If Your Child Is Abused - Conclusion

 

Some legal experts advise reporting the abuse to the authorities as soon as possible.  in some lands the legal system may require this.  But in other places the legal system may offer little hope of successful prosecution.

What, though, when the abuser is one's own beloved mate? Sad to say, many women fail to take decisive action.  To be sure, it is never easy to face the ugly reality of a mate who is a child abuser. Emotional ties, and even financial dependency, can be overwhelmingly strong.  The wronged wife may also realize that taking action could cost her husband his family, his job, his reputation.  The hard truth is, though, that he may just be reaping what he has sown.  (Galatians 6:7) Innocent children, on the other hand, stand to lose much more if they are not believed and protected;. Their whole future is at stake.  They do not have the resources that adults have. Trauma can scar them adversely for life.  They are the ones who need and deserve tender treatment.  Compare GENESIS 33:13, 14. 

Parents must therefore make every reasonable effort to protect their children!  Many responsible parents choose to seek out professional help for an abused child. Just as you would with a medical doctor, make sure that any such professional will respect your religious views.  Help your child rebuild his or her shattered self-esteem through  a steady outpouring of parental love.

Next time: Prevention in the Home

From the jw.org publications

If Your Child Is Abused

TO STOP abuse, you must know when you see it. In the numerous books on the subject, experts have listed dozens of telltale signs that parents can watch for.  These include: complaints of pain while urinating or defecating, genital infections, abrasions or lesions in the genital area, the sudden onset of bed-wetting, appetite loss or other eating problems, precocious sexual behavior, a sudden fear of such places as school or parts of the house, periods of panic, an extreme fear of undressing, a fear of being al one with a familiar person, and self-mutilation.

However, be careful about jumping to conclusions. Most of these symptoms do not by themselves necessarily  mean that a child has actually been sexually abused. Each could indicate some other problem.  But if you see disturbing symptoms, gently broach the subject, perhaps with such a statement as: "If anyone ever touches you in way that make you feel uncomfortable, I want you to know that you can always tell me, and I'll do all I can to protect you.  Has anything like that ever happned to you?" -PROVERBS 20:5.

If your child discloses sexual abuse, you will no doubt feel shattered. But remember: Your reaction will play a major role in the child's recovery.  Your child has been carrying an unbearable burden and needs you, with all your adult strength, to lift it from her or his shoulders. Praise the child for being so brave as to tell you what happened.  Repeatedly reassure the child that you will do your best to provide protection; that the abuse was the abuser's fault, not the child's; that the child is not "bad"; that you love the child.

Next time: If Your Child Is Abused -Conclusion

From the jw.org publications

Your Child Is in Danger! - He Cried for Help

 "Plea to Jehovah Halts Molester's Attacks on Youth," declared a headline in the U.S newspaper The Arizona Republic, on May 5, 1993.  The alleged molester abducted the 13-year-old youth at gunpoint, taking him to the perpetrator's apartment.  When the youth cried out, "Jehovah help me!" The molester was shaken and let the boy go free.  The police apprehended the man.

While calling on Jehovah's name is certainly appropriate under such circumstances, it does not mean that God's servants will be free from attack in these critical "last days." (2 Timothy 3:1-5, 13)  Christian parents must therefore train their children to be cautious with all strangers, regardless of apparent authority.

Next time: If Your Child Us Abused

From the jw.org publication

Your Child Is in Danger! - Cautious as Serpents

It is the rare pedophile who uses physical force to molest a child.  They generally prefer to befriend children first. Jesus' advice to be "cautious as serpents" is thus appropriate.  (Matthew 10:16)  Close supervision by loving parents is one of the best safeguards against abuse.  Some molesters look for a along in a public place and strike up a conversation to spark the child's curiosity. ("Do you like motorcycles?" "Come see the puppies out in my truck.")  True, you cannot be with your children at all times. And child-care experts recognize that children need some freedom to move around.  But wise parents are cautious about granting children too much freedom prematurely.

Make sure you get to know well any adults or older youths who are close to your children, using extra caution when deciding who should care  for your children in your absence.  Be wary of baby-sitters who make your children feel funny or ill at ease. Likewise, beware  of teenagers who seem to have an excessive interest in younger children and have no friends their own age.  Thoroughly check out day-care facilities and schools. Tour the entire premises and interview the staff, observing carefully how they interact with children.  Ask if they mind i you drop in to check on your children at unexpected times; if this not allowed, look elsewhere. - See Awake! of December 8, 1987, pages 3-11. 

The sad truth is, however, that not even the best of parents can control everything that happens to their children. - ECCLESIASTES 9:11. 

If parents work together, there is one thing they can control: The home environment. And since the home is where most child abuse occurs, that will be the focus of our next article. 

Next time: Your Child Is in Danger! - He Cried Out for Help

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Your Child Is in Danger! - Be Thorough in Your Training

 

Do not limit such training to a one time talk.  Children need much repetition.  Use your own judgments in determining just how explicit the training should be, but be thorough.

Be sure, for example, to forestall an attempts by an abuser to create a secret from either parent.  Reassure them that it is always proper for them to tell-even if they had promised not to. (Compare Numbers 30:12, 16) Some abusers blackmail the child if they know that the child has disobeyed some family rule:  "I won't tell on  you, if you won't tell on me" is the message. So children should know they will never get in trouble  for telling-even under these circumstances. It is safe to tell.

Your training should also be threat-resistant.  Some abusers have killed small animals in front of a child and threatened to do the same to the child's parents.  Others have warned their victim that they will abuser young siblings. So teach children that they should always tell on an abuser, no matter what scary threats are made.

In this regard the Bible can be a helpful teaching tool. Because it so vividly stresses Jehovah's almighty power, it can take the bite our of abuser's threats. Children need to know that no matter what threats are made, Jehovah is able to help his people.  (Daniel 3:8-30)  Even when bad people hurt those  Jehovah loves, he can always undo the damage afterward and make things better again. ( Job, chapters 1, 2; 42:10-17; Isaiah 65:17)  Assure them that Jehovah sees everything, including the people who do bad things and the good people who do their best to resist them. -Compare HEBREWS 4:13.

Next time: Your Child Is in Danger! - Cautious as Serpents

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Your Child Is in Danger! - Conclusion of Educate Your Child!

 

One widely recommended teaching tool is  the "What if . . . ? game.  You might, for example, ask: "What if your teacher told you to hit another child? What would you do?"  Or,  "What if (Mommy or Daddy, a minister, a policeman) told you to jump off a tall building?  The child's answer may be inadequate or simply wrong, but don't correct harshly.  The game need not include shock or scare tactics;  in fact, experts recommend that it be played in a gentle, loving even playful manner.

Next, teach children to fend of displays of affection that are inappropriate or that make them feel uncomfortable. Ask, for example, "What if a friend of Mommy and Daddy  wanted to kill you in a way that made you feel funny?" It is best to encourage the child to act out  what he or she would do, making it a "lets pretend game.

In the same way, children can learn to resist other tactics of abusers.  For example, you might ask:  "What if someone says,  'You know, you're my favorite. Don't you want to be my friend?" When the child learns to resist such ploys, discuss others. You might ask:  "If someone says 'You don't want to hurt my feelings, do you?'  What will you say?"  Show the child how to say no through words and clear. firm body language.  Remember, abusers often test how children respond to subtle advances. So a child must be taught to resist firmly and say: "I'm telling on you." 

Next time: Your Child Is in Danger! - Be Thorough in Your Training 

From the jw.org publications

Your Child Is in Danger! - Educate Your Child!

 

Wise King Solomon told his son that knowledge, wisdom, and thinking ability could protect him "from the bad way, from the man speaking perverse things." ( Proverbs 2:10, 12)  Isn't that just what children need? The FBI pamphlet Child Molesters: A Behavioral Analysis says this  under the heading "The Ideal Victim":  "For most children sex is a taboo subject about which they receive little accurate information, especially from their parents."  Don't let your children be "ideal victims." Educate them about sex.  For example, no child should reach puberty unaware of how the body will change during this time. Ignorance will make them confused, ashamed-and vulnerable.

A woman we'll call Janet was sexual abused as a child, and years later her own two children were sexually abused.  She recalls: "The way were were brought up, we never talked about sex. So I grew up embarrassed about it. It was shameful. And when I had kids, it was the same. I could talk to other people's kids but not my own.  I think that's unhealthy because children are vulnerable if you don't talk to them about these things."

Abuse prevention can be taught early. When you teach children to name such body parts as the the vagina, the breasts, the anus, the penis, tell them that these places are good, they are special-but they are private.  "Other people are not allowed to handle them-not even Mommy or Daddy-and not even a doctor unless Mommy or Daddy is there or has said it is OK." Ideally, such statements should come from both parents or each adult guardian.

In The Safe Child Book, Sheryll Kraizer notes that while children should feel free to ignore, scream at, or run from and abuser, many children who are abused explain later that they don't want to seem rude. Children thus need to know that some grown-ups do bad things and that not even a child has to obey anyone who tells him or her to do something wrong. At such times a child has a perfect right to say no. Just as did Daniel and his companions to the Babylonian adults who wanted them to eat unclean food. - DANIEL 1:4. 8, 3:16-18.

Next time: Your Child Is in Danger! - Conclusion of Educate Your Child! 

From the jw.org publications

Your Child Is in Danger! - How Can We Protect Our Children?

 

AFTER using children to satisfy  perverted lusts, after robbing them of their security and their sense of innocence, child molesters want something else from their victims -SILENCE.  To secure that silence, they use shame, secrecy, even outright terror. Children are thus robbed of their best weapon against abuse-the will to tell, to speak up and ask an adult for protection.

Tragically, adult society often unwittingly collaborates with child abusers. How so?  By refusing to be aware of their danger, by fostering a hush-hush attitude about it, by believing oft- repeated myths.  Ignorance, misinformation, and silence give safe haven to abusers, not their victims.

For example, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops concluded recently that it was a "general conspiracy of silence"  that allowed gross child abuse to persist among the Catholic clergy for decades.  Time magazine in reporting on the widespread plague of incest, also cited a "conspiracy of silence" as a factor that "only helps perpetuate the tragedy" in families .

However, Time noted that this conspiracy is crumbling at last. Why?  In a word, education. It is as Asia week magazine put it:  "All experts agree that the best defense against child abuse is public awareness." to defend their children, parents must understand the realities of the threat.  Don't be left in the dark by misconceptions that protect child abusers and not children. See box at end of blog. 

Next time" Your Child Is in Danger! - Educate Your Child

From the jw.org publications

Your Child Is in Danger! - Conclusion of An Urgent Problem

 

So child molestation is neither new nor rare; it is a long-standing problem that is epidemic today. Its impact can be devastating.  Many survivors suffer profound feelings of worthlessness and low self-esteem. Experts in the field have listed some common aftereffects of incest on girls , such as running away, drug and alcohol abuse, depression, attempted suicide, delinquency, promiscuity, sleep disturbances, and learning problems.  Long-range effects may include poor parenting skills, frigidity, distrust of men, marriage to a pedophile, lesbianism, prostitution, and child molestation itself.

These aftereffects are not inevitable for a victim, nor could anyone rightly excuse wrong conduct solely on the grounds of having been assaulted in the past.  Abuse does not predestine its victims to be immoral or delinquent, nor does it dissolve all their personal responsibility for the choices they make later in life.  But these common outcomes for victims are real dangers. They add urgency to the question, How can we protect children from molestation?

Next time: Your Child Is in Danger? - How Can We Protect Our Children?

From the jw.org  publications

Your Child Is in Danger! - An Urgent Problem

 

Assaults on children are often cloaked in secrecy, so much so that they have been called perhaps the most unreported  of crimes. Even so, such crimes have evidently spiraled upward in recent decades. In the United States, a survey on the subject was conducted by the Los Angeles Times. It found that 27 percent of the women and 16 percent of the men had been sexually abused as children.  Shocking as these statistics are, other  careful estimates for the United States have run considerably higher. 

In Malaysia, reports of child molestation have quadrupled over the past decade. In Thailand, some 75 percent of the men in one survey admitted to using child prostitutes. In Germany, officials estimate that as many as 300,000  children are sexually abused each year.  According to South Africa's Cape Times, the number of reports  of such assaults soared by  175 percent in a recent three-year period. In the Netherlands and Canada, researchers found that about one third of all women had been sexually abused as children. In Finland 18 percent of the ninth grade girls (15 or 16 years old) and  7  percent of the boys reported having sexual contact with someone at least five years their senior. 

In various countries disturbing reports have surfaced about religious cults that abuse children with sadistic sexual practices and torture.  Often, those who report that they were victims of such crimes are treated with incredulity, not compassion.

Next time: Your Child Is in Danger! - Conclusion of An Urgent Problem

From the jw.org publications

Your Child Is in Danger! - An Ancient Problem

 Some 4,000 years ago, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were famous for depravity, Pedophilia was apparently among the religion's many vices. Genesis 19:4 describes a sex-crazed mob of Sodomites ranging "from boy to old man" seeking to rape Lot's two male guests:  Why would mere boys be inflamed with the idea of raping males?  Clearly they already been introduced to homosexual perversions.

Centuries later, the nation of Israel moved into the region of Canaan. So steeped was this land in incest, sodomy, bestiality, prostitution, and even the ritualized sacrifice of little children to demon god's  that all these vile acts had to be expressly forbidden in the Mosaic Law.  (Leviticus 18:6, 21-23; 19:29; Jeremiah 32:35)  Despite divine warnings, rebellious Israelites, including some of their rulers, adopted these despicable practices. - PSALM 106:35-38.

Ancient Greece and Rome, however, were far worse than Israel in this regard.  Infanticide common to both, and in Greece, it was a widely accepted practice for older men to have relations with young boys.  Boy Brothels flourished in every ancient Greek city. In the Roman Empire, child prostitution was so prevalent taht special taxes and holidays were set up specifically for that trade. In the arenas, girls were raped and forced into acts of bestiality. Similar atrocities were prevalent in many other ancient nations.

What about modern times? Is mankind too civilized for such horrible sex acts to flourish  today?  Students of the Bible cannot accept this notion.  They well know that the apostle Paul characterized our era as "critical times hard to deal with."  He detailed  the rampant self-love, the love of pleasure, and the disintegration of natural family love that overrun modern society and added: "Wicked men and imposters  will advance from bad to worse." (2 Timothy 3:1-5,13; Revelation 12:7-12) Has child molestation, so often perpetrated by "wicked men and imposters." got worse?

Next time: Your Child Is in Danger! -An Urgent Problem

From the jw.org publications 

 

Your Child Is in Danger!

 

The molestation of children is an ugly reality in this sick world.  Lear's magazine said:  "It affects more of us than cancer, more of us than heart disease, more of us than AIDS."  Awake! thus feels an obligation to try to alert its readers to this danger and what can be done about it.  - Compare EZEKIEL 3:17-21; ROMANS 13:11-13.

 IN RECENT years a global outcry has arisen over the molestation of children. But the media attention, replete with celebrities who have publicly disclosed their experiences of childhood abuse. has led some popular misconceptions.  Some believe that all this talk about attacks on children is simply the latest fad. In truth, though, there is little new about such sexual assault. It is nearly as old as human history itself.

Next time: Your Child Is in Danger! - An Ancient Problem

From the jw.org publications 

IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH -Conclusion of "LISTEN TO HER"

 

Sarah was a true wife to Abraham, a genuine  complement. She did not merely tell her husband whatever he wanted to hear. When she saw a problem, on that mattered to the family and their future, she spoke candidly to her husband.  Her directness should not be mistaken for disrespect. In fact, the apostle Peter , himself a married man, later referred to her as a sterling example of a wife who showed deep respect for her husband.  ( 1 Corinthians 9:5; 1 Peter 3:5, 6) In truth, Sarah had kept silent about this matter, she would have failed to respect Abraham, for the cost to him and the whole family might have been great indeed. Sarah lovingly said what needed to be said.

Many wives cherish Sarah's example.  For her they learn to communicate honestly and respectfully with their husbands. Some wives might wish, at  times, that Jehovah would intervene as he did in Sarah's s case. Even so, they learn from Sarah's remarkable faith, love , and patience.

Though this beloved woman was named "Princess" by Jehovah himself, she did not expect to be treated like royalty. It is small wonder that when she died at 127 years of age, Abraham "began to mourn and to weep over Sarah."  (Genesis 23:1, 2)  He sorely missed his beloved "Princess."  Without a doubt, Jehovah God also misses this faithful woman-and he intends to restore her to life on a paradise earth.  And eternal and blissful future awaits Sarah-and all who imitates her faith. - JOHN 5:28, 29.

Next time:  Your Child Is in Danger!

From the jw.org publications

IMITATE THEIR FAITH /SARAH - "LISTEN TO HER"

 

At 90 years of age, Sarah finally got to relish the moment she had longed for all her adult life. She bore a son to her beloved husband, now a century old! Abraham named the baby Isaac, or "Laughter," just as God had said. We may picture Sarah's  weary but glowing smile as she explained: "God has brought me laughter; everybody hearing of it will laugh with me." (Genesis 21:6)  This miraculous gift from Jehovah  surely delighted her till the end of her days.  However, it also brought her great responsibilities. 

When Isaac was five years old, the family held a feast to mark the occasion of the weaning of the child. But not all was well. We read that Sarah  "kept noticing" a troubling patter of behavior. Ishmael, the 19 year old son of Hagar, kept mocking little Isaac.  This was not mere playful teasing.  The apostle Pau was later inspired to call Ishmael's behavior persecution.  Sarah saw this bullying for what it was; a serious   threat to the well-being of her son. Sarah knew well that Isaac was more than just her son; he was assigned a key role  in Jehovah's purpose. So she mustered up courage and spoke forthrightly to Abraham. She asked him to send Hagar and Ishmael away. - GENESIS 21:8-10; GALATIANS 4:22, 23, 29. 

How did Abraham respond? We read: "What she said about his son was very displeasing to Abraham." He was fond of Ishmael, and he could not see past his own fatherly emotions on this issue.  However, Jehovah saw the matter clearly, so he intervened. We read: Then God said to Abraham: 'Do not be displeased by what Sarah is saying to you about the boy and about your slave girl.  Listen to her, for what will be called your offspring will be through Isaac."  Jehovah assured  Abraham that Hagar and the boy would be provided for.  Faithful Abraham complied. - GENESIS 21:11-14.

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FATH /SARAH - Conclusion of "LISTEN TO HER"

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IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - Conclusion of "YOU DID LAUGH"

 

 Not long afterward three men, strangers, came to Abraham's tent. It was during the heat of the day, but this elderly couple immediately hurried to welcome these guests. Abraham said to Sarah:  "Quick get two measures of fine flour, knead the dough, and make loaves of bread." Hospitality involved a lot of work back then. Abraham did not leave all the work to his wife; he rushed about to slaughter a young bull and prepare more food and drink.  (Genesis 18:1-8)  Those "men" turned out to be Jehovah's angels!   The apostle Paul likely  had this incident in mind when he wrote:  "Do not forget hospitality, for through it some unknowingly entertained angels." (Hebrews 13:2) Can you imitate the splendid example of hospitality set by Abraham and Sarah? 

When one of the angels repeated to Abraham's promise about Sarah giving birth to a son, she was out of sight, within her tent listening. The thought of giving  birth at her age struck her as being so bizarre that she could not hold back -she laughed to herself, saying "After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I really have this pleasure? "  The angel corrected Sarah with a pointed question,  "Is anything too extraordinary for Jehovah?"  Sarah's reaction was fearful, defensive, and only too human. She blurted out: "I did not laugh!" The angels replied: "Yes! you did laugh." - GENESIS 18:9-15.

Was Sarah's laughter evidence that she lacked faith?  Not at all.  The Bible says:  "By faith also Sarah received power to conceive offspring, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who made the promise.: (Hebrews 11:11)  Sarah knew Jehovah; she knew that he could fulfill any promise that he made. Who of us  does not need more faith of that kind? We do well to get to know the God of the Bible better.  As we do, we will see that Sarah was right to have the faith that she did.  Jehovah truly is faithful and carries out his every promise-at times, he might even do it in ways that surprise us into amazed or incredulous laughter! 

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - "LISTEN TO HER"

From the jw.org publications

IMITATE THEIR FAITH/ SARAH -"YOU DID LAUGH

 

It was not long afterward that Hagar became pregnant by Abraham.  Perhaps convinced that her pregnancy made her more important than Sarah, Hagar began to despise her mistress.  What a blow for barren Sarah! with Abraham's  permission and God's backing.  Sarah in some undisclosed way chastised Hagar.  A son, Ishmael, was born to Hagar, and then years passed.  (Genesis 16:4-9, 16) The next time the record reveals a message from Jehovah, Sarah was  89 years old and her husband 99. And what an amazing message they received!

Again, Jehovah promised his friend Abraham that He would multiply his offspring.  God also changed the man's name. Up to this point, he had been known as Abram.  But Jehovah renamed him Abraham, which means multitude." And now for the first time, Jehovah showed where Sarah fit into the picture. He changed her name to Sarah, the name familiar to us all. What does Sarah mean?  "Princess"!  Jehovah explained why he chose that name for this beloved woman: "I will bless her and also give you a son by her; I will bless her and she will become many nations; kings of peoples will come from her." -  GENESIS 17:5, 15, 16. 

Jehovah's covenant to bring forth an offspring who would bless them all nations would be fulfilled through Sarah's son!  The name that God chose for the boy Isaac means "Laughter." When Abraham first learned of Jehovah's purpose to bless Sarah with a child of her ow, he "fell facedown and began to laugh." (Genesis 17:17)  He was amazed and overjoyed. (Romans 4:19, 20)   And what of Sarah?

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH/SARAH - Conclusion of "YOU DID LAUGH"

From the jw.org publications

IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - Conclusion of "JEHOVAH HAS PREVENTED ME"

 

Finally, Sarah decided that it was time to speak to Abraham of a plan that had been forming in her mind. Picture her face showing conflicting emotions as she said: "Please now! Jehovah has prevented me from having children."  Then she asked her husband to become father to children by means of her servant girl, Hagar.  Can you imagine Sarah's anguish in asking that of her husband? It may seem a strange request to us today, but it was not unusual in those times for a man to take secondary wife, or concubine, in order to produce an heir.  Might Sarah have felt that in this way God's purpose  to produce a nation of descendants through Abraham would be realized?  At any rate, she was willing to make a difficult sacrifice. Abraham's reaction?  We read that he "listened to what [Sarah] said." - GENESIS 16:1-3.

Does the account suggest that Jehovah moved Sarah to make such an offer?  No.  Rather, her proposal reveals a very human outlook.  She thought that God was responsible for her troubles, and she could not imagine that he had another solution.  Sarah's own solution would bring her pain and trouble.  Still, her proposal showed an admirable lack of selfishness.  In a world where people so often put their own personal desires ahead of all else, doer not Sarah's selfless spirit shine through? If we are willing to  put God's purposes ahead of selfish interests, we will imitate Sarah's faith.

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH /SARAH - "YOU DID LAUGH"

From the jw.org publications

IMITATE THEIR FAITJH /SARAH - "JEHOVAH HAS PREVENTED ME"

 

The family recently returned from Egypt.  (Genesis 13:1-4) They were encamped in the highlands east of Bethel, or Luz, as the Canaanites called it.  From this lofty plateau, Sarah could see a great deal of the Promised :Land.  There were Canaanite villages and reads that led travelers so far-off lands.  In all that panorama, though, there was nothing like Sarah's hometown. She had grown up in U, a Mesopotamian city that was a 1,200-mile (1,900 km) journey away. There she had left behind one of her many relatives, the conveniences of a thriving  city with markets and bazaars, and her comfortable home with a solid roof and walls, perhaps even with running water!  Yet, if we imagine Sarah gazing sadly to the east, pinning for the comforts of her childhood home, we do no know this godly woman.

Note what the apostle Paul was inspired to write some 2,000 years later.  Speaking of the faith of Sarah and Abraham, he said: "If they had kept remembering the place from which they had departed, they would had opportunity to return." (Hebrews 11:8, 11, 15)  Neither Sarah nor Abraham  looked longingly to the past. Had they indulged in such  thinking, they might well have decided to return home. Back in Ur, though, they  would have missed out on the remarkable privilege Jehovah was offering them.  And they would surely have faded from human memory instead of becoming inspiring examples  of faith that have touched millions of hearts. 

Rather than looking behind, Sarah looked ahead. So she kept supporting her husband in his sojourn in the land, helping to pack up the tents, move with the herds, and set up camp again.  She endured further challenges and changes. Jehovah renewed his promise to Abraham-but still no mention of Sarah! - GENESIS 13:14-17, 15:5-7.

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH -"JEHOVAH HAS PREVENTED ME" Conclusion

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IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - God Called Her "Princess"

 

Sarah straightened up from her work and turned toward the horizon. Under her wise guidance, the servants were happily and busily employed.  Industrious Sarah did her own part too.  Picture her thoughtfully rubbing her hands together, massaging the aches away. Perhaps she had been engrossed in sewing  a patch  over a tear in the tent that was their home.  The coarse goat hair fabric was faded by years of sun and rain, reminding Sarah  of how long they had been living a nomadic life. The afternoon fled by, and now the light was turning golden. She had watched Abraham leave  in the morning , and she gazed expectantly in the same direction. As her husband's familiar form crested a nearby hill, a smile lit up her lovely face.  

A decade had passed since Abraham led his large family group across the Euphrates River and down into Canaan. Sarah had willingly  supported her husband in this great journey into the unknown, for she knew that he was to play a vital role in Jehovah's purpose to produce a highly favored offspring and a nation.  What part, though, could Sarah play? She had always been barren, and she was 75 years old now.  She might well have wondered, 'How can Jehovah's promise come true while I am Abraham's wife?  It would certainly be understandable if she felt concern-or even impatience.

We too may at times wonder when God's promises will come true. Patience rarely comes easily to us, especially when we are awaiting the fulfillment of a hope we cherish.  What can we learn from the faith of this remarkable woman?

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - "JEHOVAH HAS PREVENTED ME"

From the jw.org publications  

IMITATE THEIR FAITH /SARAH - "DOWN TOWARD EGYPT"

 

After they crossed the Euphrates, likely on Nisan 14, 1943 B.C.E., they made their way south into the land Jehovah had promised them.  (Exodus 12:40, 41) Picture Sarah turning to look this way and that, taken by the beauty, the variety, and the pleasant climate of the land. Near the big trees of Moreh, near Shechem, Jehovah appeared to  Abraham again, this time saying:"To your offspring I am going to give you this land." Ah, this expression "offspring," would have rich meaning for Abraham! It surely made him think back to the garden of Eden, where Jehovah had foretold that an offspring would one day destroy Satan.  Jehovah had already told Abraham that the nation that came from him would open the way for blessings to people of all the earth. - GENESIS 3:15; 12;2,3, 6, 7.

Still, the family was not immune to the troubles of this world. A famine struck the land of Canaan, and Abraham decided to lead his family toward Egypt. However, he sensed a particular danger in that region. So he spoke to Sarah:  "Please listen!  I know what a beautiful woman you are. So when the Egyptians see you; they will surely say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but keep you alive.  Please say that you are my sister. so that it will go well with me because of you, and my life will be spared." (Genesis 12:10-13)  Why did Abraham make such an unusual request?

Abraham was neither a liar or a coward, as some critics have charged. Sarah was, in truth, his half sister. And Abraham's caution was well-founded. Abraham and Sarah knew that nothing was more important than God's purpose to produce a special offspring and nation through Abraham, so Abraham's  safety became of paramount importance. What is more, archaeological evidence has shown that it was not unheard of for men of power in Egypt  to abduct a man's wife and kill the husband. So Abraham acted wisely, and Sarah humbly cooperated with his decision. 

Before long, events proved that Abraham's fears were well-founded, some of Pharaoh's princes noticed Sarah's stunning beauty-a remarkable trait at her age.  They reported on her to Pharaoh, and he ordered that the woman be taken! It is hard  to imagine the anguish of Abraham or the fears that must have afflicted Sarah. However, it seems that she was treated not as a hostage, but as an honored guest. Perhaps Pharaoh planned to woo her and impress her with his wealth and then negotiate with her "brother" to obtain her as a wife. - GENESIS 12:14-16. 

Think of Sara, looking out over the Egyptian landscape from a palace window or balcony. How did she feel, living within walls again, with a roof over her head, with fine foods put before her? Was she tempted by a life of luxury-perhaps a life even more opulent than anything she had ever known back in Ur?  Imagine how pleased Satan would have been if she had sought to abandon Abraham and become the wife of Pharaoh!  But Sarah did nothing of the kind. She  was loyal to her husband, to her marriage, and to her God. If only every married person in today's world would show such loyalty!  Can you imitate Sarah's loyalty in your dealings with your own loved ones and friends?

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - God Called Her "Princess"

From the jw.org publications

IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - THEY "WENT OUT OF THE LAND" -Conclusion

 

Despite the  challenges, Sarah was packed and ready to go on the appointed day. Terah, as family patriarch, was to accompany Abraham and Sarah, though he was about two centuries old. (Genesis 11:31) Sarah would no doubt have much to do with caring for this elderly parent.  Lot too would join them as they obeyed Jehovah and "went out of the land of the Chaldeans." - ACTS 7:4.

The caravan journeyed first to  Haran, some 600 miles (960 km) to the northwest, following the Euphrates. At Haran, the family settled for a time. Terah may have been ailing at this point, unable to travel farther.  The family stayed until he died at 205 years of age. At some point before the next phase of their journey, Jehovah spoke again to Abraham, telling him once more to leave this land and go to the land that Jehovah would show him.  In this instance, though,, God added a  thrilling promise:  "I will make you a great nation." (Genesis 12:2-4) But when they left Haran, Abraham was 75 and Sarah was 65, and they were childless. How could a nation come from Abraham?  Would he take another wife? Polygamy was a common practice in those days.  So Sarah may well have wondered about that.

At any rate, they left Haran and pressed onward. Note, though, who was now with them.  The account tells us that Abraham's family  left with the wealth they had gained as well as "the people whom they acquired in Haran." (Genesis 12:5)  Who were those people?  Servants, most likely.  However, Abraham and Sarah doubtless  shared their faith with those who were willing to listen.  Some ancient Jewish paraphrases thus say that the people referred to in this verse were also proselytes, people who had joined Abraham and Sarah in worshipping Jehovah. If so, Sarah's deep faith no doubt made her very convincing when she spoke to others about her God and her hope.  That is useful for us to contemplate, for we live in an age when faith and hope are in desperately short supply.  When you learn something good from the Bible,  could your share it with someone?

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - "DOWN TOWARD EGYPT" 

From the jw.org publications

IMITATE THEIR FAITH /SARAH - "THEY WENT OUT OF THE LAND"

 

As Sarah packed her things, she faced the dilemma of what to keep and what to leave behind. she could keep no item that was too big for a caravan of donkeys and camels to carry, nothing that would be impractical in a nomadic life.  No doubt many of their possessions would have to be sold or given away.  Gone, too, would be the conveniences of city living-the ready access to markets or bazaars where she could shop for grain, meats, fruit, clothing and other necessities and comforts.

Perhaps it was harder still for Sarah to give up her home itself. It was like many of the houses that archaeologists have uncovered in Ur, Sarah faced the loss of some very real comforts.  Some of those houses had over a dozen rooms, as well as freshwater fountains and plumbing. Even a humble house might offer a solid roof, walls, and a door that could be bolted shut.  Could  a tent offer similar protection against thieves? Or against  lions, leopards, bears, and wolves-all  of which were common in the Bible lands in those times?

And what of family? Whom would Sarah be leaving behind? God's command to "go out from you land and from your relatives" may  have been especially challenging for her.  A warm affectionate woman, she may well have had brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and aunts and uncles to whom she  was very attached and whom she might not ever see again.  Yet, Sarah bravely went forward, day by day, getting ready for departure.

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - THEY"WENT OUT FROM THE LAND"  Conclusion

From the jw.org publications

IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - "What a Beautiful Woman You Are" - "GO OUT FROM YOUR LAND; Conclusion

 

Abraham came to Sarah brimming with excitement.  He could hardly believe what had just happened. The God they worshipped had just spoken to him-had even appeared to him, no doubt by means of an angel!  Imagine Sarah, her lovely eyes intent on her husband. breathlessly asking:  "What did he say to you? Please tell me!" Perhaps Abraham first sat down to collect his thoughts, then he told her what Jehovah had said:  "Go out from your land and from your relatives and come into the land that I will show you." (Acts 7:2, 3)  After the initial excitement abated, they contemplated the assignment Jehovah was putting before them.  They were to leave  their stable, comfortable life and live as nomads!  How would Sarah respond? No doubt Abraham watched her keenly. Would she willingly support him in such a great change of their life?

The choice facing Sarah may sound foreign to us.  We might think,  'Well, God has never asked me or my spouse to do anything like that!' Nonetheless, do we not all face a similar choice? We live in a materialistic world, one that may urge us to put first in life our own comforts. our possessions,  or our sense of security.  But the Bible urges us to make another choice-to seek spiritual things first, to put pleasing God ahead of pleasing ourselves. (Matthew 6:33)  As we contemplate what Sarah did, we might ask ourselves, 'What choice will I make in life?

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - "What a Beautiful Woman  You Are" - THEY "WENT OUT OF THEIR LAND"

From the jw.org publications

IMITATE THEIR FAITH /SARAH -"What a Beautiful Woman You Are"

 

"GO OUR FROM YOUR LAND"

Sarah likely grew up in Ur.  Today, all that is left of that city is a desolate ruin. But in Sarah's day, merchants' vessels plied the water and canals of the Euphrates River, bringing precious goods from far and wide to this thriving city. People thronged Ur's narrow, winding streets, ships jostled one another along it wharves, and goods overflowed in its bazaars.  Imagine Sarah growing up in that bustling city, coming to know many of its people by name.  They surely remembered her too, for she was an extraordinarily beautiful woman. She also had a  large family there. 

Sarah is known in the Bible for her great faith-but it was not faith in the moon-god widely worshipped in Ur, where a tower to that god loomed over the city. Rather, Sarah worshipped the true God, Jehovah.  The inspired record does not say how she gained that faith.  Her father for a time at least, was an idolater. At any rate, she married Abraham, a man ten years past her senior.  (Genesis 17:17) He later became known as "the father of all those having faith."  (Romans 4:11) Together they built a fine, strong marriage, one that was marked  by respect, good communication, and a mutual willingness to work through difficult problems together. Above all, though, their union was marked by the love of their God.

Sarah loved her husband dearly, and the two set up their home among their relatives  in Ur. Before long, though, they faced a disappointment.  The Bible tells us that Sarah "was barren; she had no child."  (Genesis  11:30)  In that culture and time, Sarah's condition was particularly trying. But Sarah stayed true to her God and to her husband.  Their fatherless nephew Lot evidently became like a son to them.  Life went on-until the day when everything changed.

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH/SARAH - "What a Beautiful Woman You Are"  "Conclusion of "GO OUT FROM YOUR LAND" 

From the jw.org publications 

IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH

 

"What a Beautiful Woman You Are"

SARAH stood in the middle of the room and looked around.  Picture a Middle Eastern woman with a pair of dark, expressive eyes.  Did a  trace of sadness show there?  If so, it would not be hard to understand why.  There was a lot of history in this house. She and beloved husband, Abraha, had spent many countless hours  here. Together, they had made it a home.

They lived in Ur, a prosperous city with plenty of artisans, craftsmen, and merchants.  So they surely had possessions. But  Sarah's home was more to her than a mere place in which to keep their belongings.  Here she and her husband has shared years of joys and disappointments. Here they had prayed countless times to their beloved God,  Jehovah.  Sarah had ample reason to love this place.

Yet, Sarah was willing to move away from all that was  familiar.  Though perhaps about 60 years old, she would travel to parts  unknown and take up a life fraught with danger and hardship, with no prospect of coming back. What led her to such a sweeping change in her life?  And what can we today learn from her faith?

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH/ SARAH - "GO OUT FROM YOUR LAND"

From the jw.org publications

What Does the Bible Say About Living Together Without Marriage?

 

What about living together before marriage to test combability?

The key to a successful marriage is not a preliminary "trial period" during which either partner can freely leave. Instead, relationships thrive when both partners are strongly committed to each other and work together to overcome problems. Marriage strengthens commitment. - MATTHEW 19:6.

How can couples build a strong marriage?

There are no perfect marriages.  However, couples can build a successful marriage  b applying the Bible's advice. Here are some examples.

* Put the needs of your mate ahead of your own. - 1 CORINTHIANS 7:3-5; PHILIPPIANS 2:3. 4.

* Cultivate love and respect for each other.  - EPHESIANS 5:25, 33.

* Learn to control your speech. - PROVERBS 12:18. 

* Be patient and quick to forgive. - COLOSSIANS 3:13, 14.

Next time: IMITATE THEIR FAITH / SARAH - "What a Beautiful Woman You Are" 

From the jw.org publications

What Does the Bible Say About Living Together Without Marriage?

The Bible's answer

The Bible says that God's will is for the people to " abstain from sexual immorality."(1 Thessalonians 4:3) As used in the Bible, the term "sexual immorality" includes adultery, homosexual acts, and sex between a man and woman who are not married,  and who are not married to each other.

Why does it matter to God whether couples marry or not?

* The marriage arrangement comes from God.  He instituted it when he brought the first human couple together. (Genesis 2:22-24) He did not intend for a man and woman to live together without commitment of marriage.

* God knows what is best for humans.  He designed marriage to be a permanent union between a man and a woman that would benefit and protect all family members.  Consider  a simple illustration.  Just as the instructions that come from the manufacturer show you how to assemble a piece of furniture correctly, God's instructions tell us how to build successful family relationships.  God's standards always benefit those who follow them. -ISAIAH 48:17. 18.

* Sex outside of  marriage can have serious consequences.  For example, it can result in unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and emotional turmoil. 

* God gave men and women the ability to procreate by means of sex.  God's views life as sacred, and the ability to procreate is a precious gift. God wants us to treat that gift with respect by honoring his arrangement for marriage. - HEBREWS 13:4. 

Next time: What Does the Bible Say About Living Together Without Marriage? - What About Living Together Before Marriage to Test Compability?

From the jw.org publications

What Does the Bible Say About Pornography? Is Cybersex Wrong?

 

The Bible's answer

The Bible does not directly mention pornography, cybersex, or similar activities.  However, the Bible is very clear on how God feels about actions that promote sex outside a marriage or a distorted view of sex. Consider these Bible verses: 

* Deaden, therefore, your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite." (Colossians 3:5)  Rather than deadening wrong desires, viewing pornography inflames them. It makes one unclean, or dirty, in God's eyes. 

* "Everyone that keeps on looking at  woman so as to have a passion  for her has already committed adultery  with her in his heart,: (Matthew 5:28) Images of immoral sexual practices trigger wrong thoughts that lead to wrong actions. 

* "Let fornication and uncleanness of every sort of greediness not even be mentioned among you." ( Ephesians 5:3) We shouldn't  for pleasure even mention immoral sex, much less watch or read about it.

* "The works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, . . . and things like these.  As to these things I am forewarning  you, the same way as I did forewarn  you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God's Kingdom."(Galatians 5:19, 21) God views those who use pornography or engage in cybersex, phone sex, or sexting as being unclean, morally contaminated. If we were to make a practice  of such things, we could completely lose God's favor.

Definitions

 * Pornography:  Erotic videos, pictures, or writing designed to cause sexual excitement. 

* Cybersex: Sex-oriented messages or conversations over the Internet for the purpose of sexual excitement.

* Phone sex: Using a phone to have improper sexual conversations or to listen to explicit erotic messages. 

* Sexting:  Sending sexually explicit images or messages by cell phone.

Next time: What Does the Bible Say About Living Together Without Marriage? 

From the jw.org publications

What Does the Bible Say About Abortion?

When does human life begin?

God views human life as beginning at conception.  In his Word, the Bible, God consistently portrays an unborn child as a distinct person.  Consider some examples indicating that God does not draw a distinction between the life of a baby in the womb and one that has been born.

* Under divine inspiration, King David said to God: "Your eyes saw me an embryo."(Psalm 139:16) God considered David to be a  person even  before he was born.

* Additionally, God knew that he would have a special purpose for the prophet Jeremiah before Jeremiah's birth.  God said to him: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I sanctified you. I made you a prophet to the nations." -JEREMIAH 1:5.

* The Bible writer Luke, a physician, used  the same Greek word to describe an unborn baby as he did to describe a newborn baby. - LUKE 1:41; 2:12, 16. 

Will God forgive someone who has had an abortion?

Those who have had an abortion can receive God's forgiveness. If they now accept God's view of life, they do not need to be overwhelmed with guilt.  "Jehovah is merciful and compassionate . . .  As far off as the sunrise is from the sunset, so far off from us he has put our transgressions." (Psalm 103:8-12)  Jehovah will forgive all who sincerely repent of their past sins, including abortion. - PSALM 86:5. 

Is abortion wrong if the life of the mother or the child is indanger?

In view of what the Bible says about the life of an unborn child, a person would not be justified in having an abortion because of a particular health risk to the mother or child. 

What about the rare situation where at the time of childbirth an emergency forces the choice between saving the life of the mother or saving the baby? In such a case, those involved would have to make a personal decision about which life to save. 

Next time: What Does the Bible Say About Pornography? Is Cybersex Wrong? - The Bible's Answer

From the jw.org publications

What Does the Bible Say About Abortion?

 

The Bible's answer

The Bible does not use the word "abortion" in the sense of an induced expulsion of a human fetus. However, many Bible verses provide God's view of human life, including that of an unborn child.

Life is a gift from God.  (Genesis 9:6; Psalm 36:9)  He considers all life to be precious, including the life of a child in the womb. So if someone intentionally kills an unborn child, that amounts to murder.

God's Law to the Israelites stated: "If men should struggle with each other and they hurt a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely  but no fatality results, the offender must pay the damages, imposed on him by the husband of the woman;  and he must pay it through the judges.  But if a fatality does occur, then you must life for life." - EXODUS 21:22, 23.

Note: That does not mean that the husband kills the man who killed the baby in mother's womb, but that justice should be done.  Jehovah God will take care of him later.  And it will not be as easy as the judges would do. 

Next time: What Does the Bible Say About Abortion? - When Does Human Life Begin?

From the jw.org publications

What Does the Bible Say About Tattoos?

 

The Bible mentions tattoos just once, at Leviticus 19:28, which says:  "You shall not make any cuttings into your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks  upon you: I am Jehovah your God.  ( King James Version) God gave this command to the nation of Israel, thus setting them apart from the neighboring peoples who marked their skin with the names or symbols or their gods. (Deuteronomy 14:2) While the Law given to Israel is not binding  on Christians, the principle underpinning this law is worth serious consideration.  

Note: If Jehovah didn't want the Israelites to mark or cut themselves, it only serves to know that he would not like anyone to do so. I believe that we should do all  we can to not displease him.  If you have markings, when the person having them, when they older, the markings will stretch out and not look like a tattoo, it will be a mess and unreadable.  To me, it looks tacky and the more markings the tackier it gets.  We were not born with these disgusting things, why make the skin look bad.  You look different by being yourself and staying that way. That is why we all each have different personalities, different color hair, skin or a different language. We should not go by fads.  The only person we need to please is Jehovah God. He is our Creator and Father in heaven and he is more powerful than any human.  Something to think about. 😉

Should a Christian get a tattoo or body art?

The f0llowing Bible verses can help you reason on the matter:

* Women should adorn themselves with . . . modesty." (1 Timothy 2:9, New American Bible)  That principle applies  to both men and women. We should respect the feelings of others and not draw undue attention to ourselves.

* Some want to establish their identity or independence, while others get a tattoo in order to assert ownership of their body.  However, the Bible encourages Christians: "Present your bodies a  sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason." (Romans 12:1) Use your "power of reason" to analyze why you want a tattoo. If is is because  you want to follow a fad or to show membership in a certain group, remember that your feelings may prove to be less permanent than the tattoo. Examining your motives can you make a wise decision. - PROVERBS 4:7.

* "The plans of the diligent one surely make for advantage, but everyone that is hasty, surely heads for want." (Proverbs 21:5) The decision to get a tattoo is often made in hast, yet it can have a long-term impact on relationships and employment. And tattoos  can be costly and painful to remove.  Research - as well as the booming business of tattoo removal shows that a large number of those who get tattoos eventually wish that they hadn't. 

Next time: What Does the Bible Say About Abortion? /The Bible's Answer

From the jw.org publications

Spirit Creatures -How They Affect Us - HOW TO RESIST WICKED SPIRITS - Conclusion

 

What other step did those Christians in Ephesus need to take?  They needed further protection because they were living in a city filled with demonism.   So Paul told them: "With every form of prayer and supplication . . . carry on prayer on every occasion in spirit." (Ephesus 6:18)  Since we too live in a world full of demonism, earnestly praying to Jehovah for his protection is essential in resisting wicked spirits.  Of course, we need to use Jehovah's name in our prayers. (Read Proverbs 18:10)  Hence, we should keep on praying to God: "Deliver us from the wicked one," Satan the Devil. (Matthew 6:13) Jehovah will answer such earnest prayers. - PSALM 145:19. 

Wicked spirits are dangerous, but we need not live in fear of them if we oppose the Devil and draw close to God by doing His will. (James 4:7, 8)   The power of wicked spirits is limited.  They were punished in Noah's day, and they face their final judgment in the future.  Jude 6) Remember too, that we have the protection of Jehovah's powerful angels.  (2 Kings 6:15-17) Those angels are deeply interested in seeing us succeed in resisting evil spirits. The righteous angels are cheering us on, so to speak.  Let us therefore stay close to Jehovah and his family of faithful spirit creatures.  May we also avoid every kind of spiritism and always our fight against wicked spirit creatures. 

Next time: What Does the Bible Say About Tattoos? 

From the jw.org publications

Spirit Creatures -How They Affect Us - HOW TO RESIST WICKED SPIRITS

The Bible tells us both how resist wicked spirits and how to break free from them. Consider the example of the first-century Christians in the city of Ephesus.  Some of them practiced spiritism before becoming Christians.  Whey they decided to break free  from spiritism, what did they do?  The Bible says: "Quite a number of those who practiced magical arts  brought their books together and burned them up before everybody." (Acts 19:19)  By destroying their books on  magic, those new Christians  set an example for those who wish to  resist wicked spirits today. People who want to serve Jehovah  need to get rid of everything related to spiritism. That includes books, magazines, movies, posters, and music recordings that encourage the practice of spiritism and make it seem appealing and exciting. Included too, are amulets, or other items worn for protection against evil. - 1 CORINTHIANS 10:21.

Some years after the Christians in Ephesus destroyed their books on magic, the apostle Paul wrote them:  "We have a struggle . . . against the wicked spirit forces." (Ephesians 6:12)  The demons have not given up.  They were still trying to gain an advantage. So, what else did those Christians need to do? Besides all of this," said Paul, "take up the large shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the wicked ones' [Satan's] burning arrows." (Ephesians 6:16) The stronger our shield of faith, the greater our resistance to wicked spirits forces will be. - MATTHEW 17:20.

How then can we strengthen our faith? By studying the Bible. The firmness of a wall depends very much on the strength of its foundation.  In the same way, the firmness of our faith depends greatly on the strength of its base, which is accurate knowledge of God's Word, the Bible. If we read and study the Bible daily, our faith will become strong. Like a strong wall, such faith will shield us from the influence of wicked spirits. - John 5:5.

Next  time: Spirit Creatures -How They Affect Us - Conclusion of HOW TO RESIST WICKED SPIRITS

From the jw.org publications

Spirit Creatures - How They Affect Us - HOW DEMONS MISLEAD

 

To mislead people, the demons use spiritism. The practice of spiritism is involvement with the demons, both in a direct way and through a human medium.  The Bible/Jehovah God condemns spiritism and warns us to keep free from everything connected with it. (Galatians 5:19-21)  Spiritism does for the demons what bait does for fishermen.  A fisherman uses a variety of baits to catch various kinds of fish.  Similarly, wicked spirits use different forms of spiritism to bring all sorts of people under their influence. 

One type of bait used by the demons is divination. What is divination?  It is an attempt to find out about the future or about something unknown.  Some forms of divination are astrology, the use of tarot cards, crystal gazing, palmistry, and the search for mysterious omens, or signs, in dreams.  Although many people think that practicing divination is harmless, the Bible shows that fortune-tellers and wicked spirits work together.  For instance, Acts 16:16-18  mentions  "a demons of divination " that enabled a girl to practice fortune-telling. But she lost this ability when the demon was cast out of her.

Another way that the demons mislead people is by encouraging them  to inquire of the dead. People grieving over the death of a loved one are often deceived by wrong ideas about those who have died. A spirit medium may give special information  or may speak in a voice that seems to be that of a dead person. As a result,  many people become convinced that the dead are really alive and that contact them will help the living to endure their grief. But any such "comfort"  is really false as well as dangerous.  Why? Because the demons can imitate the voice of a dead person and give a spirit medium information about the one who died.   ( 1 Samuel 28:3-19) Moreover, was we learned in Chapter  6, the dead have ceased to exist.  (Psalm 115:17)  So "anyone who enquires of the dead" has been misled by wicked spirits and is actibg contrary to the will of God.  (Read Deuteronomy 18:10, 11; Isaiah 8:19)  Therefore, be careful to reject this dangerous bait used by the demons. 

Wicked spirits not only mislead people but also frighten them. Today, Satan and his demons know that they have only "a short period of time" left before they are put out of action, and they are now more vicious than ever. (Revelation 12:12, 17)  Even so, thousands of people who once lived a daily dread of such wicked spirits have been able to break free. How did they do this? What a person do if he is already involved in spiritism? 

Next time: Spirit Creatures -How They Affect Us - HOW TO RESIST WICKED SPIRITS

From the jw.org publications

Spirit Creatures - How They Affect Us - SPIRIT CREATURES WHO ARE OUR ENEMIES

 

As we learned in Chapter  3 of this book, one of the angels developed a desire to rule over others and thus turned against God. Later this angel became known as Satan the Devil. (Revelation 12:9)  During the last 16 centuries after he deceived Eve, Satan succeeded in turning away from God nearl all humans except a few faithful ones, such as Abel, Enoch, and Noah.  -HEBREWS 11:4, 5, 7. 

In Noah's day, other angels rebelled against Jehovah.  They left their  place in God's heavenly  family, came down to the earth, and took fleshly bodies. Why? We read at Genesis 6:2: "The sons of the true God began to notice that the daughter of men were beautiful.  So they began taking wives all whom they chose." But Jehovah God did not allow the actions of these angels resulting in corruption of mankind to go on.  He brought upon the earth a global flood that swept away all wicked humans and preserved only  his faithful servants. (Genesis 7:17, 23) Thus, the rebellions angels, or demons, were forced to abandon their fleshly bodies and return to heaven as spirit creatures. They had put themselves on the side of the Devil, who thus became the ruler of the demons." "- MATTHEW 9:34.

When the disobedient angels returned to heaven, they were treated as outcasts, like their ruler, Satan.  (2 Peter 2:4) Although they are now unable to take on human bodies, they still exercise a very bad influence over humans.  In fact, with the help of these demons, Satan "is misleading the entire inhabited earth." (Revelation 12:(; 1 John 5:19) How? Mainly, the demons use methods  designed to mislead people.  (Read 2 Corinthians 2:11.) Let us consider some of these methods.

Next time: Spirit Creatures -How They Affect Us - HOW DEMONS MISLEAD

From the jw.org publications

Spirit Creatures - How They Affect Us - ANGELIC S UPPORT AND PROTECTION

 

Ever since they witnessed the creation of the first humans, faithful spirit creatures have shown keen interest in the growing human family and in the outworking of God's purpose.  (Proverbs 8:30, 31; 1 Peter 1:11, 12)  With the passing of time, however, the angels observed that most of the human family turned away from serving their loving Creator.  No doubt this saddened the faithful angels.   On the other hand, whenever even one human returns to Jehovah,  "joy arises among the angel's." (Luke  15:10)  Since angels have such deep concern for the welfare of those who serve God, it is no wonder that Jehovah has repeatedly used angels to strengthen and protect his faithful servants on earth.  (Read Hebrews 1:7, 14)  Consider some examples.

Two angels helped the righteous man Lot and his daughters  to survive destruction of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by leading them out of that area,  (Genesis  19:15, 16) Centuries later, the prophet Daniel was thrown into a lion's pit, but he escaped harm and said: "My God sent his angel and shut the mouth of the lions."  ( Daniel 6:22) In the first century C.E., an angel freed the apostle Peter from prison.  (Acts 12:6-11) Moreover, angels supported Jesus at the start of his earthy ministry. (Mark 1:13)  And shorty before Jesus' death, an angel appeared to Jesus and "strengthened him." (Luke 22:43) What a comfort that must have been for Jesus at those very important times in his life!

Today, angels no longer appear visibly to God's people on earth. Although, invisible to humans eyes, God's powerful angels still protect his people, especially from anything  spiritually harmful.  The Bible says:  "The angel of Jehovah camps all around  those fearing Him, and he rescues them." (Psalm 34:7) Why should those words  be of great comfort to us?  Because there are dangerous spirit creatures  who want to destroy us! Who are they? Where do they come from?  How are they are they trying to harm us?  To find out, let us briefly consider something that happened at the start of human history. 

Next time: Spirit Creatures -How They Affect Us - SPIRIT CREATURES WHO ARE OUR ENEMIES

From the jw.org publications