Have you Back Slided
The undying love of God towards His people is one of the issues of concern I want to focus on in our community believing The Lord for a radical U Turn of brethren who after experiencing Jesus, God’s power and presence have wondered away from the Lord. So come let us reason together.The word backslide literally means “turn away from God, 1 st kings 11:9 which declare that,” And the Lord was angry with Solomon because His heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared unto him twice, verse 10 declares, And had commanded him concerning this thing that he should not go after other Gods: but he kept not that which the Lord had commanded.” Turn away from your first love Rev 2:4″Nevertheless i have somewhat against you, because you have left your first love.” Galatians 1:6″Paul declares “I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. Which is not another: but there be some that trouble you, and pervert the Gospel of Christ. Paul continues in chapter 3″O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been openly set forth, crucified among you? This only would i learn of you, received you the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the spirit, are you now perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain? He therefore that ministers to you the spirit and works miracles amongst you, does he it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? 1st Timothy 5:15″For some are already turned aside after Satan or to evil Psalms 125:5 or to the desires of this world 2nd Timothy 4:10″ For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed unto Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. The scripture metaphorically describes backsliding state as serving two masters at the same time, turning aside like a deceitful bow Jeremiah 14:7″O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do it for, do it for your name sake for our Backslidings are many we have sinned against you”, away fallen growing cold, departing from faith, putting the hand on the plow and looking back” Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No Man, having put his hand on the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God”,” salt that has lost its savor” Matthew 5:13″You are the salt of the Earth :but if the salt has lost its savor, how shall it be salted? it is therefore Good for nothing than to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men. A backsliding person is like a dog returning to its vomit proverbs 26:11 or a dead branch. John 15:6″if a man abides not in me, he is cast forth, as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into fire, and they are burnt. Backsliding however is simply a way of life by a Christin who is living an ungodly life. This might never seem to be a problem to the individual unless a word from the Lord comes to Him OR HER “EXAMINE YOUR SELVES IF YOU ARE IN THE FAITH.2nd Corinthians 13:5. I tell you the truth, the backslider does not suddenly wake up one morning and go out and backslide. Permit me duel hear on the desire of the flesh. You will agree with me that before a backslider commits adultery or fornication, over a period of time he must have been weak in his spiritual life. Not praying as before, watching and talking with friends about sex unconsciously taken by bad companion. King David watched Bathsheba undress and before he knew it he did not only commit adultery with her but made a set up for her husband to be killed so that He may have her for himself. Backsliding therefore begins with a general feeling of spiritual indifference because as we fail to focus on spiritual things the flesh seeks fulfillment. This issue is imperceptible in the life of the backslider who continues to ignore God’s appeal to return thereby causing our souls to subside to a sense of guilt and Hypocrisy. In time, though the love of God remains, the fear of the Lord departs setting a complete reordering of our priorities, If the fear of the Lord departs, it is but obvious that the wisdom of the world takes over. Suddenly the backslider will unconsciously be taken into sin and it becomes easy to justify actions which normally we couldn’t have considered acceptable in God’s site. As for one who had been delivered from demons or control from spirits, the tendency is that demons fly back and take overseven times than it was before. A prostitute for example will get in to a state of addiction and before you know it drug, aids smoking or become a member of a Gang. As our spiritual consciousness is low, our sense for Guilt becomes very little. The truth is that the Further we stray from the Lord, the more distant is the voice of God and the more difficult it is to find our way back. An over confidence in one’s Former standing with God can falsely convince the individual that God will overlook his present conduct. You often hear Christians talk of when i gave my life to Christ i use to do this in church. Their spiritual testimonies are now in past tense.(I use to)Some parents due to the system of church in America and the crazy work schedules can only talk of “when i was Hosea 7:2″And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own deeds have surrounded them, they are before my face. Some have a propensity to falter. They keep on backsliding Hosea 11:7″And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him. ”Jeremiah 8:5″WHY then have this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return. Verse 6″I hearkened and heard, but they spoke not a right: no man repented himself of his wickedness, saying, what have i done? Every one turned to his own course, as the horse rushes into the battle. Hebrew 3:10 declares” Therefore i was grieved with that generation, and said, they do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways” .Even as we vary in our degrees of spirituality some are prone to falling as a degree of choice. I tell you the Truth; our spiritual lives require a conscious effort to build and to protect as the devil will always step in while we are physically weak to handle certain critical issues. I was in Hongkong 2004 left with nothing for a daily bread running away from my call when i was really hungry and survived on coffee in the hotel in which i lodged for days. A call for help from home was slow and a helping hand from some acquaintances and though they were not willing to help some prostitutes were eager to help with a price of me compromising my faith and defiling my body. It is such situations that people who love and trust God find themselves at the mercy of the enemy and compromise. This compromise breaks our connection with the Holy Spirit and to the voice of God. Jesus likewise was tempted by the devil when he was physically week but by the grace and the spirit of the Lord that endowed him with the word and wisdom He prevailed, Matthew 4:1-11.Before Judas could betray Jesus remember he was in charge of the treasurer John 12″4-6,he was a thief and with little efforts he sold His Master. Backsliding can be seen in your thought life , speech jealousy, hatred, envy, bitterness, unforgiveness, no fellowship, drinking ,smoking fornication, adultery, night clubbing etc. Although backsliding begins in the mind and heart, the conditions gradually become eminent. As a backslider we turn to worship the Lord our God with our lips and our mouth but our hearts are far away from him Isaiah 29:13 And the Lord said, because this people come near to me with their mouths, and give honor to me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and their fear of me is false, a rule given them by the teaching of men. Titus 1:16″They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him , being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate. If our lives fail to measure up to the Christ we profess, then our words are obsolete.1st Timothy 5:8 declares. But if any provide not for his own and especially for those of His house, He has denied the faith, it is worse than an unbeliever. Backsliding in scriptures. 1st Samuel 15:11,26-28Amos ,2nd kings 21:22,23,joash,2nd chronicles 24:24 Solomon 1st king 11:4,9,David,from lost led to drunkenness, adultery and even murder as i earlier mentioned. 2nd Samuel11:1-5,13; 12:1-13. Backsliding may lead us into severe consequences even if our sins are forgiven. David suffered tremendously as a result of this ungodly union with Bathsheba. His anguish of heart as one who experienced the presence of God but abandoned His ways is expressed in psalms 51:1-19 AND PSALMS 61:10-12. Many disciples of Jesus turned away and walk not with Him. Math 26:56 John 6:66,Thomas wanted to see for himself, peter denied him three times, Peter took other disciples instead of fishing men ;he went back to the sea to fish. Paul also spoke in the Corinthian church not to depart from their faith 1st Corinthians 5:1-13,2nd Corinthians 12:20,the Galatian church. Beloved, as wide as this concern of backsliding is, it is just to open up our knowledge or awareness on our spiritual standing. Are you really in Christ, have you fallen, grown cold, backslided. Are you in tune with biblical teachings; are you an imitator of Christ? Are you ready to do something about your spiritual state,? Are you ready to repent, there is still away so come back to you father. The Lord has His ARMS READY FOR YOU Hosea 14:1-7 Declarers’ “O Israel return unto the Lord your God for you have fallen because of your iniquity. Take with you words and say unto him, Take away all my iniquity and receive us graciously: so we will offer the sacrifice of our lips. Verse 4,”I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely for my anger has turned away from him. Verse 7, they that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shallbe revived as the grain and grow as the vine, their scent shall be as the vine of Lebanon.” Isaiah 53:6.All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. The prodigal son realized how far he had strayed from the father made up His mind Luke 15.As far as we are from the Lord, He uses some extreme measures to bring us back, sickness misery, grief,(psalms 107, 2nd kings 17 :15)Isiah 1:5,6 Jeremiah 3:22Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God. OUR God Is READY TO HEAL YOU FROM YOUR backsliding if you return with a repentant heart. Deuteronomy 4:29,2nd Chronicles 28:29, Jeremiah 31:20;36:3. His patience towards those who keep on backsliding is limited Jeremiah 15:6, proverbs 24:16; Hosea 11:7 Some have gone far beyond any place of repentance Isaiah 1:5-6; Jeremiah 6:30;15:1 Ezekiel 22:18…… The Lord will reject us if we reject Him but His desire for us to return has never faded. Complete restoration is on its way for you. If you can make a U turn from that life you are living, that ideology, that rebellious attitude, at ignorance and walk back to the father then He will Heal you. You might have thought of your sins and say they can’t be forgiven please call now and lets table our request before the Lord.Isaiah1:18″Come now, let us reason together,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
May this word circumcise your heart, may you allow your mind to be transformed Romans12:1-3-1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
May you have peace and begin to experience the fullness of His abundance and Blessing in the Kingdom.
Pastor kivenwww.kingdomeagleschurcusa.org