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Post by newstartnow on Jul 29, 2009 6:27:31 GMT -5
Does God usurp the authority of a parent over his/her children?
If a parent knowingly allows things or people in their homes that bring danger and demons, will God stop the enemy's attack?
Have the parents given the demons legal rights to work in the children by willingly allowing certain music, books, movies, people, conversation etc to be in their homes?
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Post by LDM on Jul 29, 2009 7:26:36 GMT -5
Well, Satan is pretty legalistic. Not because he wants to be, but because he has to be because of God's laws. Remember when he tempted Jesus in the dessert? He started off saying that all of the world had been betrayed into his hands and he offered it to Jesus if Jesus would bow down to him. He started his statements with legal evidence to show he had a right to what he was saying.
So, I think the answer to your questions is, "Yes...sometimes". There are some protections God has in the Earth (with all of us) where He is holding back the devil. If the devil had his way, I am sure things would be a lot worse than they are (as hard as that is to imagine). Yet, God doesn't let him have complete reign...yet.
Part of what is holding back Satan's efforts are also the prayers of the church. I remember before my husband came to know the Lord, he would play some of the worst music when I wasn't around, even in front of our baby daughter. I tried to explain to him the spiritual elements he was exposing her to by doing this, but he really couldn't see it because he didn't yet know the Lord. So, all that I could do was constantly pray for God's protection over her. And I believe that He did protect her. Indeed, He did more than that; He saved my husband too.
We also know that at some point in time, this barrier holding back Satan will be removed (II Thessalonians 2:7).
Yet, demonic doorways can also be opened in one's life and home, even through ignorance. The Scriptures also say that God's people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. That means that what we don't know CAN in fact hurt us. This is why God exhorts us to be wise as serpents. We don't need to be obsessed with, but need to be aware of the tactics of the enemy so as not to give him an inch in our lives.
If unclean spirits are given a legal right to take ground, then they WILL take ground unless God intervenes. Remember too that God's main goal is to woo mankind back to Him. So, it is not His desire for us to be destroyed. He lets us each choose our path, but He also blocks Satan enough to give each person an opportunity to come to Him...if they so choose. Parents are supposed to be the covering for their children until they come of age.
If a parent is taking this responsibility lightly, it can certainly open a door for the devil to try and gain a stronghold in the child's life. In the end though, no parent can protect their child from everything. We need to be watchful over them, but be prayerful as well, because we are depending on the Lord and His wisdom & strength to get us (and our children) through.
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Post by newstartnow on Aug 1, 2009 9:24:00 GMT -5
Remember too that God's main goal is to woo mankind back to Him. This is an interesting statement and I have never thought of it this way. A courtship?
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Post by LDM on Aug 1, 2009 9:29:36 GMT -5
Yup, a courtship. There are many parallels between the marriage relationship and our relationship with God. I guess that is why we are the "Bride" of Christ. I did a video recently that talks about the law, but it also touches on the type of intimacy God desires with us. Maybe that will help:
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