Soul fragmentation — Ana Méndez Ferrell

Description

In her book “Regions of Captivity,” Ana Méndez Ferrell develops a teaching about spiritual places of captivity to which, in her understanding, fragments of a person’s soul can be taken. She does not present this merely as an image of inner wounding. She speaks of actual spiritual regions belonging to the kingdom of darkness in which a fragmented soul can remain imprisoned.

Méndez explicitly teaches that a person can belong to God, be saved and redeemed, and yet have fragments of the soul that remain in captivity. In her view, this is precisely why certain areas of a person’s life can continue to remain under demonic influence. She associates such a condition, among other things, with fear, torment, breakdown, and other areas in which a person does not experience freedom.

In her model, various regions of the kingdom of darkness form spiritual prisons. The fragmented soul is taken to such places, and what the captive fragment experiences there is then said to manifest in the person’s life.

One of the most important categories is “regions of fear.” Méndez teaches that when a soul is terrorized by an extreme event, a gate can open through which a fragment of the soul is taken into captivity. She writes explicitly about fragmentation caused by a terrifying event or trauma. She also mentions cases connected with previous occult involvement by the person or by his or her ancestors.

Another kind of entrance into captivity is through “gates of pain.” According to Méndez, these can open when the soul experiences deep pain. She lists the loss of a loved one, rejection, abandonment, an attempted abortion during prenatal life, betrayal, humiliation, and insults. She writes that a broken soul can be led through such pain into regions of darkness connected, among other things, with hatred, anger, revenge, violence, and resentment.

Méndez also describes “covenant chambers.” In this case, the primary issue is not trauma but spiritual gates opened through occult practices. She lists witchcraft, divination, idolatrous rituals, Masonic rituals, mind control, and New Age practices. According to her teaching, actions carried out in the natural world can open corresponding gates in the spiritual world.

Not all the places described by Méndez are the same, and not every one should automatically be treated as a direct cause of fragmentation. “Regions of Captivity” presents a broader map of spiritual captivity. The author describes, among other things, regions of darkness, pits and deep places, the Abyss, Sheol, the valley of the shadow of death, Abaddon, and the land of forgetfulness.

In her understanding, the captive fragment continues to experience what is happening in its place of captivity. A person can therefore experience in the present the operation of fear, pain, or another kind of torment connected with that place, even though the event through which the captivity occurred belongs to the past.

Méndez also connects spiritual captivity with unforgiveness. Referring to Jesus’ parable of the servant handed over to the tormentors, she writes that people who remain in bitterness and refuse to forgive can find themselves in such prisons. Before ministering to others, she therefore recommends first allowing God to reveal one’s own areas of captivity and personally coming into freedom.

The central point of her teaching, however, is not merely identifying regions of darkness but bringing captives out. Méndez bases this picture above all on the victory of Jesus Christ. She refers to Isaiah 49:8–10, where the prisoners are told, “Go forth,” and those in darkness, “Show yourselves.” She also connects this with Ephesians 2:6 and the truth of believers being seated with Christ in heavenly places.

According to Méndez, a released soul fragment should not merely be brought out of the place of captivity. It is to be established with Christ in heavenly places. She writes of giving Jesus successive areas of the soul: character, will, emotions, sexuality, thoughts, and every fragment remaining in captivity. She speaks of submitting the soul to Jesus and receiving ministry from Heaven “part by part.”

Méndez describes this form of ministry as prophetically led deliverance. She begins it with deep worship and a focus on the presence of God. She then describes asking God for permission and direction, for the help of angels, and for everything needed to reach the place of captivity. What is essential for her is acting under the leading of the Holy Spirit rather than independently constructing a spiritual vision.

In the cases she describes, the person ministering identifies the place of captivity, releases the captive part, breaks its chains, and brings it out of the place where it was being held. If spirits guarding the captivity are present, Méndez describes commanding them to leave in the authority of Jesus Christ.

Forgiveness can be part of this process where a fragment remains captive precisely through wounding and the hatred that arose from it. In one case she describes, a young man’s soul fragment remained in a place connected with rape committed by his father. Méndez describes a process of forgiveness and the departure of demons guarding the place of captivity, after which the fragment is brought out and united with Jesus.

After bringing the fragment out, Méndez stresses the need to close the place of captivity to that person. She writes of declaring that the place is closed to him or her forever. The released part is then to be established in heavenly places and submitted to Jesus.

The most important element after deliverance, however, is dependence on God. She explicitly warns against making a person dependent on the one who ministers to him or her. The person is to learn to rely on God and the Holy Spirit and to live personally in the faith and authority received in Christ.

In Méndez’s teaching, soul fragmentation is therefore part of a larger picture of spiritual captivity. A fragment can be taken away as a result of a terrifying event or trauma; other gates of captivity can arise through deep pain, occultism, spiritual covenants, sin, or unforgiveness. The response is not merely to cast out a demon, but to locate the place of captivity under the leading of the Holy Spirit, bring out the captive fragment, break its bonds, establish it with Christ in heavenly places, and close the way leading back into captivity.

Sources

Ana Méndez Ferrell — Regions of Captivity, Voice of the Light / Destiny Image

Ana Méndez Ferrell — Orte der Gefangenschaft, German edition

Especially:
Chapter 6 — The Different Regions of Captivity
Chapter 7 — Setting the Captives Free

Bible: Ps 18; Ps 23; Ps 49; Ps 88; Ps 107; Isa 42:6–7; Isa 49:8–10; Isa 58:6; Isa 61:1; Matt 16:18–19; Matt 18:34–35; Eph 2:6–7