WHAT IS SOZO?
SOZO is a prophetic ministry for all-embracing healing and for deliverance from bondage. SOZO helps uncover the roots that are keeping you from living a life of freedom and fullness.
In personal encounters with Jesus and through the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit, these roots are identified, removed and replaced by new life. In this way, when you receive a SOZO you can become whole and walk better in the destiny to which God has called you.
- SOZO is an inner-healing and deliverance ministry
- SOZO is simple, fast and effective
- SOZO is prophetic, being guided by the Holy Spirit
- SOZO helps you to live out healthy relationships and to move into your calling.
To describe SOZO in just a few words, we could say that it is a ministry of healing, freedom and restoration – healing your soul, freeing you from life-distorting lies and strongholds in your mind, and restoring your connection to the triune God.
At the same time, though, SOZO is also a lifestyle – because you can use the SOZO tools in everyday life and on your own.
FAQ
How did SOZO come into being?
In 1997, several seminars with the healing evangelist Randy Clark were held at Bethel Church in Redding, California. He had sent some of his teams to Bethel in advance to teach the people attending the seminars how to pray more effectively for healing. During the events as well. Part of that training was a prayer model of ‘deliverance’ from Argentina. This is how the first SOZO tool came to be based on the ‘Ten Steps’, a format developed by Carlos Anacondia’s deliverance pastor Pablo Botari for setting new converts free. The tool is known today as the ‘Four Doors’.
Dawna DeSilva, co-founder of the Bethel SOZO Ministry, and one of her friends attended this training in Bethel. Afterwards, they began to use the concept of the ‘Four Doors’ when they prayed for people. When they saw how effective this tool was and how people were being set free by it, the ‘SOZO Ministry’ was born. Beni Johnson, intercession pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, placed Dawna in charge of SOZO, covering her with the prayer shield of the church and releasing her to expand and mature this newly formed deliverance ministry. As the Bethel SOZO Ministry developed, other tools were added to the mix that has helped people to be healed and released from the lies and wounds the enemy used against them in their past.
In 1998 other churches and organisations started inviting the Bethel SOZO Ministry to come and share with them what they had received from God. They thus began travelling to train and equip other churches and enable them to start their own SOZO Ministries.
Over the years that followed, the ministry extended into many other countries, leading to the establishment of the International Bethel SOZO Organisation to equip leaders and assist in the spread of the SOZO Ministry.
What does the word SOZO mean? – Meaning of the word in the Bible
Strong’s Concordance defines the meaning of the Greek word ‘sozo’ as follows: to save, deliver, make whole or restore, heal, be whole. The word ‘sozo’, or one of its grammatical forms, is used over 100 times in the New Testament, especially whenever Jesus heals someone, be it physically, emotionally or spiritually. Sozo, then, is the ‘full package’ of salvation, healing and deliverance that Jesus came to give people!
Rom. 10:9 – For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (sozo).
Luke 19:10 – For the Son of Man came to seek and to save (sozo), what was lost.
Matt. 9:22 – Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Daughter, take courage! Your faith has made you well (sozo)!” And the woman was healed at that moment.
Luke 8:36 – And those who had seen it reported to them how the demon-possessed man had been healed (sozo).
How can I get a SOZO?
First choose a church (here) that offers SOZO. Then you can click the link to this church’s SOZO website and sign up for a SOZO.
Is there a SOZO ministry anywhere near me?
On our overview page you can easily find out where the nearest church is that offers SOZOs.
How do I sign up for a SOZO?
Via the link to the church you have selected, or by calling the telephone number given. Wherever possible, sign up via the church’s website or by e-mail.
What happens in a SOZO?
A SOZO often brings about greater change than years of pastoral counselling. With pastoral counselling, you sometimes just don’t get to the root of the problem but simply keep revolving around the symptoms. In SOZO, the symptoms play a less important role. God uncovers the root and helps to get rid of it. The decisive factor here will often be forgiveness and renouncing life-distorting lies that we believe.
A SOZO session takes around 1½ to 2 hours and is led by trained ministers. The person leading the session (the ‘First’) speaks with the person receiving the SOZO (the ‘Sozoee’). A second person (the ‘Second’) assists the First by praying and by relaying to him or her any insights that God gives. The Sozoee is asked to focus on God and ask Him questions. The person leading the session helps the Sozoee by wording these questions for them if necessary. Every session is different and you never know which direction it will go in. But there’s one thing we always find: God is faithful and He never lets us down!
SOZO is very intensive and highly effective. You could describe it as a kind of supernatural deliverance. Extremely powerful!
I’m interested in training to do SOZO ministry. What do I have to do?
You can sign up for one of our courses on our website (here). The conditions for attending are set out in the description of each course.
My church wants to offer SOZO. What do we have to do?
Your church leadership or team leaders should get in touch (here) with the RF (Regional Facilitator) of the Switzerland/Austria Network. Together, they then discuss how best to proceed.
How can we become part of the Network?
After being ‘certified’, your church will be admitted as a member of the SOZO Network and can now take part in the regular events and trainings.
What is the difference between a ‘SOZO Basic’ and an ‘Intensive Training’?
As its name implies, the ‘SOZO Basic’ is the basic course in SOZO in which the basic tools are taught.
An ‘Intensive Training’ is an opportunity to try out and practise what you have learnt, in a sheltered setting.
What is ‘SOZO Advanced’?
This course builds on ‘SOZO Basic’ and teaches you additional tools. To attend a ‘SOZO Advanced’ course you must be an active member of a team and have had several months’ practical experience of SOZO ministry
What is Shabar?
Shabar is a ministry to people who have been receiving inner healing ministry and yet cannot hold on to their healing. Shabar is not a ‘first-grab’ tool for use at the beginning of the healing process, but is generally used towards the end of it. This ministry was birthed in 2002 in Redding, CA.
Shabar training is provided only by Teresa Liebscher, the international head of this ministry. You will find information about upcoming courses on her website: https://bethelsozo.ch/training-courses/