The Inspiring Ministry Of A Fearless Woman
Judith MacNutt, founder of Christian Healing Ministries, is dedicated to guiding individuals toward hope and spiritual healing. Co-author of Deliverance from Evil Spirits: A Guide to Freedom from the Demonic Realm, MacNutt’s journey into healing ministry began in her youth, shaped by her Christian upbringing and her mother’s strong belief in healing. Although MacNutt was exposed to faith-based healing practices early on, she noticed a disconnect between the miracles of Jesus described in Scripture and the more limited approach to prayer in her church. Her background in psychology, which she pursued in college, led her to work in psychiatric hospitals, where she began exploring how faith and healing intersected.
While working as a psychotherapist, MacNutt recognized the limitations of traditional psychiatric care in achieving lasting healing for her patients. This realization deepened after a suicide at her hospital, which prompted her to explore spiritual healing. She turned to Scripture, particularly Isaiah 61, which speaks of God healing the brokenhearted and setting captives free. MacNutt then began praying with her patients, a practice that, while initially kept private, led to remarkable transformations. She soon observed that those she prayed for showed signs of healing, sparking a profound shift in her understanding of treatment.
This experience laid the foundation for Christian Healing Ministries, where MacNutt focuses on four areas of healing: physical, emotional (inner healing), spiritual healing (such as forgiveness), and deliverance from evil spirits. While the first three types of healing are generally understood, deliverance often sparks controversy within Christian circles. MacNutt explains that deliverance is often misunderstood as a dramatic battle against demonic forces, but she emphasizes that it is rooted in God’s love and humanity. Deliverance, she says, can free individuals from destructive patterns, such as substance abuse or self-harm, which may be influenced by spiritual oppression.
MacNutt differentiates between deliverance and exorcism, which is more commonly associated with the Catholic Church and involves expelling evil spirits from someone fully overtaken by demons. She asserts that most Christians need deliverance from evil forces that either oppress them from the outside or attach to them internally. This idea has often been met with skepticism, but MacNutt’s extensive ministry experience has convinced her of its truth. She recalls a personal encounter with the occult during her youth, which later led to a process of renunciation and spiritual freedom when she recognized the impact of that experience on her life.
Through Christian Healing Ministries, MacNutt helps others find freedom through a straightforward process. The ministry offers healing events and training, where individuals fill out intake forms, share their personal stories, and work with prayer ministers who are trained in listening and providing compassionate care. The process is deeply rooted in love, with the goal of helping people move beyond past traumas and spiritual challenges to experience lasting freedom.