“Word of Knowledge” and “Prophesy” in a TPM Session

Speaking for God

“For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit…” (1 Cor. 12:8)

The interpretation and application of this Bible passage will of course differ from one person to the next. Nonetheless, people ask whether or not sharing “words of knowledge, words of wisdom, prophecy, or speaking for God,” in the context of a TPM session is helpful. They may be beneficial in other ministry contexts, but in TPM they actually will hinder.

These practices, and others, including biblical counseling, spiritual instruction, guidance, encouragement, or praying for the person out loud during the ministry session, may all have value in their proper context. However, all of these things will actually distract the person and places the facilitator in the leading role as opposed to following the person. So no matter how this passage is interpreted and applied, restraint is in order during a TPM session. There are some things that TPM cannot do and these other means can be helpful when applied in their proper context.

One time a person told me that when people got “stuck” in his ministry sessions he found it helpful to pray in tongues out loud. I gently and graciously shared with him that his taking this position was making the person a victim needing to be rescued. To my surprise he actually agreed with this premise. He viewed the person being “stuck” as a problem that needed to be resolved and him praying in tongues helped break down the perceived barriers holding the person back. The truth is, that is not the truth.

People are not victims needing rescued from the devil or anything else. Practicing these kinds of things in a TPM session will not benefit, and will actually cause the session to stall out and move it off course. Unless the person is indeed a helpless victim that needs someone more spiritual to rescue them, then the only thing keeping them where they are is their own belief and choice.

The truth is, praying out loud, asking Jesus to do something, or engaging in some form of warfare with the enemy during a ministry session is distracting and moves the person into a passive position and puts the facilitator in a leading posture.  The moment that a ministry facilitator ever does anything to move the session in any direction that he thinks it should go,  he is no longer doing TPM. The only reason a facilitator might be compelled to pray out loud would be because he was uncertain as to where he was in the session, or that he believed the person was helplessly “stuck” and needing to be rescued.

There is never a need to stop a session and pray out loud, ask the Lord to do something, or fight the devil. People are not victims and they do not need our help to move forward. Moving forward is a choice based upon belief. It is important to rightly understand what is happening in a ministry session and then follow protocol.

At the same time, TPM does not seek to replace any of these things mentioned when applied in their proper context. God is free to use any avenue He chooses to bring about restoration to those who seek Him. However, when in a TPM session, these practices are not called for and will hinder the process.

The TPM Process has Specific Protocol

The TPM process is comprised of a system of questions specifically designed to help us identify lies we believe that produce negative or painful emotions. It is not intended to equip the facilitator to supply the truth or direction to the person during the session. Without question, the person needs the truth, but not truth supplied by the facilitator. When the truth is granted in a session, it should be supplied by the Holy Spirit at the proper time. This is the Spirit’s role and not the role of the facilitator, nor is this the intent of the TPM process itself. The sole intent of the process is to help us identify the lies we believe so that we might be in a proper position to receive the Lord’s truth.

Without question, the aforementioned practices are applied by many different groups within the Body of Christ.  Many who utilize such practices report positive outcomes. However, the TPM facilitator should be careful not to bring his or her thinking into the session, but rather to allow the person to be fully responsible for his journey as he chooses to take ownership for what he believes and feels. The facilitator should not guide the session or do anything to move it in any direction that he may think it should go.

Guiding the session is not necessary since the person already holds all this knowledge himself and does not need any outside help. As the person already knows everything he needs to identify his lies, there is nothing the facilitator could share that would assist the person to move to the place where he needs to be. Instead of guiding the session, the TPM ministry facilitator should follow the person on his or her journey and never do anything to move the session in any direction.

There is never any circumstance when the facilitator needs to offer his or her opinions, spiritual insight, words of knowledge, or guidance in any form during the ministry session. Doing so is not necessary and will only get in the way. The moment a ministry facilitator does any of these things, the session will stall out, and the roles will immediately be switched. When the facilitator shares his own opinion, insight, knowledge or wisdom, he is no longer following; rather, he is leading the session. The person will start looking to the facilitator for direction. This is very counter-productive. The ministry facilitator does not know what memory the person needs to recall, the lies that he or she may harbor, or the direction he or she needs to go.

The  facilitator should maintain his “following” position, be aware of where the person is on the “MAP,” and only ask the specific questions that relate to the location the person has landed (one of the seven “boxes“.) The person does not need help in finding his way. In fact the facilitator has no idea even which way to go. The person never needs to be rescued from anything along the journey since nothing apart from his own belief and choosing is hindering his walk. The person possesses everything he needs in order to find his way to the place where he may receive the Lord’s truth. This is not to say that the person has all the truth he needs, for he does not. However, the truth he needs must be supplied directly to his heart by the Holy Spirit.

Truth is indeed what he needs, and the Holy Spirit will gladly and generously pour out the truth the person needs when he is in the place where he can receive it. Granting truth is the role of the Holy Spirit and not the facilitator’s responsibility. It is also not the role of the “Mentee” (the person learning the process and being prayed with) to come up with his own truth in the moment. The truth that we are looking for in a TPM session is the truth that the Spirit supplies directly to the heart. Only He can grant us “…a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Eph. 1:17)

The person knows everything that he needs to know.

During a TPM session, it should be assumed that the person knows what memory he needs to recall, what lies he is believing, and what defenses he has built up to keep from feeling, remembering, and moving forward in the session. The person is the author and builder of these things. There is nothing hidden inside his mind that he did not hide. There is no door hindering the way to which he does not have a key. There is nothing that can keep the person from the truth that God has for him other than their own decision NOT to “… draw near to God” (Jam. 4:8). If it ever appears that the person does not know what to do, where to go, what to remember, what to feel, etc.   —then there is probably a “solution” at play and the person is in the SOLUTION Box. Use the De-Solution Tool.

The fact remains that the person knows all he needs to know to position himself to receive the truth the Holy Spirit has for him. He does not need any of this information from the facilitator or even from the Lord.

In summary —  the facilitator never needs to “speak for God” in a TPM session. Only the Spirit can speak to our hearts. When the Holy Spirit speaks directly to the heart of the person, this personalized truth will instantly bring forth mind renewal and genuine transformation. (Rom. 12:2) The lie will instantly cease to feel true, and the truth will permanently reside in the person’s heart. In that very moment, all the lie-based pain related to the lie that was believed will be lifted and replaced with His peace.

The peace of Christ predictably flows from truth believed in the heart. At the same time, we feel whatever we believe with the heart –whether it is the truth or a lie. When we believe a lie, we will feel what the lie feels like. When we know the truth, we will feel what the truth feels like. (This is a basic principle of TPM).  It is also knowing the truth with the heart that causes the lie to no longer feel true. This is how we know that the Spirit has spoken, since only He can cause the lie to no longer feel true. This is why we ask the question that we ask when we are in the TRANSFORMATION Box, not  “Is it true,” but “Does it still feel true that…?” 

Why do some people feel the need to help out in the TPM process?

If sharing words of knowledge and wisdom  or “speaking for God” are not needed in a TPM session and are even a hindrance, why would a ministry facilitator still feel the urge to do so?

Ministry facilitators typically feel compelled to share a word of knowledge, prophetic utterance, spiritual insight, etc., when they get lost or stuck in a session and do not know what else to do. In these moments, their own lie-based anxiety motivates them to try and rescue the person or do something to make things move forward. Again, the only reason a ministry session stalls out is because of the belief and choice of the person (or the actions of a misguided facilitator). The answer is not for the facilitator to rescue the person in any fashion, but rather to know where the person is on the “MAP” and ask the prescribed questions.

We do not need to rescue anyone from anything during a TPM session. People are not victims who need to be rescued. Their freedom awaits them as they make the choice to move in the direction of God, expose what they believe, and look to Him for truth.

Finally — all the mentioned practices –and more—may be valid in their proper context. TPM does not attempt to replace any of these things, but they never need to be brought into a TPM session. TPM is a specific tool used for a specific purpose. Ministry facilitators all around the world using TPM continually report consistent results as people identify and connect with the emotional pain they feel, clearly identify the lies that they believe, and position themselves to receive personalized truth from the Holy Spirit. When this occurs, genuine and lasting transformation always follows.

After a session is over, the facilitator may choose to bring instruction from the Scriptures, speak words of encouragement, and share his or her personal insight. However, these things are not part of TPM and are not needed during the session.

Practicing “Gifts” Outside of a TPM Session

Refraining from speaking words of knowledge, instructing in the Scriptures, edifying and encouraging during a TPM session does not mean that sharing truth with one another does not have value; for it does. We are directed by the Scriptures to instruct, correct, encourage and edify one another. The Bible itself was given for the purpose of “… teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness …” (2 Tim. 3:16) However, you should do these things outside of the ministry session.

We also should pray as the Apostle Paul prayed,  “[may] the Father of glory, … give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” (Eph. 1:17-19)  This prayer is always appropriate in helping a person to come into the knowledge of the truth that leads to mind renewal and transformation.