Need prayer please

[mweber]

I am requesting prayer that my faith would be strengthened. I know that our sins have been forgiven through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ but at times I have questioned my salvation because of sins I have committed after making Jesus Christ Lord and savior of my life. I initially professed faith in Jesus as Lord in 1986 and from that time until 2001 my spiritual life initially was improved but when I joined the military things started to decline. I reached a low point in 2001 and I realized that my life was not dedicated to the Lord. Some of the sins I committed during this time has my wondering if I really did have eternal life even though initially I thought my conversion was genuine. I was only honoring Him with my lips but my heart was far from Him. About a year and a half ago I made the decision to dedicate my life completely to the Lord and I have seen some tremendous changes but there are still a couple of weak points that I sometimes struggle with. These struggles are in areas that I really indulged in while calling myself a Christian! I have seen improvement in these areas but not total victory. My desire now is to share the gospel and to be in perfect obedience to the Lord in all things. I pray for faith the for truth to be revealed in my life. I would appreciate any comments and prayer not just for these things but for anything else that comes to mind. I know the time is very short but I pray in that time that the Lord would really work in my life and make up for many years of foolishness and sin on my part!

[Proclaimer]

I will certainly pray for you and have already. I also want to add that I can see quite clearly your desire to live for God and this is commendable.

I noticed a couple of comments you made and I feel that now is a good time to comment on them. Your quote “I have questioned my salvation because of sins”. Well I can assure you that all sins (but one) are forgivable. The sacrifice of Jesus death can cleanse us of All sin for all time, no question about it. You just need to do your bit and that is to be in a state of repentance and to do what God wants you to do.

Now you mention that you struggle with certain sins and you know what, that is normal. We all struggle with sin in general and we all seem to have a weakness for something whether it is the desire to drink too much alcohol, indulge in sexual sin or whatever. But my advice to all who struggle with certain sins is this: If you don't want to sin, then there is only one thing you can do and that is to do what God wants you to do. At the moment you have been lead by the spirit of God and you have followed, you are not sinning, rather your faith is in action which is pleasing to God. Now read Romans 14:23
………. and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
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Galatians 5:16
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

So everything of faith is pleasing to God and everything that is not of faith is sin. So imagine all the times that you are not being lead by the Spirit of God, well all those times are sin.

So you can see that what you really need to do is listen to what God wants you to do and just do it and at that precise moment of your faith in action and only at that moment are you not sinning. Now we all have a sinful nature to contend with and that nature is in conflict with the nature of the Spirit. So on one hand we are being pushed into sin from our carnal nature and on the other we are being lead by God's Spirit to do his will. This is the inner conflict of all believers.

Now if we live for God (being lead by his Spirit), we will have the victory, but in truth we will all inevitiably sin or fail at certain times and in those times we have a covenent with the Lord God. See 1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Now Romans 7:20 tell us something that many may find controversial:
Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
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Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is NOW no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,  

Now if you exercise your faith, you will have no choice but to believe that there is NOW no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

So rather than try and not sin, you will have the victory when you know what God's will is and you do it. Maybe this is your time to really seek God and learn to discern his voice. Remember the more we know God and hear his voice and obey, the more we do not live for the carnal nature and this results in less sin.  

[Lox1]

You are in my thoughts and my prayers , may the peace for The Lord by with you. I think you may find comfort in Romans 6 chapter and maybe the answers that your seeking. We are not to life in condemnation , ( not even self condemnation ) this is the very reason Jesus came to a fallen world. When you backslide never brush it off and never try to hide it. If a sin goes without repentance it will fester and that gives satan a crack that he can wedge his way in. He will then convince you with lies that your no saint, and you can never be ” good ” enough for God. First of all , the children of God are saints, and the great news is that we don’t have to be ” good enough ” for God . For it is not by our works, but by faith that we are made prefect through The Lord Jesus. As soon as you sin the Holy Spirit convicts you, that’s that awful feeling you get, and your mind can no be at rest for thinking of that sin. The thing that will help is to remember that conviction as soon as that sinful thought becomes a act. Speak Jesus’ name three times and ask for help ” please .” Remember , he will never leave you, nor forsake you.

Two weeks ago I got myself into a situation , I was backing my way out and it didn’t look good. In my mind I called for help. Within five minutes he answered my prayer. Trust him and believe !!!!

[kerwin]

mwebber,

I have asked God to be with you in your endeavors to find him. May your faith be increased.

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