Genesis 27:12-13
"My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them."
The Devil's attack against the home is a never ending attack. Unfortunately, the Devil doesn't have to do much work in many homes because they do the work for him. He certainly sets the trap for them to take, but once the destructive forces begin the damage they cause will often affect several generations.
Isaac and Rebekah fell for one of Satan's traps. From the time they had children, their home seemed to allow the destructive forces damage their home to the point that it became a dysfunctional home. You read the story of how Rebekah helped Jacob deceive his father in the affair of the birthright. You see manipulation going on with the whole family. Isaac loved Esau, so he was going to make sure he got the best. Rebekah loved Jacob, so she was looking out for him. This passed on to the children, and the chain of events affected this family for at least three generations.
The same forces that destroyed Isaac and Rebekah's home seem to be prevalent in many homes today. The first force that destroys the home is manipulation. When those in the home begin to manipulate each other to get what they want, then you will find a home filled with strife and deceit. The husband knows how to manipulate the wife to get from her what he wants. The wife knows how to manipulate her husband to get what she wants. Then, the children learned that manipulation is how you get things, so they do it.
This manipulation leads to deceit and lies. A little lie here and there becomes acceptable so as to make yourself look good. Yet, those little lies sow discord in the home. You may think that a little lie is innocent, but you must realize that at the core of every problem in the home is deceit. From whence did the deceit come? It came from manipulation and lies. A marriage damaged by indiscretions is the result of manipulation and lies. A home damaged by dysfunctional children is the result of manipulation and lies. You will find that manipulation and lies are at the core of every problem in the home.
What is the answer to avoiding manipulation and lies in your home? The answer is to love each other and always tell the truth. Love is the antidote for manipulation. Instead of trying to manipulate someone to get what you want, you need to learn to love those in the home whether or not they give you what you want. Love quenches the fires of manipulation because love simply wants to meet the needs of others.
Furthermore, truth is the antiserum to lies. Truth must be the foundation of every home. There can be no secrets in your home if you want it to be filled with love and a sweet spirit. Truth keeps deceit away. The husband and wife must always be truthful to each other and never have any secrets they withhold if they want at strong marriage filled with love. Truth must be demanded in the home at all times to keep the destructive forces of manipulation and lies away. If you allow truth to be the foundation of your home, then you will never experience the destructive forces of a dysfunctional home.