This is an excerpt from the book "Liberating The Bruised" by Dr. Joe Allbright. In this passage he shows from the scripture that a broken spirit/heart can be a gateway to demonic oppression, even for Christians. This passage points out that healing and restoration are only a prayer away.
Whenever a person is emotionally, physically or sexually abused, that person suffers in the soul area. When a demon invades a person, it operates from the soul area. The actions of a person depend on what a person allows to go on in the area of their soul. Hopefully, the lost person will choose to be saved, at which time the Holy Spirit will indwell and seal their soul. Hopefully, that person will choose to consistently walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16 says we should determine to "...walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."
We must remember that the Christian will have the godly mind, will and emotions of Christ ever-present with them. Anytime a Christian chooses to submit to Christ's spiritual mind, will and emotions that are permanently sealed within them by the Holy Spirit, they will be properly able to deal with things. The body operates according to the Christian's choices - whether one chooses to allow the old man (walking in accordance with the old Adamic nature) or the new man (walking in the power of the Holy Spirit) to control their life. The Christian's choices must be made moment by moment. Remember, the flesh is not referring to our bodies but rather to our mind, will and emotions that operate from the soul area (Galatians 5:16).
Since ancestral demons and their networks can take up residence in the soul area, one can understand why a person can get saved but still have strongholds in the soul area that can manipulate and control their life. As the Bible student searches the Word of God, there is considerable evidence that the soul can be shattered or fragmented. We must face the issue that we are clay vessels with breakable souls. Our souls or personalities can be broken or crushed. There is proof in the scriptures:
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Ps. 34:18; NSSB)
Reproach hath broken my heart and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforts, but I found none. (Ps. 69:20; NSSB)
Because that he remembered not to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man. that he might even slay the broken hearted. (Ps. 109:16; NSSB)
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. (Prov. 15:13; NSSB)
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Prov. 17:22; NSSB)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. (Lk. 4:18; NSSB)
The Greek word for broken used in Luke 4:18 is suntribo and it means to crush completely, to shatter, break (in pieces), broken to shivers (hearted), bruise.
The Hebrew word for broken used in Psalm 34:18 and 69:20 is shabar, and it means to burst, break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (hearted), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench... The Hebrew word for broken used in Proverbs 15:13 and 17:22 is naka, and it means to be smitten, afflicted, broken, stricken, wounded. The Hebrew word for broken that is used in Psalm 109:16 is kaah, and it means to despond, to deject, to be broken, be grieve, made sad.
RESTORATION OF THE SOUL
Through these verses and definitions, we can see our soul can be crushed, broken, wounded, bruised and shattered. However, God identifies the culprit in His Word, and shows us how to deal with him. God, in His love, offers restoration and freedom. The following passage from Hebrews 13:20-21 speaks of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ in restoration:
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, throug Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
The word in the Greek for perfect is katartizo. It means to render, to make fit, sound or complete, to mend (what has been broken or rent), to repair. In Psalm 23 David speaks of the Lord restoring man's soul. Look at the Hebrew word for restoreth. Shuwb means to turn back, fetch home again, get (oneself) back again. Restoreth carries the idea of returning to the point of departure, and fetching home or getting oneself back - the one that God created. It is important to note that Jesus Christ specifically spoke of restoration as part of His ministry as quoted earlier in Luke 4:18. It is a part of His work that has been ongoing in the lives of believers for centuries. This is the work of transformation that Paul spoke of in Romans 12:2. There he advises that believers should not be "conformed to this world", but rather we should be "transformed by the renewing (renovation, complete change for the better) or our mind." To restore one's soul, the prayer of renunciation (concerning claiming back ground) can be prayed. It is included below. If someone prays this prayer but the problem still persists, then the person must undergo deeper counseling.
PRAYER OF RENUNCIATION
The idea is to take a time of quiet prayer and contemplation for yourself or with others, and ask the Lord to reveal any memories in which you were hurt by something someone else did. (You may become aware of any number of specific events in ranging from childhood to this very day that were very hurtful to you. You may become overcome with emotion as you go through this, but that's okay.) When you confront a memory, you pray a prayer(s) like the ones recorded here.
Lord Jesus, by the power of Your blood, on the cross You became (name the person or persons and the specific sin committed against you). I ask You not to lay that sin to (person or persons) charge. I ask you to forgive (person or persons) for he/she/they do not fully know what he/she/they did to me. And Lord Jesus, by the power of Your blood, and only through Your power, can I, and do I choose to forgive (person or persons) for what he/she/they did to me.
Then pray unloading all of the emotions surrounding the particular incident:
Lord, I want to dump on the cross the (any and all emotions you are in touch with - or remember - relating to their sin against you).
Then, command Satan and claim back the ground that has been taken from you:
Satan, by the power of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command that you give me back the ground that (the person and their sin) gave you in my life.
Then, ask the Lord for healing, cleansing and restoration:
Dear Lord Jesus, please saturate the ground with your precious blood. Heal it, cleanse it, and totally restore it. Heal my mind, body, soul and spirit. And, dear Lord Jesus, please heal my memories. I let go of all the negative feelings and negative fallout from this memory. I want no negative effects affecting my life or my family's life, present or future. Any demon spirits that have been able to stand on this ground to emotionally and mentally harass or manipulate me, I want them in the pit (the abyss, not hell) by the authority of the Lord Jesus (Luke 8:31, Rev. 9:1-12). Now Lord Jesus, please seal the doorway to that part of my mind, heal those damaged emotions, restore that torn part of my soul.
Finally, release it all to Christ Jesus , and praise Him for what He has done in your life:
Lord, I want to praise You and thank You that You have, and You will work all of this together for my good. I release it to you. Lord Jesus, by faith I let go of it. I no longer have to carry around it's negative effects. I praise and thank You for the victory and the deliverance. Amen.
Now, in the time of letting the Holy Spirit reveal things, we must also be sensitive to His leading for sins that we are guilty of and have not dealt with. This should start with those sins that may be habitual for you, or those that you may seem to struggle with consistently. These are often sins that we keep hidden from all others because of shame and embarrassment. This may include one or any number of sins as listed in passages such as Galatians 5:19-21, 2 Timothy 3:2-7 and Revelation 21:8. It seems that the most severe of these are unbelief (also defined as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in Mk. 3:29) and when we have not forgiven someone for whatever they may have done, (whether the act was done to us or someone else) intentionally or otherwise. This unforgiveness may seem justified when we have been hurt by someone else, but according to the scriptures, (Matt. 6:14-15, 18:21-35) it actually prevents us being forgiven our own sins, thus creating a break in our relationship with the Lord. It is the one sin that the Lord Jesus said was absolutely unacceptable for believers to commit. It is not the only sin we may be guilty of, but the most grievous. Let the Spirit lead you to any sins that you may be guilty of against others, or any sins that you feel you may be in bondage to. Then pray:
Lord Jesus, by the power of Your blood, you became my sin of (name it - be specific) on the cross, and I call it sin. I ask You to forgive me and cleanse me, and I gratefully receive Your forgiveness and cleansing.
It is then profitable to follow the above listed prayer steps in praying to claim back any ground that Satan or his demons may have been able to take within our lives.