12 Ways the Holy Spirit Energizes Discipleship Counseling

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. How then does the third member of the trinity energize the “counseling process”? Consider these 12 ways in your personal, or small group, Bible study.

  1. The Spirit prays for the counselor when he/she does not know how to pray, or counsel (Rom. 8:26).
  2. The Spirit convicts unbelievers of their sin, God’s righteousness, and warns them of the coming judgment (Jn 16:7-11).
  3. The Spirit regenerates and calls unbelievers to faith in Christ (Jn 3:5-8; Titus 3:5).
  4. The Spirit has baptized believers into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12).
  5. The Spirit has sealed believers unto the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13, 4:30).
  6. The Spirit indwells believers, thus making us God’s possession in Christ (Jn 14:16-17; 1 Cor. 19-20).
  7. The Spirit fills (controls) believers as we walk by the Word (Eph. 5:15-20; Col. 3:16).
  8. The Spirit assures struggling believers of their sure standing as children of God (Rom. 8:12-16).
  9. The Spirit teaches us God’s truth (Jn 14:25-26; 15:26; 16:12-14).
  10. The Spirit empowers the believer’s verbal witness (Jn 15:26; 16:7; Acts 1:8).
  11. The Spirit equips believers to comprehend the mind of Christ (Scripture), thus making us competent to counsel one another (1 Cor. 2:7-11; Rom. 12:3-8; 15:14).
  12. The Spirit progressively transforms believers into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).
May this biblical study increase your confidence in the Holy Spirit and His power to transform our lives!

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