Is Getting Closer making you Further Away?

Just continue to press on. I also remind myself the God loves me and that it's the devil that's trying to discourage me. I also do whatever I was going to do (pray, read the Bible...etc.) before the devil tried to prevent it. Also, prayer helps. I also read the Bible. Also, the devil doen't want you to grow in the Lord, so he's going to do whatever he can to stop it.

Hey, I've bene having problems like that myself... I am longing to follow after God totally and completely but then these things happen. I believe (well acutally KNOW)that when you want to get closer to God satan gets mad and throws these attcks at you. It's not a new thing, everyone's had to go through it. You aren't a bad person going through it you just need to give it to Jesus. He's always there and will take care of you.
Hope I helped a little bit,
Caitlyn

noforme, Just to give you another possible perspective.

Our time here is not going to be easy. It was never meant to be easy. Christ found the way to love unconditionally all things.

When I hear you call things "the enemy" I feel sad.

We are not meant to maintain perfection-- the path to Christ is a struggle. When feel we have failed in being perfect, the biggest mistake we can do is blame something other-- satan, the enemy, etc.... You and you alone are responsible for your path. You must learn to love yourself unconditionally-- even if you're not in a state of spiritual perfection. If you learn this, you will have no need to fear. This is how Christ turned away satan, not by calling him "enemy" or depicting him as something to be feared-- but with love. Love of self and knowledge that imprefection is not the work of the enemy, but part of the struggle.

noforme, Don't focus so much on the sin and labeling things as the enemy-- as if you could ignore the basic hard work of finding Christ. I just find your use of the term "battle" is counter productive-- as if some sort of attack/defensive position will allow you to "war" your way to Christ.

The path to Christ is a choice. God's love is unconditional, there is nothing omnipotence wants.

If picturing your struggle as a battle helps you-- go for it. I simply foresee the language you use to describe the problem as creating another struggle for you to overcome.

You blame "the enemy" for decieving you and swaying you.. To me this sounds like an excuse; a way to externalize your struggle on something other than your own inner path of finding the unconditional love for Christ And yourself .

THe path to Christ is very hard. It is too easy to couch things in terms of enemy/friend, when dealing with the unconditional love of Christ. Didn't Christ say "love thine enemy?" Isn't that just a different way of saying... you only have the enemies that you choose to make?

noforme, Christ is beyond blame or division. You should do the very opposite of blaming yourself. You should love yourself unconditionally, as well as be responsible for yourself. It is far too easy to blame others and externalize problems.

I suppose you can say "the enemy" is trying to get a foothold.. but that is ultimately self defeating. Christ said love your enemy. I see no reason to use the language of enemies as a way to describe how one struggles to be Christ like.

It is very human to think in Us/Them divisions. If Christ is alive, does not necessarily mean satan has any more power than you give him.

Yours is a message of fear. Christ is a message of hope and responsibility.

I understand the path to Christ is a struggle. Without Christ we are nothing. Find the inner Christ within you, that is how Christ saves us. It is our responsiblity of introspection, not a matter of practicing fear and dread and naming enemies that really have no power over us. Satan will only take what is given. He will gladly take the title of enemy-- because he knows such divisions lead away from unconditional love.

i think a lot of people make following Jesus too hard.Matthew 11 verses 28-30 , Micah 6 verse 8. yes it is the narrow way and we walk against the flow of traffic of this world,but he promises all we need to help us.He is truly the good shepherd.

Getting closer to the Lord usually has the draw backs of getting farther away with Him at the same time. The devil see's what you are doing and he is trying his darndest to keep you away, thats all that it is going on, he as in the devil cant stand the fact that you want to be closer to the Lord, and he's doing his best to keep you away.

noforme, I'm all for encouragement. The language of Fear and division simply doesn't work for me-- either temporal or spiritual enemies, it is not compatable with unconditional love.

I agree with you. This is about building each other up. This can best be encouraged by showing unconditional love, and encouraging others -- even in the lowest of the lows, not to fear-- but to love themselves unconditionally.

I like your words "we don't bind the enemy" Christ already did that. I would simply prefer a different non-fearful term for enemy. Because, for Christ there is only unconditional love, not enemies.

There is a awesome book out there for you:
"The Fear of the Lord" by John Bevere..
Buy it, read it, you'll love it

NoForMe said:

So I should blame myself? How is the scriptural? Yes Jesus Did die for me but there is a spiritual battle and this does exist. The battle consist of the enemy trying to sway your faith and moving you, giving hima foothold.

The way you talk you are saying that it is us agains God, meaning I am doing things wrong against him. While in a sence I am, but they are not because of me. Meaning Sin in general is a result of the devil. Had things in the beginning been different I believe sin would not exist. But things are the way they are. You believe that Jesus christ is alive and well? Then you must believe the Devil is alive and well. In your fram of mind what is the devils purporse? According you you I have excuses? What is the devils role in all of this? Trust me he has one and thats merely what I'm stating.

Click to expand...

Read Romans the 7th chapter where the sin that dwells in our flesh is explained. Paul struggled with sin and bemoaned the fact that many times the very thing he wanted to do was the thing that escaped him and that there was always a war between the flesh and the spirit. We are never released from the pressure of this battle between the flesh and the spirit until the day we go home to the Lord, and the devil is always out to obstuct your faith and confidence in God and His love and grace towards you.
You will be able to overcome by the blood of the lamb and your testimony of fighting the good fight. Through the trials and mountains of life's experience, God is our anchor of hope and love where we go to for strength to overcome. Be blessed.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,)dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Galatians 5:17 (LIV) For we naturally love to do evil things that the Holy Spirit tells us not to do; and the good things we want to do when the Holy Spirit has His way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

God promises us a safe harbor, not a calm passage. Just remeber, He is your lifeboat! You'll be in my prayers. When one person prays, the powers of Heaven are released!