3 Ways to Find Healing During Yom Kippur

Last week we explored how observing Rosh Hashanah draws you into deeper intimacy with God and empowers you to stand strong in times of uncertainty. This week we’ll discover how the upcoming Feast of Yom Kippur (Oct 11th-12th) can bring healing to your heart from the old messages and lies you’ve believed about yourself and God. Here are 3 ways to find healing during Yom Kippur!

1 – Have you ever felt unwanted or rejected?

I have, in fact for many years I believed lies that I was unwanted, not worth loving, and that I deserved to be rejected. That is, however, until the truths of Yom Kippur healed my heart! But wait, you might be thinking, how could Yom Kippur of the Old Testament ever be relevant for my life today in 2016? Well for me personally, what I’ve learned about my identity from Yom Kippur has brought more healing to my heart than any other truths in the bible!

Yom Kippur was a time of covering and cleansing so that the nation of Israel and the temple itself could be in the presence of a holy God for another year. You see, God’s grace was working behind the scenes throughout the Old Testament as many of its rituals and laws were designed to keep anything remotely related to death or mortality (including menstruation!) out of the temple, protecting people from burning up in the presence of God’s intense holiness! Now instead of wanting to run or hide from His holiness, allow this truth to bring deep healing to your heart!

The same God — who could have absolutely no association with death and who would require those who did to go through weeks, sometimes months of extensive ritual purification — actually took death upon Himself because He wanted you so intensely! He delights in you and desires moment by moment intimacy with you so badly that He became contaminated Himself, just for you! You are that valuable to God, that desired, that wanted. I dwell on this truth every morning and it brings healing to my heart from the old lies about myself that I’m unwanted or unlovable. All fear, stress and rejection falls right off of me. Now that’s what I call healing!

2 – Have you ever felt inferior or intimidated?

Yom Kippur was the one day of the entire year that the High Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the nation of Israel, as well as for the temple itself. He would prepare for this weighty responsibility for an entire year because everything he did in the Holy of Holies had to be perfect, after all this was where God’s manifest presence resided on the earth! For example, he had to transfer incense from a vessel that was clenched between his teeth, directly into both palms of his hands. What was most remarkable is that not even ONE grain of incense could fall to the ground in the process! God is so holy that absolute perfection was required in the Holy of Holies, yet Hebrews tells us that we can confidently enter in at any time! What does that tell you about how God sees you? You are perfect in His eyes! When He sees you, He doesn’t see your mistakes and weaknesses, He sees you as the finished product He created you to be! The next time you are intimidated by people you perceive to better, more important, or more accomplished than you are, picture yourself as He sees you – perfect before Him in the Holy of Holies! I guarantee you’ll never be intimidated again!

3 – Have you ever needed wisdom, physical healing, or breakthrough in a relationship?

Try fasting, the primary biblical tradition of Yom Kippur. Its a day to set aside worldly and physical needs and focus solely on God and getting your heart right with Him. I believe that fasting is one of your most powerful spiritual weapons, and know without a doubt you will see a difference in your life. I encourage you to keep the fast of Yom Kippur this year, seeking God for wisdom in decisions, direction, provision of finances, physical or emotional healing, a breakthrough in an impossible situation or relationship — and experience the healing power of Yom Kippur in your life today!

To learn more about the biblical feasts, visit the author’s website where she has a TV & CD series available on this topic at JeanneNigro.com

Click here to order a copy of Jeanne Nigro’s new book, Unshaken.