By Gena Barnhill @BarnhillGena and Press Barnhill @PressBarnhill

Bound emotions can be the result of wounding by parents or other authority figures. Shame can cause suppressed emotions. In numerous situations, people told us authority figures required them to suppress their emotions, be strong, or not hurt others by crying or showing weaknesses. This influence has been active in our family bloodline.

Daniel’s Story

Daniel said his aunt told him to be strong and not cry when his dad died. He was five years old at that time and had not released his grief and sorrow until he was in an inner healing prayer session in his forties. He had suffered from migraines and experienced difficulties in his marriage. Experiencing safety for the first time, he released his pain to Jesus in the prayer session and received healing for his bound emotions.

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God Created Us with Emotions

God created us in His image and designed us to have a range of emotions. Emotions help us understand ourselves and others. Numerous passages in the Bible speak of the Lord’s emotions. First Kings 3:10 refers to God being pleased, and 1 Kings 11:9 says God was angry. John 11:5 tells us Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. Jesus’s agony was described in Luke 22:44. We experience the same emotions as God and Jesus.

Suppressed Emotions

The influence of bound emotions works to convince people their emotions are undesirable, dangerous, or shameful, and need to be suppressed. Our society teaches us emotions are irrational, childish, a sign of weakness, and unreliable. The media play into this by showing how emotions cause anger, violence, and destruction. Soap operas on television constantly focus on the negative aspects of uncontrolled emotions. Crime dramas and sitcoms focus on the negative aspects of emotions.

Several prayer recipients told us they knew they should not feel a certain way. When we asked them to explain their statement, they said their parents and friends told them they should not feel angry or depressed. Consequently, they worked hard to bury their feelings when they sensed a negative emotion. They did not understand that their emotions were not wrong or right. It is natural to sometimes feel anger or sadness.

Our Reactions

The way we react to our emotions can be problematic. If we repeatedly ignore our feelings, they may surface inappropriately during an inopportune time. Have you witnessed people exploding in anger over what appeared to be a minor issue? They may have stuffed their feelings for a long time and could no longer cope with their anger.

We may need to exercise self-control in how we express our emotions, but this does not mean we should deny our emotions and feelings. Ephesians 4:26b–27 acknowledges we may be feel angry but says, “do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” We need to resolve the issue surrounding our anger, so it does not fester and give the enemy a legal right to torment us.

The Bible tells us we can bring all our concerns in prayer to the Lord who will help us. This includes bringing our emotions to Him. Philippians 4:6–7 says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. We can trust the Lord to help us understand and appropriately express our emotions.

Consequences of Bound Emotions

What happens when we keep emotions concealed? In our experience, people believe they are unworthy, somehow flawed, or weak because their uncontrolled emotions have adverse consequences.

When we submerge our feelings, they are buried alive in our hearts and impact our freedom in Christ and our mental and physical health. Bound emotions prevent healthy relationships and keep us isolated from others and God.

By focusing on the negative aspects of emotions, this influence encourages people to hide their feelings. This suppression leads to unhappiness and frustration, especially when others seem to appropriately express emotions, while they cannot.

God’s Desire

God wants us to enjoy emotions such as love, joy, and happiness. Scripture tells us how to deal with emotions. In John 15:9–11, Jesus said,

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Next Steps

We can effectively pray to renounce and reject the hold of bound emotions and ask God to replace this negative influence with His love, peace, and Godly emotions. The Lord will show us we are His beloved children worthy of joy and happiness and help us understand He created us with emotions. He will forgive us when we repent and help us to forgive the people who partnered with bound emotions.

Romans 15:13 says, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. God wants us to experience love, joy, peace, and hope.

During healing prayer sessions, many prayer recipients told us they sensed the Lord loved them and would always be with them. In John 13:34, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” Love is an emotion He wants all of us to have and share.

Now it is your turn. How has this helped you recognize a pattern of bound emotions and a desire to experience freedom in Christ?

Be sure to leave your thoughts on our Facebook Group Healing Prayer Discussion.

Looking forward to your thoughts.

Blessings,
Gena and Press

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on September 19, 2022, and has been revamped for comprehensiveness on September 18, 2023.

 

In case you missed the rest of the Ancestral Influences Series, here are the links:

Intro to Ancestral Influences

How Abandonment Affects Us Spiritually

How Abuse Affects Us Spiritually

How Does Addiction Affect Us Spiritually

How Does Anger Affect Us Spiritually

How Does Anxiety Affect Us Spiritually

How Does the Spirit of Bitterness Affect Us