THREAD: Why do I keep sinning? Why do I feel so far from God? Will God still forgive me because I keep ‘backsliding’? How do I get back on track? I’ve gone too far this time, will God forgive me? Does God still love me? Let’s talk.

Sometimes we feel like we’ve gone so far away from God that at this point, there’s no way back. First things first, the devil is a liar. Let’s start there.

Remember the way I explained the devil and how he recycles lies to get you to hate yourself? The same applies when it comes to temptation. https://twitter.com/itsnyawan/status/1297834885890088964

You’ve given your life to Christ, and the devil already doesn’t like that. Why? Because again, God has won. The devil doesn’t care about you like God does, but He knows how important you are to God so in an effort to hurt Him (and you in the process), He starts lying to you

He tells you things like:
‘well God knows you’re a sinner so you might as well keep sinning anyway’

Or ‘well TECHNICALLY that one isn’t really a sin is it?’

Or ‘you’re here for a good time, not a long time’

Or ‘one last time won’t hurt’

Sound familiar? I’m not done xxx

He’ll also say things like:
‘look at you being boring again’

Or ‘but God already forgave you so you might as well keep doing it aha x’

Or ‘you just need closure, that’s all! Text him/her you’re coming over’

Or ‘you’re gonna miss out if you don’t go’

There’s still more xxx

Or he’ll say things like:
‘Why are you realllly here like what’s the point of life?’

Or ‘If He really loved you, why hasn’t He answered your prayers’

Or ‘look at your age mates, they’re going places whilst you’re just a failure’

Or ‘kind reminder that you’re ugly btw’

Gbam.

These are just a few examples of recycled lies and temptation tactics the devil uses to sway you from your walk. God is there minding His business whilst He lives in the devil’s head RENT FREE and because of that he just can’t let you breathe. Why wouldn’t you fall at some point?

He literally whispers lies, half truths and twisted truths in your ears which essentially makes you doubt your faith which is found in Christ (Hebrews 12:2) and distracts you from your walk

You ever heard of Sniper from Dora the Explorer? He literally creeps around trying to steal from her. Now picture the devil is Sniper and you are Dora. That is exactly how he creeps around trying to steal your joy in Christ and sometimes it’s so hard to resist (I Peter 5:8-9) https://twitter.com/itsnyawan/status/1297842059836039168

It’s hard to resist because you’ve heard these same things a countless amount of times and in your own head or from the people familiar to you. Not to mention how everything is promoted in society.

I would just like to make it clear that you are NOT to blame for falling into temptation. I repeat. You are NOT to blame for falling into temptation.

Even Jesus was tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) but because Jesus had never lived a sinful life (tbh He couldn’t even if He wanted to which ofc He didn’t) and was not born a sinner, He wouldn’t have been prone to sin how the rest of us are out of habit

Sinning is like drug abuse. You commit sinful acts once, twice, three times. It becomes a habit, you now become addicted and you don’t even realise it. You now want to stop so you seek help (salvation). You believe you’re done for good now but then out of habit you do it again.

Sometimes in the moment, you don’t even realise you’ve done it again until it’s too late. Now that you’ve realised it’s too late you’re upset because why did you do that? So you’re like oh well, might aswell do it again & boom it becomes a cycle again. Now you feel like a mess.

You’re asking yourself why you can’t stop, whilst the devil is lying in your ears telling you there’s no point stopping because either

1. God won’t forgive you anyway, you’ve gone too far g
2. God will forgive you anyway because your sins were all washed away, right?

Let’s address the problem with both statements:

1. ‘God won’t forgive you, you’ve gone too far g’

“There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

Romans 8:1 NKJV

You believed, no?

From the moment you truly believed, you tapped into grace meaning your slate has and will always be wiped clean.

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.””

Hebrews 8:12 NKJV

Your sins are forgotten...

Why are your sins forgotten? Because thanks to Christ and the finished works, we no longer are judged by the law, but instead we are under grace

“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”

Romans 6:14 NKJV

The devil is well aware of this so he tries to keep you under sin’s dominion, making you wonder ‘yeah but what about the Ten Commandments, don’t they mean something? Wage of sin is death, right???’

““I did not come to destroy but to fulfill [the law].”

Matthew 5:17 NKJV

And how did Jesus fulfil that law? By sacrificing Himself so that we could take our wrath out on Him at the cross, where He then said

““It is finished!””

John 19:30b NKJV

What was finished? The works, the fulfilment of the law, condemnation.

What this means is you’ve been made righteous because Jesus became sin (death) on our behalf (II Corinthians 5:21). Your past, current and future sins have been forgiven. God just wants you to love because He loves you first (I John 4:19). That’s literally it. Nothing else.

Now let’s look at the next one:

2. ‘God will forgive you anyway because your sins were all washed away, right?’

Right. Absolutely right. However, remember how I said the devil uses half truths? This is exactly it. He’s twisting the truth. Missing bits out. https://twitter.com/itsnyawan/status/1297840617578549248

In the same way that the devil told Eve she wouldn’t ‘die’ referring to her flesh, he also is basically trying to tell you to keep hurting God because He said He’s forgotten your sins. He’s saying that you might as well keep sinning seeing as you’re going to heaven anyway. Wrong.

Freedom FROM sin ≠ Freedom TO sin.

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!”

Romans 6:15 NKJV

You being free from sin means you should exercise that freedom to love. Sin hurts people, so it opposes love.

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Galatians 5:13 NKJV

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23 NKJV

You accepted this gift. Tap into it. The devil is trying to steal it but be careful, KNOW YOUR NEW IDENTITY AND AFFIRM IT. Death is not your portion.

Even the term ‘sinning’ should be replaced in your vocabulary. You’re not a sinner. Though you are made perfect in Christ, the devil is still roaming. You don’t keep ‘sinning’, you keep making mistakes. But hear this: the devil learns from your mistakes even if you don’t. Boy.

Stay vigilant. Tap into Solomon’s wisdom. You have it through the Holy Spirit. Use it to discern when the enemy is trying to reuse the same tricks on you. Outsmart the devil & learn from his mistakes too. He ALWAYS makes mistakes. You just need to believe that God is greater.

As much as you’re being vigilant, don’t be so focused on the devil that you start to neglect yourself. He CRAVES attention as long as it gives him power. Remember: the devil only has as much power as you give him. He is nothing, zilch, nada without your power. Stop believing him.

You feel far away from God simply because the devil has made you believe He’s a foreign concept. Bro. God lives IN you (Romans 8:10). Every time you experience love, you’re experiencing God (I John 4:8). God NEVER leaves you (Hebrews 13:5).

God loved you before you could even love yourself. He loved you before you even knew what He’d done for you. He loved you 2000 years ago when He was crucified on that cross for YOU. He loved you before your mum had even thought of conceiving you. He loved you first & always will.

Why do we love God to the point of believing and in turn accepting the gift of grace?

“We love Him because He first loved us.”

I John 4:19 NKJV

If He loved us first whilst we were still nothing but filthy rags, why would He ever stop loving us now that we’re made perfect?

“For I’m persuaded that neither death nor life, ......, NOR THINGS PRESENT NOR THINGS TO COME, nor height nor depth, NOR ANY OTHER CREATED THING, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39 NKJV

God will ALWAYS love you.

You have not gone too far away from God. This guy lives IN you as in INSIDE you. YOU are His chosen vessel. All you need to do is affirm this and walk in confidence knowing that no one can tell you anything because when Jesus says He loves you, NOBODY can tell you He doesn’t.

So now that you know who you are in Christ & exactly what that means for you here on out, how do you get back on track? It’s simple. Find more likeminded people, change your surroundings - the more you spend time with people of the same Spirit, the less the devil’s lies can work.

“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.””

Matthew 18:20 NKJV

Yes, God is already in you. But sometimes when you’re being tempted you can block out God’s voice so having others there in the same Spirit can make that voice louder

Sometimes you won’t understand exactly what God is trying to tell you - you may forget exactly what your identity is. You having likeminded friends can help you as they’ll remind you.

“As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

Proverbs 27:17 NKJV

Start changing what you take in. Replace the distracting content with more edifying content. Christian podcasts, cleaner music, Christian YouTubers/influencers, Christian/clean everything tbh. Following accounts that edify you through their content.

Chop the Bible. Chop, chop, and chop again. Be so deep in scripture that there’s no room for the devil’s lies and temptations. Learn. Use your armour g.

Ref: Ephesians 6:10-20 https://twitter.com/v_naij/status/1297509857650761731

Constantly give thanks to God for what He’s already done for you & what He continues to do and will do for you (I Thessalonians 5:18).

With gratitude comes more blessings in abundance.

Use you platforms to evangelise, to share the Gospel, to extend that love God blessed you with whilst being transparent. Trust me, you benefit from this just as much as anyone else. You doing this will help you find more Christian mutuals, whilst pushing you to keep going

It should get to a point where you can’t go a day without thinking about God because He’s literally all over everything you do. Evangelising should become first nature. No matter what is going on in your life, it’s out of love.

“Evangelising’s my passion”

@KonolaMusic, 2020

Fact-check everything you read on social media & even everything you hear from pastors. Make sure EVERYTHING is backed up with scripture. Not only does this prevent false doctrine, but it also makes you spend more time in the scriptures which means you’re constantly meditating

FIND. A. CHURCH. I cannot stress this enough. As much as fellowship is good outside of a church building, you can learn so much and grow in a Church that preaches sound doctrine and honestly nothing feels better than praise & worship with fellow believers on a Sunday morning

Finally, extend love to everyone you meet and don’t expect it back. Getting rid of the entitlement reduces chances of hurt & sometimes people are going through things in their lives that they end up taking out on you and then you feel horrid. Remember God will bless you tenfold.

Hopefully this thread blesses someone on here! May we no longer fall for the devil’s temptations in Jesus’ name! God bless you all