Is your family under attack? Do you find yourself fighting with your own children just about every day? Are you saying to yourself more times than a few…..what in the Hell?! In case you didn’t know, we are in “Spiritual Warfare”. The spirit of “REBELLION” is like cancer in our society. More now than ever our right to “train up our children in the way that they should go” is blatantly being challenged and even "debunked". We see it time and time again in the schools. When my children were in public school (now home schooled), a parent could freely come to the school “unannounced” to sit in on the classroom, eat lunch with their child, talk with the teacher, and the school welcomed it. Try showing up “unannounced” in today’s schools and you will find yourself on the outside looking in. We see it at the doctor’s offices. There was a time when you could go with your teenaged son or daughter, sit in during the physical if you wanted to, and the medical staff wouldn’t have a thing to say about it. Try that now. You’ll find yourself WHAT?! ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN! Nowadays a parent has to get permission from their own child to sit in on or get information, yet they don’t hesitate about sending the bill!
At the helm of the desecration of the family sits “Satan” our adversary. These are but a few of the institutions “Satan” functions through to accomplish his goal of destroying the family and crippling our authority in our home and with our children. We can lay witness to the fact that many of us, if not most of us come from dysfunctional homes, so we should be a little familiar with some key weapons used against our families such as:
1) Man's loss of authority in the home (No R-E-S-P-E-C-T) sometimes not even from the wife, so you
know the kids aren't going to pay any mind.
2) Lack of spiritual leadership and unity in the home.(DON'T NOBODY PRAY...not even at dinner)
3) Breakdown in the family due to drugs, alcohol, lust, adultery, pornography, homosexuality, which wreaks
of D-I-V-O-R-C-E!
4) Idolization of children which leads to trying to “PLEASE” the child rather than “TRAIN”
and “DISCIPLINE” the child.
An example of “Satan” at work happened just a week or so ago. A well known tele-evangelist, Creflo Dollar was arrested because he "ALLEGEDLY" “struck” and “choked” his daughter. It was also "ALLEGED" that his 15 year old daughter wanted to go to a party late in the evening, and he told her she could not go. Creflo Dollar said, she became “disrespectful”, and according to Creflo D., it was at that point when things got out of hand.
Now before we go judgin’ Creflo Dollar too swiftly or harshly let’s try to put ourselves in his shoes. Remember, we all know in part, and the media in itself gets information in bits and pieces, and sometimes what they get is not the full story or the full truth. I know, I was a “reality” Mom, and I know how things get edited. We’re not talking about “abusive” parents; we’re talking about “hardworking, loving, caring, God-fearing” parents correcting their child’s behavior through discipline. Hypothetically speaking, let’s think about it…maybe Creflo Dollar had alot going on with work (just because he is a pastor doesn't mean everything is "hunky-dory"). MAYBE he had been dealing with his daughter for a while with the sucking of the teeth, or the sarcasm (and you know our society is loaded with that!) MAYBE he himself was just worn out that day and couldn't take another "sitchee-ation"! MAYBE...just MAYBE... this was one time too many that he has had to deal with disrespect from his children, it was late, he was bone tired, he wanted to just get under his warm sheets with his wife and get some rest before the next marathon came his way, and WHAM! another "sitchee-ation" with one of his angels
MAYBE... YOU can recall a day that your child became disrespectful or rebellious towards you, and did not want to follow the rules in your home, cursed you, said all manner of evil against you…honestly, how did it make you feel, and what was your response? Some of you may be honest enough to admit you went completely “ballistic” on them, and hemmed their scrawny behinds to the wall! Some may say that they just ignored the action, but for most of us hard working, loving parents, all that we can think of are the sacrifices made on their behalf. The long, sleepless nights comforting and nursing them back to health when they were sick or helping out (maybe even doing the work) with a book report or science project too involved for them to do alone. The many times you had to rush home from work “dead-dog” tired just to make a soccer/football/dance recital or baseball game. Times when you struggled to keep a roof over your family’s head, food on the table and clothes on their back. How do you think you would feel if your child became defiant and disrespectful? What would your response be? Please don’t tell me you didn’t immediately want to give them the serious SMACKDOWN or at least think about it?!
I love my children, God knows I do! But I’ll kill Satan dead befo’ I let him beat me! (Color Purple) For real, but seriously, I will NEVER, EVER get used to ANY of my children being disrespectful to me, my husband or any one else! We must turn back our hearts and minds to our heavenly Father, the Alpha and Omega of fathers. I’m talking to the Christian. Going into the enemy’s camp is not the answer. Calling the police on our parents, having them arrested, testifying against them is not God’s way; it’s the world’s way, it’s “Satan’s” way. Now I am not saying that if parents “abuse” their children that they should not be punished, heaven forbid!! No, the proper authorities should step in. What should be clear is that loving parents who are disciplining a rebellious child is a parent that truly loves their child. A father, who will not discipline their child does not love them. We are to honor our mother and father so that (1) our days will be long, and that (2) it will go well with us in the land. A commandment that comes with a promise! We may not always agree with how our parents may treat us, train us, discipline us; we may even feel the rules of the house are unreasonable. The bottom line is this; children must obey their parents in the Lord, and parents must “train up” a child in the way that they should go. We have our position and they (our children) have theirs. We must regain our position of authority in the home and with our children fearlessly and as unto God, even if that means we may have to go to jail a night or two to do it.
As a dear sweet "Old School" Minister said to our Sunday school class one Sunday, “SOME THINGS ARE WORTH GOING TO JAIL FOR”.
Keep The Faith and Keep Standing!
