At the conclusion of a theatrical showing of The List an elderly, aristocratic woman came up to me and exclaimed, “I’ve lived my whole life in the South. Why haven’t I heard about this before?”

I quickly reassured her that the movie was the adaptation of a novel without any basis in historical fact. However, just because the film isn’t founded on fact doesn’t mean it lacks the ability to communicate truth. Jesus recognized the power of story. Think about how much of Jesus’ teaching in the New Tes-tament is in the form of parables. In The List, the setting of the movie, the characters who live there, and the struggles they face mirror, in a dramatic way, real life. Their sufferings and triumphs can be models for us.

That’s the goal of The List –Bible Study.

Prepared by Angie Davis, the study guide unwraps some of the spiritual is-sues faced by the characters and shines the light of God’s Word on them. For those who desire more detailed insights, links are given to teaching material by British Bible teacher Derek Prince whose writings influenced the devel-opment of the story. Our hope is that these resources will make watching The List much more than 108 minutes of entertainment.

May God richly bless you in your journey with Jesus!

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From Robert Whitlow, best-selling author of The List

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Prayer

“God’s children and His enemies make the same mistake; they both underesti-mate the power of prayer.” ~Daisy Stokes

Michael: “He’d probably be yelling, ‘Pray, Josiah! Pray!’” Renny: “I don’t know much about that.”

Since Renny is unaware of the danger he’s facing by being a part of the List, he is also unaware of the need to pray. In fact, Renny seems to have been oblivious to the power of prayer his whole life. Daisy, however, understands the importance of prayer.

Prayer is a way for people to communicate with God. It’s easy to see that good communication between two people involves dialogue—two-way conversa-tion—where both parties take turns listening and speaking. The same principle applies to our communication with God; prayer should be a dialogue rather than a monologue. Though God does not often speak in an audible voice, we must learn to recognize the ways that He communicates with us.

When Daisy gets up in the night to pray for Renny, she asks God, “What is this Lord? Victory?” The Lord answers her question by leading her to 2 Timothy 4:6-7. This scene shows that God often communicates with people through the Bible.

•Matthew 6:6 says, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” How did Daisy apply this verse in her life?

•The Gospels record several instances of Jesus praying. Read Matthew 14:28; Mark 6:46, 14:32; Luke 6:12, 9:28. Where was Jesus in these verses and who was with Him? Do we have to be in a special prayer room in order to pray?

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•In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells a parable about prayer. Do you think Daisy prayed with the same tenacity mentioned in the parable?

•1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray continually,” or “without ceasing.” Chris-tians can do this because “we are the temple of the living God” and God lives with us (2 Corinthians 6:16). Also see 1 Corinthians 3:16.

•Renny’s mom left him a letter that said, “I have said prayers for you that I be-lieve will be answered after my death.” This statement suggests that Renny’s mom believed the power of prayer is timeless. Does the Bible indicate that she was right? Read John 17. Are Jesus’ prayers in John 17 still being an-swered? If so, in what ways?

•What does Hebrews 7:23-25 teach about Jesus’ prayers for us?

*For more information on prayer, read Shaping History through Prayer and Fasting by Derek Prince.

Prayer, continued

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Spiritual Warfare

“When you know evil exists, you must fight it.” ~Daisy Stokes

“Ever have dreams about the Civil War? I do.” ~Michael Harriston

Renny’s lack of understanding about prayer shows that he was also unaware of the unseen spiritual battle going on all around him. The “church historian,” Mi-chael, perceives the war surrounding Renny and the List, and he advises Renny to engage in battle through prayer. Later, Daisy encourages Renny to fight the war against evil, so Renny tries to fight the invisible enemy the only way he knows how—by using the power behind the List.

Unfortunately, Renny’s plan fails miserably, since he is trying to fight evil with evil. Only when Renny comes to the end of his own strength does he learn about the power of God that overcomes evil.

Though the spiritual war in the movie was invisible, the effects of it—Bart’s death, Jo’s hospitalization, etc.—were visible. The same is true in our world; unseen su-pernatural forces are at work in tangible ways. Think about it. Does your family tend to get in a fight every Sunday morning before church? Can you stay up all night reading a suspense novel, but you fall asleep every time you try to read your Bible? Do you catch every red light when you’re worried about being late? Do you feel powerless to say no to a cigarette or a second helping of ice cream? There are spiritual forces at work! Certainly not every argument or red light is a direct attack from the devil, but it is evidence of the battle for your heart.

•According to Ephesians 6:12-13, what do we wrestle or struggle with every day?

•Read Job 1:6-11. Who are the two opposing supernatural beings in this story?

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•According to Ephesians 6:12-13, what do we wrestle or struggle with every day?

•Read Job 1:6-11. Who are the two opposing supernatural beings in this story?

•According to Ephesians 6:11, what must we do in order to stand against the devil?

•The so-called “church historian” who talks to Renny turns out to be an an-gel. How does Hebrews 13:2 apply to this scene?

•Read Ephesians 6:10-18. List the six pieces of the armor of God found in verses 14-17. What other weapon is named in verse 18? Daisy utilized this weapon in response to LaRochette’s attempt to kill Renny.

•Praising God is another important weapon a Christian can use in spiritual battles. Psalm 8:2 says, “From the lips of children and infants you have or-dained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Bible teacher Derek Prince explains, “(Satan) is the accuser of the brothers, the one who misrepresents us, who misinterprets everything we do, who even seeks to accuse us before the very throne of God. How can we silence him? David has shown us the way: by praise. When our praise ascends to God, it silences Satan… Through praise we invoke the presence and power of our God against all forces that oppose us.” (quote taken from Through the Psalms with Derek Prince.)

*For more information on spiritual warfare, read Rules of Engagement and War in Heaven by Derek Prince.

Spiritual Warfare, continued

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“Years ago, I wrote down every disappointment on a piece of paper, forgave each one, and then burned them.”~Daisy Stokes

Daisy’s actions here are so wise. She acknowledged the pain and the disappoint-ment that she felt, but instead of being bitter, she chose to forgive.

•1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” According to this verse, what must we do in order to be forgiven by God?

•What instructions are given to Christians in Colossians 3:12-14?

•Read Matthew 18:21-35. According to verse 22 how many times are we sup-posed to forgive those who hurt us? What does the parable in verses 23-35 teach us about forgiveness?

•What do Matthew 6:14-15 and Mark 11:25 tell us about the connection between our forgiveness of others and God’s forgiveness of us?

•Hebrews 9:22 indicates something specific that is required in order for for-giveness to take place. What is it? How did Jesus fulfill this requirement? (See Matthew 26:28, John 19:34 and Hebrews 13:12.)

Forgiveness is not:

•Ignoring or denying the wrong done to you.•Holding a grudge until the offender apologizes.•Keeping a record of wrongs to use against the other person. •A feeling.

Forgiveness

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Forgiveness is:

•Obeying God’s Word. •Acting with the love of Christ.•Acknowledging the wrong done to you, yet erasing the debt owed to you.•Releasing yourself from the prison of bitterness and offense.•A choice.•Powerful.

Think of the powerful forgiveness Jesus displayed on the cross when He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). If God gave Jesus the strength to forgive those who crucified Him, certainly God can empower us to forgive anyone who has wronged us. If you have been carrying the weight of unforgiveness, you can be free from that burden today. Forgiveness starts with a choice—a decision of your will—to forgive and a simple prayer. You can use the following prayer to help you get started:

Father God, thank you for sending Jesus to make forgiveness available to all people. Lord, I want to obey Your word, and I need Your strength to help me forgive. Through Your strength and power, Lord, I choose to forgive _____________ (name the person you are forgiving) for ____________________ (name the specific situations you need to forgive). I forgive and release _______________ (name of person) to You, and I ask that You would bless him/her. Now, Father, I ask that You would forgive me for disobeying Your Word through my unforgive-ness. Thank You for Your mercy and Your forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

*For more information on forgiveness, read The Three Most Powerful Words by Derek Prince.

Forgiveness, continued

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“Power, true power, is when your enemies beg down before you.”~Desmond La-Rochette

“Just play along, Jo. Think about the money.”~Renny Jacobson

The movie portrays the following major areas of influence in the lives of the characters: power, money, Godly character and prayer.

Power

Desmond LaRochette’s power comes from his money and from his position of authority among the members of the List. On the other hand, Daisy Stokes pos-sesses an unseen power that comes from her faith and obedience to God.

•In the movie, Desmond tells his version of the Old Testament story of Joseph. Desmond says that when Joseph was in charge of the country, his brothers “came and knelt before him, begging for their lives.” Read Genesis 37:3-4, 17-28, 36 and 50:15-21, paying close attention to Genesis 50:19-21. How does the Biblical account differ from Desmond’s version? (The full sto-ry of Joseph can be found in Genesis 37, 39-50.

•Desmond thinks revenge makes him powerful, yet his view of power is con-trasted by the power of forgiveness in Daisy’s life. For Daisy, the power of for-giveness allowed her to love people and to live a life full of happy memories. Read Paul’s commission in Acts 26:17-18. According to these verses, when people turn from “the power of Satan to God,” what do they receive?

•According to Acts 10:38, where did Jesus get His power? What did He do with His power?

•Read Acts 1:8, Luke 9:1 and 10:19. Where did Jesus’ disciples get their pow-er? Can Christians today receive power from the same source?

Influence (Power)

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Money

Renny allows Desmond and other List members to have power over him be-cause Renny wants his share of the money. Renny thinks having more money will bring him happiness, but searching his family history tells him otherwise. Renny asks about his mother’s side of the family, and Mama A replies, “Not so much money, but a whole lot more happiness.”

When he first learns about the money involved in the List, Renny also makes the mistake of thinking that more money will give him freedom, especially freedom from his job as a lawyer. When Renny is set up against Desmond and his inheri-tance money from the List is denied to him, Renny’s dreams of leaving his law firm go up in smoke. Through this experience, Renny begins to sense that his connection to the List allows him less freedom, with or without his inheritance money. Finally, Renny realizes that none of the members of the List are truly free; instead, they are all blinded by their desire for money, just as he had been.

•What does Psalm 68:3 say about happiness?

•According to Romans 6:22 and 8:2, what are the two main things Christians free from?

•Read John 8:32, 36 and 2 Corinthians 3:17. What three things are men-tioned in these verses that can set people free?

•The Bible is full of information about the proper role of money in a person’s life. Read Deuteronomy 8:18. Who gives people the ability to produce wealth or become successful?

Influence (Money)

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•The influence of money can be used for good. It takes money to support missionaries who are spreading the Gospel. It takes money to feed starving children. It took money for the “Good Samaritan” to help the person in need (see Luke 10:33-35). Since Job, Abraham and King David were wealthy yet Godly men who pleased the Lord, we can conclude that being prosperous—even rich—is not a sin. What does 2 Corinthians 8:9 say about being rich?

•What warnings does God give us about money in Ecclessiastes 5:10, Mat-thew 6:24 and Hebrews 13:5?

Influence (Money continued)

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Godly Character

In the movie, Renny and the “church historian,” Michael, discuss the “great cloud of witnesses” mentioned in Hebrews 12:1-2. Renny is unnerved by the thought, but Michael says, “I like to think of it as positive, you know, more like the home crowd cheering you on at a football game.” Why would the believers who died before us cheer us on in our lives? We find the answer in Hebrews 11:39-40: “All of these people we have mentioned received God’s approval because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had far bet-ter things in mind for us that would also benefit them, for they can’t receive the prize at the end of the race until we finish the race” (NLT emphasis added.)

Amos Candler and Renny’s mom were part of the great cloud of witnesses whose Godly character impacted Renny’s life. The inscription on Amos Can-dler’s grave monument said, “Though dead, he speaks,” and Renny later learned that his great, great grandpa Amos’s decision to break his ties with the List left a lasting legacy for their family. Renny’s mother named him Josiah, believing that he would fulfill a destiny similar to that of King Josiah (see 2 Kings 22 and 23).

Daisy Stokes and Mama A were among those who influenced Renny during his life time. Both women prayed for Renny and offered him advice. Because of their love for Renny and their Godly character, Daisy and Mama A were able to positively impact Renny’s life.

•Read Exodus 1:15-17. In these verses, who feared God enough to disobey pharaoh’s command? What was the impact of their Godly character?

•Which character in Joshua 2:1-21 feared God enough to disobey the king? Read Joshua 6:17, 22-25 and Matthew 1:5 to see the influence of this person’s Godly character.

Influence (Godly Character)

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Prayer

As we’ve already seen from some of the previous sections, prayer has a powerful influence on people’s lives. Renny’s mom was right when she wrote to her son, “My prayers for you live on after I’m gone.”

*For more information on influence, read Shaping History through Prayer and Fasting, The Three Most Powerful Words and Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince.

Influence (Prayer)

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Renny: “They seem harmless enough.” Jo: “Secret societies and blood oaths? These aren’t little kids, they’re grown men. It feels weird.”

“Your power over me, over my family, over the people I love, ends now!”~Renny Jacobson

Upon first meeting the members of the List, Renny and Jo have very different opinions of the group. Renny seems to think of the List as a social club or a game he can play in order to get his inheritance money. Jo, however, feels uncomfort-able with the secrecy of the group and soon notices the bizarre circumstances that surround the List.

As the story unfolds, we see the true danger in the List. When Renny joins the List, Desmond LaRochette explains, “For millennia, blood has represented life. Now your life, along with your forefathers, is joined to us by an irrevocable bond.” Though Renny didn’t understand the evil powers associated with the List, he was subjected to those powers because of his covenant with the group. In fact, covenants with the List caused several generations of heartache and un-timely deaths in the Jacobson and Johnston families. Only the power of God at work through Renny’s proclamation of freedom could break the covenant that Renny had made with the List.

Some of the most popular dictionary definitions for the word “covenant” are a promise, a pledge, a binding agreement or a compact. God takes covenants very seriously.

•God made a covenant with the Israelites through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: “This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you” (Genesis 17:7 NLT). God cannot break cov-enant, but people can (see Hosea 1:9, 2:23). Did the Israelites break their covenant with God? In what way? (See Daniel 9:10-11).

Covenants & Proclamations

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•Read Luke 22:20 and Hebrews 8:8.What did God do to restore the broken covenant with people?

•In Exodus 23:32-33, God commanded His people not to make a covenant with the pagan nation they were invading. Read Exodus 23:32-33 to find out why.

Though Renny’s covenant with the List was bad, not all covenants between people are evil. For instance, marriage is a holy covenant established by God between one man and one woman. Sadly, many people do not see marriage as a serious commitment, much less a life-long covenant.

•As for the power of words and proclamations, let’s go all the way back to the beginning. Scan Genesis chapter 1. How did God create the world?

•What does Isaiah 55:10-11 say about God’s word? When a Christian with a believing heart speaks the Word of God over his life and other situations, he too will see that God’s Word never returns void.

•A proclamation is different than an ordinary spoken word because it is more aggressive. In spiritual warfare, proclamations go on the offensive and attack the enemy lines. What are all people supposed to proclaim? Read Psalm 9:11; 64:9; 96:2 and 118:17 to find out.

•Read Luke 4:18-19. What did Jesus proclaim?

Covenants & Proclamations, continued

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Renny declared to LaRochette and the other members of the List, “Your power over me, over my family, over the people I love, ends now!” In the movie we see how that one proclamation broke the dark power of the List over Renny and Jo. In real life, however, we often have to repeat the same proclamations over and over again before we notice any change in the situation. For example, someone who is fearful might declare, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim 1:7 NKJV), and still feel fear. Through faith in God and repetition of this verse, however, a person can over-come fear. Remember, a proclamation is not a magic wand we can wave to make all our problems disappear; instead it is a powerful weapon based on our faith and God’s Word.

*For more information on covenants and proclamations, read The Power of Proclamation and Bless-ing or Curse by Derek Prince.

Covenants & Proclamations, continued

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Jo: “What can you tell us about the Jacobsons?” Mama A: “Sad tales…It’s just a tragedy, that whole Jacobson story.” “Son, your life has an ordained purpose.” ~letter from Renny’s mom

When Renny’s father died, he left Renny a place among the members of the List. With that position came the financial benefits of being a part of the List, but also the negative spiritual attachment to the group. The invisible powers at work among the members of the List revealed themselves in the Jacobson family in the form of mental and physical illness.

Renny’s mother’s side of the family, the Candlers, had a different story. The Can-dler family refused to be associated with the List. By rejecting his invitation, Amos freed his children from the spiritual powers associated with the List.

Because of their choices, Renny’s father left him a legacy of heartache and ill-ness, while Renny’s mother left him a Godly heritage. Like Renny, we cannot control the choices our family members make, but we can always choose what we will do in our own lives.

•The Bible takes family legacy very seriously. What did God say about Abra-ham’s descendants in Genesis 12:3 and 22:17-18?

•In the opening scene of the movie, we see Amos Candler quoting Deuter-onomy 5:9-10 on the lawn while the other men become the original signers of the List. What do these verses say about family legacy, and why do you think Amos was quoting them?

Family Legacy

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•Deuteronomy 30:19 says, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” According to this verse, do the choices you make affect you, your children or both?

•The Bible is very clear that each person is accountable for his or her own decisions (see Romans 14:12), but our choices always affect other people too. Though we are not guilty of the sins of our ancestors, we might be living with the consequences of their choices.

•Deuteronomy 28 lists blessings for obedience to God and curses for disobe-dience to Him. Can you see a pattern of any of these blessings or curses in your family?

The Legacy of an Absent Parent

Renny: “What did your father tell you?” Jo: “Nothing. He left when I was a baby.”

When Jo says that her father was absent, Daisy asks, “It leaves a hole, doesn’t it?” Jo responds, “A big one.”

Far too many people have lived with the heartache of an absent parent. A par-ent’s physical or emotional absence leaves a negative legacy in the life of a child. If you’ve had an absent parent, God can bring healing in your life. You must choose to surrender to God and forgive the person who hurt you. If you have been an absent parent, you can choose to change! Ask God to forgive you, and then forgive yourself. If you are able to, contact your child and apologize. You may even have the opportunity to get involved in his or her life. This will not be easy, but it will bring much blessing to both you and your child.

Family Legacy, continued

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Breaking Negative Family Cycles

As we noted in the section on spiritual warfare, not every little thing that goes wrong is a direct attack of the devil, and that statement applies here, too. In this section we are looking for family cycles, not just isolated incidents. In other words, if you had a cold last week, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are under the curse of sickness. If, however, your grandfather died of a stroke, your dad’s sister had a stroke, your dad had a stroke, and you catch a cold five times every year, it’s possible that your family suffers from the curse of sickness.

Reread the complete list of curses in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. Do you recognize any of those negative cycles at work in your family? What about negative pat-terns that are not listed, such as alcoholism, divorce or abuse? If so, where did these cycles begin? According to Deuteronomy 28 verses 15 and 58, a curse can enter a person’s life through disobedience to God. You might be able to pinpoint how the curse began, or maybe the cycle goes back so many generations that you just aren’t sure how it started. Either way, if there is truly a generational curse at work, it did not happen without a cause (see Proverbs 26:2).

If you recognized a pattern of curses in your life or in your family, please know that you can choose to make a change. If you have not confessed your faith in Christ and surrendered your life to Him, making that decision is the first step in having full freedom and victory in every area of your life. Romans 10:9-10 explains the importance of both believing in Christ and speaking your commit-ment to Him: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Family Legacy, continued

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If you have confessed your faith in Christ and surrendered your life to Him, you are entitled to everything Jesus purchased for you on the cross—forgiveness of sins, physical and emotional healing, prosperity, acceptance as a child of God, eternal life and blessings instead of curses.

Galatians 3:13-14 says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becom-ing a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Jesus has already broken the power of the curse, but Christians must receive what Jesus has done and apply it to their lives.

Here are some steps a Christian can take in order to be released from the power of a curse:

1.Repent of rebellion and sin. Remember, disobedience to God is the primary source of a curse. Repentance is simply telling God you’re sorry for your sin, turning in the opposite direction and walking toward obedience to God.

2.Forgive all who have wronged you. You may want to revisit the section on forgiveness for a more detailed study of this subject.

Family Legacy, continued

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3.Renounce the curse and all ties with the sin that allowed the curse access. Renounce means to reject, refuse, abandon or forsake. Christians have au-thority to reject curses in Jesus’ name. Pray in Jesus’ name and ask God to re-lease you from any curse that has had power in your life. Commit to sever all ties with the sin that allowed the curse to enter your life (for example, Renny breaking his ties with the List). You might even need to get rid of some tan-gible objects such as drug paraphernalia or items bearing satanic symbols. We see a Biblical example of this in 1 Kings 15, where King Asa got rid of his father’s idols and cut down and burned an Asherah pole (an obscene idol or place of idol worship). 4.In all of the above steps, be as honest and specific as possible. When pos-sible, name the specific curses you are refusing (for instance, “poverty,” “sick-ness,” etc.). If you know the cause of the curse, it is important to pray against the specific cause. If you need to forgive a specific person or group of people for a specific grievance, be sure to do so. It may be difficult to speak some of these things aloud, but when you do, God will bring much healing and freedom.

*For more information on family legacy, read God’s Remedy for Rejection and Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince.

Family Legacy, continued