Podcast Episode for Biblical Counselors in Training

Helping Others Cultivate a Life of Prayer

As a Biblical counselor, have you ever wondered how to equip those you serve to
develop a meaningful and effective prayer life? This week’s episode of the Biblical
Counseling Podcast with Pastor Jeff Christianson dives deep into the essential role
of prayer in the Christian life and provides you with the tools to help others make
prayer a consistent and transformative part of their daily walk with God.

Prayer is more than just asking God for help; it’s about fostering a deep, personal
connection with Him that shapes hearts and lives. Drawing from Scripture, such as
1 Thessalonians 5:17, which exhorts believers to “pray without ceasing,” Pastor Jeff
explains how prayer can be integrated into the busyness of life. This episode offers
practical strategies for Biblical counselors to guide others in understanding what it
means to live in constant communication with God.

Through prayer, individuals learn to share their thoughts, emotions and needs with
God while embracing His guidance, peace, and presence. As Jesus taught in
Matthew 6, prayer is an act of praise, trust, and humility before the Father. In this
episode, Pastor Jeff shares how Biblical counselors can effectively model and teach
this perspective on prayer to those they disciple.

This episode equips Biblical counselors with practical accountability tools to:

● Encourage those they counsel to prioritize daily prayer.
● Teach the foundational importance of prayer in their relationship with God.
● Guide others in building a sustainable, vibrant prayer life that fosters spiritual
growth.

● Use prayer as a means to point people back to God’s transformative power.

Prayer is vital in Biblical counseling because it reflects our dependence on God as
the ultimate Counselor. By teaching others to pray and holding them accountable to
prayer, we help them experience His love, guidance, and restoration in their lives.
It’s through prayer that true heart transformation occurs, as we connect with the
One who heals and renews.

As you listen to this episode, take a moment to reflect on your own prayer life and
how you can encourage those you serve to make prayer a daily habit. Whether it’s
a quick prayer in the middle of a busy day or an extended time of conversation with
God, remember that He is always listening. Prayer not only brings peace and
guidance, but it also deepens our relationship with Him and aligns us with His will.
Tune in to this episode and be inspired to make prayer a cornerstone of your
Biblical counseling ministry. Equip yourself to help others discover the joy and
power of a life centered on prayer!

Jeff Christianson

Biblical Counseling Academy


PO Box 3021
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602


Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034

Make An Appointment: https://calendly.com/jeffchristianson/work-with-me

Join the Academy: https://www.jeffchristianson.com/counselor-certification-waitlist

Make A Donation: https://calvarychapel.breezechms.com/give/online

Now Enrolling: BiblicalCounselingAcademy.com

Living daily by God's grace depends upon getting to know Him and then walking in the humility and faith that result from fellowship with Him.

There are four ways to relate rightly to the Lord in humility and faith:

1. Living By The Spirit,

2. Living By Resurrection Power,

3. Living By The Sufficiency Of God

4. Living By The Promises Of God.

(Matthew 28:19 NKJV) (19) "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

(John 1:43 NKJV) (43) The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me."

(Luke 9:23 NKJV) (23) Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

BiblicalCounselingAcademy.com

Waitlist: https://www.jeffchristianson.com/counselor-certification-waitlist

The season of Christmas is a memorable time for many people. The special holidays and decorations accompany festive gatherings and events, especially those events centered around the incarnation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Yet, some people do not see Christmas as a time of celebration but a season of pain. Consumer Christmas and social media consistently remind us about the items we lack or the events we missed. Many people experience Christmas as a season of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. What truths can we remember during the Christmas season and the rest of the year to fight against depression, isolation, and worry?

In this week’s episode of the Biblical Counseling Podcast, Pastor Jeff Christianson draws the listener’s attention to one of the greatest miracles ever performed: the incarnation. The Christmas season is a special time for reflecting upon the descent of the Son of God into our fallen world as God’s Son took on human nature. Fully God and fully man, Jesus Christ is Immanuel, God with us. Pastor Jeff reminds us that the truths of Christmas should stagger us. Not only did the Son of God humble himself in an unfathomable manner, he promises to remain with us and abide within us. Jesus says in John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Biblical counselors must remind counselees of God’s amazing promise to abide in his people forever. Christ’s condescension and his perpetual identification with us in our humanity will forever bear witness to Christ’s continual presence among his people. All other religions propose that we may dwell with God only after producing enough works to gain his pleasure; only Christianity speaks of a God who dwells among the lowly and secures as salvation at his own expense.

At Christmas time, many sing the beloved hymn “O Come, O Come, Immanuel,”

O come, O come, Immanuel,

and ransom captive Israel

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel

shall come to you, O Israel.

There are many people who struggle with feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression from being isolated from others. They may feel as if they are mourning in lonely exile. For example, many people who survive suicide attempts concede that they felt alone and believed that no one cared about them. While biblical counselors cannot promise to make themselves available to every counselees whenever a need arises, counselors can point counselees to the one who never leaves them nor forsakes them. The truth of Christ’s perpetual presence among his people comforts the distressed soul. Furthermore, counselees can find repose from the fact that Christ understands feelings of loneliness and isolation, as he experienced abandonment of his friends at his most pressing hour. Struggling Christians can identify with their crucified savior who intimately knows the feelings of loneliness.

Christians are responsible for making themselves available to those around them. During the business of the holiday season, events and checklists can overshadow real people who need company or a phone call. This holiday season or any time of year, who needs the comfort of your presence? Who needs your condescension into the mess of their lives? As Christians, do we model Christ’s willingness to open himself up to the pain and suffering of others at the personal cost to himself? We who are rich in Christ, do we make ourselves poor out of love for others?

Want to learn more? Listen to this podcast to hear Pastor Jeff address:

• An explanation and application of Jesus’s name, Immanuel

• An analysis of loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the holiday season

• An encouragement toward making yourself available to the promptings of the Holy Spirit for ministry opportunities

Jeff Christianson

Biblical Counseling Academy


PO Box 3021
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602


Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034

Make An Appointment: https://calendly.com/jeffchristianson/work-with-me

Join the Academy: https://www.jeffchristianson.com/counselor-certification-waitlist

Make A Donation: https://calvarychapel.breezechms.com/give/online

Now Enrolling: BiblicalCounselingAcademy.com

Biblical counselors face criticisms for believing that Scripture contains everything that we need for counseling others. Many psychologists label this thinking as simplistic. Are biblical counselors simplistic by believing in the sufficiency of God’s Word? How do we think about the complexities of secular psychology and the simplicity of the Christian message?

In this week’s episode of the Biblical Counseling Podcast, Pastor Jeff Christianson defends the sufficiency of Scripture from the assaults of secular voices and opinions. Many Christians have been deceived by the allures of psychology’s insights and models. Pastor Jeff reminds listeners that the greatest threat to the church is the temptation to abandon Jesus Christ, the wonderful counselor (Is 9:6). Scripture speaks of the constant temptation to abandon God as the source of life for lesser substitutes which never satisfy our hearts (Jer 2:13).

Teaching from James 1:21-22, Pastor Jeff reminds listeners that the Word of God alone can save our souls. Humility defines every biblical counselor’s posture. We must come humbly to God’s Word and seek his wisdom. While secular psychology offers many observations and hypotheses, only God’s Word takes us from death to life. Also, we must put God’s Word to practice to avoid self-deception. The counselee who hears God’s Word but fails to put these words into practice is deceived and puffed up. We must devour God’s Word, absorbing its truths into our hearts. Then, we must apply God’s Word, fully convinced of Scripture’s authority. If God has called us to serve as his counselors, we must prepare ourselves with his Word to function as his instruments.

Secular psychology impresses many people with its observations and studies. In 2 Corinthians 11:3, Paul warns us to watch for Satan’s deceptive tactics, which lure us away from the simplicity of Christ. While psychology parades around its complexities and insights, we know that psychology cannot penetrate the depths of our hearts. Only the true and simple message of Christ gives life to our souls. The gospel is not simplistic or non-substantial, it is simple yet profound, that God would send his Son into the world to redeem sinners and rebels. Yet, psychological theory is one of Satan’s most crafty tactics to hurt the church since it presents a way to life and self-modification without God. Many Christians are caught up in the pursuit of psychological training and submit themselves to the world’s standards of becoming a good psychotherapist. But the riches of wisdom and insight are only found in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Eph 3:8).

Want to learn more from Pastor Jeff? Listen to this podcast to hear Pastor Jeff address:

• The greatest assault facing the church today

• The proper posture for submitting to God’s Word

• The deceptiveness of psychotherapy’s complexity

Jeff Christianson

Biblical Counseling Academy


PO Box 3021
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602


Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034

Make An Appointment: https://calendly.com/jeffchristianson/work-with-me

Join the Academy: https://www.jeffchristianson.com/counselor-certification-waitlist

Make A Donation: https://calvarychapel.breezechms.com/give/online

Now Enrolling: BiblicalCounselingAcademy.com

[Jude 1:3 NKJV] Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Jude 3 tells us to "contend earnestly for the faith." What does this mean for us today? It serves as a reminder to maintain our convictions, to stand up for what we believe in, and to be steadfast in the face of difficulties.

These days, people are always asking questions about what they believe. It's important for us to hold onto what we know is true. When we stand strong in our faith, we strengthen our own beliefs and show others that there is hope and truth in the world.

Earnestly contending for the faith includes the ministry of reproof, the pointing out of wrong or error.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15)

We are also responsible to expose and warn against such false teachings, just like Jesus did.

Jeff Christianson

Biblical Counseling Academy


PO Box 3021
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602


Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034

Make An Appointment: https://calendly.com/jeffchristianson/work-with-me

Join the Academy: https://www.jeffchristianson.com/counselor-certification-waitlist

Make A Donation: https://calvarychapel.breezechms.com/give/online

Now Enrolling: BiblicalCounselingAcademy.com

(Acts 2:23 NKJV) (23) "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;

The Bible shows us something amazing: God's plan and what people do are always working together. God planned for Jesus to die on the cross. It was part of His big plan, and Jesus knew it and wanted to do it.

The Bible often shows us that God is in control, but people also have choices to make. It's like two things happening at the same time.
It's not surprising that God is in charge, But people are also involved in everything they do. They make choices, and they are responsible to God for those choices.

Jeff Christianson

Biblical Counseling Academy


PO Box 3021
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602


Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034

Make An Appointment: https://calendly.com/jeffchristianson/work-with-me

Join the Academy: https://www.jeffchristianson.com/counselor-certification-waitlist

Make A Donation: https://calvarychapel.breezechms.com/give/online

Now Enrolling: BiblicalCounselingAcademy.com

God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Free Will

The Election by God

"...elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father..." (1 Peter 1:2a)

• We will look at several verses with terms like chosen, elect, and predestinated.

• These are strong terms that emphasize the sovereignty of God.

• God is in charge.

• God has the right to lay things out the way His perfect wisdom and love laid them out.

• And it includes the election by God.

The Free Choice by Man

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

• God so loved the world that whoever believes.

• His love is for the world.

• Not just “love”, but He “so loved” all of those who would perish.

• And believing is offered to whoever will.

Jeff Christianson

Biblical Counseling Academy


PO Box 3021
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602


Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034

Make An Appointment: https://calendly.com/jeffchristianson/work-with-me

Join the Academy: https://www.jeffchristianson.com/counselor-certification-waitlist

Make A Donation: https://calvarychapel.breezechms.com/give/online

Now Enrolling: BiblicalCounselingAcademy.com

TRINITY

The concept of the Trinity is the idea of three in one. We have one God, consisting of three persons. Another term that somewhat captures this idea is: Triunity.

• What we are doing is using a term to describe something that exists—a descriptive term—because words like Trinity and Triunity are not found in the Bible.

• Let’s acknowledge that to anyone who argues against the Trinity.

• Yes, the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible, and that's acceptable, but let’s use another term.

• If you want a more comprehensive description, you could say the one Godhead comprised of three persons.

• However, it’s easier to use the term Trinity.

• This one Godhead consists of three persons who are all God of the same essence.

The Bible is full of teachings that support this idea.

• A simple term to describe it is Trinity; however, a better term, though it might not be widely used, is Triunity. It conveys a three-fold oneness.

• Trinity works well too.

Jeff Christianson

Biblical Counseling Academy


PO Box 3021
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602


Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034

Make An Appointment: https://calendly.com/jeffchristianson/work-with-me

Join the Academy: https://www.jeffchristianson.com/counselor-certification-waitlist