Run in with the occult

[FrequencyDX]

Hi all.

It's been a while since I posted on here, and now I'm back I thought I'd post to ask for some advice on an issue that has shook my faith in the previous wee while. I'm a religious moderate, quite moderatly left-wing, enviromentalist, vegetarian, etc, etc. I was raised in the Catholic church, rebelled when I was a teenager and only rediscovered my faith when I was in my twenties, something I'm am continuing to struggle with to this day. I haven't decided on a denomination, and to be honest don't see this as particularly important. But anyway, onto what's troubling me...

I had recalled recently an event from my past that began to trouble me, and although it is something I have repented of now in confession, and I feel I am forgiven, I may end up attending a church outside of the Catholic one. Anyway, when was about 14, i rebelled, with all the black makeup and nail varnish I could find. And as such i developed a naive interest in the occult, specifically satanism. I didn't practice this long, and it involved a contract, and defacing the bible, etc, etc. And even when I was older and at uni a Gnostic interest in satanism has come up. But now I have repented, both to God by myself, and God in the confessional (just in case). The priest told me (what many others seem to say)- that you cannot sell your soul because it isn't yours, Jesus bought it on the cross, that no such deal can exist by proxy, and that all sins are forgiveable with sincere repentance.

What are your opinions on this subject? I was sincerely worred for a while, and all sorts of thoughts went through my head - am I lost? Can I no longer be saved? But I know now, nothing can make me unreachable from God's mercy and love.

 

[fm107]

Your soul belongs to God:

Ezekiel 18:3-4
“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son—both alike belong to me.

You only put your faith in God in your twenties - the great thing about being saved is that God does not condemn you for the sins of your past.

That's why Jesus came! To take the punishment for the sins that both you and I will ever commit!

1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

If we do sin, when we repent, God will forgive us.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.


May you grow ever closer to the Lord brother.

 

[salida]

No its not too late. Its a good sign that you care.



1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The occult is dancing with the devil--
Occult
http://www.thebereancall.org/topic/occult

 

[salida]

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

[vespasia]

Your priest is correct.

Just because you created your own do it meself rebellion does not remove you from the love of God. That is always there ready and waiting for all who truly repent no matter what they have done.

 

[Sketcher]

Your priest is absolutely right.

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. " - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Even if you weren't really a Christian at the time this all went down, no problem:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed" - Luke 4:18

"The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work." - 1 John 3:8b

 

[timf]

I'm a religious moderate, quite moderatly left-wing, enviromentalist, vegetarian, etc, etc.

Your defining yourself is such worldly terms is often a window into that in which you have placed your trust. In essence, this looks like the true source of your faith.

and only rediscovered my faith when I was in my twenties

"Faith" is really that in which you trust. It is not uncommon for people to confuse their religion with their faith.

all sorts of thoughts went through my head - am I lost? Can I no longer be saved?

Catholic doctrine includes the idea that being baptized as a baby makes you a Christian. This ritual is not the same thing as faith. You may want to look into this subject to be sure.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

You may not be a Christian. The only way to be sure is to draw you assurance directly from your Savior through an increasingly closer walk with Him and familiarity with His word.

A man named Kurt Koch did a lot of research into the occult and wrote many books about the effect of occult entanglements. If a person is unsaved and his actions have brought him to demonic oppression, he can still become a Christian and be free from this legacy. If a person is a Christian but has lost his way, he can always return to his Lord.

The key is to know and abide in truth and truth is found in the Bible.

John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

[SharonL]

When we do things that we know in our heart is wrong, it starts the guilt process which is the enemy's best tool to keep you confused.

You need to see yourself as God sees you now - washed white as snow and covered by the blood of Jesus - when you repent of your sins they are thrown in the lake of forgetfullness and when you ask God to forgive a sin that you have already repented of - God says 'what sin' - He sees it no more.

Just take off that coat of guilt that the enemy has placed on you, stomp on it and tell the enemy get behind you because you are a Child of God - go forward and let your light shine for a darkened world - use your past to help others.

Even Peter denied Christ - but was not lost in the end. Youe place will be in Heaven - go forth and see how many you can bring with you.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Guilt usually means you feel bad about doing something wrong. The cure for that is to apologize for what you did wrong and start doing things right.

 

[LilLamb219]

You are not lost. As the others have pointed out, you belong to God and forgiveness of your sins was won at the cross. Be thankful that you are no longer with Satan and that you will have everlasting joy with the Father who loves you.