"Since every believer is a priest, he has direct access to God," said Dr Neil Anderson at the recent Freedom and Revival conference organised jointly by NECF Malaysia and Malaysia Campus Crusade for Christ.

Speaking on the topic Praying in the Spirit, he stressed that Christians facing problems should take responsibility for their problems and pray. He clarified that Christians should petition for others but "intercession should not replace your responsibility to pray (for yourselves)."

Counsellors, who direct their counsellees to seek God, are also helping them to bond with Him. The potential problem of counsellees forming emotional bond with their counsellors is hence minimised, if not, removed.

While on the same topic, Dr Anderson also affirmed that silence is a natural part of being in God’s presence. Silence indicates we are comfortable with Him, just like good friends going on a long drive together can remain silent for long without feeling uneasy.

Over 200 people attended the two-day conference held at the reconstructed First Baptist Church, Petaling Jaya. Several people came from outstation to listen to Dr Anderson, a renown author whose bestselling books Victory Over Darkness and Bondage Breaker have helped many Christians find their identity in Christ – an essential understanding to a victorious Christian life. One such participant was Dr Lam Pan Nam from Gereja Grace Batu Pahat, who closed his clinic in Batu Pahat and drove several hundred miles to attend the conference.

During the conference, Dr Anderson also urged Christian counsellors to "take the time to do it (counselling) right." Like a responsible surgeon who opens the wound and then closes it, a counsellor should ensure that all open wounds are closed before sending the counsellee away.

"You don’t just spend 15 minutes with a counsellee and tell him to come back next week. Will a surgeon open a wound, go away and come back another time to close it? So, to be a good counsellor, you need lots of patience and a big bladder," he quipped.

Dr Anderson’s conference was part of the Set Free for Life conference, which also comprises another conference, Spiritual Protection for Our Children, conducted by Joseph and Kathy Wasmond. Joseph is currently the president of Freedom In Christ Ministries which is founded by Dr Anderson.

The Wasmonds spoke to over 80 participants about the various subtle ways children today are being deceived, and how they can be spiritually protected. They shared practical steps parents can take to provide a conducive environment for raising secure, Christ-centred children, and how to lead children under bondage to freedom in Christ.