Overcoming Abuse
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Let’s be honest. Many of you have been abused and are struggling to overcome that abuse. This is a very sensitive subject, so we want all involved in this class to be very merciful and understanding about the struggles of others. We also want you to be discreet, not sharing the discussions you had in this class. Please be respectful of your brother.
Abuse Creates Slavery
Those who are abused face very difficult challenges. Many feel like they “caused” their own abuse and blame themselves as a result. Do you find yourself struggling with this kind of thought? What makes you think that you were responsible?
You may feel like the actions of others were somehow caused by you. That if you had done something differently, said something sooner, or acted in a different way, this abuse would not have happened or would have ended quickly.
This creates a type of slavery – the kind that occurs in your mind. You live your life believing that somehow you are responsible. This feeling leads to a whole lot of bad thoughts and actions, which hamper your life.
What feelings do you have that are leading you to do things that cause you harm?
You may be the one abusing others. Your own abuse may have led you to abuse or you may have developed thought patterns that made you feel that you could abuse others. As a result, you are living in slavery to guilt and hatred of yourself for what you have done.
Have you abused others? How is this impacting your life?
Freedom from Slavery
We have talked about how Jesus paid the price for your sins, removing you from the slavery of sin. What is important to understand is that Jesus removed every type of slavery from your life, including those thoughts that cause you to hate yourself.
Galatians 5:1 tells us: For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
You do not need to be a slave to any kind of thought that is contrary to what God says about you. Even if you feel that you are somehow responsible for the abuse that occurred, Jesus cleansed that thing. “Paid at the cross” is what you always need to remind yourself.
Jesus did not just die on the cross to cleanse you of your sins. He died to cleanse you of every thought that is opposite of what God says about you.
In a previous lesson, we talked about the strongholds in your life and how trusting in God, relying on His power, can destroy those strongholds. The thoughts that you have about yourself related to your abuse are a stronghold. Let’s read 2 Corinthians 10:5:
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
The beliefs you have are arguments that are in contrast to what God says about you. How do you think God views you? What do you think God is saying about you?
If we acknowledge that God is saying we are amazing, then the thoughts and beliefs we have about ourselves that are in contrast to this are lies. Jesus has demolished those arguments. You must take those thoughts captive. So, how do you take captive those bad thoughts you have about yourself?
How Does God See You?
Let’s be honest. It is very difficult to change the way that you think. In one class, all of your issues are not going to be resolved. However, we want to start the healing process so that you can overcome the struggles you are facing.
You may always feel that, to some degree, you are responsible for what happened to you. Our prayer is that you will demolish those arguments and every pretension that makes you believe that.
We also want you to see that God does not view you through the lens of the abuse. Instead, God views you according to how He created you – as His perfect son. Let’s spend some time reviewing and discussing what each of these verses tell you about yourself:
Genesis 1:27: So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
John 1:12: 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Psalm 103:12: as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
John 10:27-29: 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
Romans 8:38-39: 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Your Memory Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:5 – 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
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