Spiritual resources in Counseling: “The work of the Holy Spirit”

Introduction

The New Testament clearly teaches that Holy Spirit is necessary element in the life and activity of the church.[1]In John 14:16 Jesus told His disciples that He would ask the Father to give them another Helper, that He may be with them forever”. The helper is the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is God and possesses all the attributes of deity. His primary purpose is to glorify Christ and bring attention to Him. Christ said, He shall glorify Me, for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you (Jn.16:14). [2] The Holy Spirit is our teacher, Divine helper, permanent dweller, true comforter, and gift giver. Jesus gave the Spirit as a compensation for His absence, to perform the functions towards us which He would have done if he had remains personally with us.[3]

Holy Spirit as true teacher

The Holy Spirit teaches believers “all things”. That which we come to know as Christian we learn through the work of the Holy Spirit.[4] He guides us into the truth of the scripture. It is by His power the love of Christ flows through us and produces spiritual fruit within us.[5] He teaches us not only about the present things but reveals to us which are yet to come too. It is noteworthy that Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of truth.” As God, He is the essence of truth; as a “Paraclete”, “to guide”. He is the One who guides us into truth. That’s why apart from Him, it is impossible for sinful human beings to know or understand any spiritual truth.

Holy Spirit as Divine Helper

“Helper” in Greek word “parakletos” describes a spiritual attendant whose role is to offer assistance, support, relief, advocacy, and guidance. It is interesting that the divine Counselor’s ministry to believers is to provide the very things so many people vainly seek in therapy. Jesus called Him “another Helper.” There are two Greek words that can be translated “another.” One is heteros, which means “a different one, a different kind” as in, “If that style is not what you want, try another.” The other word is allos. It is translated “another” in English, but it means “another of the same kind,” which means Jesus promised to send Holy Spirit as a substitute to help the people. This helper function as an advocate who defends believers, he is also the prosecutor who judges and condemns the world.

Holy Spirit as permanent dweller

The Holy Spirit is present at all times, directing our understanding towards Jesus Christ, which makes our life straight. It is always present especially in times of struggling with problems. The Holy Spirit is present and working in each counseling situation, even when neither counselor nor client is aware of this. The presence of Holy Spirit does not do away with the task of the counselor, nor the client’s responsibility to work for a solution to the problem situation. The Holy Spirit is no doubt in work yet through the efforts of the people, but He is not controlled by them.[6] The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is vividly stated in Jon 14:16.[7] According to Romans 8:9, the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the mark of all who are truly born again: “You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” Thus as a believer you enjoy the permanent, continuing presence of the Holy Spirit living within. His help — all the resources of God Himself — is always available.

Holy Spirit as true comforter

The Holy Spirit “Paraklesei”, “comforter”, suggest the idea of active involvement and sharing in the trouble situation. It stands alongside the person in need not apart from or far away from them. We see this in the ministry of Jesus who shared fully in the living situation of men and women in order to help them.[8]The Holy Spirit of God has taken up residence in our lives, that He performs all these miraculous functions, that He dwells with us forever, and that He will never leave or forsake us rather He gives us great joy and comfort, and this comforter is still working among His people.

Holy Spirit as gift giver

Another work of the Holy Spirit is gift giver. 1 Corinthians 12 describes the Spiritual gifts given to believers in order that we may function as the body of Christ on earth. All these gifts, both great and small, are given by the Spirit so that we may be His ambassadors to the world, showing forth His grace and glorifying Him. We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in order that we may be able to actively participate in the movement which leads the creation to its culmination. The Spirit gives us the ability to experience the abiding presence of God, receive all truth, hear the testimony concerning Christ, convict the world of its sin, and have authority over the fallen world.[9]This gift of the Holy Spirit is functional. They have a task to do and if they are working properly the task will be accomplished, and will acknowledge the blessings of God.[10]

Conclusion

From the above discussion we have seen the work of the Holy Spirit as resources in counseling. God is at work in the person of the Holy Spirit. That work moves the believer to pray, to seek a virtuous life, to exercise mercy and compassion to one another. The Holy Spirit is essential in our Christian lives however most of the Christian fails to give importance in the work of the Holy Spirit. Much of our struggle and failure to live effectively can be traced to the fact that we have not surrendered to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. True Christian counseling is impossible without the ministry of the Holy Spirit working inside, and alongside, those involved in the discipleship process. Without His work, counseling remains mere self-help talk.

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[1] Jacob Firet, Dynamics in Pastoring (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986), 68.

[2] Robert S. McGee, The Search for Significance (Texas: Rapha Publishing, 2nd Ed. 1990), 125-126.

[3] Ezamo Murry, An Introduction to Pastoral Counseling (Assam: ETC Jorhat, 1996), 4.

[4] James Bryan Smith, A Spiritual Formation Workbook (SanFrancisco: Harper Collins Publisher, 1989), 33.

[5] Robert S. McGee, The Search for Significance, 125.

[6] Harold Taylor, Tend My Sheep (Delhi: ISPCK, 1983), 144.

[7] Wayne E. Oats, The presence of God in Pastoral Counseling (Texas:Word Book Publisher, 1986), 17.

[8] Rev. Diwakar Londhe, ‘Class Lectures- Christian Counseling.’ Nagpur: MITS, 2013.

[9] James Bryan Smith, A Spiritual Formation Workbook, 34.

[10] C. Peter Wagner, Your Spiritual Growth (USA:G/L Publication,1979), 58.