The Christian Counselor's Manual CH2

The Holy Spirit Is The Principle Person

As believers, we must acknowledge the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, and God in our lives. That we by nature are sinful, yet saved by His grace after He died on the cross for our sins, rose on the third day and then ascended into Heaven, leaving us with the power of the Holy Spirit to do more than we could ever ask, think or imagine. Knowing this, anyone driven by the power of the Holy Spirit is capable of performing amazing tasks outside of their educated scope of practice. In any profession the profession is dead without the Holy Spirit. Specifically regarding counseling Mr. Adams writes, “Ignoring the Holy Spirit or avoiding the use of the Scriptures in counseling is tantamount to an act of autonomous rebellion” (1973, p. 6).

This is to be agreed with by any believer walking around in his own strength even if he or she is practicing in their appointed profession. The minister, the lawyer, the doctor, the auto mechanic, the grocery store clerk, the hair stylist, the cook, the house wife and the day care provider all hold the same ineffectiveness in their professions without the power of the Holy Spirit. They are also all people of which could be used by the Holy Spirit to minister to others in His strength with or without education so long as they do not only appear to have a form of godliness, but that they truly believe and act in faith according to the Lord’s will.

This being said, the counsel of the world is obviously not effective without the power of the Holy Spirit and is no better than an auto mechanic that cannot get the knock out of your engine! Unfortunately many people depend on ministers and counselors to solve their problems, as we depend on the auto mechanic to get the knock out. At times families have been left without hope that their relationship could change or that their child could be healed by the Lord. The lack of hope is a grave disappointment and an injustice in any, but even more so when the counselee is dependent upon answers from the minister or counselor. The counselees expectations should never be on a person to solve their problems only to provide support and possible advise in a time of stress or chaotic thinking when the world might seem surreal to them, when it seems there is no solution, when they have no hope left.

A minister is defined by dictionary.com as someone that gives service, provides for the hungry, is authorized to conduct worship, and someone that comforts others. Counseling in general, is defined to be “professional guidance in resolving personal conflicts and emotional problems.” This is not the same as psychotherapy which is defined as “the treatment of psychological disorders or maladjustments by a professional technique, as psychoanalysis, group therapy, or behavioral therapy.” Or the same as therapy in general, which is defined as “the treatment of disease or disorders, as by some remedial, rehabilitating, or curative process...” (Retrieved August 5, 2008).

It is good to understand that a minister is someone authorized for the church body to comfort others, not someone to become dependent on. Counseling attempts to resolve conflicts, not SOLVE them for the counselee. Therapy treats diseases and disorders, but does not necessarily CURE them. It is my understanding that Mr. Adams groups the latter three together to make the idea of worldly counsel. Now that this is clear we can further our discussion about the power of the Holy Spirit.

Any one of these people when and if led by the Holy Spirit as a believer of Jesus Christ has the abilities of regeneration, restoration of faith to the elect, the ability to provide understanding and is able to live according to God’s will. The point Mr. Adams makes is that the person in charge isn’t the doctor, the auto mechanic, the counselor or even the minister. It is by and through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT and that’s it! He is the only person that can cause anyone to have faith, understanding or the ability to live according to God’s will (Adams, J.E., 1973, p.8). This we agree with, because it is the truth.

Adams, J.E. (1973). The Christian Counselor’s Manual. p. 5-8. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.

American Psychological Association (APA): Dictionary.com. Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved August 05, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/

Blue letter bible. (2008). Spurgeon Commentaries. Retrieved August 5, 2008, from http://blueletterbible.org


Scriptures for further study:

2Ti 3:1-9 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God–having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth–men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

Act 1:8 “…But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."