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Domestic Violence LaNita Monroe, Publisher Preparing this issue was rather difficult. Domestic Violence is not an easy topic to address, yet one that must be addressed. The Church is all too painfully aware that this atrocity happens and yet we don’t here much about it until some high profile person comes out in the open with it. Yet there are many of you who either have been or are currently being abused – both women and men. Well, what is domestic violence? Domestic violence is abuse. Abuse is abnormal use. This includes both physical and/or psychological (mental) abuse.
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, pain, injury, or other physical suffering or harm. This results in outward bruises and scarring. Psychological abuse is the willful infliction of mental or emotional anguish by threat, humiliation, or other verbal or non-verbal conduct. It is often associated with situations of power imbalance, such as the situations of abusive relationships. This leaves behind bruising and scarring that is not seen by the naked eye and is just has horrific as physical abuse. Both physical and psychological are meant to intimidate, dominate and manipulate – which are the same characteristics found in witchcraft. Yes, abuse is witchcraft. We were not created to be abused, bound up by witchcraft and unable to hold our head up with pride. Anything that attempts to dominate, intimidate or manipulate is witchcraft.
Who pays the price for Domestic Violence? How do you free yourself of this? First you must want to be free. Once you have made that choice the second thing to do is to create a plan of escape. In Exodus at the onset of the last plaque, the children of Israel were told to prepare to leave. And like Joseph, although you may find yourself in bondage, you must still hang on to a hope that God will make a way of escape for you.
Jesus said "…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."(John 10:10b NKJV). When I evaluate my life, I often use this scripture to determine: Am I really having life and life more abundantly? And if not, I plan to make changes so that I am. I know it is not easy – leaving an abusive relationship. I know, I’ve been there and done that too. But once I made up my mind, there was no stopping me. I made a plan and I was out of there. I felt like Lot and his wife, except I did not look back. I just kept moving away from that situation and closer to God. Domestic violence is not a part of life more abundantly.
In Tyler Perry’s "Madea’s Family Reunion," there’s a very disturbing scene in which the character Carlos attempts to throw Lisa from the window as a means of intimidating and manipulating her to stay in that abusive relationship. That scene was so hard for me because the very same thing happened to me. I had forgotten it until I saw it on the screen. But that entire relationship played true – putting on airs that all is well at home and you’re getting the crap beat out of you. Even she had someone to give her hope and an encouraging word about getting out. I cried and thanked God that I made it and never had to go back.
Know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God and it is not his desire that you be abused any way. You can be free. If you have accepted Jesus Christ, you can trust that He has already made a way for you to get out. If you have not, accept Jesus today. Look for Him to give you plan of escape. You can start by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit their website at http://www.ndvh.org to obtain more information on this subject.
Should you care for us to pray for you or someone you know email me at pastorlanita@yahoo.com
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