Biblical Counseling – part 4

by Dr. Tori Ferrari

Biblical Counseling is based upon the Word of God and while it is not based upon the opinions of the counselor, the role of the Biblical Counselor is critical. The Biblical Counselor is responsible for helping those they are entrusted with see hope in their situation. They are responsible for teaching a new way to live – not just getting through their current crisis. The past three articles have presented the focus of Biblical Counseling. This article will outline the importance of the life-changing message we are sharing.

Biblical counseling is founded on hope

We are confident in God to do more than help our counselees ‘adapt’ and ‘cope’ with their sin – we know that they can overcome their sin and have peace in the process.
John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!”

All of us know that the ‘once an addict, always an addict’ statement is a lie. We know the power of God to transform His children into His likeness – free from all besetting sins. Biblical counseling does not treat sin as a sickness, drug addiction or alcoholism as a disease, incurable and incapable of being resolved. Instead, we can tell our students that they should be glad they are sinners – because there is a solution for that and His name is Jesus.

Biblical counselors do not teach ‘coping skills’ to endure circumstances. They desire Biblical change – a transformed heart and a walk that honors God.

Biblical counsel teaches a way of life to the counselee

Each one of us has experienced a student that has worked hard throughout the program, graduates and sometime later falls back into sin. It is heartbreaking. We question what we could have done differently and how we could have changed the outcome. Those are good questions to ask. Sometimes there are things we need to improve upon and others – well, it is a free will choice on the part of that graduate to step back into that pit they once crawled out of.

While there is never a guarantee of 100% program efficacy where sin nature is involved, we can focus on teaching biblical counseling principles to our students. Rest assured the crisis that brought them in to us in the first place is not the last one they will encounter. If they have learned to rely solely on us to help them ‘feel good about themselves’ and to provide the accountability they need, they will most assuredly fall and not be able to get back up.

Biblical counseling teaches the counselee the process of ‘putting off’, renewing the mind and ‘putting on’. Regardless of the problem they may encounter in the future, this biblical example holds in every situation. Teaching them how to pray, search the Scriptures for direct guidance in this manner, and seek the Holy Spirit will ‘equip them for every good work’ as 2 Timothy 3:16 promises.

Biblical Counseling is reliant upon the fervent prayers of the counselor and the power of the Holy Spirit

We cannot enter into counseling others without humility, recognizing that we have nothing to offer those we counsel except for Jesus. It is only through diligent study of God’s Word, fervent prayer and complete reliance upon the Holy Spirit that we are able to lead anyone through the process of discipleship into a life that is fully committed to Christ.

Think about it

• Are we teaching our students to “cope” or to “put off” and “put on?” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
• Are we teaching our students how to search the scriptures for themselves?
• Are we modeling and training our students to be sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit?