Page 58 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 22

Dana Wicker (USA), PhD, Licensed Psychologist, is a Professor of
Psychology and Counseling at Dallas Bap�st University, Dallas
Texas.
She also provides counseling at Impact Counseling and Guidance
Center, Arlington, Texas.

Former contribu ons in our eJournal by Dana, you can see here:
h�ps://emcapp.ignis.de/7/#p=84
h�ps://emcapp.igis.de/5/p=212

Dana Wicker
(USA)

The Presence of the Holy Spirit in the counseling process with

the client and counselor

One of the most significant ways that Chris�an judgment” (John 16:8 NIV). It is important the
counseling is different from other forms of Holy Spirit convicts us of sin so that we realize
counseling is that the counselor is aware of that we are sinners in need of a Savior, The
and sensi�ve to the guidance of the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit convicts us of righteousness when
during the process of counseling. This ar�cle we realize that righteousness is only through
will review the role of the Holy Spirit in a belie- Christ’s death on the cross and judgment refers
ver’s life and then discuss how the Holy Spirit’s to the defeat of Satan (John 16:9). These verses
presence impacts the counselor and client. iden�fy the purpose of the work of the Holy
The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity of God and Spirit and throughout the New Testament we
has all the a�ributes God the Father possesses see examples of how He works in individual
and Jesus the Son demonstrated while he was lives. Jesus gives one example when he tells
on the earth. The Holy Spirit has always existed the disciples that the Holy Spirit will guide
and was present and par�cipated in the Crea�- them into all truth (John 16:13). On the day of
on. The Old Testament records numerous Pentecost, the Holy Spirit began to permanent-
�mes in which the Holy Spirit visited and bles- ly indwell His believers (Acts 2:1-11).
sed the people, but it is also clear that at �mes Grudem iden�fies 5 ways that the Holy Spirit
the Holy Spirit removed Himself from the peo- provides evidence of God’s presence and bles-
ple when they were disobedient (see Isa. sing, “(1) the Holy Spirit empowers: (2) the
63:10). However, this changed under the New Holy Spirit purifies: (3) the Holy Spirit reveals:
Covenant. During the last supper, Jesus tells his (4) the Holy Spirit unifies … (5) the Holy Spirit
disciples that they will be given another coun- gives stronger or weaker evidence of the pre-
selor who will be with them forever the Spirit sence and blessing of God, according to our re-
of Truth. Jesus goes on to say that the Holy Spi- sponse to him” (1994, p. 635). The Holy Spirit
rit will live in them and will not leave them empowers us by giving us new life when we ac-
((John 14:16-18). Later in the conversa�on cept Jesus as our Lord. The Holy Spirit empow-
with His disciples, Jesus describes the work of ers us to serve God. This was demonstrated
the Holy Spirit which is “to convict the world of when the Holy Spirit empowered Stephen to
guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and preach the gospel (Acts 6:5, 8) and numerous

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