involvement with ______________. We sever all ties between __________ and me. I give you any part of ____________’s heart that is still with me. I receive back any part of my heart that I left with _________. Show me any wounds you want to heal that contributed to this unhealthy tie, or were caused by it.

O God, I bring to you all emotional ties from my relationship with __________. We sever all unhealthy ties remaining between _____________ and me. I give you any part of ____________’s heart that is still with me. I receive back any part of my heart that I left with _________. Show me any wounds you want to heal that are related to this emotional tie. 

O God, I bring to you ______________ who has had unhealthy control in my life. Help me to forgive ____________ (state the name). We sever the unhealthy soul tie between _______________ and me. I give you any part of ____________ that is still with me. I receive back any part of my heart that has been taken by _________. Show me any wounds you want to heal that contributed to this unhealthy tie, or were caused by it. O God, I bring to you ____________ whom I have tried to control. Forgive me. We sever the unhealthy tie between ____________ and me.

I release ________’s whole heart to you. I entrust ______ to your care and your direction. I receive back any part of me that I have forced on _______. Show me any wounds you want to heal that contributed to this unhealthy tie. O God, I bring to you ____________ (person) where a soul tie created through occult activity. Forgive me.

We sever this tie between ____________ (person) and me. I send back any part of ________ (person) still affecting me, along with any supernatural power that flowed through ______ (person) to me. I receive back any part of me that I was left with _______ (person). Show me any wounds you want to heal that contributed to this unhealthy tie.

What The Bible Says

• "Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, 'The two are united into one.' But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him." - 1 Corinthians 6:15-17 NLT

• "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." - Genesis 2:24 ESV

• Genesis 44-45 – Possible soul tie between Jacob and Benjamin

• Judges 14-15 – Samson’s soul ties

• 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – soul ties through sex outside marriage

• Leviticus 26:13, Gal. 5:1 - soul ties involving control / oppression of one person over another

• Proverbs 29:25, Gal. 1:10 – soul ties involving living to please others

• Genesis 2:24 – soul ties involving grown children to parents after marriage

• Colossians 2:2 – healthy soul tie – knit together in love

Explanation

There may be something that happened to us that is so shameful, we promised ourselves or someone else that we would never tell anyone – we would die with the secret never brought out into the open – we made a vow of silence. It may be something done to us, or something we did. It may be some pattern in life where we have effectively put up an “idol” – something that has our allegiance in place of the Lord. By bringing the secret into the open with a trusted person, as God leads us, the power of the secret is broken. The enemy cannot use it against us any more.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Breaking The Power of Hidden Shame

RECIPIENT > O God, I have told my trusted friend the secret of my shame. Lift the shame from me, O God, because of what Jesus has done. Jesus, you bore my shame and you take it away. I forbid the enemy to use this secret against me any more, in Jesus’ name. O God, wash me. O God, show me your presence.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Breaking The Power of Hidden Sin

RECIPIENT > O God, I confess my hidden sin _____ (state type of sin) against _____ (state name of person). Please forgive my sins because of Christ. Show me if I must ask forgiveness of _____ (state name) and give me the courage to do it. Show me if I must make restitution of any kind. Even if I feel unable to make full restitution all at once, I ask you to give me the determination to begin to do this. I trust in you, O God, to help me step by step. Reveal to me any heart wound that encouraged me toward this sin. I humble myself before you in order to be healed by you. Thank you for cleansing and healing me.

EXAMPLE PRAYER: Breaking The Power of Hidden Idols

RECIPIENT > O God, show me any hidden idols in my heart. O God, I choose to take down this idol by your power, in Jesus’ name. I surrender all to you. I trust you with my whole life. I have been purchased for you by Jesus with his blood. You are mine and I am yours.

What The Bible Says

• "Do not give the devil a foothold." - Ephesians 4:27 NIV

• "So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech." - 1 Peter 2:1 NLT

• "They thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents." - Romans 1:28-30 NLT

• "The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!" - Mark 12:2-3 NLT

• "Everything hidden and covered up will soon be exposed. For the facade is falling down, and nothing will be kept secret for long. Whatever you have spoken in private will be public knowledge, and what you have whispered secretly behind closed doors will be broadcast far and wide for all to hear. - Luke 12:2-3  TPT

• "God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad." - Ecclesiastes 12:14 NLT

• "People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy." - Proverbs 28:13 NLT

• Psalm 25:20 – The Lord guards, rescues, takes away shame

• Psalm 32:1-7 – Silence brings anguish; speaking brings God’s response

• Joshua 7 – Ai and hidden sin/idol

• Psalm 90:8 - The Lord sets our secret sins in the light of his presence

• Psalm 32:5 - Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to God,” you forgave the guilt of my sin

• Proverbs 28:13 - he who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy

• Luke 19:1-10, Numbers 5:5-7 – restitution is important to God