Biblical Counseling.pdf - Online Christian Library

overcoming anger, scheduling our time, controlling one's temper, stoppingsmoking, losing weight, starting new habits-- all these things and many more arenot easy.)2. Eliminating the problem is not the goal of counseling. Helping the person topersonal happiness is not the goal of counseling. Change that results in conformityto the image of Jesus Christ is the goal.3. Failing, floundering is the daily occurrence with most Christians. Most Christians areeither unwilling or do not know how to make the change that God requires of them.Learned behavior is often confused with inherited nature.B. Changing the Past is not the Goal Either.1. We need to forget the past, and not attempt to change it (Philippians 3:13, 14). (Thepast can only be dealt with in the present by forgiveness, rectification,reconciliation and other changes that must be made today.)2. It is the counselee who needs to be changed, and not his past. We can only deal withthe guilt that is involved in the past. Help him to know and thank God forforgiveness and then to reach out to that which is ahead.3. He can be assured a better future by making behavior and personality changes inthe present.note: Too many counselees do not enjoy abundant living in the present because of past sins.They worry, fret, toss and turn, but the past is the past and they can only deal with the thingsthat rob of joy and victory now.4. We must call for repentance. The task of the Biblical counselor is to call forrepentance -- a change of mind and will leading to a change of the life. Truerepentance is something that the Holy Spirit always brings about in true change(II Corinthians 7:10).C. There must be a Changing of Present Patterns from the Past.1. The past is present with the counselee most plainly in his personality, attitudes andlife-style. (We do need to understand many aspects of the past so that we can helpthem bring change.)2. We do not see change that sticks because of the repetition of sin that becomeshabitual. There is also the repetitive, habitual pattern of sin, confession andforgiveness and then back into the cycle again.note:It takes discipline to bring about behavioral and personality change. The Scriptures give theneeded direction, hope and goals-- the Holy Spirit provides the power-- but Christiandiscipline is the method. The person without discipline is like a city without walls (Proverbs25:26,28).One's personality and behavior traits may become so much a part of him that at times acounselor may confuse it with hereditary traits. That is why we must have a thorough,positive, working knowledge of the Word of God. Most attempts at changing are like New©2000, Revival in the Home Ministries 33