Read an Excerpt

This miracle has shown us how to let Jesus heal us of a constitutional sense of worthlessness. This is the first detailed account of a healing in the New Testament, and this is also the first miracle that must take place in our lives as we progress along the lines of spiritual growth and healing. Shattering the delusion that we are unworthy of God is ground zero for our spiritual journey. Breaking the delusion that humans exist in a hierarchy of value is essential for this to occur. Until the notion that we are unworthy of God and life is dispelled, we can't move forward. We need to be able to approach God if we intend to receive his help with our problems.

The truth is that we are all God's children. We are all his beloved. We are worthy of a rich, joyful life based upon true union with him and others around us. We are all worthy of God's love and worthy of life!

I well recall the moment the constant self-disparaging self-talk that plagued me for years was dramatically silenced. That experience opened up into two weeks of the most potent spiritual sense of awakening I have ever had. I pray that if you too suffer from a "little dog" spirit, you might be healed so that you can accept yourself and awaken to the palpable presence of Divine Love permeating all of life.

Meditations

1. After entering into a meditative state of mind (see appendix), search for and focus on any feelings of unworthiness. After some time, imagine yourself as the Canaanite woman with the demon-possessed daughter. Imagine your daughter as vividly as possible. First, see yourself holding her as a tiny, normal infant; then as a happy toddler. Build your feelings of love for her to be as powerful as possible. Now see her as seven-year-old looking with love into your eyes and running up to you for your embrace. Hold her with your love. Now see her at age twelve. She curses and thrashes. She mutilates herself. Feel the depth of sorrow that your wondrous daughter has been seized by a demon. Get in touch with the emotions that flow through the story—the tender love for your daughter; the sense of desperation; the mounting determination.

Now relive this story as vividly and fully as possible from the perspective of the Canaanite woman. See the dusty roads and the press of people. Hear the noises; feel the heat and bumping crowd. What smells do you encounter? Make it real. You bring your daughter toward Jesus. His followers tell you to go away. You cry out for mercy, but Jesus ignores you, and the disciples tell Jesus to make you go away. You hear Jesus say, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." But you bow down and worship Jesus and say, "Please help me!" You hear Jesus say, "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." You reply, "Yes Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." You suddenly feel a change within your spirit—you feel Jesus's presence within and you hear him confirming this feeling. "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish."

You look at your daughter and she is clearly healed. She is smiling and laughing even as tears are flowing down her face. Your tears flow too as you embrace her. She is back with you, restored to her former self.

2. Again after entering into a meditative state of mind, focus on the singular truth that the Lord loves you and all people infinitely and perfectly.

Leaves

1. You are loved infinitely by the Lord. You are created to be loved and so love.
2. Sometimes love masks itself to accommodate and best serve us in our current state.
3. There is no hierarchy of human value. All of us are equally loved and important.

Fruit

1. As a way of identifying and exposing the "dog demon," write down all the self-belittling messages that are repeated or stored up inside of your mind. Write down all the reasons you don't like yourself.
2. Write down all the ways that this self-hatred affects those around you.
3. Come to a decision that for their sakes and for yours, you want healing and are willing to do whatever it takes to extract it from God.
4. Make a list of the ways in which you have thought of human beings as existing along a hierarchy of value (e.g., people who sin are less valuable than those who do not; people who are accomplished are better than those who are not accomplished).
5. Throughout the week, notice all the times you begin thinking in terms of one of these false hierarchies and then replace these thoughts with the fact that all humans are equally valuable and worthy of the love.
6. Repeat this or a similar prayer daily or as needed:
"Lord, I am suffering from a demon that makes me feel unworthy of love, unworthy of life, unworthy of you and your healing. I cannot overcome this demon by myself. I am your child. You have promised to not leave us as orphans. I am sick and need your healing. You have promised to give to those who ask. I am asking, Lord, that you heal me of this false feeling that I am worthless. I pray for my own sake, but I also pray for the sake of those around me who are negatively affected by my sense of worthlessness. Lord, show me you love me. Let me feel your love for me. Thank you, Lord Jesus."
7. Contact your phone partner midweek and talk about how the process of this healing is going.