how does one honour a parent who is abusive?

[Sevenseas]

 

As for the discussion on the open board, too many times in any single situation questions need to be asked that can spark interests in people who are not filled with the Holy Spirit and they can very easily and quickly Google themselves into a mess.

 

 

That's interesting.  Are there two classes of Christians?  Those who have the Holy Spirit and those who do not?

 

I tried for years to find someone to help me and all I found were people who in the end probably hurt me rather than helped me.  

 

I helped myself with a Bible, lots of questions and prayer and a heart desiring the truth.  The truth is not always pretty and because of the harshness of it in my case, I have come to

understand why it took so long.  

 

God deals with us personally as no other 'expert' or minister can.  At times the right person can be found to help, but when it comes to the demonic, I know that going out on a limb

is not the answer.  The answer is what Christ has already accomplished for us and the fact that the devil is defeated.

 

What we need, is to study THAT and stand on THAT firm ground and if evil is involved more than the average, God will hear that prayer as well and set people free.  I know.  I've seen it.

 

I will go further and state that of late, I am becoming convinced that much of the way people approach the demonic may be wrong.  There is way too much emphasis put on the devil in

deliverance ministries IMO and I think that it actually PROLONGS the difficulties.  Learning about all the devil is doing is not the way to help someone IMO.

 

We have really offset this thread and I think I've said enough but I don't see an exorcist as the answer here and I don't believe in exorcists either.  What I believe is that each and every

Christian needs to understand our position in Christ, all that He has already accomplished and learn to deal with truth instead of rebuking lies and all that is entailed.  Notice how the

devil himself left Jesus when Jesus used scripture.   The promises in the Bible regarding demons obeying those who are believers are valid and that is for every Christian not just

some who believe they have a ministry that has the demonic as its reason for being.  

 

Am I belittling spritual struggles or the reality of people needing help?  Not at all.  I do have a different approach though

 

I think we may be viewing the same subject from very different ends.  I've seen alot of things from church to church and some of the biggest harm I have come across, has been a

deliverance minister 'seeing' demons in people or telling the pastor that this person or that person needs deliverance.

 

But like I've said, I've said enough