Why is it so hard to beileve in Jesus Christ?????????

Countryangel707 said:

can you ever truly have a true Biblical assurance of your salvation in Christ.

Click to expand...

Yes, the bible assures us of salvation, if we are truly saved. Though, it truly is The Holy Spirit who assures us of our salvation, and our conscience that bears witness - this is why repentance is key to salvation. Then our conscience states that indeed we love to do good and to not practice sin.

Countryangel707 said:

Ok so a little background on me, I am 18 will soon be 19 and I thought that I was saved at the age of 6 I remember getting on my knees and begging God to protect me from satan and hell. Well about a month after turning 18 I began to have incredibly serious doubts and depression that followed those doubts. Its like all of a sudden it was impossible for me to believe. Now I am in the situation where every now in then I get a little boost of trust in Jesus. I tell myself just trust that He really did die for you and really did rise again on the third day. Even as I type this I feel like deep down inside I know that is true but it's like something in my head is just not agreeing. I pray everyday since this all started that God would just open my heart and allow me to just have true Biblical saving faith in Him. I started multiple Bible reading plans and have been trying everything I know to do. It's like when I'm trying to do stuff I just keep getting like this feeling of what if my belief is not truly genuine then I go into the I can't believe then a few minutes later I'm like I think I trust but I really don't know. Please help I want to go to Heaven I really do. I want to serve God but I'm having trouble. My Boyfriend(He's 16) has told me he is also having these troubles. I'm not sure if it affects it or not but I have OCD and I have depersonalization disorder. Please help me. God Bless!

Click to expand...

I think most people struggle with their faith at times. I know I do. But I just make it a habit to read God's word daily, pray, and go to church regularly. With God in my life, I have love and hope and that helps me get through.

Countryangel707 said:

what if im not meant to be saved. ??????????

Click to expand...

Too late...you already are....its a done deal....its not about what you have done but what He has done for you....the rest is commentary! Remember...you HAVE a mind you are not your mind. The enemies are the world system (the way they train you to reason and what they judge and require), the Self (the old man/the flesh - the lust of the eyes, the appetites of the flesh, and your vanity needs), and the devils (re-read Genesis 3...it is they who cause you to doubt in hopes of bringing you to the place where you believe you are your own lord, and that you must and have a right to determine good and evil for yourself - Genesis 3:5)....

Whatever you are going through just trust God and lean not unto your own understanding...think about it...Thomas was with Him 3 1/2 years and SAW actual miracles and still had his doubts...

So yes talk about some things that are bothering you..."just believing" is too vague...why is just believing an issue...believing what?

Countryangel707 said:

can you ever truly have a true Biblical assurance of your salvation in Christ.

Click to expand...

Yes...when you are living in the power of the HS. The evidence of this HS is found in Gal. 5:22-23 and is also evidenced through our obedience to God (kind of like a summary of all the evidence of the HS) In fact, scripture tells us that this HS is our guarantee of salvation. Eph. 1:14 and II Cor. 1:22

It's that plain and simple. If you believe you have eternal life, and you can know it. The Lord wants us to know it. He gives His perfect life as a free gift, up front. If we don't know it, we spend our time trying to earn it, looking at ourselves, always finding fault and falling short. But that is antithetical to the Gospel. Hebrews 10.1-10 tells us that unlike the blood of bulls and goats, the blood of Jesus has the power to remove sin consciousness and cleanse once and for all.

Also notice John's emphasis on the name of Jesus. He didn't have to write that. He could have gotten into detailed doctrine about Jesus. But then we would have spent our time jumping through theological hoops trying to get saved. It doesn't work like that. Trust in the name. In the Bible, the name embodies the essence of the person. Smith Wigglesworth performed miracle healings simply by repeating the name of Jesus over and over, until sickness and demons couldn't stand to remain anymore.

When you are under attack and are confused, build your faith by trusting in the name.

Countryangel707 said:

Well I'm not sure if what I have is belief or not. I mean I do believe that Jesus is the son of God and I know that He died for our sins on the cross. My problem is just trusting in that for my salvation. I just feel like there is something that I have to do. I realize that there is nothing that I can do though. I can't even believe and trust in those things without God helping me. And that has been my prayer every night for almost a year, that He would help me to believe because I am not able to. So I'm not sure if what I have is just belief or just acknowledgement.

Click to expand...

Acts 16:30-34
30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

Countryangel707 said:

Ok so a little background on me, I am 18 will soon be 19 and I thought that I was saved at the age of 6 I remember getting on my knees and begging God to protect me from satan and hell. Well about a month after turning 18 I began to have incredibly serious doubts and depression that followed those doubts. Its like all of a sudden it was impossible for me to believe. Now I am in the situation where every now in then I get a little boost of trust in Jesus. I tell myself just trust that He really did die for you and really did rise again on the third day. Even as I type this I feel like deep down inside I know that is true but it's like something in my head is just not agreeing. I pray everyday since this all started that God would just open my heart and allow me to just have true Biblical saving faith in Him. I started multiple Bible reading plans and have been trying everything I know to do. It's like when I'm trying to do stuff I just keep getting like this feeling of what if my belief is not truly genuine then I go into the I can't believe then a few minutes later I'm like I think I trust but I really don't know. Please help I want to go to Heaven I really do. I want to serve God but I'm having trouble. My Boyfriend(He's 16) has told me he is also having these troubles. I'm not sure if it affects it or not but I have OCD and I have depersonalization disorder. Please help me. God Bless!

Click to expand...

Dude I feel you. Our stories are pretty similar. I remember when I was 8 and I would pray as well but slowly I became agnostic I guess :/. I also feel like I believe sometimes but like my mind a hour later ignores it and goes on to something else. I've been told that all you need is a little faith to be saved. As of right now I don't know what I am. This is your thread so ill stop. However you are different from me so maybe you can what I am unable to do. My mind is just not ready or maybe never will be. But you can still be a Christian. I don't even know what advice to give to be honest. I guess just try I guess and understand what is stopping you. A lot of the other people here are pretty cool.

Dear Countryangel707. Look at Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is:
Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it, love thy neighbour as thyself. " Verse 40 tells us: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." God is Love,
and God wants loving sons and daughters. Matthew 7: 7-10: tells us: " Ask and you shall receive," we ask God for
Love and Joy, then thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour. (neighbour is all we know and all we meet, friends and not friends) Keep asking God for Love and Joy, then thank God, and share all Love and Joy with your neighbour. God will see your loving efforts, and God will bless you.
The Bible tells us: " Repent and be born again," change from being selfish and unloving to be loving, kind and caring. The Holy Spirit will help and guide you, an Jesus our Saviour will lead you all the way: JESUS IS THE WAY.
You might stumble and forget, but then ask God to forgive you, and carry on loving and caring. A Christian`s weapon is Love, an with love we can overcome all enmity and bad behaviour, and Love is catching.
I say this with love, Countryangel. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

Countryangel707 said:

Ok so a little background on me, I am 18 will soon be 19 and I thought that I was saved at the age of 6 I remember getting on my knees and begging God to protect me from satan and hell. Well about a month after turning 18 I began to have incredibly serious doubts and depression that followed those doubts. Its like all of a sudden it was impossible for me to believe. Now I am in the situation where every now in then I get a little boost of trust in Jesus. I tell myself just trust that He really did die for you and really did rise again on the third day. Even as I type this I feel like deep down inside I know that is true but it's like something in my head is just not agreeing. I pray everyday since this all started that God would just open my heart and allow me to just have true Biblical saving faith in Him. I started multiple Bible reading plans and have been trying everything I know to do. It's like when I'm trying to do stuff I just keep getting like this feeling of what if my belief is not truly genuine then I go into the I can't believe then a few minutes later I'm like I think I trust but I really don't know. Please help I want to go to Heaven I really do. I want to serve God but I'm having trouble. My Boyfriend(He's 16) has told me he is also having these troubles. I'm not sure if it affects it or not but I have OCD and I have depersonalization disorder. Please help me. God Bless!

Click to expand...

Countryangel707 said:

Click to expand...

1. I did not accept Jesus as my Lord and my Savior until I got to know Him, first. Remember that the 12 disciples were with Him for 3 years.
2. I had a version I could relate to, then starting reading the 4 Good News accounts of Jesus, (when I'd have no distractions).I read slow and always asked for the Lords help in understanding.
3. I also personalized wherever possible, and practical.
4. Still un-sure, I read Historians account of Jesus. I think there may be 4 of them. Actually, we will pray for you to be Helped along by His Holy Spirit. I believe it is His Spirit that draws to Him.
Whatever mental problems or any other you may be suffering with, He will with great LOVE, and patience guide you.

Countryangel707 said:

can you ever truly have a true Biblical assurance of your salvation in Christ.

Click to expand...

Well, You have to live, not like you don't necessarily care about your soul or salvation, but something close to it, to do otherwise is to coveting your own soul, cause the truth is you don't know and there's no way to tell or judge, Jesus picks and chooses those whom he wishes to call his by criteria that we not only do not know, but can not know in this life...

You have to want to do right, just for the sake of doing right, not expecting a reward like salvation... A lot of religious and supposed "spiritual" people are going to be very shocked on judgment day, when they see a gross sinner, (who didn't even seem to know anything about Jesus or God or the Bible or God's ways) gets into heaven and they don't, although they thought they could be and were sure about their own salvation... Their going to be sorely disappointed...

It's pretty arrogant to say to someone, "well, I "know" I'm saved, don't know about your sorry butt, but I "know" I'm saved" "sucks for you if you don't know you are saved, but as for me, I know I'm saved"

We are under the impression that "good" people go to Heaven (get's saved, has salvation), and "bad" people go to hell... Well, in whose judgment?, what is, or who makes up a "good" person?, Only God alone can read hearts, anyways, yeah, a lot of people are going to be very shocked on judgment day...

And to those of you who say you can be sure of your own salvation, I want to ask you, "How do you "know"?

And don't say "because Jesus Loves me", because Jesus loves everybody, but that doesn't mean that everyone is getting saved...

God Bless!

Neogaia777 said:

And to those of you who say you can be sure of your own salvation, I want to ask you, "How do you "know"?

Click to expand...

If ever I doubt it, it is because I have not resolved to accept I have been wrong, and to therefore repent. It has been my experience that whenever I become aware of a sin I have committed, I am also told by The Word of God that what I did that was wrong and counselled by The Holy Spirit so that I can resolve to change willingly and for good reason. Then, if I refuse to repent, I have lost the countenance of knowing He has accepted me, just as He said to Cain. This is why Jesus says "remain in me as I am in you". This is the Christian way of life, to come into the light. The light reveals the things that are hidden, so that way it can be seen that we are living right in the sight of God. Jesus said that the ones resurrected to life are the ones who love to do good. This describes the ones who when they learn of sin and the motive for sin in their life, they will repent because they love to do good. He says in the same sentence that those who love to practice sin will be resurrected to judgement. Therefore, the ones who live a blameless life, are those who are always willing to repent when they learn of their sin Proverbs 24:16. In this way, they live according to God's instruction to them despite their own temptations and weaknesses. They receive assurance from The Holy Spirit that they are children of God and their conscience bears witness that indeed, they are living in a blameless way. This is how the truth can be appreciated in Romans 8:1-2.

Countryangel707 said:

I am now in the state where I can feel nothing. I no longer feel God and I can't believe. I'm starting to feel like this is completely hopeless and like there is no hope for me. Why is God putting me through this? Why can't I just have the believe and saving faith that I need to have eternal life with Him? I'm not really sure what to do at this point.

Click to expand...

This is part of His plan for bringing you to the point of belief with the heart, not the mind.

So, what belief do you want? What belief are you seeking? Last night I had a discussion with our son about the difference between mental assent to something that we cannot "prove" without a doubt and the belief of the heart that has to seek a reason not to believe rather than seeking a reason to believe. Where do you fall on that spectrum?

Countryangel707 said:

I'm Honestly really not sure anymore. I mean I still have moment where if I really think about i I believe that Jesus really died and rose again, but right now i am just "here" alive. I can't really fell God and I feel like He don't want me because He isn't giving me the belief in Him I have so ling been praying for.

Click to expand...

Okay, start by forgetting about what it "feels" like. Feelings/emotions can and often are deceptive. They are important to our lives, but not something we can live in.

So, setting feelings aside, are you trying to believe with your mind, your heart/being/essence, or with your emotions?

Countryangel707 said:

I think a combination of all of these things. I have all the facts in my mind and i am trying to off of that.I'm just trying to trust Jesus to get me into Heaven and I am not sure why that is so difficult for me.

Click to expand...

Okay, let's try another approach...we can figure this out. What do you believe and what do you doubt. specifically. Most on this thread so far have assumed you doubt salvation is as easy as belief of the heart, I'm not sure that is what you doubt. So, specifically, what do you believe and what do you doubt?