Using the Bible Accurately and Effectively in Biblical Counseling and Spiritual Formation

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Using the Bible Accurately and Effectively in
Biblical Counseling and Spiritual Formation

• Dr. Ron Hawkins

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The effective use of Scripture by the Biblical
Counselor will be enriched when we consider the
similarities between our caregiving opportunities
and the situation experienced by Solomon in I
Kings Chapter 3.
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Reflecting on this passage requires us to
consider each caregiving opportunity with a
deep-felt appreciation for

1. The awesome opportunity we have to call persons
   to the reception of Christ and the experience of
   His lordship (Eph. 51).
2. The necessity of confessing our felt limitations
   to move persons to embrace Christ as Savior and
   Lord.
3. The necessity to appreciate Gods relentless
   concern to assist us with the challenges embedded
   in our opportunities.
4. The necessity to petition for Gods presence and
   the gift of His wisdom at work through us as
   caregivers carrying out the counseling process
   (Ecc. 10).

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The case for making the Bible the centerpiece of
our counseling and spiritual formation ministries.

• The Scriptures give us wisdom (II Tim. 315-17).
  They give us direction (Ecc. 10). The wisdom
  gained through faithful applications of the
  Scriptures to our personal growth produces
  sharpness (Ecc.10). The truth found in Scripture
  offers real answers to the everyday needs of
  people living in a profoundly fallen world.
• The Scriptures instruct us in Gods other sources
  of Wisdom
• Wisdom found in the Son (I Cor. 130)
• Wisdom experienced in Gods Giftings (James 15,
  I Cor. 12)

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The pattern to follow for maximizing the
effective use of the Scriptures in counseling and
spiritual formation (Ecc. 129-12).

• Be steadfast in your Confidence in the
  Scriptures Ability to Speak to Peoples Needs.
• The gift of the one Shepherd
• Words of Truth

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• B. Be steadfast in your commitment to
  instructing the people
• Because He/She was wise---still taught the people
• Successful evangelism is sharing the Gospel in
  the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the
  results with God (Bill Bright).
• Successful counseling is sharing the truth of
  God revealed in Scripture in the power of the
  Holy Spirit and leaving the results with God
  (Ron Hawkins).

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• Be steadfast in your commitment to pouring over
  the Bible to find truth that answers real life
  problems for real people living in a profoundly
  fallen world.
• Pondered, sought out, set in order
• Study/ Give great energy (II Tim. 215)

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• Be steadfast in your commitment to the
  application of Scripture to real life needs.
• Sought to find suitable words
• Matching words to human needs/ Grace Based
  Ministry of Words (Eph. 4)

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• Be steadfast in your willingness to wear the hat
  of the comforter and the confronter/ do the easy
  and the hard work (I Thess. 211 I Thess. 514).
• Scripture as nails/tent stakes/doctrine/comfort/
  instruction/encouragement
• Scripture as goading/correction/reproof/exhortatio
  n

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• Be steadfast in your faithfulness to the bottom
  line (Ecc. 12).
• Model and require the fear of God.
• Model and insist on obedience to the
  commandments.
• Model and demonstrate a commitment to the duties
  imposed by God.
• Model and demonstrate joy in the midst of life
  challenges.
• Model and remind of the necessity for living life
  in view of the judgment of God.

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• Be steadfast in your commitment to fully honoring
  the role/presence/power of the Holy Spirit for
  effecting personal transformation in the lives of
  redeemed sinners.
• The Holy Spirit working on persons (John 15)
• The Holy Spirit working in persons (Acts 18)
• The Holy Spirit working through persons
• The Holy Spirit working through the Word/ a
  dynamic duo (Eph. 520 Col. 316)

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• Be steadfast in your commitment to insisting on
  the necessity of persons engaging relationships
  that promote encouragement and accountability
  within the grace-based/mercy-manifesting/loving
  community we call the Church (the Body of
  Christ).
• Hebrews 10
• I Thess. 514
• Romans 1514

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Summation

• The accurate and effective use of the Scriptures
  in counseling occurs when the caregiver, in
  dependence on the presence and power of the Holy
  Spirit, confidently seeks to engage the
  careseeker in a collaborative attempt to apply
  the truth found in the Word of God to real needs
  experienced by the careseeker, who is engaged in
  the pursuit of the imitation of Christ within a
  community of accountability we call the church.

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Examples of Biblical Caregiving Ephesians
Chapters 4, 5 and 6

• A community of persons committed to the imitation
  of the Christ - Eph 51
• A community of persons maturing one another by
  speaking the truth of Scripture to one another -
  Eph 415-16, 25

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• A community of persons practicing
  dehabituation/rehabituation in the service of
  achieving the goal of the imitation of the Christ
  - Eph. 420-24
• A community of persons dependent upon the power
  and person of the Holy Spirit for the power
  required for effectively engaging the
  dehabituation/rehabituation process - Eph. 518
  and 430

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• A community of persons who demand attention to
  specific sins and require specific outcomes (i.e.
  no stealing, go to work, give to someone in need,
  no cutting words, identify needs, minister
  grace/benefit/edification with your words) - Eph.
  425-32 5 and 6