Page 196 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

Forum “Guidance

Through the
David W. Appleby (USA) Holy Spirit
Using the Gifts of the Holy Spirit During the

in Counseling Counseling

or Therapy
I was surprised to be asked to write on this topic. I have been doing coun-
seling on some level for more than forty years, have served in the pastoral Session:
ministry for sixteen years, teach counseling in graduate school, and been
involved in the deliverance (exorcism) ministry for more than thirty Blessings and
years and know that some of these activities require using the gifts of the Problems”
Holy Spirit more than others. But how do I access them? Is there a switch
which, if thrown, suddenly causes my mind to be filled with supernatural
information? I don’t think so. Before we begin, however, please recognize
that I, by no means, consider myself an expert on how to utilize the gifts
of the Holy Spirit in counseling. All I can tell you today are some of the
assumptions under which I operate, and some of the practices that I use.
I hope these will be helpful.

Assumptions
First assumption: God has wired each of us for communication. The
Scriptures are full of many people who communicated with God in dif-
ferent ways. Samuel, the Old Testament prophet, heard the Lord’s voice
and had visions. Peter saw a sheet filled with unclean animals. Angels
appeared to a number of people. Even Ananias, a relative nobody, ap-
parently had a divine GPS that told him, turn by turn, how to find the
house of the man who would become the Apostle Paul. John 10 is full of
language that points to the fact that God’s people hear, recognize, and
will follow his voice.

Second assumption: God has wired us so that we can accomplish his
purposes. He has given us a sensitivity to spiritual things so that we can
be aware of both the Spirit of the Lord and unclean spirits. Many times David W. Appleby,
God communicates with us through the use of spiritual gifts. The “tools,” Ph.D., Ph.D., has spent
listed in I Corinthians 12:7-11 are wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, 16 years in the pastoral
miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and interpretation ministry. He currently
of tongues and are each given to us for the common good. This toolbox is president of Spiritu-
has been given to us so that what God builds can be stronger, whole, and al Interventions and
function more effectively. a pastoral counselor
at Wyndhurst Coun-
Third Assumption. God has uniquely wired each of us because he wants seling Center and is
to communicate with us and through us so that we can help others. All a graduate professor
the gifts of the Spirit require that we be able to hear, recognize, and obey in the Department of
his voice if these gifts are to be properly utilized with the people of his Counseling and Fa-
choosing at the time of his choosing. Regardless of the gift, we need to mily Studies at Liber-
be able to recognize when God is communicating with us and what he is ty University, both in
communicating with us. Lynchburg, VA (USA).

195