Relationships Lesson #3

  “ Family “

Intro:   How many brothers and sisters do you have, and how old are they?

    Study

  1. Mark 16:15, Matt 6:33 In order for us to have a strong walk with God as well as be as effective as possible in reaching the world, we must put God first in all of our relationships.
    1. 1 Cor 15:33 The Bible tells us that bad company will corrupt good character, so it is extremely important that we are very careful in our relationships.
      1. Jer 29:11-13 Although we can choose who our friends are, and who we marry, we have no choice on who our parents, brothers, sisters, or other family members are.
      2. Eph 6:4, Col 3:21 Some people are born into good healthy families, and other people are born into abusive and dysfunctional families.
    2. Psalms 27:10 Satan will try to use abusive parents and abusive families to deeply wound, hurt, and abuse people and he will attempt to use these hurts to hold you back in your life and limit you from discovering your purpose and from fulfilling Gods will here on earth.
  2. Rom 8:28, Joel 2:25 We must understand that how we came into this world, and what we may have experienced if our family was abusive has no say on who we can become, or what we can accomplish in this world when we fully surrender to God!
    1. 2 Tim 4:18, Ps 34:18 When we fully surrender to God, he can heal us from every wound we may have received in an abusive family, and we can fully accomplish Gods will!
      1. Luke 17:3 If those members of our family who hurt us are willing to apologize for the hurt they have caused, and they are willing to work on correcting it, we should forgive  them and be willing to build a healthy relationship with them.
      2. Mathew 12:48-50 However, if the people in our families who have abused us are unwilling to repent of their actions or change their abusive behavior, we still need to forgive them, but we may need to keep them at a distance.
    2. 2 Cor 3:17, Phil 2:13 No matter what type of a family we have come out of, or what we have experienced in this life, we need to fully surrender to God so He can work in us, heal our wounds, and prepare us for our purpose so we can  #Reachtheworld!

Discussion

  1. What are some of the many negative effects that can happen in someones life if they are raised in an abusive and dysfunctional family?
  2. What are some of the many positive benefits of having good parents, and a healthy family environment?
  3. Does anyone have a testimony of a time when God healed you from the negative effects you experienced from an abusive family?
  4. Is there anyone here today who is currently dealing with an abusive family? If so, what type of abuse have you experienced? Are you now ready to surrender your hurt to God and allow him to heal your heart?

End: Pray for those who need to be healed from the hurt they have from an abusive family. Pray  for any who want to accept Christ through the sinners prayer, and then take requests.