Struggling with faith

[LetThereBeLight]

I was an atheist until recently, and I'm having some problems. It feels like whenever I try to read the Bible, pray, etc. all the atheist propaganda comes rushing back and I start doubting God. It feels like I'm just pretending to believe because all this atheist stuff is holding me back

 

[Aino]

Well the good news is that belief isn't about feelings. Just hang in there and keep your faith... Also pray about this; I'm sure God'll help you through. Do you have a church to go to, where you could be encouraged by other Christians? I mean, it's a good community here but I think it's important to have some offline fellowship as well. God bless!

 

[Phaedron777]

Maybe this will help

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJNgTUhTJvg

I made a thread that might help you. It helps you to choose God and Jesus from a logical perspective even if you have reached the point where you don't know if anything is true or not. The methodology is that by seeing the inherent wisdom in Jesus's teachings, that of love, and the ten commandments, we might as well choose to be saved by him as well.

http://www.christianforums.com/t7549123/

Beyond that, you "belief" has actual power. If you prayer without believing you will get something you probably won't get it. Jesus makes this clear in Mathew 21. In Hebrews we read that it is impossible to please God without faith. One must come to God and believe he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

There is volumes to be said about learning to hear God's voice and walk with him. He is beyond the world of sensory perception, so fasting, prayer, and solitude help with that.

 

[Saved_n_kept]

In psalm 51 when David speaks about the prophet Nathan confronting him with his sin, he says,

"Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me." Psa 51:2-3

David had been assured that God had forgiven his sin, but, as Matthew Henry says,
"It will be of good use for us to have our sins ever before us, that by the remembrance of our past sins we may be kept humble, may be armed against temptation, quickened to duty, and made patient under the cross."

God says,

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

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Heb 8:12

The devil, as is always his way, would like us to doubt God and make Him a liar. When Jesus was tempted by the devil He used scripture to put the devil to flight. When he reminds you of all that atheist propaganda, tell him that it is all a lie because......

"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Eph 2:12-13

May God bless and guide you as you continue to follow Him.

 

[vespasia]

IF you were a serious athiest of the like of the Brights of Oxbridge in the UK then this book may be of help.

Have a look for Alistair McGraths & Daniel Dennents 'The future of atheism' if you need to see a very good Christian Theologian present a well thought through and reasonned arguement in support of the Christian faith with an equally erudite athiest philosopher.

You can also talk to God about how you feel and your doubts. I assure you God does not mind people who genuinely seek God asking those sticky questions of God but keep an open mind as God often answers through 'God-incidences', a piece of scripture that suddenly seems real, a person who encourages you and points out the next place to step in faith, rainbows...there are still rainbows arcing our skies after storms of thunder and lightening.

 

[LetThereBeLight]

Thanks guy, you really helped me! Also, I got a message from God- I went on to a "random Bible verse" site and I got:
James 4:8

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.


It fits my situation perfectly

 

[pilgrimgal]

Thanks guy, you really helped me! Also, I got a message from God- I went on to a "random Bible verse" site and I got:
James 4:8

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.


It fits my situation perfectly

Oh, God is so good to give us just the right scripture when we need it. May you continue to seek Him through His Word.

As Joshua said: "...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...as for me and my household we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:14,15) (NIV)

 

[St_Worm2]

I was an atheist until recently, and I'm having some problems. It feels like whenever I try to read the Bible, pray, etc. all the atheist propaganda comes rushing back and I start doubting God. It feels like I'm just pretending to believe because all this atheist stuff is holding me back

Hey LTBL, first off, welcome to CF .. And, most importantly, welcome to the Family as well ..

You've been given some great advice .. I certainly second what Aino said, especially the GREAT need to be active in a church to be around fellow believers and hear the Word preached on a regular basis. A Bible Study group is a good thing to join too.

Saved_n-kept also brought up an important thing for a new believer to come to grips with, the fact that you have a new enemy! Well, he's actually an old one, you just didn't recognize him as such before you became a Christian and he wants you back!! I know this will sound a little weird, but one of the ways you know you've become a Christian is because of Satan's attacks and attempts to pull you back from God's camp. As the Bible says in Ephesians 6:

"Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:10-12
​

Like Aino said as well, be patient and trust and pray that God will see you through this. And as you go about your day and these thoughts you are struggling with hit you, pray and immediately take them "captive" to Christ.

Finally, the more you read and understand the Bible, the better off you will be as it is much easier for the Holy Spirit to help/guide you when you already know what the Bible says.

Praying for you!

Yours and His,
David

Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not
of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations
and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are
taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ
2 Corinthians 10:3-5​

 

[heymikey80]

I was an atheist until recently, and I'm having some problems. It feels like whenever I try to read the Bible, pray, etc. all the atheist propaganda comes rushing back and I start doubting God. It feels like I'm just pretending to believe because all this atheist stuff is holding me back

Well.

It might be a good idea to read through some early Christians.

Justin Martyr comes to mind.

If you're not on the "world is getting better & better" philosophical view, you'll find Justin Martyr is just ... this guy, who was struggling with the philosophies and religions of his day, when he came across this report that a guy made a claim to caesarship and ... rose from the dead as proof.

Justin's Apology isn't hugely contemporary. But it has this fire within it that is unmistakable, and on its own it's very convincing. A lot of the arguments people use against Christianity today are also pretty old. You'll get a chance to see how solid the arguments are for Christianity, even from then.

 

[Walter Kovacs]

Here's what I recommend:

Pray. A lot.

Here's some resources that have helped me immensely:

Ravi Zacharias International Ministries :: Resources

Reasonable Faith:

A Christian Thinktank

And above all, remember your thought above: propoganda

 

[LWB]

Scientific proof for God bah humbug! Doubt is good. It is in fact essential for faith to live. Reason cannot find God, only faith can. Cherish your doubts then leap through them.

When Abraham was leading Isaac to the altar of sacrifice, do you think he was using reason to justify God's command? He simply believed and obeyed.

Rational thinking will trap you like a mouse in a maze with no exit. The only way out is to leap.

 

[Coup]

Scientific proof for God bah humbug! Doubt is good. It is in fact essential for faith to live. Reason cannot find God, only faith can. Cherish your doubts then leap through them.

When Abraham was leading Isaac to the altar of sacrifice, do you think he was using reason to justify God's command? He simply believed and obeyed.

Rational thinking will trap you like a mouse in a maze with no exit. The only way out is to leap.

WOW! Awesome! I hear and feel this. I am a new Christian and recently you could not tell, say, breath, speak or reveal the bible to me as truth because I would not except.

I was decived by the propaganda that is conditioning and programming so many that are like me then !

The Holy Spirit came to me in ocscalating pulsations, like goose bumps tiding back and forth my body in a buzz. . . ! I was pulled to grace. And I was filled with love.

A Christian helped show me the way our father.


At a bible study I felt gulity and not worthy though...like flashes of treason and just horrible thoughts. I felt so bad. Almost like everyone at the study was see through me as being a fake!

That night I slept on the floor for a few hours because I did not feel worthy of such comfort with those thoughts.


But the love is still there and each day I'm seeing a better life and rejoyce in our Lord's sacrafice for us and each day I live a bettter life!

 

[Peripatetic]

Sorry if this was already suggested, but you may want to read C.S. Lewis - start with Mere Christianity. Lewis was both a very smart professor and a staunch atheist. Eventually, he became a Christian (and one of the better known Theologians of our time) because his logical mind could no longer buy the false propaganda that he once believed. His writing is very accessible and makes a lot of sense.

Everyone goes through periods of doubt... but your foundation may end up being stronger than most because you will already have addressed many of them early on.

 

[PintoBean]

We don't always have the faith in us. It's ok to ask God for faith and He will deliver.
I'll pray for you.

P.S. I've been a Christian for 27 years and I still struggle with things "popping into my head". I pray and ask God to remove them.

 

[TheGuide]

I was an atheist until recently, and I'm having some problems. It feels like whenever I try to read the Bible, pray, etc. all the atheist propaganda comes rushing back and I start doubting God. It feels like I'm just pretending to believe because all this atheist stuff is holding me back

When you meet a person you would like to call friend, trust is not automatic. It takes getting to know them.

For now, when you read the Bible concentration on the gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Read John first, and read a chapter in the a.m. and one in the p.m. Also, whenever you pray, pray out loud (even if you have to whisper) and do so in private. It's also good to just talk to God respectfully about things going on in your life or whatever bothers/troubles you.

Here is an example of how to decern (or understand) God's word when you read the Gospel of John:

"In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God." Jesus was the word of God made flesh and walked on this earth.

"The same was in the beginning with God." Jesus was with God even before God created us.

Also note that Jesus came unto his own (the Jews) and they didn't receive him, but the word tells us that "as many as received him to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." This mean that all born in this world only come under God by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord. In other words, we are not already born brothers and sisters under God. If we were, then why would Jesus have to give us power to become something that we already are?

I will check back to see if you have questions that I can answer that will help you strenghten your faith.

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 (Read this chapter of Hebrews, as well.)

 

[Phaedron777]

Well I agree that faith is required. The video tells the story of a scientist who didn't believe, whose wife became Christian, and then he questioned mainstream science and found the scientific evidence was in fact supportive of intelligent design.

As I christian I naturally felt the holy spirit's call to want to get people saved, but my approach was to tackle and face the situation logically. Early persecution and childhood trauma led to my having an identity that I was someone no one looked up to or listened to. So I drew upon my God given gift of intellect.

Well there was a lot in scripture I didn't understand. Some just will not believe no matter what you tell them. They are not "called" "drawn" or granted the gift of repentance. (Acts 18:12 I believe) Yes repentance is a gift.

I like free thinking and I like putting myself in anothers shoes. For the sake of openmindedness I would hear out others beliefs if they considered mine. Eventually I found myself fighting a wall of "strong delusion," but out of everything Christianity is the only thing that "feels" right for me. Add to this I have always had Christian morals and I have successfully cast out demons and bound them by the name and blood of Jesus, and on two occasions successfully commanded someone to be healed, It's definitely proven to me personally.

Without faith it's impossible to please God. So I guess the point is that you don't usually get to see miracles, have dreams or visions of God until you take that leap of faith and are well on your way. So I have to conclude that my attempt to serve God just wasn't very effective.

To me it is logical to be a Christian. What else are you going to believe? There is no advantage to believing something else, so is it not logical to guard against going to hell and the lake of fire? As Jesus said "the condemnation is this: that light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather then the light because their deeds were evil." The only advantage to not be a Christian is you get to be wicked, and since I don't condone that which is wicked it doesn't even factor into the equation.

Well, the video mainly blows away evolution and proves intelligent design. That doesn't necessarily lead one to Christ, but at least they are looking for God.

As for Atheism, trust me it's the least on the spiritual food chain, not being spiritual at all. All an atheist needs to do is experience the supernatural, even if it's consorting with demons. Most people, should they see the devil, would turn to God. I just can't see how they can accept death is the absolute end of them.

 

[joycem]

At a bible study I felt gulity and not worthy though...like flashes of treason and just horrible thoughts. I felt so bad. Almost like everyone at the study was see through me as being a fake!

I am a new christian also, and have felt this way at church...like everyone else is so faithful and I am just going through the motions, a fake, also like they can see right through me...then I started looking at others that I felt were acting more like me, and there were more of them than the "apparent" faithful and I started to feel better. Only God knows what is in your heart. Remember God's grace is for everyone who believes...and there are many different types of people out there and there is a purpose for all of us!

 

[Coup]

I am a new christian also, and have felt this way at church...like everyone else is so faithful and I am just going through the motions, a fake, also like they can see right through me...then I started looking at others that I felt were acting more like me, and there were more of them than the "apparent" faithful and I started to feel better. Only God knows what is in your heart. Remember God's grace is for everyone who believes...and there are many different types of people out there and there is a purpose for all of us!

Amen!

 

[papaJP]

It is a choice you have to make. If it seems hard then ask God for help to believe. As you accept His help more will be given.

 

[Coup]

I believe that if you accept Jesus in your life God will inch closer each day. I've been reborn less than a month and he as show, talked and lead me not once but multiple times where I was absolulty sure it was him, the mercy of his love and forgiveness.