Partnering/Counseling with the Holy Spirit

As discussed throughout the course, chemical and psychological therapy has its place in the identification of mental disorders. While many of their findings are taken into consideration by the Christian counselor, the Christian counselor is to rely solely on the Holy Spirit, who is the revealer of all truths according to John 16:13. In Acts 10:38 scripture tells us that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. The Holy Spirit is not only the spirit of truth, but He is also a healer. And in John 14:16 AMPC the Holy Spirit is referred to as a Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby).

These scriptures alone help us to understand why it is important for the Christian counselor to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit in order to be an effective counselor when assisting people who are suffering from mental disorders as a result of demonic influence.
There are many ways I can benefit by aligning up with the Holy Spirit to lead people out of bondage. By aligning with and relying on the Holy Spirit to lead He can identify the triggers or root causes of the mental illness. He can also reveal if the person is willing and ready for deliverance or if they even require deliverance. The Holy Spirit can also identify the steps that need to be taken in order for the individual to receive complete healing and deliverance. God is all knowing and He knows what we need even before we come to realize it as stated in 1 John 3:20, Therefore, He knows exactly what each person needs for every situation they may experience.

Yashica,

As you noted, effective Christian counseling requires a partnership with the Holy Spirit. Christian counselors must not only collaborate with the Holy Spirit, but also ALLOW the Spirit to guide us into all truth, as stated in John 16:13 (KJV). We are learning the Christian counselor is God's Avenue to minister to those who are wounded in spirit and soul.

As we studied Jay E Adam brought the attention of counseling back to the church before then most counseling was done on a clinical aspect. While Wilhelm Wundt, the father of experimental psychology, relied on empirical experiments to diagnose clients, the Christian counselor is dependent on Holy Spirit. As you stated, the Christian counselor depends solely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, believing that without Holy Spirit divine leadership, there is a risk of misdiagnosing the patient. We must put our trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not lean to our own understanding Proverbs 3:5 (KJV), then the Holy Spirit will lead us on how to help free those in bondage. As we listen closely to our clients, we should consult and acknowledge the Holy Spirit, the true Counselor, who will direct us to the core of their suffering. Trying to counsel without the leadership of the Holy Spirit would be unimaginable.

That is so good Yashica! Holy Spirit does know if the person is truly ready or not. That is one of the main reasons we must be in alliance with Holy Spirit! Psalm (127:1) 127 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. The Holy Spirit is the builder we can't build a person back up without the wisdom and insight of the Holy Spirit. He knows the time, the season, and the blueprint. We must trust and rely on Him totally! Amen! Love this! Greatly stated!