Bad thoughts, Christian help needed!

[Karabear10]

Hello, I have never looked for fellowship on the internet and I'm sort of nervous about it but I would really love to talk to someone who knows Christ and might understand what is going on with me. I make this post because I am struggling deeply with bad intrusive thoughts. For the last few weeks, my intrusive thoughts about Jesus have gotten worse. Firstly I had thoughts telling me I was in the wrong religion, (which I truly don't believe.) so I listened to sermons talking on the topic. I felt a lot better. I was reading the Case for Christ the other day and I read a section saying how some Jews thought Jesus led the people astray. This turned into my next evil thoughts. I then began to get the most horrible evil thought about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that Jesus did not do His miracles by God (I don't want to type the rest because it so horrible.) I don't agree with that at all but still, thoughts keep coming and asking things like, "how do you know Jesus is good?" "How do you know He isn't a lie?" These things are so horrible I am truly so distraught over them. I have been getting so worked up about it that I've bothered everyone in my family. I'm scared I have ruined my relationship with Jesus. It's hard to read my Bible without thoughts like, "What if this isn't true?" Like the other thoughts, I don't agree. I'm afraid some part of me is really wondering how Jesus did His miracles and I have committed the unforgivable sin. I've been praying so hard on it. I know the thoughts aren't true but I don't get why they won't just stop.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Hello, I have never looked for fellowship on the internet and I'm sort of nervous about it but I would really love to talk to someone who knows Christ and might understand what is going on with me. I make this post because I am struggling deeply with bad intrusive thoughts. For the last few weeks, my intrusive thoughts about Jesus have gotten worse. Firstly I had thoughts telling me I was in the wrong religion, (which I truly don't believe.) so I listened to sermons talking on the topic. I felt a lot better. I was reading the Case for Christ the other day and I read a section saying how some Jews thought Jesus led the people astray. This turned into my next evil thoughts. I then began to get the most horrible evil thought about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that Jesus did not do His miracles by God (I don't want to type the rest because it so horrible.) I don't agree with that at all but still, thoughts keep coming and asking things like, "how do you know Jesus is good?" "How do you know He isn't a lie?" These things are so horrible I am truly so distraught over them. I have been getting so worked up about it that I've bothered everyone in my family. I'm scared I have ruined my relationship with Jesus. It's hard to read my Bible without thoughts like, "What if this isn't true?" Like the other thoughts, I don't agree. I'm afraid some part of me is really wondering how Jesus did His miracles and I have committed the unforgivable sin. I've been praying so hard on it. I know the thoughts aren't true but I don't get why they won't just stop.

Welcome to CF. You will find friends here to help you with your struggles.
Blessings.

 

[lsume]

Hello, I have never looked for fellowship on the internet and I'm sort of nervous about it but I would really love to talk to someone who knows Christ and might understand what is going on with me. I make this post because I am struggling deeply with bad intrusive thoughts. For the last few weeks, my intrusive thoughts about Jesus have gotten worse. Firstly I had thoughts telling me I was in the wrong religion, (which I truly don't believe.) so I listened to sermons talking on the topic. I felt a lot better. I was reading the Case for Christ the other day and I read a section saying how some Jews thought Jesus led the people astray. This turned into my next evil thoughts. I then began to get the most horrible evil thought about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that Jesus did not do His miracles by God (I don't want to type the rest because it so horrible.) I don't agree with that at all but still, thoughts keep coming and asking things like, "how do you know Jesus is good?" "How do you know He isn't a lie?" These things are so horrible I am truly so distraught over them. I have been getting so worked up about it that I've bothered everyone in my family. I'm scared I have ruined my relationship with Jesus. It's hard to read my Bible without thoughts like, "What if this isn't true?" Like the other thoughts, I don't agree. I'm afraid some part of me is really wondering how Jesus did His miracles and I have committed the unforgivable sin. I've been praying so hard on it. I know the thoughts aren't true but I don't get why they won't just stop.

Please pray about Christ perhaps leading you into a fast and prayer. You should consider eliminating all media from your life. Just you and the Bible. Again, pray for guidance first. Let God’s Word help you.

 

[NBB]

You need deliverance, if you don't want those thoughts, its because they are not yours, evil sprits are very real, and affect people a lot without them noticing sometimes that there is an evil entity there.

 

[Sheila Davis]

Hello, I have never looked for fellowship on the internet and I'm sort of nervous about it but I would really love to talk to someone who knows Christ and might understand what is going on with me. I make this post because I am struggling deeply with bad intrusive thoughts. For the last few weeks, my intrusive thoughts about Jesus have gotten worse. Firstly I had thoughts telling me I was in the wrong religion, (which I truly don't believe.) so I listened to sermons talking on the topic. I felt a lot better. I was reading the Case for Christ the other day and I read a section saying how some Jews thought Jesus led the people astray. This turned into my next evil thoughts. I then began to get the most horrible evil thought about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that Jesus did not do His miracles by God (I don't want to type the rest because it so horrible.) I don't agree with that at all but still, thoughts keep coming and asking things like, "how do you know Jesus is good?" "How do you know He isn't a lie?" These things are so horrible I am truly so distraught over them. I have been getting so worked up about it that I've bothered everyone in my family. I'm scared I have ruined my relationship with Jesus. It's hard to read my Bible without thoughts like, "What if this isn't true?" Like the other thoughts, I don't agree. I'm afraid some part of me is really wondering how Jesus did His miracles and I have committed the unforgivable sin. I've been praying so hard on it. I know the thoughts aren't true but I don't get why they won't just stop.

Jesus said you could say what you want to say about him, that can be forgiven the only unforgivable sin is blasphemy. Today's widely used definition of blasphemy is to have profane words against God or sacred things. The second meaning is to say one is divine as God
Definition of BLASPHEMY

When you read scripture the Sadducees and Pharisees wanted to stone Jesus saying that he made himself equal to God or claimed to be the son of God - that he was blasphemous.
Scripture says Satan tried to overthrow heaven, he wanted to be God, scripture tells us that the god of this world, which is Satan is judged and he is blinding the minds of many here. Scripture also says the prince of this world has been judged - Satan is also the prince/ruler of this world. He committed the unforgivable sin - blasphemy
2 Corinthians 4:4 and John 12:31.
From my understanding of scripture you have not committed the unforgivable sin.
Peter denied him three times, Thomas doubted him, and they were with him - we all go through some type of struggle. Continue to pray and continue to fight as Paul said the good fight and have faith

 

[Tigger45]

My mind races a lot but there just came a point where I decided I would trust Christ over even my own thoughts and have never looked back.

Ephesians 4 helps speak to this.

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @Karabear10, first off, WELCOME TO CF

As far as your intrusive thoughts go, whenever you get them, take them "captive"/reject them/REFUSE to believe them .. e.g. 2 Corinthians 10:5, and choose to believe God/His living & eternal word instead (instead of what your thoughts & feelings are telling you in the moment, that is). IOW, begin to consciously choose to take God at His word, believing/trusting Him, no matter what your feelings (or Satan through your feelings) are trying to convince you of in the moment and to the contrary

Remember too that your intrusive thoughts are not, in and of themselves, sinful. I'm sure that they are both HORRIBLE and PAINFUL to bear, but you can make sure that they don't become sin by taking them "captive" and REFUSING to believe them the moment that they enter your mind.

I know, from experience, that this (continually taking your thoughts "captive", that is, and especially since you have OCD) can be exhausting, particularly at first, but it will become easier with time and practice .. and also because we have (on the one hand) God's command to "resist" Satan, coupled with His promise to us (on the other) that Satan/his demons will finally "flee" from us when we persist in doing so .. e.g. James 4:7

The description of what you are experiencing (in your OP) reads like a page right out of Satan's "playbook", so I have little doubt that he & his demons are behind a big part of your present struggles. Therefore, along with remembering that (dark) fact, always remember how much you are loved by God at the same time/ALL the time , and that whenever you experience these horrible thoughts that it is Satan, ~NOT~ God, who is the accuser of the brethren .. e.g. Revelation 12:10.

God is the One who loves us so, always wanting/providing the very best for us .. cf Romans 8:32, who loved us so much, in fact, that He chose to come here and die for us, rather than live w/o us). So, if you ever doubt His love for you, just do what I do and go back to the beginning, back to the very foot of the Cross, remembering/considering again how much He did (and continues to do) for you/how much He loves you!!

Praying for you!

God bless you!! (Numbers 6:24-26; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

--David
p.s. - did you know that God's love for us (His adopted children) is just like He is, from everlasting .. e.g. Psalms 90:2; Jeremiah 31:3? This means that there was never a time in eternity past when He did not love you, nor will there ever be such a time, now or forevermore This is one of the big reasons that theologian/pastor Charles Spurgeon once wrote (in one of his daily devotionals) that, "Everlasting love shall be the pillow for my head this night".

 

[Karabear10]

Thank you very much. I appreciate your advice.

 

[Mari17]

Hello, I have never looked for fellowship on the internet and I'm sort of nervous about it but I would really love to talk to someone who knows Christ and might understand what is going on with me. I make this post because I am struggling deeply with bad intrusive thoughts. For the last few weeks, my intrusive thoughts about Jesus have gotten worse. Firstly I had thoughts telling me I was in the wrong religion, (which I truly don't believe.) so I listened to sermons talking on the topic. I felt a lot better. I was reading the Case for Christ the other day and I read a section saying how some Jews thought Jesus led the people astray. This turned into my next evil thoughts. I then began to get the most horrible evil thought about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that Jesus did not do His miracles by God (I don't want to type the rest because it so horrible.) I don't agree with that at all but still, thoughts keep coming and asking things like, "how do you know Jesus is good?" "How do you know He isn't a lie?" These things are so horrible I am truly so distraught over them. I have been getting so worked up about it that I've bothered everyone in my family. I'm scared I have ruined my relationship with Jesus. It's hard to read my Bible without thoughts like, "What if this isn't true?" Like the other thoughts, I don't agree. I'm afraid some part of me is really wondering how Jesus did His miracles and I have committed the unforgivable sin. I've been praying so hard on it. I know the thoughts aren't true but I don't get why they won't just stop.

Thank you so much for sharing your struggles with us! What you're struggling with is actually extremely typical for Christians with OCD. I don't know how much you know about OCD, but there can be different kinds, and one of them is religious OCD, or scrupulosity. Fear of committing blasphemy is a very common obsession.

I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about OCD and how to treat it. It does NOT mean that something is wrong with you spiritually or that you are being attacked. It is like every other ailment, mental or physical - it's part of being in a broken world with broken brains and bodies. There is a lot of hope for gaining victory over OCD, with the right treatment.

I will link to some websites about OCD/scrupulosity below. Please also seriously consider joining the Facebook group "Christianity and Anxiety Disorders." There are a lot of people with OCD on there, and I've found it very helpful.
Overcome OCD: Recovery tips for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD & CHRISTIANITY – CHRISTIANITY
OCD and Scrupulosity Archives - ACCFS
Scrupulosity.com: Faith-based Solutions for Religious OCD - Scrupulosity.com

Please also feel free to pm me anytime. You're not alone!

 

[Karabear10]

Thank you very very much! I will look into those websites.

 

[Graydon Booth]

This sounded a lot like mine a few times. Although now, it's switched back to doubting God's existence.

 

[Karabear10]

Are you still struggling with this?

 

[Graydon Booth]

Are you still struggling with this?

Yea a little bit. I've always thought OCD came from the devil.

 

[Karabear10]

I've wondered that too

 

[Mari17]

Yea a little bit. I've always thought OCD came from the devil.

This page provides some information about potential causes of OCD. I find some of the blog posts, as well, to be helpful in understanding scrupulosity/religious OCD.