Healing From Abuse Part 2

Looking to Jesus wants to destroy the family, especially model father when abuse takes place.

Abuse of any kind father faces severe judgment from God.

Step one incoming clean is to acknowledge that the abuse is real. Please stay with the Moody Church in Chicago when Sir teaching helps us make it across the finish line after Luther the damage from abuse is so widespread.

I wonder if the only national revival turn the time you know David would be wonderful if we had a national revival but I can't help but think that I'm beginning to people today who can't wait for that they are in pain so I want them to listen very carefully to this message, which I hope will help them come to the light of healing.

Let's listen as I speak about the hurt and healing of abuse. This is what Jesus said.

He said that if any of you because one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would've been better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the gaps of the sea. I plead with you today. Do you understand what you are doing to your wife because of your verbal putdowns and what you are doing to your children because you slapped them and you speak disparagingly of them and you criticize them out lifting them up honoring them praying for them, encouraging them. Do you understand that you must face reality of the Bible says in Psalm 139 search me oh God, and know my heart and try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. I'm interested in human nature, and I know something about it. Living with myself tell you this though, I have long ago learned that there are things about us that we will never get to unless God shows them to us. Would you in this moment of honesty. See what you need to admit to God will show you what it is that you need to admit to, and of course you also as someone who is abused, you must face reality, you must recognize that indeed abuse has happened and there maybe some of you listening here who have never been able to say that about your parents about your environment. 80% of all abuse. By the way, takes place either within the home were among relatives of the home and you've never been able to admit to it. And so as a result, this festers within you and I'm saying to you today. What you need to do is to look at reality and mourn the loss yes but face it and don't pretend don't pretend that it didn't happen because believe me, it may have added your listening as a child, would you go for help.

Would you speak to a teacher to the Sunday school worker to someone because we have to face this and not pretend that it's not here so first of all what we need to do is to move from denial to reality. Secondly, what we need to do is to go from hiding in the shadows hiding in the shadows to seeking help in the sunlight. Now if point number one is to admit to reality. Point number two is to go for help. Point number two is to simply say that it must be brought into the light because if it is not brought into the light. It is the devil who works in darkness and some of you mothers you know that abuse is going on in your home but you say to yourself, I'm not going to confess to it.

I'm not going to go for help because of the consequences of going to the authorities, or forever. You must go to a counselor to admit to what's happening as simply remind you that the consequences of remaining silent in the presence of abuse are always far greater than the consequences of finally exposing it and facing the reality please keep that in mind. So what we need to do is to come from the shadows and go to the sunlight and again as I mentioned, if you're here today and as a child in your listening to this message, you must go for help to know when we were kids we used to run under streetlamps. I was born 6 miles from a town that had won the streetlamp. It had about 75 people and one streetlamp and his kids used to run and see how long our shadows would become until the shadows were way out there on. Then there were times when we would stand directly under the light and when we were directly under the light of our shadows were very small bits and pieces. I urge you today to come to the light. It is the light that heals the Bible says in the book of James chapter 5. Confess your faults one to another, that you may be healed. And so the Scripture is very clear that what we need to do is to recognize that it's not enough to try to deal with this on your own. You've already tried that, haven't you no matter where you are on the continuing whether abused or abusers light has power to heal, come to the light. Let me say also that we must move from self-justification to forgiveness from self-justification to forgiveness and this is absolutely critical want you to take your Bibles and turn now to the book of Ephesians and Ephesians chapter 4 it's a familiar passage, but I want you to see it in your own Bible so that you remember where it is and how clear the Scriptures really are.

Ephesians chapter 4 and I'm going to pick it up at verse 29 Ephesians 429.

Let me know. Corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only as is good for building up, as fits the occasion by the way does that verse rule in your home. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up that it may give grace to those who hear and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness to set characterize you possibly wrath and anger clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Now the Bible wouldn't ask us to put it away if we couldn't put it away because we can. And I think the next verse tells us how be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven.

I told you today that I want both abusers and abused to be in heaven together to rejoice in God's grace and may ice tell you today that when Jesus Christ died on the cross.

His death was such a sufficient sacrifice for sin, that as we sometimes sing even the vilest of sinners who truly believes that moment from Jesus a pardon receives isn't that good news for sinners. Now if you're not a sinner.

You didn't have to clap and so Jesus Christ invites us today to receive forgiveness and someone has well said that forgiveness first of all is between. It's the key to God and me, forgiveness is the key between me and you and between me and me.

You can't go on in life and be able to function properly. As long as there is a long-standing bitterness in your heart that you will not give up and what the Bible is saying is that just as Jesus has forgiven us and cleansed us and we receive it in the same way.

We offer forgiveness to people even if there's no possibility of reconciliation. Your abuser may be dead. Your abuser may not be interested in any kind of reconciliation because he's denying the abuse is most abusers do.

Someone has said this the man I hate may be many miles from my bedroom, but more cruel than any slave driver. He whips my thoughts into such a frenzy that my innerspring mattress becomes a rack of torture.

The lowliest of serfs can sleep, but not I I really must acknowledge the fact that I am a slave to every man on whom I poured the bile of my wrath.

God says to you and to me that what we need to do is to give it up and to recognize that giving up our anger is something that is difficult but it is an choice we must make if we want to accept the promise that God has given to us in his word that he heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Part of that healing has to do with forgiveness. So what we do is we asked the Lord to forgive us and if you cannot come to Jesus Christ again.

I invite you to do that. We invite God to come into our lives. And then what we do is we choose to forgive and to leave it all behind and then what we have to do is to accept God's forgiveness. Always remember this.

The issue is never the greatness of our sin. The issue is the wonder of the righteousness that God applies to any one of us, whether abused or abusers is the righteousness of Jesus Christ that is applied to us and as we began to open our lives to the Lord that healing ministry begins. I opened this message by telling you about a prayer meeting that we had last Wednesday and what we want to do is to give you an opportunity to do that today because at the end of this message. I'm going to be getting an invitation. As I mentioned in Rebecca and I will be here and were going to have counselors because I want you to experience the kind of freedom and the kind of prayers that enables you to pray with someone else to find God's grace and God's healing in your life. You know the Bible says regarding Jesus. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our and days. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed because he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.

Now many people interpret that to be physical healing course there is healing and the atonement in the sense that eventually when we are redeemed, were going to be fully healed and won't that be a wonderful day. When finally the healing is complete, but at the same time. It definitely involves spiritual healing because the Bible particularly in the Psalms talks about Lord heal my soul so I want you to realize today that God is available for your soul to be healed and he can do that in your life and one of the things I wrote.

I said this in a seminary classroom, a professor whom we will call brother Smith was known for his elaborate object lesson this day was no exception. On the wall. He placed a big target and on a nearby table were many darts brother Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone they disliked or someone they actually hated that he would allow them to throw darts at that person's picture. One lady drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend another drew a picture of a man who had mistreated her and lied to her. All the students found someone they hated and did so very quickly. For some, the challenge was to choose just one among many who shall I draw the class lined up and began throwing darts with much laughter and hilarity. Some of the students through their darts with such force that their targets were being ripped apart and ripping the target apart. Just then brother Smith interrupted the students and remove the target from the wall and underneath the target was a picture of Jesus hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus holes in jagged marks covered his face. His eyes were pierced out. Brother Smith said simply, inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me.

No other words were necessary as tears filled the eyes of the students.

They could not take their eyes off the picture of Jesus.

Even after the bell they sat in their seats until one slowly left and then another because every dart you throw it your wife, your husband, a friend and abuser lands in the heart of Jesus. We will never deal with the roots of rage unless we know the meaning of forgiveness and we will never deal with those roots until we know the meaning of acceptance and will never be free until we know the wonder of Jesus yourself, Pastor Luther, how do I know that I'm healed.

It's a very good question. You know that you are healed are in the process of being healed. When you begin to see that God has a purpose even in your abuse though doesn't justify the abuser.

God will deal with him. But God begins to use it in our lives, and it begins to work for us rather than against us. I've met many people who because of their experience are able to connect with people in ways that I can't connect with because I was brought up. Thankfully, in a nonabusive own, but God is able to use even that evil or good used evil for good. In the case of Jesus. He was abused, shamefully abused because he was perfect and in the midst of all of that abuse. He dies on the cross and purchases redemption as a reminder of the fact that for the believer who opens his life to God. No part of our past experience is ever lost you believe that, can you trust God for that. I'm saying this as clearly as I can. Whatever we do not forgive, we transmit we pass on, and if you do not allow God to transform you, you will indeed transmit whatever issue there is in your life and that's why I invite you today to respond to an invitation for special prayer in a moment were going to be singing together, and when that happens you can stand up and you can come. As I mentioned, Rebecca and I are going to be here. We have more prayer partners today.

I don't know how many we will use but our intention is to pray for you. These counselors I should not call them counselors.

These prayer partners are not specific counselors. They are prayer partners if you need further help. They can perhaps connect you with other ministries and other opportunities but were only here to lift one another up in prayer were just were just a family saying who is hurting, and receive prayer today because these people, these prayer partners would love to meet you connect with you and lift you to the throne of God. We have prayed that this would be a healing moment for many people, and however imperfectly the message went forth today, I believe that God is working in your life would you join me as we pray together.

Father, we still cleave to the promise that says he heals the brokenhearted and binds up their rooms today. Father I pray that his many wounds would be open that you might healed them all through your grace through your power and through the prayers of your people help this to be an important moment for many who say I need to special prayer that they might be healed in Jesus name, amen.

What my friend, this is Pastor Luther and I hope that you are allowing God to heal your soul. I know that I just prayed a moment ago, but I feel the urge to pray again for the many of you heard this message you heard is true. This, but you're going through pain and agony, and I pray for God's deliverance. Lord I pray that the words that have been spoken may be like fresh oil on a wound that you might bring about the kind of healing that is so necessary in the lives of many who have listened children, teenagers, adults, broken, disappointed, hurt by abuse bring healing old God.

I pray that your name be glorified in the lives be put back together despite all the pieces of the past. In Jesus name I ask. Amen. Know my friends if you'd be interested in receiving these messages so you can listen to them again and again and they come with the study guide. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or you can call us and before I give you the phone number.

Let me remind you that we exist to help you to help you in the journey of life toward healing and wholeness all the way to the finish line give us a call at 1-888-218-9337 thanks in advance for your generosity, because together we are making a difference and we are impacting many lives for the glory of God and the gospel. It's time now for another chance for you to ask Pastor Luther a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Pastor Luther we have a question today from Thelma. She listens to Asante SIV in St. Louis, Missouri. This is her story. I know a teenage girl in our church who was raised in a Christian home. She's had solid Bible teaching, including teaching on sexual purity. She admitted to me that she'd been physically abused, yet not sexually, by her father in her childhood. She calls herself damaged goods. This young girl instigated sexual advances early in a relationship with a young man she avoids many who were showing love to her. Outwardly she shows anger, rebellion and disrespect to authority your recent series on putting your past behind you is increased my concern that she's been deeply hurt asking her to confront her father will only fall on deaf ears.

I want to help her. What should I do well first of all I want to thank you so much for reaching out to this young woman. It's interesting that in your question you didn't mention where her mother is in all of this, but if her father abused her. Now you say physically but not sexually. Of course we know that possibly those two did go together.

Maybe the girl isn't admitting it, but either way she's a young woman who desperately needs love attention from those who are actually able to help her and to encourage her along in life. I think that the fact that she acts out her behavior that's very natural in a case where you've been abused where you are even angry with men where you want to use your sexuality and perhaps entice them and to become involved sexually because as she says she feels as if she is damaged goods. So my friend it's very important for you to befriend her.

No matter how angry the matter how difficult it becomes. You have to hang in there, but you're not the only one there are others who should gather around her. As I mentioned a moment ago. Her mother, I hope that she can become. Also part of the church family where she can relate to other boys and the whole body of Jesus Christ for her help and healing. But the bottom line is this, you need to encourage her to come to the Lord to receive the Lord's cleansing his complete acceptance reminder of the fact that if she knows the Lord.

She is the daughter of God and that he loves her. She is number one on his list of important things in the universe, she needs to feel that closeness to the Lord reminder. Also that she is not damaged goods.

That's a lie from the devil. Finally, be patient. I've known situations like this where somebody perhaps has been rebellious for years, but eventually as you look back on their life.

You discover that God kept bringing them through.

One difficulty after another. One hard lesson after another and in the end there. Walking with God. So pray for her. Encourage her, and I hope that someday you'll look back and say what a wonderful trophy of God's grace. Thank you Thelma for your concern and thank you Dr. Luther for your counsel if you'd like to hear your question answered no to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask Pastor Luther or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to is run into when 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago line 60614. Sometimes kids go astray, even Christian. Anguished parents cry out to God solution and that's exactly what God wants us to do on our next lemming to win coming to grips with prodigal children, this is Damon Alister running to win is sponsored by the Moody Church