How to reach lost non-Christian family member..

[Purple Hyacinth]

I will try to keep this short... I have a younger sister who is a "lost soul". She is 45 years old, lives at home, cannot work due to severe anxiety disorder. I think she may be bi-polar as well. She believes in pyschic "healers", new age stuff and re-incarnation and is convinced she was St. Catherine in another life and this is why she is suffering so much "here". She has been told by pychics that she is carrying over suffering from previous lifetimes. All they do is take my parents money, since my sister is also financially supported by them. She does not believe in the Bible as the literal word of God, but that's is just a fun book to read and any and all religions can lead to whichever God you believe in, yet, she's not sure about Heaven because she thinks she'll be re-incarnated again.

I am working with her to see a real psychiatrist and to get on some meds. I have to tread very careful with her. She thinks "she knows it all".

How do I reach her with the word of God and teach her about being saved?

I am going to send her a nice Easter card with some scripture and words written on teaching you how to get saved.

What else can I do???

 

[StarBright]

Hi Carolyn,

I commend you for caring so much about your sister, and wanting to help her. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do or say to make your sister believe anything. She has to come to that conclusion by herself. I'm sure you've tried before, right? Chances are, she knows all the basic facts about Christianity already. What she's lacking is the truth about her own fallen state, and the faith to reach out to God in a personal way. You can't FORCE that into her. You can't argue until she cracks and suddenly just believes. You can't throw Scriptures and apologetics at her and expect that some light will just turn on inside her soul due to your forcefulness or sincerity. If you've presented the gospel to her, and she refuses it, you've done your part. Pushing the issue with her is going to turn her off from the idea more and more. The best thing you can do is PRAY. Pray for God to touch her heart. Pray it every single day. He's the one who can soften and open hearts, not us! Best wishes to you

 

[Purple Hyacinth]

Hi Carolyn,

I commend you for caring so much about your sister, and wanting to help her. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do or say to make your sister believe anything. She has to come to that conclusion by herself. I'm sure you've tried before, right? Chances are, she knows all the basic facts about Christianity already. What she's lacking is the truth about her own fallen state, and the faith to reach out to God in a personal way. You can't FORCE that into her. You can't argue until she cracks and suddenly just believes. You can't throw Scriptures and apologetics at her and expect that some light will just turn on inside her soul due to your forcefulness or sincerity. If you've presented the gospel to her, and she refuses it, you've done your part. Pushing the issue with her is going to turn her off from the idea more and more. The best thing you can do is PRAY. Pray for God to touch her heart. Pray it every single day. He's the one who can soften and open hearts, not us! Best wishes to you

Thank you,

I did present the Gospel to her and my mom shortly after I became a Christian and accepted the Lord as my Saviour around 13 years ago. I was on fire for Jesus back then, and told my mom all about and my sister. I even gave my mom a Bible to read and she gave it back to me... *sigh*

They know I am a Christian, but I just know if they had the Spirit inside of them, especially my sister, she would not be so lost and keep looking for the other demonic things I believe she has gotten fooled into. She asks me to pray for her and I even prayed over her last year.

And you are right, this is why I have to tread lightly with her. I just feel I am letting God down if I don't try to get more involved. I say little things here and there and that is all. I will continue to pray!

 

[madetoworship]

I love the idea of Easter cards and following on that note, especially with Good Friday and Easter coming up, I think you should approach her about the historic significance of Jesus the historic person. Many secular historians agree upon the existence of such man and his death on the cross but deviate at one crucial point: His Resurrection. I believe that when it gets to that point: Did He rise from the dead or not? You can leave her to decide.

To help you with that crucial point:

- 4 Gospels by 4 different people in different times in different perspectives - all who doubted and even betrayed Jesus yet turned back why?
- The survival of Christianity: when Jesus died, Christianity was pretty much dead and gone. Why did it survive? And why did his followers continue to believe?

SIDE NOTE:

She might ask: What does this Jesus have to do with me? You can answer by - what Jesus taught, who he claimed to be, and his authority all have eternal significance to mankind.

 

[StarBright]

Carolyn,

You know your sister better than we do. If you feel she'd be receptive to something evangelical for Easter, that's up to you. If you think it might turn her off or offend her, I'd say skip it for now. Don't give up on her, as long as she's alive and breathing, there's hope for her Loving her unconditionally, not pounding her over the head with preaching, and praying unceasingly, are the best things you can do IMO.

 

[Purple Hyacinth]

Carolyn,

You know your sister better than we do. If you feel she'd be receptive to something evangelical for Easter, that's up to you. If you think it might turn her off or offend her, I'd say skip it for now. Don't give up on her, as long as she's alive and breathing, there's hope for her Loving her unconditionally, not pounding her over the head with preaching, and praying unceasingly, are the best things you can do IMO.

You are right and I agree with you. I'm just going to send the card is all. I just felt it was my duty by God to spread the Gospel as much as I can. But I guess it does not work like that. I have already spread it to her...just frustrating when you know if they knew Jesus, their lives could be so much better!