Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 35 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and five amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has written several books, including two that are available on Amazon - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles.

Part 3: The Basis of Our Freedom

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This is the third article in a series entitled Spirit-Led Counseling.

We got ourselves into the current terrible situation by turning our backs on God, as I explained in my previous article, and we can only escape with God’s help. In fact, our deliverance, healing, and restoration depend entirely upon the graciousness or grace of God; although, we do have a part to play. Without his initiative and intervention, we would be hopelessly and eternally lost. Without his continual sustaining power through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we cannot keep ourselves free. But through him, we are able to experience all that Jesus died to provide for us.

Jesus came to restore us to God’s intended way of living in complete harmony and partnership with God. It is a gloriously freeing way to live!

All things begin, continue, and end with God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. It is crucial for us to understand that each Person of the triune Godhead contributes to what the Bible calls our “great salvation.” (Hebrews 2:3) Our heavenly Father, the first Person of the Godhead, is the One who has loved us from before the creation of the world and who planned our salvation before we ever took our first breath.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. 4 For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love. Ephesians 1:3-4 (NET1)

Abba Father is the kindest and most loving Person we will ever know.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 5 even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you are saved! — 6 and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 (NET1)

But He is also completely just, holy, and righteous, and our sin created a huge obstacle to our ever being able to enjoy the fellowship and intimacy that Father God originally planned for us to share with Him. We distanced ourselves from Abba through our sinful breach of his righteousness, as I described in my previous article. His desire to show mercy to us stood opposed to the requirements of his truth and righteousness. How could God’s righteous anger at our sin ever be reconciled with his tender mercies?

Abba’s amazing plan manifested wisdom which is beyond human. It is…

...the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 (NET1)

Abba’s solution was for His only begotten Son, the eternal Word of God, to become a human being and offer Himself as a perfect substitutionary sacrifice in our behalf.

Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We] saw his glory — the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. John 1:14 (NET1) 

But when this priest [Jesus] had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 where he is now waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy. Hebrews 10:12-14 (NET1)

In addition, by the genius of what theologians call “identification,” God caused us to participate in Christ’s death and resurrection, having placed us “in Christ”, in whom we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings.

God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NET1)

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NET1)

To make the solution perfect, our heavenly Father sent His Holy Spirit to indwell each believer. God’s Spirit lives Christ’s life in and through everyone who is born again. He is the Great Helper and Enabler. He is our life and power source. He is the One who transforms us into the people God always wanted us to be. He is our guarantee that God will complete what he began.

Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever — 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he resides with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 (NET1)

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (ESV)

Every great team has unity, clearly defined job descriptions, and superlative abilities. The Trinity is no exception. In fact, the very concept of team originates in God. The Father is the planner. The Son is the executor who carries out the Father’s plan. The Holy Spirit is the administrator who works behind the scenes to assure the success of Father’s plan and the Son’s execution of that plan. Another way to put it is that the Father chose us to be his very own. The Son died and rose again to ensure the outcome, and the Spirit draws us to faith in Christ through the Gospel and applies the benefits of the finished work of Christ to our lives, bringing the Father’s plan to fruition. This plan will be completed at the Second Coming of Christ, when we will experience the final installment of our great salvation, the resurrection from the dead.

Paul tells us that:

When all things are subjected to him [Abba Father], then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:28 (ESV)

God is our final destiny, the goal or end of salvation. To Him belongs all glory forever and ever.

It is extremely important to understand and believe that our salvation begins and ends with God.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NASB) 

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34  For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35  Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36  For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33-36 (NASB)

Our salvation began with Father’s plan to bring us into his family. The conclusion will be when we receive our resurrected bodies and heavenly reward. The in-between, the time in which we now live, is also dependent on God’s graciousness; although, as I said before, we play a vital role. The coming of our Lord, his death, burial and resurrection, and the sending of the Holy Spirit were all accomplished before we were born. None of us had any “say” in that plan or the accomplishment of it.

As Paul wrote,

So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. Romans 9:16 (NET1)

Our part arises when we hear the gospel and respond. If we are among those who believe, something happened in our hearts when we heard the gospel message. The Bible tells us that it was a result of the inner work of God’s Spirit combined with the outer call of the gospel that produced in us the desire to surrender our lives to Christ. Jesus made it clear that God is the initiator, not us.

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44 (NET1)

Yes, we indeed must make the choice to believe in and serve Christ, but the mystery of God is at work beneath the surface of things, so that we can all agree that God deserves all the glory.

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NET1)

The reason I have gone to such great lengths to show God’s integral involvement with every aspect of our salvation is to give us a solid foundation for hope.

If our salvation rests on our shoulders and faithfulness and depends on our abilities, our will power, our holiness, or our goodness, we are in big trouble. But if our salvation rests upon the Father’s choice to love us, the Son’s finished work, and the power of the indwelling Spirit, we are in good shape.

If we are going to experience true freedom, we will need to come to terms with acknowledging and relying on the God who works through his freely given grace. We cannot approach him through our own goodness or performance. Likewise, neither our lack of goodness (apart from Christ) nor our poor performance thus far, is any deterrent to our being able to experience God’s ability to set us free. We come to God solely on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. We have none of our own. We must make it our goal to..

.. be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness — a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness. Philippians 3:9 (NET1)

Only when we learn to rely on God’s love, kindness, righteousness, grace, power and authority can we experience all that Christ died and rose again to give us. We dare not short change ourselves and “frustrate the grace of God” by trying to save ourselves. It will never work and will only leave us confused and frustrated.

Jesus did not come to help the religious and the self-sufficient. He came to save sinners who acknowledge their spiritual poverty. (Matthew 5:3)

We must answer Christ’s call and come to Him with no pretended ability to save or liberate ourselves, but with full confidence that freedom can be experienced by grace alone. Jesus said:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry. Matthew 11:28-30 (NET1)

God’s promise is that when we learn to live by faith in the power of the Spirit, believing what the Bible says is true, we will be able to live in a way that brings glory to God.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 (ESV)

If we will make it your goal to rely on God’s grace, believe his truth, operate in Christ’s authority, and live by the power of the Spirit, we too can experience freedom in Christ. That is the basis of our freedom.

 

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Part 2: Understanding the Components of Bondage

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Understanding the components of bondage will help us see people be set free. If we cannot even agree on the nature or root of the main problem, we may not be very effective. Human “fixes” generally have side effects that introduce a whole new set of unintended consequences. Individuals, families, corporations, people groups, and nations pursue selfish agendas at the expense of the less fortunate and less powerful. Ignorance, poverty, sickness and disease ravage the human race. Wars, genocide, infanticide, and general inhumanity to others abound. Much evil is done by ignorant perhaps well meaning people, but the worst sort is done intentionally by the worst sort of people. Religions vie for “top dog” status, their adherents often being willing to kill and oppress “non-believers”. Prisons are filled with those who flaunt the laws of civilized society, and those who believe in Biblical values find themselves in a “Twilight Zone” world where what was considered vile a generation ago is now paraded and applauded as good and normal. How did we get here? Is there a way out, either corporately or individually?

The Bible teaches us that God created a world in which there was order and goodness. He placed the first couple in a ideal situation where all their needs were supplied with a minimum of work. They were commanded to increase and multiply. Those first humans enjoyed the privilege of walking and talking with God. They were naked and unashamed, apparently clothed with a sort of aura of glory. They “had it made”, but since they had nothing with which to compare their situation, they were prone to think something might be wrong. God gave them amazing freedom and only one prohibition: they were forbidden to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

God created us to be dependent beings who only need to know what God reveals to us. If we could be satisfied to know him, be with him, and depend on his continual grace and loving kindness, we would be happy and thrive.

You probably know the story. Satan cleverly deceived them into doubting God’s goodness and motives and to desire more than God had given them, which set them up to do the unthinkable. They did the one thing that could bring down the whole system of blessing and life. They turned away from God, choosing to try to live independently from him by relying on their own wits, discernment, and strength.

That rebellious act of disobedience set in motion what we see today. It opened the door to the horrific consequences of living apart from God and gave the keys of authority to our archenemy, Satan.

Instead of being under God’s protection, mankind was now victim and prey, contributing to his own demise by continuing to be deceived and cooperate with our new tyrannical master.

Romans 5:12-21 teaches us that Adam’s sin opened the door to death, condemnation, and the reign of sin in the human race. Let’s examine this in more detail.

God built within humanity the ability to procreate, that is, to reproduce after our own kind.

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27  God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28  God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:26-28 (NASB)

We are much more than physical beings. The Bible teaches that we are a unique and marvelous combination of spirit and flesh, the joining of which produces the soul (translated “living being”) and personality.

The Lord God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 (NET1)

Not only do we pass on our physical DNA when we have children, we also pass on spiritual “genetics” – the sin nature and proclivities toward evil that were “encoded” into Adam and Eve when they first transgressed. That sin nature has been passed to each successive generation since the Fall.

This inherited indwelling propensity to sin is the root of most of our problems.

This means that people who have never been born again by the Spirit of God have for their “default” mode to live counter to what produces goodness, life, and order. No one has to teach a baby how to be self-centered. It comes naturally. No two-year-old needs a course in how to be defiant. It comes naturally. No adult needs to learn how to be tempted to do all manner of evil things. It just comes with the package.

In addition to this huge problem is the additional compounding effect that sin has upon people, families, people groups and nations.

Just as a stone thrown into a perfectly calm pool causes ripples that spread outwardly and eventually destroy the tranquility of the entire pool, sin also has a ripple effect.

To get a better idea, imagine throwing two rocks into the pool simultaneously and watch what happens. The ripples will go to the edge of the pool and then rebound back causing an intersection with other ripples. Now throw several more rocks into the pool in different places, including a couple of really big ones. Now imagine that the number of rocks thrown into the pool increases geometrically in size and number. I hope you get the picture. Sin’s ripple effect eventually produces a turbulent, choppy, and disordered world where once there was serenity and peace.

When people are born, they come into this confusion that sin has created, fully equipped with a sin nature. They are impacted by sin from within and from without.

The sin within propels us to do our own part to contribute to the already existing mess. The impact of sin from the outside further exacerbates things, often doing incredible damage to our already marred personalities. It is as if, in many cases, that little ones are born into a virtual landslide of evil that carries them right over the cliff into the abyss.

For example, children from broken homes never get the chance to experience family life the way God intended. They have missing or broken pieces in their personalities and flawed ideas about how to be a man or woman, a husband or wife, or even a child. Think of the little girls and boys born into families where generations of sexual abuse and incest have been the norm. What are their chances of growing up with any sense of normalcy? What about the little babies born in war ravaged and poverty stricken areas of the world? What about those born into political and religious systems to resist and prohibit the true gospel from even being heard? What are their chances to experience the life that God desired for us at creation? The list of examples goes on. Some people call this progression of evil generational sin. Regardless of the label, it is real.

Individuals and families pass on problems and proclivities to their offspring without the intervention of God.

Things are actually much worse because there is also a being, who commands hoards of like-minded beings, who has a master plan and insatiable desire to ravage and destroy humanity. As you know, his biblical name is Satan.

The devil has a plan for your life – to kill, steal, and destroy you. He is a master deceiver, accuser, and intimidator. He does not play fair and uses any and all means to oppress and harm human beings.

When Adam sinned in the garden, the authority God gave to humans was effectively transferred to Satan. For centuries Satan has used his rule to drag multitudes into hell with him and make life here on earth intolerable for countless people. Although, Jesus dealt Satan a death blow on the cross, he is still being allowed to  deceive those who will listen to him. He is still leading people astray. He is still stealing, killing, and destroying, and, if you are a follower of Christ, he hates you and is working against you.

As a result of his activity and the inner workings of sin and our sin-impaired ability to think, we end up afflicting ourselves by choosing to believe lies which are a form of idolatry. They are more important to us than the Truth, whose name is Jesus. They propel us to disobedience and keep us locked up in spiritual prisons of our own making.

The Bible calls these self-inflicted inner prisons of lies “strongholds.”

I call them lie-based strongholds, and Paul teaches us that they keep us from knowing, believing, and acting upon the truth about God and life.

For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments 5 and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NET1)

These strongholds stand between us and the freedom that could be ours through Christ via the gospel. Notice that here for the first time I mention that there is a way out of this mess!

The gospel is all about Jesus Christ, who is the Truth, and what He did to accomplish our deliverance.

Satan operates in the milieu of the Lie. If we are going to get out of this quagmire of death and deception, we must allow God to tear down any lie-based strongholds that we have embraced. And, believe me, everyone has them.

Working in tandem with these deeply held lies, many people have experienced enormous hurts in their lives, which have deeply traumatized them and, in many cases, produced a fertile seedbed for growing lies about God.

For example, if a young girl was sexually abused by her grandfather over several years, as an adult she will most likely question the goodness of her heavenly Father. After all, could not He have prevented this horrible evil? And if He did not protect her then, how can she know that He is worthy of her trust now? So, we see that the pain inflicted by evil can easily set us up to believe lies about God, which in turn can block us from believing the truth which is able to set us free.

and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32 (NET1)

The good news is that Jesus is the great Healer and is well able to heal those deeply wounded areas of our souls, but usually it requires us to pursue him for that healing.

Lastly, many individuals are harassed and oppressed by demons.

The Bible is unclear regarding the origin and exact nature of these malevolent beings, but makes it clear that they are real and, when relevant, their oppression must be removed for people to experience complete freedom. Jesus continually encountered and removed these pests from those to whom He ministered while He walked the roads of Israel.

you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him. Acts 10:37-38 (NET1)

Demons gain access by various means. Often we open the door through participation in some sin, especially sexual sin and occult practices. Sometimes demons seem to be passed on through families, which somewhere along the line opened the door to them. Sometimes they gain access when people undergo trauma.

In other words, sometimes it is our own fault that we are demonized and sometimes we are victims of collateral damage resulting from the sins of others. The devil does not care. He will jump through any open door he can find.

Many are tormented today because of these creatures and don’t even know it.

You may have noticed that I began this paragraph describing the worldwide mess sin has produced and have concluded by focusing on the problems that individuals face. This is because I want you to see that people’s problems and issues are bigger than their own situation. However, the gospel focuses largely on the individual.

Jesus came to set the human race free one person at a time. When enough people experience the liberation found in Christ through the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit, families, communities, and nations will be transformed.

The following articles in this series will be an attempt to explain how Jesus can and will set us free from every layer of bondage.

You can personally experience freedom in Christ, and you can move from being part of the problem to being part of the solution.

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Part 1: Introduction to Spirit-Led Counseling

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This is the first article in a series entitled Spirit-Led Counseling. I sometimes use other names for this ministry, such as Personal Prayer Ministry, Wonderful Counseling, and Biblical Healing and Deliverance. Jesus is the "wonderful Counselor" of Isaiah 9:6. This ministry attempts to make room for Jesus to personally counsel people by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit with human ministers acting as facilitators. This makes it different from most counseling. It is highly effective at teaching the recipient how to hear the voice of the Spirit and to receive his life giving words.

Almighty God sent his Son Jesus to the earth on a mission to set people free from the awful tyranny and hopelessness of sin and its consequences. Human bondage began when Adam and Eve opened the floodgates of evil by abandoning and betraying their Creator and Sustainer, having been duped by the lying serpent into suspecting that God was an untrustworthy liar. Their decision to make a go at living independently from God proved to be the downfall of the entire creation.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 8:20-21 (ESV)

Adam and Eve separated themselves from the life of God when they sinned. They were still physically alive, but the death process had begun to work. Their spirits were cut off from the Holy Spirit, their minds and hearts were darkened, and their bodies began to die through what we call the aging process. Sickness – physical, societal, emotional, and spiritual – entered the picture. Satan’s promise of their becoming like God turned out to be a horrendous lie.

One of the things we learn from their fall is that we humans, even the newly created version, did not possess any innate immunity to Satan’s deception.

Now, because our minds have been darkened by sin, we are even more easily deceived by Satan’s lies.

As bad as that day was, it is important that we see that God offered hope to Adam and his offspring from the very beginning of his judgment upon our sin. God’s judgment included restoration, but, for that to happen, his Son would have to die and rise again.

When the Law was introduced later at Mt. Sinai, it exposed how deep our sinfulness is. It also brought us a new problem, what the Bible calls the “curse” of the Law, which is God’s judgment upon sin. The Law clearly defined sin and proves that we are incapable of overcoming it on our own. In our pride, this is a hard pill for us to swallow; yet, a necessary one, if we are to be open to God’s solution in the gospel.

Protection against evil spirits also was removed as a result of our rejecting God in the garden. Evil spirits take advantage of our defenselessness and oppress people mercilessly. The ripples of our lawlessness and rebellion escalated into a mad torrent of crashing waves of destruction and judgment. When Jesus arrived on the earth as a baby, things had been spiraling into a deepening darkness for centuries because generation after generation drank deeply from the poisoned cup of sin and deception.

After growing to manhood and patiently waiting thirty years for God’s appointed time, Jesus launched his public ministry with these words.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to tell them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.” Luke 4:18-21 (NET1)

The above passage is the closest thing to a “mission statement” that Jesus gave us. For the next three years, Jesus went about “doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.” (Acts 10:38 NET1)

During his public ministry years Jesus made withdrawals upon a future deposit he would make into heaven’s bank.The authority and power to he used to heal, release people from demons, and forgive sins derived from what he would accomplish later through his death and resurrection.

Each time he set a person free, it drove the nails a little deeper into his hands and feet. Once he began to draw upon that future event called the crucifixion, there was no way out for him. He had to pay the price, having made himself a debtor to God’s system of justice, something he did obediently and without complaint. When he as the innocent Lamb of God gave himself over to death, he defeated Satan on our behalf, the one who had previously held the keys of bondage and death.

When our Lord rose from the dead, the power of sin, Satan, sickness, and death was effectively smashed. And yet we see people, even followers of Christ, still living in all sorts of sin and bondage. What gives?

God’s plan was always for his people to rule and reign alongside the Lord Jesus. After he ascended into heaven where he now sits at God the Father’s right hand, Jesus delegated his authority to us who represent him to the world. He has given us his Holy Spirit to indwell and empower us. Now those who make up the church have the privilege and responsibility to proclaim his message of redemption and reconciliation to the Father and to release people from what holds them prisoner.

Jesus’ mission statement is now our mission statement. What he did on the earth during the short period of his public ministry, we are to continue until he comes again to wrap things up.

The Great Commission involves more than simply telling people about what Jesus did for them and asking them to put their faith and allegiance in him as Lord and Savior.

Christ’s followers are to demonstrate the power of the Kingdom of God as well as proclaim the words of the Gospel.

Paul made it clear that the Good News is meant to be delivered in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 in that our gospel did not come to you merely in words, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction … 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 (NET1)

God has given his church the authority, power, and the tools to accomplish this mission. In the following articles I will present an overview of the process I call Spirit-Led Counseling, which depends on the ongoing ministry of Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor. (Isaiah 9:6)

Spirit-Led Counseling integrates the truth of God’s Word, the presence, power, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the basic principles of repentance and faith to help people experience a growing freedom from sin and bitterness, deliverance from what I call lie-based strongholds, healing for inner hurts, and release from demonization, when needed.

I will do my best to base all of this solidly on God’s Word and give practical applications based on what I have seen work. I have watched God do some amazing things through this ministry, and I hope you will be encouraged that the Lord cares deeply about you and wants you to be free, too. The best revenge we can get on the devil for all he has done to us is to allow God to set us free and use us to help others walk free from his clutches.

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Have we received Jesus as both the Prince of Peace and the Lord?

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Have we received Jesus as both the Prince of Peace and the Lord? When Peter was summoned to the home of the Roman Centurion named Cornelius to make the first gospel presentation to the Gentiles, he opened his remarks with this summation.

This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. Acts 10:36 (NLT)

The gospel presents Jesus in the dual role of Savior and Lord.

We have peace with God because Jesus died for our sins as the Lamb of God, taking our guilt and punishment upon himself. His resurrection proved that his sacrifice on our behalf was accepted. It also validated his claim to be the Lord of Lords, the Jewish messianic King. We can experience peace with God, having been justified or put back into a right relationship with him through the death and resurrection of Jesus the Lord.

He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God. Romans 4:25 (NLT) 

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1 (NLT)

If we have only received Jesus as the Prince of Peace, we have not understood the whole gospel. It is crucial that we also acknowledge him as the Lord – lord of our own lives and lord of all.

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; Romans 10:9 (NASB95)
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Can we prove that Jesus is the Lord and Messiah?

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Can we prove that Jesus is the Lord and Messiah? Saul was highly trained in the Old Testament scriptures. By revelation from the Spirit, he immediately connected the dots between Bible prophecies and Jesus. He showed how Jesus fulfilled messianic promises through his life, death, and resurrection. He was able to reasonably prove that Jesus was (and is) the Jewish Messiah.

Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Acts 9:22 (NLT)

Many, if not most, believers today feel woefully inadequate to this task, but the remedy is fairly easy. With some study and practice, we too can use Old Covenant scriptures to prove how Jesus is the Savior and Lord promised to Eve, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, to name a few key players.

We should not take the “easy way out” by only learning and sharing our testimonies or an overly simplified “plan of salvation.” The amazingly powerful gospel is not too hard for us to master. But we have to choose to do it.

It is important for us to remember that the gospel is powerful when it is rightly shared.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” Romans 1:16–17 (NASB95)
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The Baptism in the Spirit Is Part of the Gospel

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The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an important part of the gospel. In Acts Chapter 8, Luke recounts how the gospel came through Philip to the Samaritans.

But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. 13  Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed. 14  When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. 15  As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. 16  The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17  Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:12-17 (NLT)

In the 1970s a group called the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International rightly argued that the baptism in the Spirit is an integral part of the gospel, helping countless people receive this amazing gift. In Acts 2, Peter included this baptism in his initial gospel message (Acts 2:38-39), and here in Acts 8, in the first gospel presentation to a people group other than the Jews, it was once again highlighted.

The baptism in the Spirit is connected to Christ’s ascension and glorification at God’s right hand in heaven as Lord of the Harvest. (Acts 2:32-33) Its purpose is to equip and empower God’s people to fulfill the Great Commission. (Acts 1:8)

A “full gospel” presentation should include the following.

  1. A clear presentation of Jesus the crucified Lamb of God who died to forgive our sins.
  2. A proclamation of his Lordship which was proven by his resurrection.
  3. An announcement of his ascension, exaltation in heaven, and the consequent outpouring of the Spirit.
  4. His Second Coming as the divine Son Man, prophesied in Daniel 7, who will judge the living and the dead.
  5. An invitation to receive forgiveness of sins, to declare publicly his lordship through being water baptized, and to receive the baptism of the Spirit and become part of his band of Great Commission disciple makers.

Did you receive the full gospel? If not, which part needs to be added? What remains for you to do?

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Is Jesus Merely a Personal Savior or the Risen and Glorious Lord?

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Is Jesus merely a “personal savior” or the risen and glorious lord? In the two verses below, the Holy Spirit summarizes the gospel in four words spoken by the apostles: “Jesus is the Messiah.”

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. 42  And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.” Acts 5:41-42 (NLT)

During that time in history when Jesus lived on earth, the Jews expected the Messiah to finally appear. They had certain ideas about what he would do for them that did not at all match Jesus’ words, character, and deeds. They expected a military leader who would deliver them from the iron grip of Roman tyranny. Instead they got a “Lamb” went about setting people free from sin, sickness, and demonic oppression, who was put to death on a cross for our sins, yet conquered death by rising again three days later as the glorious Lord of Lords. This risen Jesus, who promised to one day return as the Judge of all mankind, is indeed the Jewish Messiah. We now must bow our knees in worship or later we will do so in abject terror when he comes again to judge everyone who ever lived.

…For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.” 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:10b–12 (NASB95)

Modern consumerists have converted the gospel message that Jesus is the glorious messianic King of Kings into his being merely a very tame personal savior.

This is no small thing. A personal savior has no real impact on the larger world or even on the individual. He only saves us from having to suffer judgment for our own sins, rescuing us from damnation and giving us eternal life. For the individual, this is great news, but not necessarily life changing, because we are not required to serve him, only receive blessings from him. 

The announcement that Jesus is Messiah and Lord over all creation is a game changer. One cannot believe that and continue to live as before.

A real encounter with the risen Lord quite naturally produces a desire in us to worship and serve him. Do you believe in a personal savior or serve the risen Lord?

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Christ’s Ascension into Heaven Is Part of the Gospel

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Christ’s ascension into heaven is part of the gospel message. In Acts Chapter Five, once again the Jewish religious leaders threatened the apostles for preaching the good news about Jesus. In response, Peter delivered a brief and bold presentation of the gospel to his persecutors.

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. 31  Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32  We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.” Acts 5:30-32 (NLT)

Peter mentioned three reasons for his hearers to repent in their attitude and actions regarding Jesus.

  1. He was put to death unjustly.
  2. God raised him from the dead, and
  3. He is now seated at God’s right hand, reigning as the Lord over all creation.

Peter does not directly say that Jesus ascended into heaven, but it is assumed. How else would his resurrected body have gotten there? God sent his Holy Spirit on Pentecost to prove that Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. The Holy Spirit indwells, empowers, and seals all those who confess Christ as Lord.

Christ’s ascension is an important part of the gospel that confirms Christ’s exaltation as Lord and explains the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost.

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Jesus is the only way to God.

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Jesus is the only way to God. Peter concluded his brief gospel proclamation in Acts Chapter Four with this claim about Jesus.

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."Acts 4:12 (NASB)

Many find Peter’s declaration offensive, but it agrees with Jesus’ own words.

Jesus *said to him [Thomas], "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6 (NASB)

Jesus taught that he is the only way to God. If not, then Jesus was terribly misguided, and why did he need to die as God’s Lamb on the cross? Was that a huge mistake, too? If he did not have to pay the penalty for our sins, the gospel is a fairy tale of the worst sort because it gives false information about God and eternity.

If sin is not a real offense against God and a barrier to our having a relationship with him, then any path that leads to God will do. But Jesus’ resurrection proved that it is true. He is the only way to God, which Peter resolutely declared and Paul later confirmed.

For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)

Have you faced up to this reality? Have you made your peace with God yet? Have you accepted what Jesus did for you by dying for your sins and rising again as the glorious Lord of Lords? If not, don’t let the day go by without doing so.

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Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy.

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Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. Peter quoted Psalm 118:22 to explain how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy in order to convince his hearers that he is indeed the promised Messiah risen from the dead.

He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNERstone.Acts 4:11 (NASB)

Jesus had earlier quoted this passage in reference to himself.

Jesus *said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 'THE 
STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS 
BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; THIS 
CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND 
IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES'? 43  "Therefore I say to you, the 
kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the 
fruit of it. 44  "And he who falls on this stone 
will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like 
dust." Matthew 21:42-44 (NASB)

By referencing the Old Testament, Peter and Jesus gave their hearers an opportunity to “connect the dots” and understand who Jesus is.

We owe it to our hearers to show how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament scriptures so they too can make the connection and see that Jesus is indeed the Promised Messiah of Israel, the Savior and Lord of all who believe in him, both Jew and Gentile.

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