Introduction
In most societies, religion plays an integral role in the spiritual growth and development of individuals. In times of tribulations, people tend to seek spiritual intervention for the alleviation of the problems inhibiting their progress in different endeavors. In this regard, religious leaders like those in Christian ministries have been on the forefront in fostering the application of religious perspectives in dealing with spiritual, social, and economic challenges.
Dr. Neil T. Anderson, the founder of the Emeritus of Freedom in Christ Ministries (FICM), authored a masterpiece book, viz. “The bondage breaker: overcoming negative thoughts, irrational feelings, and habitual sins”, in a bid to make valid contributions to the alleviation of human suffering. This paper will provide a summary of Anderson’s book before an evaluation and critique are done to determine its application in the mitigation of human suffering from bondage.
Summary
Anderson wrote the book with the intention of providing readers with a perspective of seeking freedom from the religious point of view based on Christian teachings. He convinces the readers that everyone is entitled to the right to be free from any shackles that may inhibit his/her progress. In this light, behaviors that may be causing one’s tribulations require mitigation through spiritual intervention for the attainment of freedom.
According to the author, Christians must challenge demonic powers in a confrontational manner in a bid to break the shackles that bind them. Additionally, the author affirms that Christians can break from their negative thought arrays by combating the temptations that derail them from conforming to the Christian values and expectations.
Winning spiritual battles entails the affirmation of one’s identification with Christ, which fosters the escape from the bondage of sinful behavior (Anderson 2006, 140). Therefore, Anderson outlays a theoretical framework for overpowering irrational feelings, negative thoughts, and habitual sins. The author explains human behavior by diverging from the old biological and psychological explanations.
Christians are faced with slavery, which has been characterized by the emergence of occults and different forms of Satanism (Anderson 2006, 16). This aspect inhibits upright behavior that is expected from Christians since the modern world has embraced a substitute etiology of dysfunctional religious perspectives. The author regards maturity and freedom as the integral aspects of a successful Christian life.
The two concepts have Biblical backing since the notions of sanctification and justification represent maturity and freedom respectively. He uses the Bible to show how Satan strives to interfere with the maturity of Christians by preventing the knowledge of their identity and that of Christ.
Theologically, Christian healing from detrimental behavior is curtailed by the maturity – a continual process, and freedom, which is instantaneous after an individual accepts salvation. Individuals that have been saved by the Christ face Satan’s deception to take them back from their former behaviors, hence it is essential for Christians to embrace maturity.
Apparently, “the kingdom of darkness” enhances its deception by subjecting Christians to sin, failure, and negative habits (Anderson (2006, 34). In this light, Christians combat their tribulations through the application of contemporary means instead of embracing spiritual solutions.
Dysfunctional behavior among Christians follows a rational change that starts with the perspective that an act would deviate from religious standards that depict the holiness of God. Ultimately, temptations result in immoral conduct that repeats itself to form habits.
The loss of one’s control is a gradual process that leads to three detrimental phases of bondage. Self-depreciating judgments and thoughts of guilt characterize the first level of captivity. The second level is manifested by “strange evil voices” that tend to overwhelm one’s senses. The third level of bondage is depicted by intense oppression by satanic powers that strive to control an individual’s personality over time (Anderson 2006, 106-111).
The imposition of the Satan’s illegitimate authority over humanity through deceptive means is accountable for the dysfunctional human behavior (Anderson 2006, 189). Therefore, the healing process is a personal responsibility through the embracement of Biblical ideas and identifying one’s personality with Christ. Breaking away from Satanic subjective bondage involves a process of seven steps.
The initial step is the counterfeit versus real, which involves the identification and renouncement of the current or prior engagement in false religions or satanic practices. The second step is termed as the deception versus truth and it involves the identification of the Satan’s deceptive approaches as manifested in an individual’s thoughts before replacing them with the truth found in the Bible.
Bitterness versus forgiveness is the third step in the process whereby individuals relinquish their privileges to demand impartiality for the injustices they have suffered. The fourth step is rebellion versus submission, which requires Christians to make decisions that would indicate the authority of the biblical teachings through the portrayal that God is the provider and protector. Pride versus humility is the fifth step whereby the continual intervention of God in people’s lives is acknowledged as the factor for an efficient Christian life.
The sixth phase of the process is bondage versus freedom, which involves the confession and renouncement of habitual sins. The final step is acquiescence versus renunciation whereby an individual is expected to renounce ancestral sins and curses for the attainment of liberation (Anderson 2006, 192-221).
The author suggests that the inevitability of freedom from bondage would be achieved through the application of the healing process resulting in the alleviation of dysfunctional behaviors. In a bid to maintain freedom, the healing process may be repeated if necessary to foster the newly acquired freedom.
Evaluation and Critique
Anderson approaches the issue of human suffering from the spiritual warfare perspective. In this regard, the book is subject to evaluation to identify its strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths of Anderson’s ideas
I like the book’s focus on the truth based on faith rather than the application of power in the liberation of individuals from their suffering. It is believed that the truth would free an individual and the author utilizes the teachings of the scripture to influence people to stop entertaining dysfunctional behaviors.
Since the attack by demons is viewed as a spiritual problem, battling it through the application of the truth found in the Bible addresses the situation in a logical manner, which is reciprocally balanced. The author is justified to postulate that the spiritual battles that individuals engage in are struggles of the mind.
Anderson suggests that Satan applies tactics that lead individuals to temptation, deception, and the accusation that tend to act as the truth. In this regard, the belief in a religious system exists in the mind and the evil spirit attacks the mind to drive its deceptive ideas. Therefore, an individual is expected to use the same mind as a retaliation tool to combat the evil forces.
In this sense, I like the idea that Christians are expected to employ their spiritual beliefs and attitudes in the spiritual battles that would overpower the dysfunctional behaviors induced by satanic forces. Anderson’s book notes that religious groups including the church have depended on the scientific and psychological understanding of deviant behaviors for a long time.
I like Anderson’s approach to the issue of dysfunctional behavior and healing from a perspective that would be considered mythical or superstitious by scientists. Christians also tend to disregard “the kingdom of darkness” in the development of dysfunctional behavior that enslaves the multitudes (Anderson 2006, 34). Based on the foundations of supernatural circles, Anderson manages to explain how temporal family systems facilitate dysfunctional behavior and its physical manifestation.
In addition, I like how Anderson facilitates a demonstration of the need for healing whereby the healing cycle is provided. The author illustrates a seven-step process through which individuals can break from the bondage and attain freedom.
Furthermore, a demonstration of the healing process is enhanced by the acceptance of the occurrence of changes in an individual’s life before engaging the mind in the liberation process. The model provided by Anderson advocates the realignment of the thinking course from its deceptive attributes to the embracement and integration of biblical knowledge or truth that enhances the need for healing relationships.
Weaknesses of Anderson’s Ideas
Despite Anderson’s scriptural base to his arguments, criticism from fellow Christians and the scientific community that requires empirical evidence for validation is inevitable. In this light, identifying the weakness of his perspectives on human suffering is essential for the enhancement of the comprehensive understanding of the topic. According to Anderson, personal responsibility is directly subject to personal choices.
This assertion implies that individuals may enslave themselves due to the individual choices that they make, and thus they are responsible for their thoughts, choices, and actions. However, the attribution of dysfunction behavior among Christians to “severe oppression” or “demonic influences” implies that every individual is religious and the issue of bondage is unavoidable. Therefore, I dislike this aspect of the book.
Criticisms of the arguments of Anderson may also emerge from the Christian community of which he uses biblical postulations to support his ideas. Therefore, I question the extent to which salvation can be shaken by the efforts of satanic deception and temptations. It is perceived that a born again Christian should portray firm mental and spiritual strength, which is not tempted and deceived easily to engage in negative thoughts, habitual sins, and irrational feelings.
Application in individual life and ministerial endeavors
Anderson’s ideas on the walk towards freedom from irrational feelings, habitual sin, and negative thoughts can be applied to an individual’s life as a liberation strategy. In this regard, as a Christian, I welcome the arguments put forward by Anderson that demonic spiritual forces restrain us from acknowledging the freedom that is inherited by accepting Christ through salvation.
This assertion implies that I would identify myself in Christian beliefs that would enhance my identification in Christ. Identifying myself as a believer in Christ would entail commitment and belief in the spiritual teachings provided in the Bible. In this regard, my spiritual growth would be enhanced to curtail the demonic strengths that would result in behavioral dysfunctions.
Since the author asserts that habitual sins cultivate satanic strongholds in our lives, which in the long-term takes one back to bondage, it would be essential to observe vigilance in my undertakings. In case I go through the healing process, fostering an upright character that upholds morality is essential to curb any possibilities of returning to old habits induced by Satan’s deceptive techniques.
Additionally, a repeat of the steps involved in the healing process would be necessary for the attainment of maturity and freedom as a Christian. Anderson suggests that demonic activities are not responsible for all spiritual battles encountered by Christians. In this regard, challenges faced in my daily endeavors would not be affiliated with demonic forces that have a bearing on the sins that I commit like lying and my strong emotional reactions.
Therefore, engaging my mind in rational thoughts would facilitate the enhancement of responsible behavior that fosters morality. In this respect, discerning personal and spiritual factors that undermine my personality would facilitate a better understanding of the battles that I engage in and the response that I should adopt in a bid to triumph.
In my evangelical endeavors as a minister, Anderson’s ideas can be used in demon possession teachings. It would be logical to accept that demons exist in the contemporary world and their activities shackle individuals into bondage.
Conclusion
Anderson provides a good religious approach to the issue of individual dysfunctions by embracing the spiritual battle perspective. His book, “The bondage breaker: overcoming negative thoughts, irrational feelings, and habitual sins”, provides an in-depth view of the factors that lead to enslavement coupled with how faith can be used in the emancipation process.
Evaluating the ideas of Anderson portrays issues like the mental perception of spiritual battles, explanation of human suffering from the religious angle, and the application of a healing process. Criticisms arise in areas of salvation when exerted to demonic energies and the inevitability of behavioral dysfunctions. The application of Anderson’s ideas in real life situations is also practical since the human race is subject to many challenges that may require spiritual intervention.
Reference
Anderson, Neil. 2006. The Bondage Breaker: Overcoming Negative Thoughts, Irrational Feelings, Habitual Sins. Sisters, OR: Harvest House Publishers.