COMMUNICATION FROM RAM^i^
WHAT MAKES A CHRISTIAN QUILIFIED TO COUNCIL ANOTHER PERSON?
2 Timothy 3:14-17 "But You must continue in the things which You have Learned and been Assured of, Knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from Childhood You Have Known The HOLY SCRIPTURES [objective Word - "logos", not subjective feelings or Philosophical Guesses], Which are able to make You wise for Salvation [Mature Wholeness, not just Justification] Through Faith [Submissive Trust, not just Intellectual Assent or Emotional Experience] Which is in CHRIST JESUS. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of GOD, and is Profitable for Teaching, for Conviction, for Correction, for Training in Righteousness, that The Man of GOD may be Mature, Thoroughly Equipped for Every Good Work." EVERY GOOD WORK! "THE BEST INTEREST OF THE HEART"
People Purpose Problem Plan Practice Socialization Teaching Conviction Correction Training,,,, What did GOD do before Sigmund Freud, and all the other Anti-Christian, SOooo Called! Philosophers of Modern Counseling? Did GOD have to wait for them to help His People Overcome "People-Problems" Like: Depression, Anxiety, Anger, Bitterness, Arguing, Marriage Conflict, Parent/Child Struggles, Addiction, etc. . . . ? Of Course NOT!,,,, Remember ! The Fruit Of The HOLY SPIRIT !!!!
GALATIANS 5:22-25
"But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control. Against such there is no law.
Our Sovereign GOD is Good, and HIS Sufficient Counseling Plan has always been profound enough for any Ph.D., yet simple enough for a Little Child. GOD'S Plan is not some sort of Spiritual Mysticism, nor is it Behavioristic Legalism through a Religious Program of Ritualistic steps. GOD'S Practical Plan for Us is a Relationship with Himself, through JESUS CHRIST ruling as LORD over our motives, thoughts, words, actions, and feelings.
Just like any other Practical Problem Solving Process, fixing "People-Problems" simply involves Practicing a Plan that will Overcome the Real Causes of the Problem, in Order to Achieve the Original Purpose. In the case of "People-Problems", the Prime Purpose of Counseling is GOD'S GLORY! GOD'S Goal for Christian Counseling is to Transform People and Relationships into His Mature Character, so that when Others see it they will be Drawn to become a part of His Family. The Cornerstone of Mature Christian Character is an Accurate, Balanced Self-perception that Avoids two Insidious Extremes: 1. Self-deprecation without the Hope of CHRIST in You, The Fullness of the Spirit and His Fruit. 2. Self-esteem that eclipses the Esteem of CHRIST As The ONLY ONE WORTHY!
A Description of the Gifts of the Spirit ^i^ "Now concerning spiritual gifts
(or "graces," meaning a God-given ability for service)
I do not want you to be unaware." -Paul
1. Apostle (Greek: apostolos). One sent forth---as God sent forth his Son, Jesus---into the world with the message of salvation (Heb. 3:1). Jesus, in turn, sent forth His twelve apostles, empowered by the Holy Spirit with the good news of salvation (Matt. 28:19-20), and universal authority in matters of doctrine for His disciples. These twelve apostles became the first building blocks to be placed on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:20: 4:11,12). They were also given the responsibility to equip saints for ministry within the church as well as minister to their surrounding community. Each new generation has submitted to the authority of Jesus Christ, His apostles, and their writings up to this very hour. Paul was the last apostle to be placed on the foundation of Jesus Christ eliminating any need for new apostles (1 Cor. 15:9). He became a prime example of a man who discovered his gifts and wrapped his life around them; "...1 was appointed a preacher, and an apostle and a teacher" (2 Tim. 1:11).
2. Prophecy (Greek: propheteia). The spiritual ability to speak forth the mind and counsel of God. Prophets in the Old Testament were used by God to speak to Israel about current and future events. Jesus was the prophet to come(Deut. 1:8-18; Acts 2:22-23). The prophets in the body of Christ were called to speak forth the word of God about present and future events (Acts 2:17-18; 11:27-28), equip the saints for ministry (Eph. 4:11,12), as well as edify, comfort and encourage believers within the body of Christ and reveal the secrets of men's hearts (1 Cor. 14:3, 23-25). Agabus (Acts 21:10-11) and the four daughters of Philip, the evangelist, were given the gift of prophecy among so many (Acts 21:9).
3. Evangelist (Greek: eulangelistes). The spiritual ability to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ's redemptive story to a dying world lost in their sin and shame (Romans 3:23). Jesus modeled this gift of evangelism with Nicodemus (John 3:16). The good news is, in the words of Paul; "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Rom. 10:9,10). The evangelists were also called of God to equip others to develop their spiritual gifts (Eph. 4:11,12). Philip was known as an evangelist (Acts 8:4-13, 21:8).
4. Pastor-teacher (Greek: poimen didaskalos). The spiritual ability to shepherd the flock of God (guarding, guiding, encouraging, warning, etc.), feed them the Word of God, and equip them to find their gifts so that they, too, can do the work of ministry (Eph. 4:11, 12). Peter (John 21:15-17;1 Peter 5:1-15).
5. Serving (Greek: diakonia, the root for deacon). The spiritual ability to meet the physical needs of people within a given community of believers or unbelievers. One of the first examples of the serving gifts in action was re- corded in Acts 6:1-6 when the apostles selected seven men out of their group to minister to the poor Hellenistic Jewish widows who needed food. This in turn set the apostles free to minister with their spiritual gifts Phoeba, Acts 16:1).
6. Teaching (Greek: didaskalos). The spiritual ability to take the truth from the Word of God and explain it clearly so that the flock of God can under- stand it and apply those spiritual truths effectively to their daily lives. It appears that one can have the spiritual gift of teaching without being a pastor- teacher, but one cannot be a pastor without being a teacher . The natural gift of teaching can communicate any subject but yields just understanding of that subject. The spiritual gift of teaching communicates biblical truth and motivates men and women toward a life of godly obedience to that truth. Apollos and Paul had the spiritual gift of teaching (Acts 18:24-28, 2 Tim. 1:11).
7. Encouragement (Greek: parakaleo). The spiritual ability to come alongside a person who may be hurting spiritually or emotionally and offer them a word of comfort concerning the past and a word of encouragement, admonishment (truth in love), and challenge so that they will be able to walk in the steps of the Spirit in the future. A man named Joseph was renamed Barnabas (son of encouragement) by the apostles because of his ministry to the early church in Jerusalem (Acts 4:36-37).
8. Giving (Greek: metadidomi). The spiritual ability to give financially or materially to the needs of others within the body of Christ or the community in which they live. They express this spiritual gift in simplicity to the glory of God without drawing attention to themselves. Barnabas sold a field and gave the money to the apostles for the good of the church (Acts 4:36-37).
9. Leadership (Greek: proistemi). The spiritual ability to stand before a group of people and lead them in a deep walk with the Lord, or mission project, the building of a new community of Christians, or an elders meeting, etc. The apostle James gave leadership to the council of Jerusalem (Acts 15).
10. Mercy (Greek: eleos). The spiritual ability to manifest pity and give aid to those who are physically, emotionally or spiritually help- less. The ability to express compassionate loving action and lift up the one who is downtrodden and to do it joyfully. Tabitha---"...this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity, which she continually did" (Acts 9:36f).
11. A word of wisdom (Greek: sophia). The spiritual ability to perceive life and truth from God's perspective and then apply that wisdom to specific situations. Wisdom can be discerned by its fruit. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (James 3:17). James used his spiritual gift of wisdom at the Jerusalem council (Acts 15:31-21). was given a vision, while living in Asia Minor, to preach the gospel in Europe (Acts 16:6-10).
12. A word of knowledge (Greek: gnosis). The spiritual ability to communicate spiritual truth which has been acquired through the investigation of God's word. Stephen was a great example of a man of spiritual wisdom and knowledge when he spoke before the Supreme Court and broke open the scriptures to show them that Jesus was their Messiah (Acts 7:1-53).
13. Faith (Greek: pistis). The spiritual ability to see what isn't, believe it to be, and trust God to do it in His way and time. Faith to move mountains. Paul was given a vision, while living in Asia Minor, to preach the gospel in Europe (Acts 16:6-10).
14. Healings (Greek: iaomai). The spiritual ability to heal one who is sick. Note that Paul called it the gifts (plural) of healings which may mean this gifted person could make one who is sick whole---either spiritually, emotionally, or physically. Physical healing is a symbol of how God wants to heal all of us spiritually. An example: Peter and John's experience with the lame man at the temple gate (Acts 3:2-10).
15. Miraculous powers (Greek: dunamis). The spiritual ability to do works of a supernatural origin and character, such as could not be produced by natural agents and means. Philip (Acts 8:13), and Paul (Acts 13:9-12).
16. Discerning spirits (Greek: diakrisis). The spiritual ability to discern from God's word between the spirit of evil and of God, the flesh and the spirit, and truth and error, before the fruit is evident. Paul had this experience with Elymas the magician (Acts 13:9-12).
17. Helps (Greek: antilepsis or antilempis). The spiritual ability to come alongside others and support them and their ministry in physical ways. See Paul's list of friends in Romans 16:6,12.
18. Administration (Greek: kubernesis). The spiritual ability to give guidance, pilot, or steer. The spiritual ability to be a helmsman for a local church in helping direct its life and order. One who deals with people and not paper. The idea of governing as seen in the ministry of Stephanas (1 Cor 16:15-18).
19. Tongues (Greek: glossa). The spiritual ability to speak an unknown foreign language without learning it beforehand. The gift of tongues is to be used publicly to bring praise to God (1 Cor. 14:2), to edify the body of believers (I Cor. 14:5), and to be used as a sign of judgment against unbelieving Jews (I Cor. 14:21-22).
20. Interpretation (Greek: hermeneis). The spiritual ability to translate the foreign language of the person speaking to the audience listening. The one who does the translation of that foreign tongue would be able, by the spirit, to interpret without learning the language beforehand (1 Cor. 14:27)
GOD BLESS US ALL,
AS ALWAYS,LOVE & LIGHT,RAM ^i^
HAVE YOUR VERY OWN FAMILY MINISTRY
RELEASING CHILDREN FROM POVERTY,
COMPASSION IN JESUS' NAME. CALL 1-800-336-7676
THIS IS A BOND THAT EVEN DISTANCE CANNOT BREAK,
SPONSORS MAKE A REAL AND LASTING DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD.
WON'T YOU PLEASE ENRICH A CHILDS LIFE, MAKE A COMMITMENT
I THANK MY LORD & SAVIOR WHO HAS BLESSED MY FAMILY AND I
TO BE SPONSORS OF A LITTLE GIRL IN UGANDA,
ALL THE GLORY & PRAISE BE TO MY LORD & SAVIOR,
THIS LITTLE GIRL WILL NEVER MISS ANOTHER MEAL, OR BE DEPRIVED OF PROPER MEDICAL CARE,
SHE WILL LEARN THE NAME OF JESUS! AND HIS MESSAGE
SHE WILL LEARN TO READ AND WRITE,
AND GET A PROPER EDUCATION, HOW WONDERFUL IS THAT!
THANK YOU JESUS ^i^
Two-Edged Swords
Many have asked us to do a brief debunking of psychotherapy that would be short, easily understood and easily learned,
which one could use when confronted with the issue of psychoheresy.
We have enumerated numerous reasons why Christians should entirely reject the kind of psychology that has to do with psychological counseling theories and therapies.
When this kind of psychology is mixed in with Christianity and assimilated into the church, we call it psychoheresy.
There are currently about 500 competing psychotherapies in the marketplace
with thousands of techniques that often contradict one another.
We know from research that the psychological methods and techniques
are only of minor importance in helping individuals with their problems
and that the number one reason for change is the person who comes for help,
not the helper or the psychology used.
The following two reasons constitute a two-edged sword against psychoheresy.
This two-edged sword cuts effectively both ways. The following two reasons should be enough to reject these psychological sorcerers of the soul.
Reason One: Science or Pseudoscience?
The dictionary defines pseudoscience as “a system of theories, assumptions and methods erroneously regarded as science.” Since psychotherapy is based on psychological theories, it would be reasonable to ask if these psychological theories can be considered science.
Attempting to evaluate the status of psychology, the American Psychological Association appointed Dr. Sigmund Koch to plan and direct a study that was subsidized by the National Science Foundation.
This study involved eighty eminent scholars assessing the facts, theories, and methods of psychology.
The results of this extensive endeavor were published in a seven-volume series entitled Psychology:
A Study of a Science.1 Examining the results, Koch qualifies his concerns by saying, “I am not saying that no subfields of psychology can be regarded as parts of science.”
2 However, psychotherapy would be one of Koch’s primary targets when he says, “I think it by this time utterly and finally clear that psychology cannot be a coherent science.”
3 (Italics in original, bold added.) Koch suggests, “As the beginning of a therapeutic humility, we might re-christen psychology and speak instead of the psychological studies.”
4 (Italics in original.) Koch contends that much of psychology is not a cumulative or progressive discipline in which knowledge is added to knowledge. Rather, what is discovered by one generation “typically disenfranchises the theoretical fictions of the past.” Instead of refining and specifying larger generalizations of the past, psychologists are busy replacing them. Koch declares, “Throughout psychology’s history as ‘science,’ the hard knowledge it has deposited has been uniformly negative.”
5 (Italics in original, bold added.) Dr. E. Fuller Torrey is a clinical and research psychiatrist who has written a book titled Witchdoctors and Psychiatrists. In the book Torrey discusses “The Common Roots of Psychotherapy and Its Future,” which is the subtitle of his book. Torrey convincingly argues that psychotherapy, whether practiced by witchdoctors or psychotherapists by whatever name, has common roots and that the practices themselves have much in common. In reference to the psychotherapy practiced by psychiatrists, Torrey says” The techniques used by Western psychiatrists are, with few exceptions, on exactly the same scientific plane as the techniques used by witchdoctors. If one is magic, then so is the other. If one is prescientific, then so is the other.
6 The practice of both is so much a part of the thinking and living of each culture that no amount of scientific proof to the contrary would cause either culture to abandon such practices. Here one would not likely go to a witchdoctor just as a person in a witchdoctor culture would not likely go to a psychotherapist. The ingredients of success of both witchdoctors and psychotherapists as mind healers are very much the same. This question of scientific and pseudoscientific theories intrigued Sir Karl Popper, who is considered one of the greatest philosophers of science. As Popper investigated the differences between physical theories, such as Newton’s theory of gravity and Einstein’s theory of relativity, and theories about human behavior, he began to suspect that the psychologies underlying the psychotherapies could not truly be considered scientific.
7 Although such theories seem to be able to explain or interpret behavior, they rely on subjective interpretations. Even the claims of clinical observation cannot be considered objective or scientific, because they are merely interpretations based on the theories familiar to the observer.
8 These theories depend upon confirmation rather than testability. Popper says: “Every genuine test of a theory is an attempt to falsify it, or to refute it”
9 (italics in original); and, “Confirming evidence should not count except when it is the result of a genuine test of the theory.
10 (Italics in original.) Furthermore, Popper declares that psychological theories formulated by Freud, Adler, and others, “though posing as sciences, had in fact more in common with primitive myths than with science; that they resembled astrology rather than astronomy.”
11 (Bold added.) He also says, “These theories describe some facts, but in the manner of myths. They contain most interesting psychological suggestions, but not in a testable form.”
12 Believers are repeatedly warned about the “wisdom of men” in contrast to “the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:5). Psychotherapy is pseudoscience and the very wisdom of men about which believers have been repeatedly warned. The history of the rise and practice of psychotherapy reveals that it is the wisdom of men that comes from the tree “in the midst of the garden” (Gen. 3:3). In his book The Discovery of the Unconscious, historian Henri F. Ellenberger says: Historically, modern dynamic psychotherapy derives from primitive medicine, and an uninterrupted continuity can be demonstrated between exorcism and magnetism, magnetism and hypnotism, and hypnotism and the modern dynamic schools.
13 The Apostle Paul says: “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1 Timothy 6:20). Psychotherapies are “profane and vain babblings” and solely pseudoscience that stands in opposition to what God has promised and the Scriptures provide. Psychotherapeutic psychology has taken over most of the church under the false façade of science. Believers must challenge this wolf (psychotherapy) in sheep’s clothing (scientific disguise). As soon as the promoters of psychology bring up the science word, believers need to bring up the pseudoscience word. In discussions one should use the true word for psychotherapy—pseudoscience—and refer to it as the wisdom of men about which Christians are warned. Reason Two: Psychotherapy Is Religion Psychotherapy is religion.
14 Once the false façade of science is removed, psychotherapy is seen for what it truly is: a faith system and therefore, by many definitions, a religion. The Wikipedia admits that “Religion has been defined in a variety of ways” and gives one definition of religion as “one’s primary worldview and how that dictates one’s thoughts and actions.” Many writers use similar definitions to define, understand, and critique psychotherapy. One academic after another and even one psychiatrist and psychologist after another regard psychotherapy as a religion. Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, in his book The Myth of Psychotherapy says very strongly that “the human relations we now call ‘psychotherapy,’ are, in fact, matters of religion and that we mislabel them as ‘therapeutic’ at great risk to our spiritual well-being.”
15 Elsewhere Szasz refers to psychotherapy as religion: “It is not merely a religion that pretends to be a science, it is actually a fake religion that seeks to destroy true religion.”
16 He warns of “the implacable resolve of psychotherapy to rob religion of as much as it can, and to destroy what it cannot.”
17 Christopher Lasch, author of The Culture of Narcissism, would probably agree since he says, “Therapy constitutes an antireligion.”
18 It is a fake religion that is “anti” the true religion of the Bible. Karl Kraus, a Viennese journalist, wrote: “Despite its deceptive terminology, psychoanalysis [Freudian psychotherapy] is not a science but a religion—the faith of a generation incapable of any other.”
19 Many experts tell how psychology has replaced Christianity. Martin Gross, in his book The Psychological Society, says: When educated man lost faith in formal religion, he required a substitute belief that would be as reputable in the last half of the twentieth century as Christianity was in the first. Psychology and psychiatry have now assumed that role.
20 One of the best known psychotherapists, Carl Rogers, confesses, “Yes, it is true, psychotherapy is subversive. . . . Therapy, theories and techniques promote a new model of man contrary to that which has been traditionally acceptable.”
21 Bernie Zilbergeld, in his book The Shrinking of America: Myths of Psychological Change, says: Psychology has become something of a substitute for old belief systems. Different schools of therapy offer visions of the good life and how to live it, and those whose ancestors took comfort from the words of God and worshipped at the altars of Christ and Yahweh now take solace from and worship at the altars of Freud, Jung, Carl Rogers, Albert Ellis, Werner Erhard, and a host of similar authorities. While in the past the common reference point was the Bible and its commentaries and commentators, the reference today is a therapeutic language and the success stories of mostly secular people changers.
22 Szasz says that “psychotherapy is a modern, scientific-sounding name for what used to be called the ‘cure of souls.’”
23 One of his primary purposes for writing The Myth of Psychotherapy was: …to show how, with the decline of religion and the growth of science in the eighteenth century, the cure of (sinful) souls, which had been an integral part of the Christian religions, was recast as the cure of (sick) minds, and became an integral part of medicine.
24 The words sinful and sick in parentheses are his. By replacing the word sinful with the word sick and by replacing the word soul with the word mind, psychological practitioners have supplanted spiritual ministers in matters that have more to do with religion and values than with science and medicine. Of course the central aspect of the cure of souls was to bring a person into a right relationship with God.
Because psychotherapy deals with meaning in life, values, and behavior, it is religion in theory and in practice. Every branch of psychotherapy is religious. Therefore, combining Christianity with psychotherapy is joining two or more religious systems.
Psychotherapy cannot be performed and people cannot be transformed without affecting a person’s beliefs. Because psychotherapy involves morals and values, it is religion.
The Apostle Paul warns: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Col. 2:8).
Paul is warning about religious teachings that have been invented from the wisdom of men, but that either have no foundation in Scripture or are contrary to it. Therefore psychotherapies should be shunned by believers.
The Even Sharper Two-Edged Sword
The two-edged sword cutting open psychotherapy’s false façade of science and revealing it as a faith system is sufficient to trump its claims.
However, the most powerful argument against psychotherapy is found in the two-edged sword of Scripture. Hebrews 4:12 says it well: “
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Using this one verse alone reveals the power of the Word and the powerlessness of psychotherapy.
For what psychotherapy can claim the speed and power of the Word?
What psychotherapy can pierce “even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow”?
What psychotherapy “is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”?
NONE, NO NOT ONE.
Too many of God’s people have forsaken “the fountain of living waters” and hewed out “broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13).Too many have abandoned the Spirit of the Word for the spirit of the world and, like the Laodicean Church in Revelation 3, have become lukewarm believers to be spewed out.
If, when you are speaking with those who have bought into this unholy mixture, the two-edged sword of pseudoscience and religion doesn’t convince them,
Use the God-given two-edged sword of the Spirit, which, whatever way it cuts, will glorify God,
For as Paul encountered opposition to his preaching and teaching, he declared:
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.
And who is sufficient for these things?
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God:
But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
May we all be faithful to God’s Word and do just that!
Spiritual Warfare Attack Team
SWAT is a Nation-wide Support, Resource and Communication Center formed of and by, numerous CHRISTIAN groups and individuals all around the world whose mission is to strike against the reality of Spiritual Warfare and educate people through the TRUTH of the WORD OF GOD.
Based on Matt 16:17-18,
This online site is for people to read and use for resources and information in regards to this subject. Whether you are a person seeking answers or a member in search of support or advice, all associates and affiliates are at hand to help and assist you.
