WEEK # 9. Biblical Counseling II. The Ministry of the III. A. To B. To. the Babe. in Christ C. To D. To. Chart #1 IV. Chart #2 VI. Closing Prayer VII.

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1 WEEK # 9 THE MINISTRY OF THE BIBLICAL COUNSELOR AGENDA: I. Opening Prayer II. What is the Ministry of the Biblical Counselor? III. The Ministry of the Biblical Counselor - (A Day s Work) A. To the Natural Man B. To the Babe in Christ C. To the Carnal Christian D. To the Spiritually Mature IV. Chart #1 Threee Kinds of People From God s Perspective V. Chart #2 Illustration of Our Spiritual Path VI. Biblical Counseling Suggested Bibliography / Referencee Books VII. Closing Prayer 84

2 II. What is the Ministry of the Biblical Counselor A. A God Ordained Opportunity to Invest in the Lives of Others! Biblical Counselors sound the note of Biblical Truth!! 1. Sin 2. Repentance 3. Faith... Living It 4. Obedience 5. Jesus Power 6. The Holy Spirit s Power 7. Seeking God Daily 8. Becoming an Overcomer The Biblical Counselors Desire...To Bring Every Counselee Into a Rich and Fulfilling Encounter with the Lord!!!! 85

3 III. The Ministry Of The Biblical Counselor A Day s Work A God ordained opportunity to invest in the lives of others!! A. To the Natural Man (Lost - A Life Separated from God) Read: Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 1:18-32 What can we say about the natural man (unsaved)? 1. He has no regard for the things of God. 2. He is controlled by the ruler of the kingdom of the air. 3. As spiritually dead, he cannot see the holiness of God as demonstrated in Christ. 4. He possesses all the natural faculties of life judgment, memory, feeling, imagination, and conscience but is unable to renew himself into spiritual life. 5. He has no warmth of Christian love going out either to God or man. 6. Though intellectually alive to all purely worldly interests, he is coldly indifferent, or even hostile, to the interests of the kingdom of grace. 7. The absence of the love of God allows the progress of corruption in the human heart to grow. 8. He is carried away captive by the devil to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26). 9. His mind is blinded by Satan to the truths of salvation (2 Corinthians 4:4). 10. If not ministered to he will die and secure a place for himself in the depths of hell! Summary Since all men are spiritually dead at birth, the Biblical Counselor should possess a heart for the lost those who are severed and alienated from God. And let us not forget that our conduct was at one time in keeping with this unregenerate outlook. The Biblical Counselor should have great compassion for those still living in transgressions and sins!! 86

4 B. To The Babes in Christ (Saved But Totally or Partially Ignorant of God s Plan of Salvation/Sanctification.) Read: 1 John 2:12-14 A Child (Babe) in Christ does not have: Strength of a young man. The experience of a father. What else can we say about Babes in Christ? 1. They love the Lord. 2. They say they distinguish themselves with zeal. 3. They walk in the realm of their feelings. 4. They accept the grace of God but are unwilling to seek the deeper spiritual life. 5. They are ignorant of, or hesitant to accept the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. 6. They have little spiritual appetite they assume it is sufficient to merely be saved. 7. They may be unaware of the Life in the Spirit. 8. They desire to sit under Biblical teachers. 9. They are still not ready to Come out of the world. 10. They are unwilling to pay the price for spiritual advancement. Class Question? How long should it take for one who is born again to be transformed from the fleshly to the spiritual? 87

5 C. To the Carnal Christian (Saved But Controlled by the Flesh) Read: 1 Corinthian 3:1-3 Hebrews 5: John 2:15-17 What else can we say about Carnal Christians? 1. They remain long as Babes. 2. They are unfit to absorb spiritual teaching. 3. They pride themselves on knowledge and earthly wisdom. (All their understanding is in their mind). 4. They lack an obedient heart. Unwilling to yield their life to the Holy Spirit. 5. Increased spiritual teaching only strengthens their carnality and serves to deceive them into convincing themselves they are spiritual. 6. They boast about being in Christ but their attitude is inescapably carnal. 7. They behave as ordinary men sinning often. 8. The sins of jealousy and strife are eminent proof of their carnality. 9. They remain undelivered from their particular temperament, attitude, temper, selfishness, etc., and reflect an unforgiving or unloving spirit. 10. They are unable to express spiritual power. They know of it but can only weakly apply it to their life. Summary The carnal Christian is truly born again but lives their life in defeat. The carnal Christian is trusting in their own efforts to live the Christian life. They have an up-and-down spiritual experience. They cannot understand themselves they desire to do what is right but cannot. They consistently fail to draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit. 88

6 D. To the Spiritually Mature (The Overcomers) Read: 1 John 2:12-14 John James 1:2-4 What can we say about the spiritually mature? 1. They understand and have a sincere desire to crucify the flesh. Their obedience to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God sets them apart from other believers. 2. They daily experience a hunger in their hearts for the things of God. 3. Their love for God is demonstrated by a strong desire to obey Him. 4. They are set apart from materialism and foolishness of this world. 5. They realize that more can be learned by life s trials than by life s triumphs! 6. They have grown spiritually to a place where daily overcoming is experienced. 7. They persevere and have developed a life of separation from sin. 8. They experience personal and moral purity of life. 9. They stop all human effort and let Christ s life produce them. 10. They clearly view life from God s perspective. Summary The God who can change a sinner into a Christian by giving him His life can equally transform the fleshly Christian into a spiritual one by giving him His life more abundantly. A spiritually mature believer differs from others for the simple reason that his entire being is governed by his spirit and not his soul. 89

7 Chart #1 THREE KINDS OF PEOPLE FROM GOD S PERSPECTIVE NATURAL OR LOST CARNAL SPIRITUAL JESUS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR HAVING HARD TIME GETTING THROUGH IS SAVED BUT SELF IS STILL ON THE THRONE. FAILS TO DRAW UPON THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. NOT BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. REFUSES TO OBEY GETS OFF THE THRONE AND PUTS JESUS ON THE THRONE TO RUN THEIR LIFE.

8 Chart #2 Illustration of Our Spiritual Path (John 10:10) The Abundant Life (1 John 2:12-14) (1 Cor. 3:1-3) (Hebrews 5:11-14) (Hebrews 6:1-2) (Romans 12:1-2) (1 Cor. 10:13) 91

9 BIBLICAL COUNSELING SUGGESTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Page 92 General Reading Author/s ISBN How to Counsel God s Way Bob Hoekstra Compentent to Counsel Jay Adams Timeless Texts Ready to Restore Jay Adams Timeless Texts Christ-Centered Ministry vs. Problem-Centered Counseling Martin Bobgan Psychology Debunked Lisa & Ryan Balzer Psychology & Christianity Collins, Myers, Powlinson, Roberts PsychoBabble Richard Ganz Steps to Destruction Martin Bobgan The Useful Lie: How the Recovery Industry Has Entrapped America in a Disease Model William Playfair The Biblical View of Self-Esteem, Self-Love, and Self-Image Jay Adams Addictions-A Banquet to the Grave Ed Welch At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry Steve Gallagher You Can Change Tim Chester Greg Dawson & The Psychology Class Jay Adams Solving Marriage Problems Jay Adams Ready to Restore Jay Adams Psychology - The Trojan Horse Gil Rugh Why Christians Can't Trust Psychology Ed Buckley How to Help People Change Jay Adams x From Forgiven to Forgiving Jay Adams Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands Paul David Tripp Seven Men Who Rule From the Grave Dave Breese I Really Want to Change, So Help Me God James MacDonald Total Forgiveness R.T. Kendall Self Confrontation John Broger Reference Books Author/s ISBN Scripture Reference Guide-NKJV (Topical) CCFL CC Bookstore Counseling Through Your Bible Handbook June Hunt The Billy Graham Christian Workers Handbook Charles Ward x Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling John Kruis The Christian Counselors Casebook Jay Adams Counsel Yourself and Others From the Bible Bob Moorehead Precious Promises Open Doors Handbook on Counseling Youth Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler x Cruden's Compact Concordance Alexander Cruden The Quick Reference Guide to Biblical Counseling Dr. Tim Clinton & Dr. Ron Hawkins The Christian Counselors Manual Jay Adams x