the unfulfilled life of a casual christian
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After being gloriously saved, a believer won't set out to be a casual christian. It happens little by little. The reasons are many but most of the time it begins with a devastating event by which the person feels God should not have let happen that did happen. Through their immaturity and lack of wisdom they blame God for this tramatic event and begin to sour towards the things of God. When a negative attitude takes over they become darker in their mood and thoughts. Where they were diligent in studying the Word or going to church the diligence begins to wane. Left with a weakened spirt man, they become susceptible to the enticements of the world. Things in the world began to interest them more and more, whether it the new gaming system, television, socal media, wrong people, and if satan really tries to bring them down --pornogrpahy or drugs. As they become addicted to these vices it becomes easier and easier to stop reading the Word and going to church all together. God in his mercy forgives everytime you ask, but the addiction to the things of the world keeps a person going back.
Wrong thoughts, like, 'all preachers want is money', or 'all christians are fake' or any wrong thinking like that creeps in the mind of once a strong christian can mark the beginning of their downfall. At the root of such thoughts are hurt and disallusionment but the effect remains the same -- a departure from the Lord. With their love growning cold, they fail to see the danger they are falling into for they are now in the enemies grip. While they unknowingly have been ensnared by the devil with one of three the lusts: 1. lust of flesh, 2. lust of the eye or 3. the pride of life. As they marinate in this kind of life; the life God called them to slowly slips away.
Like in all things what was spiritual becomes physical, God states, that 'by their fruit you will know them' and there are clear signs of a life without God. One major sign is lack -- be it in their finances, their health, or relationships. A believer that has become casual in their relationship with God will have lack. If they are making money they aren't satisfied because they are not where they are supposed to be. If they lack good health it is because they don't have the faith to make the promises of God for healing a reality in their lives. If they lack good relationships it is because they are not doing what the Word says in that area.
And more times than not they will have broken relationships because so much of their time is spent pursuing worldly things. They no longer have neither the time nor the willingness to be with the Father so He can direct their lives. The father sends people into their lives to bless them but if they are not where they are supposed to be, they may not make the connections. God blesses His Will and Calling for our lives and if they aren't pursuing it, all the things, people and experiences He intended for them to have aren't there. Jesus made reference to this in I Kings 17:9. the woman God sent the prophet to to sustain them, ) Jesus made reference to it in Luk 4:25 saying, Out of all the peopel suffering through the famine, God sent the prophet to her to sustain them. Why her? I am sure there were other people that were suffering from the famine.
I am just speculating but a born again believer not pursuing Christ and not pursuing His Will or Calling,may be on their own. God can certainly reach them but hearing and receiving from Him might be difficult because their spiritual senses are dulled by the things of the world. The Bible states in Mark 4:19, that the cares of the world choke the Word and it becomes unfruitful. While a person has gotten out of the habit of being nourished by God and the Word, the Word in them suffers a blow. Consequently, faith follows --lack of faith that is. And to make matters worse, the anointing in them dissipates. The Bible says, He baptizes us wilth the Holyghost and power. God anoints His believers but the measure an individual walks in is dependent on the individual. Since God can do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think ACCORDING to the POWER at work in us, (Ephesians 3:20); if there is no power working then the spiritual state of this person is not good. In fact, instead of being strong in spirt, they are weak.
They may be weak-willed and unable to turn from temptation. They may not be able to receive any of the promises of God because of a lack of anointing and faith and may be living far below where they should as a believer. They may be unable to get their prayers answered, unable to hear God and as result their whole life begins spiraling into depression, dispair and hopelessness.
Now imagine this person had a desire for God, again, but with no sustainable faith, anointing, or Word in their heart and addicted to the deviceness of the world; how effective do you think they will be?
So what's a person to do if they find themselves in such a position. If this is you, you can begin to turn your life around right now and have the life and the calling God had for you since the foundation of the World. The Bible states the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, Roman11:29. God made you for something special and you can step back into a life with Christ.
How to turn it around
1. Humbly repent and turn away from the world
2. Get delivered from the demonic oppression that caused your addictions.
3. Begin to pursue God again, through prayer and the word. Hearing God's voice is tantamount to overcoming.
4. Take back control of your flesh through Fasting. Fasting helps to weaken the control of your flesh.
5. Take back control of your mind by getting into the Word. Allow the Word to correct your thinking. Let the Word and prayer build up your spirit man so you will be able to resist the enticements of the devil.
Want to avoid falling altogether and skip the life of despair? The Bible says in II Peter 1:10, 'Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
Therefore, pusue your Calling with diligence and avoid falling for the pits of hell that satan wants to bring into your life.
