Healing Line

Healing Line

Q & A with Francis & Judith

by Francis & Judith MacNutt
Spring 2015

Q: How do you differentiate between righteous anger and a general (negative) issue with anger?

A: The great thing about being a prayer minister is that we are not here to judge the prayer recipients. The Holy Spirit is the one to do all corrective work on behavior, so first we have to check ourselves as prayer ministers and make sure we aren't judging. Our job at CHM is to pray, so if a person poses the question about anger to us, we can ask for guidance and discernment from the Holy Spirit. We often ask what has caused the anger. There are plenty of scenarios in which anger is an accurate and valid response to an injustice. Anger is often what propels people to work through what they are feeling and get the help that is needed. On the other hand, there are also people who are just generally angry — unhappy people who are walking around looking for somewhere to dump that anger. When someone comes in for ministry and is angry at everything and everyone in their life, most likely they have not identified why they are angry. That kind of anger doesn't seem to serve a purpose, and if not addressed, it can become dangerous and harmful to themselves and others. In the Scriptures, Jesus' anger served a purpose. He got rid of the money changers because they were causing a hindrance in the temple. He was angry with the religious leaders of the day because they were going against God's higher laws of love. He used it to correct situations that were unjust.

Q: Is there a particular prayer that is helpful for someone who has relapsed into substance abuse?

A: We recommend a wonderful book by Dr. Richard Rohr, Breathing Under Water. It is one of the best books out there right now on the subject of addiction. As for praying for the relapse, praying to get to the root of the addiction is most important. We know that addiction passes down in the generations, so generational prayers are important. We also know that a lot of addiction is rooted in rebellion, so that needs to be addressed. Addiction can also be rooted in trauma. There could be trauma and unresolved pain that needs to be dealt with. In this scenario, prayer for inner healing would address emotional wounding from the trauma. Addicts will often use substances to try and numb themselves in order to not feel their pain. They often make inner vows against feeling anything at all, so breaking inner vows can be necessary. You must target the root. Too often we deal with the surface issues, which provide temporary relief, but it doesn't last long term and the problems often return. That is why we need the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to know where the problem began. No one just gets up one day and decides to become an addict and ruin themselves and the lives of family and friends around them. It happens for a reason, so we must be diligent about getting to the root of the problem and identify how it started. Relapses will unfortunately continue until we deal with the root issues. We have heard of and know about miraculous healings from addictions, but not as commonly as those healed through a journey that takes longer.

Q: If someone in my home is using 'spirit guides' what should I do?

A: If you have someone in your home or family who is involved in any occult practice, there is a battle that is going on to gain ground in the spiritual realm. Obviously, Jesus is stronger and you need to stand on that — but it is a battle. Constantly pray for protection. You must daily put on the full armor of God. Ask God to send His holy angels to help you, to protect you, and to do battle for you. Then, intercede for the loved one(s) who are involved in occult practices. However, make sure you are interceding in a way that you and your spirit will be protected. Mark Twain said, 'keep your friends close but your enemies closer.' You must understand that the enemy has a plan against you; do you have a plan against the enemy? Understand the tactics of the enemy so that you know how to protect and fight.

Q: How do you think video games, TV and movies, computers and time spent on smart phones is affecting our culture?

A: What you behold, you can often become. This is obviously a good thing when we are talking about looking at Jesus. However, when you are spending excessive time in front of TV, video games, etc., that are dark in nature, they will affect you — mind, body and spirit. There are video games that have a strong emphasis on war, violence and killing. Giving these things place in your life plants seeds and opens doors that can have negative and destructive repercussions. You have to consider that when you are spending a lot of time in front of stuff like this; it will influence you. At CHM, we pray for a lot of people who need to be released from these influences. They often say after prayer that they sense a new freedom.

There is a lot of darkness on TV and in movies these days — and the people that are creating them are unfortunately tapping in to very disturbing and dangerous realities. They are not just making up the content. They are actually studying witchcraft and other areas of the occult to get content. That is extremely concerning because our culture is buying in to it and basically giving the demonic an opening into their lives.

There is an unfortunate obsession with darkness in our culture that is growing every day. But at the very heart of our being, each and every one of us, because we are created in God's image and likeness, knows that there is a supernatural realm. We often ignore it and choose not to acknowledge it, but we all know that there is a supernatural being out there. We know that there is a supernatural love that exists. If we cannot get the authentic and genuine thing, which is God, then we will seek out these other avenues. What is interesting, and should be encouraging, is that the seeking is good behavior. The seeking of love and truth is good. Unfortunately it often gets redirected to the wrong channel when we cannot find the authentic. We want to say that just because someone is caught up in New Age or the occult does not mean they are evil. It means they are seeking — and it is our responsibility to give them what is true and authentic. We must bring light, love and truth into the darkness.


Francis & Judith MacNutt Francis MacNutt is a Founding Director and Executive Committee member of CHM.
Judith MacNutt is author, teacher, conference speaker and co–founder of CHM.
Spring 2015 Issue