Counseling for the Body, Soul, and Spirit
Body - physical health
Our bodies are a gift from God. They are the flesh and blood, bones and organs that enable us to live and breathe and have our being. As Christians we understand that these bodies do not belong to us, rather they are “bought with a price” (I Corinthians 6:19). And we are to honor God with our bodies by taking good care of them. After all, the Holy Spirit resides within them and we need them to function properly so we can be about the Father’s business.
Unfortunately many in the Christian community are not in very good shape physically and the numbers of believers who are suffering chronic sickness and disease has reached epidemic proportions. Even among the Christian community, people suffer with the same rates of sickness and disease as the unbelievers. As a result MOST Christians do not feel very well and they live from day to day hoping God will grant them good health, just as many non-Christians hope God will give them eternal life in heaven when they die.
But Christians know that they do not have to settle for just a HOPE of eternal life in heaven. The Bible assures us that we can KNOW we have eternal life in heaven by praying to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (John 3:16). Similarly, the Bible assures us that we can have health and longevity when we obey God’s word and live righteously. (Exodus 15:26 and I Peter 2:24)
In both cases, to receive the gift that Jesus offers, we must turn from our harmful ways and then reach out our hands to receive. The Bible tells us that after we receive Christ we are expected to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). That is not insinuating that our salvation is the result of works. It means that we must grow in our faith by doing everything “possible” so God can accomplish the “impossible.” We do “our part” by going to church on Sunday, praying and reading our Bible. Then God can do “His part” by transforming us into the image of Christ.
Now if we don’t do all that we possibly can to grow in our walk with God and instead chose to live like a hellion, we cannot presume to be saved. Nor can we presume to appropriate the gift of wellness which Christ purchased by the stripes on His back if we treat our bodies like a landfill. It is absolutely imperative that we turn from our harmful ways and run towards God’s ways. Just as we need to be trained to live like a blood-bought Christian we also need to be taught how to treat these bodies that are the living temple of the Holy Spirit.
The World’s Way
As Christians we have been warned to question what “the world” has to offer as it pertains to movies, TV, magazines, videos, toys, clothes and music, etc. And for the most part Christians exercise a decent measure of wisdom and discernment regarding these aspects of our culture. We know how to be “in the world” but not a product “of this world” (John 17:16). However, we Christians have literally swallowed lock, stock and barrel all that “the world” has to offer when it comes to “food” selections. For some reason we do not see a need to maintain a healthy distance from the harmful offerings in this realm. We lean on misinterpretations of Scriptures to support the misconception that “all things are lawful” (I Corinthians 6:12) and anything we “receive with thanksgiving and consecrate with prayer” (I Timothy 4:3-5) must be ok. If this same logic were applied to street drugs, immodest clothes, body piercing, alcohol, condoms for teens, R movies or internet porn the Church of Jesus Christ would be in a shambles.
When making wise food choices, we must consider the other half of the verse in I Corinthians 6:12 that states: “but not all things are expedient.” In other words, not everything I can choose to do with my free will is going to be good for me. Imagine that! Do you suppose God has boundaries on the things we take into our bodies as nourishment as well? Absolutely!
Different Perspectives:
Now realistically, not all Christians look at things the same way as evidenced by the number of denominations and churches in this country. There are some churches that teach that the gifts of the spirit are no longer active today yet there are other churches that experience people praying in tongues and giving words of prophecy every week. Similarly, there are church people who think that health and wellness is a promise only to be experienced once we pass through those pearly gates yet there are people who believe the abundant life can be enjoyed on this side of eternity. Which perspective of wellness should we believe and why should we care about overall health and longevity at all?
Well, some in the Body of Christ still believe in the Great Commission where God calls believers to “go make disciples of men” and to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. If we are so debilitated by our sickness and disease then how can we get serious about the harvest of souls? Illness steals away time, attention, energy and financial resources which could be committed to Kingdom work. God wants laborers who are able to roll up the shirt sleeves and get sweaty and dirty. He is in need of workers who are able to press in and perform physically, mentally and spiritually to gather in the harvest. This is demanding and strenuous work not designed for the feeble and frail. I am not saying God can’t use handicapped people to advance the Kingdom or that He never uses weak people for His purposes. I just believe in this season of history that God is looking around at those who claim to be His hands and feet in the earth, and He is wishing they were not so impaired.
As we approach the very last days on God’s prophetic time line (and in case you have not discerned the lateness of the hour, we are there, my friends!) we must be effective witnesses when the heavens begin to be shake (Isaiah 13:13, Joel 3:16, Haggai 2:6, 21) and tribulation is at our door (Deuteronomy 4:30, Matthew 24:21, 29-3, John 16:33).
Sowing and Reaping:
Unfortunately no manner of faith is going to keep us from avoiding the laws of nature as established by God. For example, if a person steps over a cliff, the law of gravity is going to take over and this person will fall. This law is not suspended because of ignorance. The law of seedtime and harvest assures us that if we plant corn we will harvest corn and if we plant peas we will harvest peas.
Let’s consider other aspects of the law of sowing and reaping (Job 4:7, Psalm 126:5, Galatians 6:7-8). As believers, we all know that when we tithe God rebukes the devourer and protects our finances. When we sow our finances into the Kingdom of God we reap financial security and blessings. If we sow our time into reading the Bible we will harvest greater wisdom and knowledge. In a more practical sense, if we pay our electric bill then the utility company will not turn our lights out. Similarly, if we make God-honoring choices in the way we nourish and care for our bodies, we will live healthy and more productive lives.
Just as we should never stop growing as a Christian, we should never stop pursuing health and wholeness until we have achieved the abundant life. Many people fool themselves into thinking they are “healthy” yet they cannot make it through a day without artificial stimulants (caffeine), over-the-counter preparations and prescription drugs. It was not God’s original design for the human organism to be propped up with such substances which eventually cause serious damage.
Have you noticed the disproportionate amount of time and energy Christians spend praying for and visiting the sick? That was not the great commission! If we as a Body were enjoying the abundant life many more of us would be evangelizing the world. Unfortunately most believers barely get through the work or school day and have little or nothing left to give to God.
In the Bible miraculous healings were a tool used to convert the lost. Today, there are thousands of Christians running to healing services and clamoring for a spot in the prayer line. Should we not be alarmed at the masses of diseased and medicated Christians in the Church today? Yes God still miraculously heals sick and dying people. I have seen it firsthand and I attribute these to God’s mercy and grace. But I also know of many cases where a miraculous healing took place only for the illness to return later resulting in more suffering and eventually premature death. This happened when the root cause of the disease was identified but the person refused to accept responsibility and make some lifestyle changes. There are even cases of great evangelists with healing ministries who were never healed themselves. Why would a merciful God allow this?
I believe God is also a just God and he allows us to reap what we sow, even when we do so in ignorance. He does all He can to put the truth into our hands but what we do with it is our choice. We can ignore it or take the information captive to the obedience of Christ. Too often illness and disease is blamed on demonic attack but we need to quit attributing so much power to this defeated foe. The devil can only steal, kill and destroy if we give him ground in our lives to do so. It is often a painful truth but we need to realize that for the most part we are making ourselves sick and we can make ourselves well when we change our habits. Just like the alcoholic isn’t suffering from liver damage because the devil is attacking him. The alcoholic needs to throw the bottle away, repent of his addiction to drink and cry out to God for deliverance from bad habits.
Giving Ground Away
To illustrate, consider the man who drives in excess of the posted speed limit and gets pulled over by a police officer. He may pray, “God, please I need your mercy… I cannot afford a ticket right now, and I am sorry for being neglectful of the speed limit….forgive me! I will pay more attention from now on.” Perhaps in His infinite grace and mercy God causes the officer to dispense just a warning. Wow, what a miracle… isn’t God good?
If the man then proceeds down the highway another 30 miles and gets stopped again for the same infraction, says the same prayer and this time is ticketed, would you say God no longer works miracles? Maybe we would say this miracle might take time to manifest. No, perhaps we would say that a lack of faith or a consistent faith confession caused this man to miss out on his second miracle. Oh, I know, this issue came up a second time because he was never given the first miracle to begin with; it was just a figment of his imagination. Or better yet, the devil is attacking him! The truth is, this man tempted God and reaped the consequences of wrong actions and bad habits.
Would it not be foolish for this law-breaker to think he could continue to drive over the speed limit and pray that God protect him from the consequences of his actions? It is just as foolish to think we can ask God to heal our sick bodies while we continue to ignore all the warning signs; or ignore the people He sends into our life to enlighten us of our error! How can we preach “abstinence” to teens when we fail to abstain from behaviors that undermine our own health and wellness? How can we claim to be pro-life but continue to produce death in our own bodies one forkful at a time? We must not turn a deaf ear to the present day call to properly care for our health!
The WORD Speaks
It is time we take control of our health and wellness by making changes in our lives. Some people don’t like change but they CAN do it and MUST do it for the sake of the Kingdom. In Leviticus God gives instructions to the priesthood with respect to the offerings and He said they must be “without blemish” (Leviticus 1:3, 3:1). God expected to be given the best the people had to offer. It was not acceptable to do otherwise. In Malachi 1 - 2 we see the prophet warning the people for ignoring God’s boundaries:
“A Son honors his father , and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ You place defiled food on my alter. But you ask, ‘ How have we defiled you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you ? Would he accept you?” Says the Lord Almighty.
“Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?” - says the Lord Almighty. “Oh that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty. “And I will accept no offering from your hands. My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty.
“But you profane it by saying of the Lord’s table. It is defiled, and of its food, it is contemptible. And you say, what a burden! And you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty. “When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” Says the Lord. “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and bows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.”
“And now this admonition is for you, O priests. If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not set your heart to honor me.”
God was deeply offended that the Old Testament priests would dare to give such pathetic animals for a sacrifice. In the New Testament Romans 12:1-2 states that we are the sacrifice. Should God be any less offended if we are not giving him our best?
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” I Corinthians 6:19
“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit , who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price, Therefore honor God with your body.” Luke 12:47-48
“That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
In this present age, like never before, we should make every effort to give God our very best and that includes a healthy, strong body and sound mind.
Plan of Action
I hope this helps you understand the Trilight position regarding physical health and wellness. It is our heartfelt prayer that you will be encouraged, enlightened and empowered to take charge of your health and place your trust in the One True God who will lead you into all truth and guide you on the path to health and wholeness.
If you would like to learn more about making lifestyle changes we would be happy to assist you through prayer and one-on-one consultations.
Soul- mental /emotional health
The definition for the word “soul” is:
The nonphysical aspect of a person: the complex of human attributes that manifests as consciousness, thought, feeling, and will, regarded as distinct from the physical body [i]
Even the Bible makes reference to this facet of the human organism indicating its distinct function apart from the physical and spiritual elements of a person. In I Thessalonians 5:23 Paul writes:
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 5:23
We can surmise from this verse that although the body, soul and spirit are integrally related they are also distinctly different. Regarding the soul, one encyclopedia cites:
“The Old Testament is not a textbook on human psychology but its doctrine of man seeks to involve this polarity; man is a unified being but his being is profoundly creative and complex. This profoundness about man’s being can only be understood by the use of a whole set of terms; hence, various dimensions of his being are pictured by such terms as “soul,” “spirit,” “heart,” and “mind.” Of these terms, “soul” seems to be the most basic.” [ii]
From this we can see why so many ministries that address and seek to improve the condition of the soul come under so many different titles: “inner healing,” “healing the wounded heart,” “emotional healing” and “mental healing.” Regardless of the interchangeable names given to these efforts, all ultimately deal with one single avenue of our being - the soul.
The need for soul ministry has grown significantly in recent years as our culture continues to move farther and farther away from following God's Biblical mandates. Some people see our moral drift and its effect on their lives, while others are completely blind to the effects our present society has on our personal moral compass. Consequently, some Believers live in perpetual denial that anything could be wrong with their being and staunchly hail salvation as the culmination of God’s work in their lives.
However, we cannot remain ignorant to the reality that we are to “work out our salvation” and that God is forever refining and purifying us as He works to “complete the good work” that He began in us. This is not always an easy task given all the temptations and opportunities to stray from all that is good and righteous. Christianity is not a static condition but rather a process. God is forever bringing things to our attention that He wants us to recognize and resolve. Sweeping issues under the rug and pretending they are not there will only cause us to stray further from the path of God’s perfect will.
There are a multitude of ways a person’s soul can become damaged to the point of requiring some type of healing ministry. For simplicity sake we will compile all these different ways into two basic groups. Probably the most obvious would be wounds inflicted as a result of the words and actions of others . Another less recognized way, would be the damage we wreak in our lives by our own words and actions . In either scenario this damage manifests itself in problematic attitudes, behaviors and self perception. We refer to this as bad fruit.
At Trilight we have a philosophy - “If there is fruit then there is a root.“ In other words if someone is bearing any kind of “bad fruit” in their lives then there must be a root cause somewhere. We can no longer pretend everything is fine. We cannot blame our difficulties on the devil. Nor can we justify our condition by saying “that is just the way I am.” Those excuses do not work here. The Word of God is always our plumb line and in Colossians 1:1-6, we find Paul telling the Believers that faith in Christ Jesus and the truth of the gospel should bring forth good fruit. So if we are not bearing good fruit then we need to figure out why.
But first we need to determine what bad fruit looks like. Logically we can determine that it must be the direct opposite of whatever we find to be the definition of good fruit. The Bible offers a wonderful list of attributes in Galatians 5:22-24:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.“ Galatians 5:22-24
So if you are regularly coming up short in any one of these areas listed in Galatians you are likely producing some bad fruit in your life. But having bad fruit can be a very good thing. We can no longer ignore that rotten stinking stuff and we have to deal with it. When we recognize that God uses that bad fruit to help us see our need for some soul maintenance we have cause to rejoice. And we at Trilight rejoice as well because this opens the way for our ministry to be most effective. Our counseling efforts are designed to get to the root causes of any bad fruit and completely eradicate it so there is only good fruit being produced in the lives of our clients.
“And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Matthew 3:10 Luke 3:9
We have found that in seeking out these roots we inevitable uncover deep wounds. As we facilitate the work of the Lord who brings the healing balm of love and mercy into each encounter, we see powerful and life changing renewal. This is not limited to those individuals with a major life crisis, but also for those experiencing any type of obstacle keeping them from enjoying total freedom, confidence, power, peace and joy in their daily Christian walk.
Common issues that we see resolved with ministry to the soul are:
Childhood emotional wounds, teen rebellion and discipline problems
Compromised integrity, dishonesty, general misconduct, incarceration
Depression, despondency, burnout
Divorce prevention and recovery
Extramarital affairs, premarital sex, pornography, homosexuality
Emotional, physical, spiritual or sexual abuse
Financial difficulties, gambling, job loss
Repressed anger, rage, frustration
Relational disharmony, damaged self-worth and rejection issues
Sexual dysfunction within marriage
Substance abuse, addictions, obsessions, eating disorders, other compulsive habits
Traumatic events such as:
accidents, illness & disease, death, abortion, miscarriage, adoption, disaster, war, terrorism, assault, separation anxieties, etc.
Now that we know what bad fruit looks like, let’s take a closer look at the two ways in which damage to the soul can occur by first analyzing the hurtful words and actions of others:
The Words and Actions of Others
The little song we chanted as children that states: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” could not be further from the truth. Words do hurt and we all carry deep wounds from careless words thrown in our direction and many of us have left scars in others from not having placed a guard over our own lips.
These verbal assaults begin at an early age. Children are notorious for speaking without considering how the target of their words may feel about the messages being shot into their hearts. Even the presumably harmless teasing, kidding, and playful name-calling can cause incredible harm to the children who are pierced by these verbal volleys. But children are not the only ones who inflict wounds. Adults who should know better often lash out with words that are critical, harsh and demeaning. It seems that hurt people continue the vicious cycle of hurting people. These verbal lashings which spell out failure, rejection, ridicule – to name a few - are then transported into the thoughts and become like a tape recording that repeats its painful message throughout the deep recesses of the mind.
And not only can we be traumatized by the words of others but also by their actions. This second aspect of emotional scarring may cause us to experience physical pain in addition to emotional pain. This kind of trauma often comes in the form of some type of physical or sexual assault. Sometimes verbal abuse accompanies such attacks on our person but even if it doesn’t the assault often so damages our self perception that our fragile minds unfortunately embrace many lies that the enemy of our soul is only too willing to launch into our heads and hearts. Such feelings of worthlessness, futility, hopelessness and despair invade our beings and we often come into agreement with them to justify why we were so mistreated. For example a beautiful young woman who is sexually assaulted may believe demonic lies that she deserved such mistreatment for being too pretty. She may try to hide her beauty with extra weight and not caring for herself. Or perhaps she begins to believe lies that she is damaged goods and unwanted causing her to resent any man who would show interest in her. As you can imagine there could be hundreds of possibilities.
A third avenue of woundedness comes to us just from our response to life circumstances and how we cope with it and compartmentalize it in the file cabinet of our mind. Not all people react the same way to the same scenario. For instance, one child placed in daycare may experience feelings of rejection and abandonment while another child may be completely untouched by the experience.
All of these damaging events take their toll on our personality. They eventually condition us to respond inappropriately to other people and to circumstances in the future. Certain words or gestures from co-workers, bosses, family members or a friend may trigger some unsavory reactions that are rooted in a wound from our past. Sometimes we will justify our ugly behavior and sometimes we do not even recognize it as ugly. But if what we are doing is not reflecting the character of Christ then it is all “bad fruit” in God’s eyes.
“…every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. “ Matthew 7:17-20
“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:43-46
Sadly, as the tape recordings continue to play in our heads, the words become more amplified and even twisted by demonic lies. And when future interpersonal communication is forced through this cacophony and bedlam which is clogging our cognitive filters, we end up with chronic hurt feelings, sensitivities, offenses, misunderstandings and broken relationships. This ultimately breeds isolation and deep emotional pain beyond measure. And although this seems like a hopeless scenario, it is at this very place where God can do His greatest work.
Many times in the initial counseling sessions our brokenness over interpersonal failures allows us to recall such events in our history which cut or bruised our emotions. However, some of the causes for these emotional lacerations are not so obvious. Many were dealt to us while in our mothers womb or in our infancy and we have no recollection or conscious memory of it. The amazing part of this Christ-centered and Holy Spirit-led ministry is that events that transcend the conscious mind and memory are often brought to the surface. These supernatural intuitive moments are used by the Lord to bring healing, deliverance and life changes.
God offers us an opportunity to see the roots and to deal with the lies by finally erasing the recording that has played over and over in our heads. He truly sets the captives free and binds up the broken-hearted (Isaiah 61:1).
Our Own Words and Actions
As we consider this aspect of emotional damage, I think it is important for us to be reminded that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18-21). It may be hard to believe this but let us remember that God spoke the world into existence and we are made in His likeness. Therefore we have incredible power through the spoken word to bring life or death into our own circumstances.
Few people seem to be cognizant of this today but we really do have the power to bring great difficulty or much ease into our existence on this planet simply by the words we allow to escape from the gates of our lips every moment of every day. But God’s word is full of stern warnings which we should consider with sobriety:
“The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will come through trouble. A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth…” Proverbs 12:13-14
“A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence. He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.”Proverbs 13:2-3
“A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; from the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:20-21
“…and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.” Proverbs 17:20
“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.” Proverbs 21:23
“Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” Psalm 34:13
“I said I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.” Psalm 39:1
“Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.“ Psalm 52:2
These verses should inspire us to keep a lock on our lips but what about our actions? Is it really true that we can also control the quality of our lives by the types of thing with which we allow ourselves to come into contact? Absolutely! Every day we have a multitude of opportunities to choose what will travel through our eye gates and ear gates via the grapevine, the telephone, and the media (e.g., computers, movies, video games, music, magazines, newspapers, books, network TV, cable TV). This can be an exhausting and overwhelming barrage of trash if we are not cautious. There are many verses in the Bible that exhort us to avoid exposure to the poison dripping off the tongues of others (read and heard) so our lives will not be contaminated.
How many times have we seen in the news that murderers and rapists were motivated by the hateful and fierce lyrics in their favorite songs, or moved to enact the pornographic images found online or in magazines and books, or were inspired by the demonic role-playing games? This is simply not a coincidence and many of us have heard the cliché… “trash in equals trash out.” In other words, if we fill our minds with trashy things then we will eventually act it out in our lives. But even if we never act out such vile crimes, our minds are still cut and bruised by touching such iniquity. We are inclined to form erroneous opinions and to develop thought patterns based on these outside influences. We in essence become programmed with mind numbing negativity and anti-Biblical perceptions that eventually turn a fleshy heart to stone. (Ezekiel 11:20 and 36:26). God so faithfully warns us to keep our distance from these things:
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.“ Philippians 4:8
“A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.“ Proverbs 17:4
“For the commandment is a lamp and the law is light; and reproofs of instructions are the way of life: to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Proverbs 6:24”
“The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit“ Proverbs 15:2,4
“…the root of the righteous yields fruit.“ Proverbs 12:12
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” Proverbs 11:30
Plan of Action
So in conclusion, we at Trilight wish to see every believer walking in mental wellness and possessing good treasure in their hearts. It is our prayer that this analysis helps you better understand how a person comes to a place of woundedness and how it affects their interpersonal skills. It is also our heartfelt prayer that you will be encouraged, enlightened and empowered to take charge of your mental and emotional health and place your trust in the One True God who will lead you into all truth and guide you on the path to health and wholeness.
We have one final Scripture passage to summarize our thoughts on the subject of the soul:
“ …a tree is known by its fruit… out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.” selections from Matthew 12:33-37
If you would like to learn more about healing the wounded soul we would be happy to assist you through prayer and one-on-one consultations.
Spirit
As a Christ-centered organization it is our desire to see believers living with power, authority, prosperity and health as they fulfill their divine destiny on this side of eternity. When brothers and sisters in Christ struggle it affects the whole “Body” so it is our desire to edify those with difficulties and help them reverse negative circumstances.
There are a multitude of vehicles through which a person may receive ministry to bring them to a place of greater spiritual maturity. There is prayer, counseling, Bible study, discipleship classes, and deliverance ministry. At Trilight we offer a unique methodology to facilitate a person’s advancement in the Kingdom based on the writings and ministry of John and Paula Sandford (www.elijahhouse.org ).
The two most common areas we address are: Bitter Root Judgments & Inner Vows. *
Judgments and Vows Defined:
Bitter Root Judgments (BRJ’s) result in bad circumstances in our lives that we do not want. Keep in mind that not every negative experience in our lives is the reaping of our sinful judgment against another person. However, bad habits, recurring disruptions, and persistent problems manifesting in ourselves, our mates, our children or those with whom we associate and which don’t seem to abate after much prayer are often the result of judging another person.
Some of the most harmful judgments are made in early childhood and sometimes infancy. These go undetected for years until circumstances set the stage for a season of reaping the unpleasant harvest of what we have sown in our thoughts, words and actions.
But there is always hope for reversal when we dig deep to cut the roots of bitterness that have been established. We can find them by looking for any area of robbery in our lives with respect to relationships. For example, “I won’t visit a certain relative,” “ I won’t work for so and so,” “I won’t go to a reunion because I may run into that certain classmate,” or “ I won’t talk to that particular person.”
Another way to detect robbery is to analyze whether we are seeing recurring behavioral patterns that cross generations. For example, we may find ourselves or someone close to us acting out the same unsavory behavior of a parent or relative, or our children are falling into familiar traps, or maybe we are suffering with the same difficulties as those who came before us.
These could be caused by roots of bitterness. Often they are the result of having been victimized, or harmed in some way by somebody, leaving us feeling violated, cheated, defiled, insulted, mistreated or misunderstood. These roots of bitterness could also be the result of a perceived injustice as a result of circumstances beyond our control such as a birth defect, being born into poverty, or living in a broken home. They also arise simply by being critical of others. But whatever the case, the resultant roots tangle up our lives and make a mess of what could otherwise be a peaceful and prosperous life in the Lord.
Some common phrases we may have spoken or thought when making BRJ’s are as follows:
“I’ll never be like so and so”
“I’ll never talk to my kids that way”
“I would never do that to anyone”
“I sure wouldn’t make that mistake”
Inner Vows (IV’s) result when good circumstances which we desire are missing from our life. Again not every good thing missing from our life is the reaping of an inner vow that we have made. However, when we are missing something that has been promised by God through His Word, through visions, by prophecy, in prayer or through an inner “knowing;” then it is likely a vow has been spoken causing the performance of God’s Word to be blocked.
We must recognize that God spoke the world into existence and we are made in His image. Consequently, “death and life are in the power of the tongue,…” (Proverb 18:21). And whether we know it or not, our words carry significant weight as well. Because God is a perfect gentleman, He is not going to supplant our choices. If we choose to speak death and destruction into our lives or short change our destiny then God will let us have what we ask for. Sadly ignorance does not suspend God’s laws.
Just as we mentioned in the “Body” section of this website. If a person decides to step off a cliff the law of gravity will take over and this person will suffer injury. Being ignorant of this law does not keep a person from crashing to their death. Similarly the law of sowing and reaping is not suspended due to our ignorance. Therefore, if we sow negative words then we are going to reap a troubled life
Some examples of vows people have made are as follows:
“If the pain of childbirth is what it takes to have children then I don’t want to have any”
“When I get older I will never get married”
“If that is what a boss requires to earn a promotion then I don’t want one”
“I can’t live in this house with that man/woman”
“See if I ever do that again”
“I can’t share a kitchen with that woman.”
“You can dress him up but you can’t take him anywhere.”
“That (fill in the blank) always happens to me.”
NOW WHAT DO I DO??
Having read this information you may have caught a glimpse of some serious vows and judgments that have slipped past your lips. It would be very unusual for you not to see at least one. Every single one of us makes vows and judgments. The biggest hurdle we have to clear before we can be set free is to actually recognize our error. Once that is done we can move forward and take the steps necessary to reverse the effects of our words and to stop saying any thing else that would make our lives any more difficult.
At Trilight our counseling sessions are Spirit-directed. We only address BRJ’s and IV’s if they come to the surface.
A Final Word About our Counseling Methods:
We recognize that every person’s situation is unique. Some people are “intensive care” patients and others are “outpatient surgery.” Our goal is to do all we can to help a person get back on their feet in every area of their life. However, our plan is not to get people hooked into a long-term counseling schedule. We ultimately want to equip people to take our methodologies home so they can continue the process on their own and share it with others.
We can expect to see a client for several sessions to “get the ball rolling” with the understanding that our work is usually just the tip of the iceberg of what God wants to accomplish. Some people will come to us with lives that are a total shambles while others have one small issue to resolve. We have much to offer regardless of the circumstances. All it takes is a willingness for God to do a deep and continuing work. Even people who think they are “fine” because they live a very moral and relatively trouble-free existence have issues that need to be addresses.
We have found that everybody has “baggage” and that translates into many vows and judgments that may not be evident initially. However, after a little thought most people recognize that they have a lot of work to do. This can be a long-term process that takes many years but the end result is that we accurately reflect the character of Christ in all areas of our lives. We want to stress that such time intensive work is never finished in one or two sessions. This is a lifelong effort.
How does someone know if they even need this kind of ministry? Well, we find that the Lord will usually bring a person to a place of crisis. That can look and feel differently depending on the person. One person’s point of crisis may be evidenced by uncontrollable weeping, while another person has explosive or seething anger. Some people may experience panic attacks, withdraw from loved ones, a nervous breakdown, or a serious moral failure. Any one of these could indicate that the person is in need of spiritual surgery.
As bad as a crisis seems it is truly a blessing because it gives the client and counselor a starting point. Once the crisis is resolved, and if the person is open to the continuing work of the Holy Spirit, God can lead the person to deeper levels of deliverance, cleansing and healing. Each person has their own collection of issues and God usually has a custom-designed plan to help each person recognize and let go of it, layer by layer, here a little, there a little. Sometimes the process is actually a lot of fun because it can become a very interesting detective game.
We have found that if the Holy Spirit determines that a person is truly willing to go deeper, He will drop all kinds of hints and clues. It is really important for the client to be looking for them. They might turn up in conversations with family, friends and associates or show up in a license plate, billboard or magazine article. Sometimes God will use home movies, photo albums, school records, family trees, traditions or legends to uncover these things. The Lord will even give dreams, visions, prophecies and words of knowledge to uncover the issues He wants a person to deal with. People know when it happens because time seems to stand still and the information “jumps out” at them.
The key is to be willing and diligent to take captive every thought to the obedience of Christ (II Corinthians 10:5); and when a thought is captured it should be written down on a log so it can be remembered and dealt with as soon as possible. As a person illustrates a serious effort in this way it is amazing how much more God will show them.
The next step is to follow James 5:16. This Scripture exhorts the believer to “Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” For complete healing of the spirit we have found it to be very effective to pray in the presence of a trusted Believer. Even though it is our instinct to pray quietly on our own and deal with some embarrassing issues apart form anyone else, we have found that a person’s healing is much more successful when they take God at His word and involve another Believer. However, it is important that confidentiality be honored as well.
That wraps up our discussion of the two most common areas we address at Trilight, however, if the need arises there are other areas of ministry available that deals with the following issues:
Imprisoned or Slumbering Spirits
Hearts of Stone
Leaving and Cleaving
The impact of Mothers and Fathers
Defilements and Death Wishes
Spiritual Adultery and Idolatry
Generational Sins and Pride
If you would like to learn more about healing the wounded spirit we would be happy to assist you through prayer and one-on-one consultations.
