Addressing Christian Concerns About EFT and Energy Psychology by Dr Larry NimsMany Christians are, understandably, concerned about innovative counseling methods such as EFT or Instant BE SET FREE FAST (BSFF), and other more traditional approaches like various types of hypnosis, psychotherapy, and a variety of healing methods. Some are concerned that virtually any kind of psychological counseling is un-Christian, demonic, occult, New Age, humanistic, etc. Of course, these approaches are clearly not of God. They are man-centered and/or Satan-centered. I am writing to help concerned Christians put this in Biblical perspective, and to reassure you that there is nothing inherently unchristian about any energy psychology method.
Added Jun 3, 2005
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The term "psychology" comes from the Greek words "psyche" (soul) and "logos" (the study of). Thus, psychology means "the study of the soul." Like so many of the discoveries in science, medicine, physics, education, etc., anything can be used for good or for evil. A mature Christian will be committed to using any method only for good, and do so under God's direction and empowerment. I am an ordained Christian Minister since 1988 and a licensed Clinical Psychologist with 30 years professional experience in Psychology. I am born again and totally committed to following God in my profession. As such, I have no problems with any treatments that involve the use of the subconscious mind (in the form of EFT, BSFF, hypnotherapy, medicine, chiropractic and many other practices that are dedicated to helping people). When ethical, experienced, conscientious and skilled professionals who are working in their areas of expertise apply any method, God can and does use them "for good to those that are the called, according to His purpose." Energy psychology therapies are a gift from, and are being used by, our God. EFT and BSFF are wonderful gifts to all of us from our Lord. They are very helpful adjuncts to any professional practice in the physical health or mental health fields. They can also remove subconscious blocks to "fervent and effectual prayer," to knowing God, hearing from and obeying God, and being fully available to God. These blocks, I believe, are programmed into us from birth by "the prince of the power of the air" (Satan) who holds sway over our cultures and our world. We, as Christians, are commanded by Christ to "take back the land" that the enemy has stolen from us, and to "occupy until He comes." This includes removing the strongholds and bondages that the enemy has set up in our conscious and subconscious minds, our emotions, our bodies, and our spirits. That is what Energy Psychology therapies helps us to do, and what it teaches people to do for themselves. EFT and BSFF does not make anyone do anything new or different. It simply sets them free to have a true choice about things that previously have been operating on "automatic pilot" under the control of their subconscious mind. In other words, they are freer to hear from and to follow God's leading in their life. Sadly, the stigma of stage show hypnosis, humanistic psychology, and much misinformation about the human subconscious mind seems to taint everything about the psyche in the minds of many people (including many of my fellow Christians). This unfortunate misinformation creates undue fears and suspicions of some methods being used by truly dedicated and qualified professional counselors, hypnotherapists and other professionals who are committed to providing help for hurting humans. Just as with medicine and many other helping professions, God uses even the unsaved to help Christians. So, If we keep ourselves under His covering and pray for His wisdom and guidance, and for discernment, we can make good choices about from whom we accept help. Also, we need to use our authority over the works of the devil to keep him at bay in all of these things, and to effectively resist his efforts to deceive and entrap us. Again, "all good things come from God," but anything can be used for good or evil. It really is up to us to be wise about whom we choose for help in any area of life. Satan uses fear to thwart God's plans for His people. My heart aches because fears about psychology, counseling, and so many wonderful tools are kept from people by our subconscious programming to be afraid of them. This stops people from getting excellent help with a number of effective treatment methods, including EFT, BSFF, chiropractic, acupuncture, hypnosis and many excellent tools that have been brought forth by God to help mankind BE SET FREE. This serves Satan's purpose very well. It keeps people in fearful bondage, where he can manipulate them to undermine God's plan and His work in their lives. Some of Satan's chief ways to control us are the manipulation of fear, shame and guilt. EFT and BSFF eliminate these destructive and limiting feelings quite easily. Remember, the Word says, "We are not given the spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound, well-ordered, and disciplined mind." We do not operate that way very much (free of fear) because we have been subconsciously programmed to be fearful about many, many things. This prevents us from learning and growing, psychologically and spiritually, and living life abundantly, as God intended. Such fears, often held subconsciously, provide the mechanisms for the devil to manipulate us without our consciously realizing it. That is, he operates in the dark, and our subconscious is a huge area of darkness in our minds. That is why it is called the subconscious, or unconscious. We simply do not know what is in there most of the time. But, the devil does know, since he had everything to do with programming it in us. He began this process almost from our birth -- before we had any awareness that this was happening within us. The devil wants to keep it that way, so that he can operate with impunity, under cover of that darkness. He can confuse us, stir up self-doubt and doubt about God, and scare us into not looking into this darkness, rather than bringing everything into the light. In this way he can stop us from doing anything about this darkness. Then he is free to manipulate us to serve his desires and not God's God says "The children of the light run to the light." But the children of darkness prefer to stay in the dark. The Holy Spirit in us is always trying to bring us out into the light where we can be free in Christ. "For he who is free in Christ is free indeed!" Our Lord gave His life in the most horrible way imaginable to "set the captives free." He gave all Christians, including those of us in the healing arts that mandate as well. We are to help people to be set free. That is specifically what EFT and BSFF are designed to help people accomplish. EFT and BSFF do not make people do anything new. It sets them free to have a truly flexible choice-in contrast to being controlled by subconscious programming from the past. "Taking captivity captive" with Jesus. That's it, my precious brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. We are those captives. Not because we chose to be. This programming started in the early months of our lives. We couldn't know what was being implanted into our subconscious minds. But, as adults it is our task to "take back the land" that the devil has usurped (stolen) from us. With God's direction and empowerment, and with the help of Godly counselors, we have everything we need to "occupy until He comes." Our primary task in life is to get ourselves out of God's way, to yield everything to Him. Then He can do more and more of what He wants to do for us and through us. As we get more and more free, He will take us "from Glory to Glory" on this amazing journey with Him. We are in bondage to far more than we consciously realize. God wants us all to be totally free in Christ. I am dedicating my life to helping people in this task -- at the psychological (soul) level and at the spiritual level. God is spreading these methods worldwide. I encourage and entreat you to avail yourself of this help in becoming more and more free. Kindly read the excellent article on "The Hidden Chambers" by Nancy Missler, to see how extensively the Bible acknowledges the subconscious as a very important part of we human beings. There is much we need to know about this amazing mental apparatus that God gave to each one of us. With EFT and BSFF we now have wonderful tools to help us clear out much earlier programming (darkness) that is blocking God in our lives. We need to understand how God uses our mind, both the conscious and the subconscious mind. Equally important is learning to recognize how Satan uses it against us and against God, and how we can take effective authority over our enemy and "occupy the land" that God gave us. If we are to become the Christian "overcomers" that we are given the opportunity to be; and the "more than conquerors" that God intends us to be, in Christ, then we need excellent help to BE SET FREE. God uses both Christians and non-Christians to help us in the mental health field, as well as throughout every area of human experience and need. God has revealed the methods of BSFF to me over the past eleven years. He continues to guide me in spreading this amazing tool worldwide. This is His work, and I am so blessed to be doing it under His guidance. I encourage everyone to avail themselves of these marvelous counseling and treatment tools. God made us such that we can benefit enormously from these new understandings (from Him) of how to receive elegant help with the bondages, problems and disturbances of our lives. He has chosen to reveal these things to us at this time. This is a fantastic advance in helping we captives to BE SET FREE. What a wonderful gift! What a wonderful Savior! There is so much new freedom and "newness of life" that God wants you to have through using these methods. I hope that you will reach for that help. God bless you as He unfolds His wonderful plan for your life. May you walk in that path victoriously. In His love and power your servant, Larry Phillip Nims, Ph.D. PS: You can read my testimony about how God led me to BSFF, and also, my "position paper" about my Christian ministry ("Practical Christianity; Beyond Psychology"). I invite you to read both of these to get an understanding of God's hand in bringing forth these wonderful new methods for helping hurting and wounded people in the body of Christ. I also invite you to read "The Terrible Costs of Unforgiveness" article on the BSFF website. It is written to a general audience. Yet I am sure that you will see the Lord's hand in that paper. If you would like to have a copy of my paper titled "Resolving Anger and Unforgiveness in Christians" just contact me and request it. At the end of each counseling session with all of my Christian clients, I ask them to say the prayer of confession and repentance in this paper. The prayer focuses on the sinful attitudes and actions that were involved in each of the problems that were treated with BSFF in the session, and it invites the Lord to occupy these places and be the Lord of them instead of the client. I always encourage Christians to use this prayer every time they do any BSFF treatments on their own or in my office. How I wish I could do this with everyone-those non-Christians, too. But, of course they cannot pray to God in the Name Jesus and be forgiven. But, I can help them to get freer and freer, and pray that this will enable them to make contact with God so that they will join us in the body of Christ. PPS: I have long been convinced that our biggest task in life is to get ourselves out of God's way, so that He can do the work that He wants to do in us, and through us all. BE SET FREE FAST is an elegant tool from Him to help accomplish that enormous task. BSFF helps to "set the captives free!" Then God can work His Divine Plan in our lives; and, then we can truly receive the blessings that He has for each one of us. Praise His Name!
Added Jun 3, 2005
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