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God’s Power to Change: Healing the Wounded Spirit
Fear of rejection. Loneliness. Depression. Grief. Isolation. What Christian hasn’t experienced these feelings at some time in life? Many wonder why their lives don’t demonstrate the victorious living that they desire, asking questions Why can’t I overcome this area in my life? Why is it so difficult for me to change? If I am a Christian, why do I keep falling into the same sinful pattern over and over again? In God’s Power to Change, book two of four in The Transformation Series, readers will learn, in simple ways, how to reach and heal their spirits and the inner spirit of each person to whom they minister. Through the power of His Word and the Holy Spirit, we can change!
- GenresChristian
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 22, 2007
45 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
John Loren Sandford
48 books33 followersJohn Sandford and and his wife Paula are co-founders of Elijah House, Inc., an international ministry established in 1975 in response to the Lord's calling in Malachi 4:5-6 and Matthew 17:11
They have traveled extensively, teaching the biblical principles of repentance and forgiveness, highlighting the transforming power of Jesus' death and resurrection. They are considered pioneers in the prophetic and inner healing movements. Their vision has been to reveal that which keeps believers bound in repetitive sin; by, as John says, "evangelizing the unbelieving areas of the believer's heart."
John and Paula have sown a deeper understanding of the Word into the Body of Christ, especially regarding the four spiritual laws, illuminating the biblical truth that these laws are just as certain as the law of gravity in how they affect our lives. Their work in the Kingdom has brought transformation of individuals and reconciliation of relationships to countless thousands, from individuals and families to denominations and people groups,and most ultimately, reconciliation with The Father.
John graduated from seminary with an M. Div. in Religion and Personality. He pastored churches in Illinois, Kansas, and Idaho for 21 years before founding Elijah House. Paula was active in these churches in music and Christian education, and also taught English and Spanish in public high school for several years. She joined her husband in the team ministry of Elijah House from its beginning and was ordained in 1995.
John and his wife Paula experienced the infilling of the Holy Spirit in 1958, which has enriched their ministry ever since. They have been married since 1951, have 6 children, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
They have traveled extensively, teaching the biblical principles of repentance and forgiveness, highlighting the transforming power of Jesus' death and resurrection. They are considered pioneers in the prophetic and inner healing movements. Their vision has been to reveal that which keeps believers bound in repetitive sin; by, as John says, "evangelizing the unbelieving areas of the believer's heart."
John and Paula have sown a deeper understanding of the Word into the Body of Christ, especially regarding the four spiritual laws, illuminating the biblical truth that these laws are just as certain as the law of gravity in how they affect our lives. Their work in the Kingdom has brought transformation of individuals and reconciliation of relationships to countless thousands, from individuals and families to denominations and people groups,and most ultimately, reconciliation with The Father.
John graduated from seminary with an M. Div. in Religion and Personality. He pastored churches in Illinois, Kansas, and Idaho for 21 years before founding Elijah House. Paula was active in these churches in music and Christian education, and also taught English and Spanish in public high school for several years. She joined her husband in the team ministry of Elijah House from its beginning and was ordained in 1995.
John and his wife Paula experienced the infilling of the Holy Spirit in 1958, which has enriched their ministry ever since. They have been married since 1951, have 6 children, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 17, 2015
Any one of the chapters is deserving of an entire book in itself. From a lifetime of prayer ministry and practical counselling, John and Paula Sandford bring their distilled wisdom and insight into the human condition. The depth of God's power, even within the tortuous mazes of the darkest psyche, is always evident.
The book deals with thoughtful compassion but also probing surgical skill into the root causes of such conditions as 'slumbering spirit', 'captive spirit', depression, defilements and 'shrikism'. It also takes an incisive look at the effects and symptoms of occult involvement on both individuals and families; examines the nature of idolatry and 'spiritual adultery'.
God's Power to Change is replete with carefully chosen anecdotes; one that stood out to me was the story about the seminar the Sandfords held for professional prayer ministers. These are people whose daily occupation it is to listen to people opening up to them and telling them the stories of their lives - in order to bring them insights so they can receive from God the help needed to be healed and restored to fullness of life. The seminar started out disastrously - the counsellors could not open up in a way they would naturally expect their clients to do. It took a while for the Sandfords to discern the issue: that many Christians, and this group in particular, have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour in order to escape being what they are, not to accept themselves as redeemed sons and daughters of the most High. Unable to reconcile with self, they used Jesus and the cross as a way of escape. (pg 137 ff)
The essence of shrikism is that it gathers personal righteousness to itself and establishes it at the expense of others. The shrike fears rejection more than anything else but in striving to outperform everyone, he or she heaps up righteousness, making it impossible to live with him or her. Thus rejection follows; possibly along with a 'noble martyr' syndrome. Several stories illustrate this issue. (pg 154 ff)
The connection of the 'white stone' of Revelation with the alchemist's search for the perfected soul (pg 171 ff) might seem like stringing a long bow to some, but it reminded me of the unique word 'sekviy' in Job 38 which means both meteoric stone and mind/soul. And is probably the origin of the word psyche.
The likely connection between apples of gold and the refreshing kitchilika fruit is mentioned.
The list of eight symptoms of occult involvement in an ancestral line is alone worth several times the price of the book.
Spiritual slumber and spiritual captivity (both of which present similar but not identical symptoms) are addressed. People who are afflicted by spiritual slumber have never had their spirit called to life; or if they have received early nurture which awakens their spirit, they have turned away from it for some reason, resulting in hardness of heart. Examples of slumbering spirits are given, such as the man who didn't pay his bills because he was only awake to the moment. When debt collectors inevitably arrived, he did not perceive any connection between his purchase and their insistence that money was owed.
Symptoms of spiritual captivity - the imprisonment of the spirit - are given as well as insights into how to set captives free. Do's and don'ts of depression are also addressed extremely well.
The book deals with thoughtful compassion but also probing surgical skill into the root causes of such conditions as 'slumbering spirit', 'captive spirit', depression, defilements and 'shrikism'. It also takes an incisive look at the effects and symptoms of occult involvement on both individuals and families; examines the nature of idolatry and 'spiritual adultery'.
God's Power to Change is replete with carefully chosen anecdotes; one that stood out to me was the story about the seminar the Sandfords held for professional prayer ministers. These are people whose daily occupation it is to listen to people opening up to them and telling them the stories of their lives - in order to bring them insights so they can receive from God the help needed to be healed and restored to fullness of life. The seminar started out disastrously - the counsellors could not open up in a way they would naturally expect their clients to do. It took a while for the Sandfords to discern the issue: that many Christians, and this group in particular, have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour in order to escape being what they are, not to accept themselves as redeemed sons and daughters of the most High. Unable to reconcile with self, they used Jesus and the cross as a way of escape. (pg 137 ff)
The essence of shrikism is that it gathers personal righteousness to itself and establishes it at the expense of others. The shrike fears rejection more than anything else but in striving to outperform everyone, he or she heaps up righteousness, making it impossible to live with him or her. Thus rejection follows; possibly along with a 'noble martyr' syndrome. Several stories illustrate this issue. (pg 154 ff)
The connection of the 'white stone' of Revelation with the alchemist's search for the perfected soul (pg 171 ff) might seem like stringing a long bow to some, but it reminded me of the unique word 'sekviy' in Job 38 which means both meteoric stone and mind/soul. And is probably the origin of the word psyche.
The likely connection between apples of gold and the refreshing kitchilika fruit is mentioned.
The list of eight symptoms of occult involvement in an ancestral line is alone worth several times the price of the book.
Spiritual slumber and spiritual captivity (both of which present similar but not identical symptoms) are addressed. People who are afflicted by spiritual slumber have never had their spirit called to life; or if they have received early nurture which awakens their spirit, they have turned away from it for some reason, resulting in hardness of heart. Examples of slumbering spirits are given, such as the man who didn't pay his bills because he was only awake to the moment. When debt collectors inevitably arrived, he did not perceive any connection between his purchase and their insistence that money was owed.
Symptoms of spiritual captivity - the imprisonment of the spirit - are given as well as insights into how to set captives free. Do's and don'ts of depression are also addressed extremely well.
November 11, 2023
Did not care for the book at all. This book was read for a specific class and there were parts that I did not agree with.
April 11, 2009
This book is providing an interesting insight into wounded spirits. It does have a slightly "dated" feel to it.
While I found this book to have some interesting elements in it, generally I found the viewpoint of the theology to be not consistent with the Catholic view. This is relevant in discussing the state of the soul. That the authors seem to hold to the soul's total depravity (Luther's idea, not that of the Catholic Church) is evident.
While I found this book to have some interesting elements in it, generally I found the viewpoint of the theology to be not consistent with the Catholic view. This is relevant in discussing the state of the soul. That the authors seem to hold to the soul's total depravity (Luther's idea, not that of the Catholic Church) is evident.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews