A Family Affair

Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV
[26] Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” [27] So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. [28] Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

*Definition of Family – a nurturing crucible of intimate relationship bound by common elements and purposes which provide instruction, direction, protection, celebration, support and fulfillment!

*Place where one can make a contribution in the lives of others

*The Importance of the Family
Joshua 24:15 NKJV
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

*The Divine Plan for the Family
Acts 16:31 NKJV
[31] So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Acts 11:13-14 NKJV
[13] And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, [14] who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’

The Invasion of the Family
2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV
[11] lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

*The Encroachments of Satan Revealed By The Attacks On The Family
*Sickness
*Stress
*Suffering
*Sabotage
*Struggles
*Suicides
*Suspicions

*We are Instructed to Engage Satan Not Avoidance… Believe the Word!!!!
James 4:7 NKJV
[7] Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Luke 10:17 NKJV
[17] Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

*The Intercession for the Family
James 5:14-15 NKJV
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. [15] And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

*Intercessory Petitions Matter
1 John 5:14 NKJV
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

16:23 NKJV
[23] “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

Job 1:4-5 NKJV
[4] And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. [5] So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.

*Ask the Father
*Ask According to His will
*Ask in Jesus Name

*When we go to God in prayer we are engaging in a form of Spiritual Warfare

To see victory you must be willing to make a long term commitment of prayer and patience in order to effect change.