A series for counselors on spiritual formation.

The Holy Spirit is active in the life of all believers, and through His grace He regenerates and sanctifies.

Regeneration is the result of conviction and repentance. Through regeneration, a believer experiences a new life through spiritual re-birth. No person can experience such new life and re-birth without the divine work of the Holy Spirit. Following regeneration, the Holy Spirit continues to work in the lives of believers, and He empowers, equips, leads and matures them to become more like Christ.

Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit, but it requires cooperation of the believer. Counselors who obtain a proper theological understanding of regeneration and sanctification will be able to glorify God with knowledge and thankfulness for the mercy and grace He has and will bestow upon them and their work. Biblical counselors can obtain a God glorifying understanding and expectation of success in the lives of the individuals they lead, as it pertains to their individual regeneration and sanctification.

They can lead others on a journey of new life (regeneration), and cooperation with the Spirit (sanctification). This is spiritual formation.

The third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, is active:

1. He is responsible for the initiation of saving faith, through repentance and new birth.
2. He brings to life, what was spiritually dead.
3. He is responsible for the progression of faith
4. His indwelling, produces godliness in the life of the believer.

Lets review a couple key verses:
John 3:3-8 – The local church, is a body of transformed believers in Christ
John. 14:26 – Who are indwelled, empowered and led by the Holy Spirit
Heb. 4:12 -Minister the living and active Word of God
Mt. 28:18-20 – The goal of discipleship/evangelizing the lost and teaching the saved… as you are going… as you are leading…

Be honest, how equipped do you feel?

Biblical counseling separated from the power of Holy Spirit will fail.

Counselors without the indwelling empowerment of the Holy Spirit will fail to provide “correct answers, faithful solutions, and effective help” which direct those they help towards their Creators will and purposes.

Counselors who deny the Holy Spirit and His working on/in them and through others for their wellbeing, will only receive the answers, solutions and help that at best can come from a secular worldview, and from their own faulted flesh.

Before we can help others develop spiritually healthy and flourishing lives, we need to ensure our own understanding is firmly rooted in Scripture.

• The Holy Spirits work within a new believer begins when Gods calls sinners to Himself.
• John 6:44 (ESV): 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

This is the essential first step of conversion, which is the human experience of turning to God through repentance of sin and faith in the promises and work of Jesus Christ

• The Holy Spirit does the work of conviction, convicting the individual of their unbelief and sin, in their lack of righteousness and their judgement in Christ.
• John 16:8–11 (ESV): 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

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Through supernatural intervention, the sinner’s spiritual eyes and ears are opened and the Spirit performs a work of bringing what is dead, to life.

It has been said that “Regeneration is the miraculous transformation of the individual and implantation of spiritual energy”. The believer’s transformation does not stop after the initial regeneration, but rather continues as they live in surrender to the Spirit, and He makes them more like Christ.

Sanctification is the continued transformation of moral and spiritual character so that the believer’s life actually comes to mirrors the standing he or she already has in God’s sight.

Both of these, regeneration and sanctification, will be discussed as primary duties of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.