Sticking with Jesus!

[Ehall67]

It's so hard to stick with Jesus when your 17 like me I was getting closer to God then something came into my life bringing me back how can i fix this and push forward with God? Help please

 

[Michelle71]

Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Going through a dark night of the soul no matter what your age is not an easy thing. There are things that happen in life that can steal our joy, and our trust in God.

Above all it is a battle in the mind. We have a choice what to believe, and a choice who to place trust in. Most often those situations hit at the exact hour when the walk is getting closer to God. Just when a bit of victory is seen, then another thing comes up that can send us reeling in our own mind and emotions.

This, friend, is called temptation. Temptation is not a sin. And often the person or situation that has come does not even know they are tempting you. What is a temptation for one person is not always a temptation for another. The sin is in the individual. In our own self by our own thought patterns and actions. So, the way to overcome is through prayer, and by reading the word of God. Then applying what the word says about what you are going through. We depend on God through Jesus Christ our Savior to enable us, and give us His Spirit in order to do and think what we need to do and think. Asking God to give beauty for ashes, strength for fear, gladness for mourning, peace for dispair. And believing He will give all those things when we are in Christ believing that he died for us.

The thing that many do not understand is the role repentance plays in the victory over temptation. Whenever fear, doubt, unbelief, or a general falling away from God is realized in our own life, our own mind, then the first thing to do is go to God in repentance.

Saying "I'm sorry Lord for doubting, for letting fear get the better of me. For not believing that You work all things for good. Please stabilize my emotions. Give me beauty for the ashes in my life, peace for the dispair that has come upon me, Your oil of gladness for the mourning that life has brought. Do all of this through Jesus Christ my Savior, and Your Son who died for me. Who is my High Priest, and who was also tempted to sin, but did not sin. Place Your Holy Spirit upon me so that I can come against all the fiery darts of the adversary in my mind. By Your Spirit show me how to put on Your full armor. Remind me who I am to You. That You made salvation possible by sending Your Son to die. Give Me the faith that will turn away my thoughts from defeat to victory because the victory is Yours. Help me to rest in the righteousness that I have because I am in Christ knowing full well that I cannot walk through this battle on my own. Enable me to spread and be in the middle of the Gospel of Peace, and show me the truth in all situations. The real truth that You work all things for good according to Your Word. Place your words from the Word of God within my heart. Bring those scriptures to mind so that I will have an alternative focus for my mind. Fill me, Father, with Your Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ so that through this time of shaking, You will be glorified in my life. Let all who look on praise Your name for the glory, honor, and credit all goes to You. Praise You, Father God for your faithfulness to draw close to me as I draw close to you. Destroy any double mindedness I have about my situation, and about Your promise to deliver me from my strong enemy. It is only on you that I place my trust. Help me to believe even in those times where I cannot believe through my own self. Rise up in me Father by the name and through the blood of Jesus Christ"

 

[dannibear]

A lot of the time, a common occurrence in Bible camps over summers, a teen's faith is driven more by emotion. I have seen in my own youthgroup this problem. We would all go to a camp for a few days or a week, everyone would be getting into it, everyone is weeping every night, they give themselves to Jesus, but after a couple weeks at home that zest for Christ is gone. There is no more emotional music during the prayers. There is no more jumping around and running around the auditorium during worship. The students are no longer forced to have quiet time, they must find that initiative and keep the focus by themselves. They continue to wear WWJD bracelets and T Shirts but slip back into their old routine. I do not know if your emotional drive in your faith is what is causing the backslide as I do not know you personally, and I will not make a judgement on you.

What I can say is this: We make choices to do these things out of our love for Him, not because we feel like it. Examine your personal relationship with Jesus and try to remember, did you slip back because you didn't 'feel' like doing something like prayer or Bible reading, etc? If this is not the case, please update with us so we can continue seeking together. I would also like to add though, that I don't know your heart, Jesus does. Psalm 139:2 John 2:25

 

[Ehall67]

I think my problem is dealing with people who are a part of my past i want them in my life but I don't want them to cause me to stray from God how can I keep them in my life I often wonder does God want them to be there and If I'm sinning by keeping them in my life knowing they may cause me to stray

 

[dannibear]

Here is a link to another thread I started that I think will give you a great foundation to that question.
http://www.talkjesus.com/teen-hangout/41609-friends-unbelievers.html

 

[Michelle71]

I think my problem is dealing with people who are a part of my past i want them in my life but I don't want them to cause me to stray from God how can I keep them in my life I often wonder does God want them to be there and If I'm sinning by keeping them in my life knowing they may cause me to stray

It depends on the circumstance of what your talking about. If you cannot resist doing the things those friends are doing, and it is obviously leading you away from God rather than closer to God, then I'd say change your environment. That does not mean you never talk to those people again, but you put a distance between them until you are able to resist the temptation of falling into those things again.

There have been many testimonies of people who were on drugs etc. that came to Jesus for their Salvation...that there was a time needed away from the people they were around for a time. Then they were eventually able to be a witness to that group of people.

Don't know your situation, but a time apart may be wise?

Then there are those who are being trained in a way that requires those people to be around constantly in order for them to learn dependance upon the Lord only for the resistance. Remember the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the desert. Right in the middle of temptation. Sometimes the Lord does that as well. He brings those people into our lives for a reason. At the end of the day it could almost look strange when the testimony is "I'm glad for those people. Their acts were the very things God used to show me that it is His battle, His victory. All glory to Him!"

It all depends on where you are at in your walk. We fail sometimes, and fall into pits. But when faith is placed solely on the Lord for deliverance and forgiveness, then He is faithful through those times.

We become who and what we are feeding ourselves. Jesus hung out with disciples that started out cussing like sailors, liars, cheaters, prostitutes, but he spent long stretches of time in lonely places in the mountains praying. The question is, what is your objective in keeping those people in your life. To be influenced by them, or to be an influence of Christ to them. Make sure that you are always in prayer and reading the bible. If a situation comes up, or question arises that you do not know the answer to, then it is OK not to know. Withdraw for a time of prayer and reading the word of God. Just because you take a short sabbatical does not mean you have to boot people out of your life.

 

[Ehall67]

Thanks for the words of advice! It's helps I was getting so close to God and I just stopped it sucks but I want to pull myself out of this set back and get on track again I know God has a plan for me

 

[Michelle71]

Thanks for the words of advice! It's helps I was getting so close to God and I just stopped it sucks but I want to pull myself out of this set back and get on track again I know God has a plan for me

I cannot believe you just said sucks on a Christian website! Don't ya know we all are supposed to act perfect so everyone knows were filled with the Holy Spirit? :cap: