Setting Captives Free
They will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
2 Timothy 2:26
The ministries of discipleship and counseling are essentially the same in Scripture. A godly counselor is also a good discipler and vice versa. Discipleship counselors know that God is always present during ministry times and that there is a role only He can fulfill. In 2 Timothy 2:22-26, Paul provides a pastoral model for helping others experience their freedom in Christ through genuine repentance and faith in God.
First, the discipling counselor is the Lord’s servant. Discipleship counseling is an encounter with God. Discipleship counselors are dependent on God. They know that only God can set a captive free and bind up the brokenhearted.
Second, discipleship counselors are not quarrelsome. The goal is not to win the argument but to avoid it. You have lost control if the ministry session has degenerated into a quarrel. You can’t help somebody who is not cooperative or doesn’t want to get well, because what lasts is not what the encourager does but what the inquirer does.
Third, discipleship counselors are kind to all. Jesus said, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’” (Matthew 9:13). Mercy comes from the Hebrew word hesed, which is translated in the Old Testament as “loving kindness” or “compassion.” We are working with wounded people who cannot handle harsh treatment, criticism or rejection. They need to tell us their story, but they won’t do so if we aren’t the kind of people with whom they feel safe to share it.
Fourth, discipleship counselors are able to teach. That means we must know the truth that will set people free. People are not in bondage to past traumas; they are in bondage to the lies they have believed because of the trauma. They have no interest in sharing their problems just for the purpose of sharing them with another individual, but they will share their deepest secrets with God for the purpose of resolving their problems.
Fifth, discipleship counselors are not resentful—they are “patient when wronged” (2 Timothy 2:24, NASB). We can’t bring our own problems into the counseling session and expect to help someone else. We have to be free in Christ ourselves in order to be used by God to set others free. It takes great patience to work with wounded captives.
Sixth, discipleship counselors are gentle like Jesus. The only time the Lord ever described Himself was in Matthew 11:29: “I am gentle and humble in heart.” We cannot run roughshod over people, move too fast or get ahead of God’s timing. Patience is a virtue. Have you noticed that those who never have enough time to do it right the first time have enough time to do it over again?
Paul is not presenting a confrontational “power encounter” but a kind, compassionate and able-to-teach model. He starts by saying we must be dependent on God, and he ends with God being the One who grants repentance that leads to a knowledge of the truth. Truth is what sets the captives free. The phrase “they will come to their senses” (2 Timothy 2:26) reveals where the battle is waging. (The book Discipleship Counseling and The Steps to Freedom in Christ are based on this model).
questions to consider:
Why must the discipleship counselor be dependent on God?
Why is it necessary to be gentle and kind?
What is wrong with quarreling?
Do you think Paul is presenting a professional model of counseling or a godly approach to ministry? How are they different?
Do you personally believe that repentance and faith in God is an adequate answer for people who have psychological and spiritual problems? Why or why not?
Neil T. Anderson is the founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He began the ministry in 1989 and continues to spread the message of freedom to this day.