Deep Wounds, Deep Healing

by Charles H. Kraft

A poor self-image. Chronic depression. A bitter divorce. The trauma of sexual abuse. Why do some wounds fester and refuse to heal, even after we seek help from those who specialize in treating deep emotional pain? Kraft believes that in order to experience real and lasting freedom from a painful past, we must understand the powerful link between spiritual warfare and inner healing. It is only when we recognize and reject the enemy's influence on our most hurtful memories that we can receive complete restoration in mind, heart, and spirit. "Deep Wounds, Deep Healing" is a complete guide to deep-level healing. Whether readers are seeking restoration for themselves or for those under their care, this book will enable them to recognize the spiritual roots of emotional wounds and invite God's presence into those darkest of places. His power is the hope of freedom and inner healing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Christianity, Counselling, Psychology, Prayer, Self Help

304 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 1993

About the author

Rev. Dr. Charles H. Kraft is an anthropologist and linguist whose work since the early 1980s has focused on inner healing and spiritual warfare. He is the Sun-Hee Kwak Professor of Anthropology and Intercultural Communication in the School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, teaching primarily in the school's spiritual dynamics concentration. He joined Fuller's faculty in 1969. In the 1950s he served as a Brethren missionary in northern Nigeria. He has been a professor of African languages at Michigan State University and UCLA, and taught anthropology part-time at Biola University. He holds a BA from Wheaton College, a BD from Ashland Theological Seminary, and a PhD from the Hartford Seminary Foundation.

-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Matthew Blanton]

Great book on Inner Healing and Deliverance ministry! Read it and it will challenge your view on what the Holy Spirit can do today!

[Dudi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me 7 months to read but I finished it. It’s not that it was hard to follow or the content was not good; it’s simply due to where I was as far as receiving it. I am glad I stumbled upon this book and it deserves a re-read for me to fully grasp how to get inner healing.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a book on deep, spiritual healing meant for someone ministering to someone else or to a client. It seems to be background information on what to look for and how to approach healing in different situations. The author quotes some scripture in the chapters and has good ideas and advice. But most of the material seems to quote his other books or books by Neil Anderson, David Seamands and other authors more than scriptures. Most of the authors quoted wrote books between 1980-2001. The chapters are based on anecdotal memories of healings from clients, quotes from other authors' books or from this author's experiences. The author covers demons and demonization in chapters 3 & 10. I've read books like this before that have helped me such as Healing Grace by David Seamands. But this book didn't help me much; maybe it would have in the past. Good basic information. I've worked on past memories, reparenting and negative self-talk with the help of other books. Chapter 6 is about how reactions like unforgiveness block healing. Chapter 8 deals with healing from loss and covers many types of loss. I learned a few new things in these chapters. But I needed something more, or something else. I need God, not a counselor who will diagnose my problems.

I prefer Theophostic prayer by Ed Smith. In Theophostic prayer, the counselor is asking the Holy Spirit to guide the client's healing and letting the Spririt guide what to look at and where to go. This book is based on experience, but doesn't discuss being given authority or being called by God to healing ministry before imposing yourself on someone asking for healing. It doesn't talk about the counselor being healed first before they try to heal someone else. I've had people pray for me and just impose their own hurts and opinions on me. I think this book has good information, but I'd prefer a book that encourages the person praying for others to empty themselves of wanting to be somebody first. Someone submitted to God and listening to the Holy Spirit would be my choice.

John Piper's "When the Darkness Will Not Lift," helped me more, but was not as long to read. Also Priscilla Shirer's bible study on Ephesians called "The Armor of God," helped me more. I used to search for the root of my problems and hurts; now I want to fight against them and ask God to shed light on them and show me the truth, not spend hours letting a person tell me what's wrong with me and what to do.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The concepts and practices with this book are helpful in exploring how to unpack the layers of brokenness in the soul. To reinterpret our past experiences in light of Jesus always being present in our life can help people get free from past wounds that keep them stuck and in bondage presently.
Dr. Kraft also reveals the influence of demonic spirits that afflict and empower negative thought, lies, oppression etc. that help keep people trapped in sin, bondage, & negative cycles. I wouldn't have given this concept much thought until being involved in a situation where an individual was clearly experiencing repeated demonic manifestation and needed breakthrough. This has been a good resource to reference in counseling & healing ministry. Another helpful one is Neil Anderson's Steps to Freedom in Christ.

[Cinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn about the ministry of inner healing and deliverance. Kraft offers a lot of good practical information with ministry examples that make it easy to put into practice in one's own life or in ministry to others. The last part of the book introduces some methods and concepts that, as a non-professional counselor, I would not want to undertake on my own, but I appreciate that Kraft emphasizes the value of a combination of professional counseling by a counselor working together with an inner healing practitioner.

[Nanci Lamborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who wants to find the buried roots that need healing should read this book. Eye opening, enlightening, and insightful. Anyone who is in any sort of Christian healing ministry or Christian counseling needs to add this book to their resources list.

[Tony Portell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Craft has managed to write a theological work with a personal touch. His rare academic excellence and practical experience make his works accessible to read. I was impressed by how approachable this book was. I imagined it to be a textbook, but it reads like an excellent nonfiction novel.

[Cooper · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was really excited for this. The structure of the book was difficult to follow and really repetitive. I thought the general idea was interesting

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Intercessor this book will shed so much understanding on your craft and add much needed tools to your tool box!

[Asha Bhatia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for anyone who feels they have a calling into healing prayer ministry. Great text for new ministers and a wonderful refresher for seasoned ones.

[Elora Ramirez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great book covering the connection between spiritual warfare and deep-level healing. My only beef was Kraft continuously mentioning his other books - almost as if he was attempting some self-promotion of sorts. Other than that, I learned a lot through this - learned a lot about myself as well as helping others. Will be using it in the future.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Kraft has many wonderful things to say about forgiveness and inner healing. I find the memory retrieval concept dangerous, however, since many patients have been given "false memories" by their counselors which have caused permanent damage to families.

[Bob Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read although there was not much new for those looking to learn inner healing that has not come from books written before this. Author seems to take a lot from Seamonds and the Sandfords, but that's ok. Don't we all?

[Joellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent book, a bit basic but thats what i wanted.