Backsliding

First off let me introduce myself my name is Jason I love god and I love to be around people and talking to people if you have any questions feel free to ask me and I will try to answer them to the best of my ability if I can't I can find somebody who can so let me get into my lesson or devotional (whatever you want to call it).

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When I say the word backsliding, what does it make you think of, or what does it mean?

Webster defines backslide as: to lapse morally or in the practice of religion

And he defines lapse as: a slight error typically due to forgetfulness or inattention

So backsliding is when your relationship with God gets bogged down with forgetfulness or inattention. It doesn’t have to be falling into deep sin or even something negative in your life. Spiritual backsliding creeps us on us through forgetfulness and inattention.

When we hear the word backslide, we normally think up images of falling into sin. While backsliding certainly includes that, it is not necessarily limited to it.

Backsliding is not just falling backward, but it is also failing to go forward spiritually. If we are not moving forward in Christ, then we are naturally going backward. In the Christian life, there is no standing still. We are either progressing or regressing.

The term backsliding comes primarily from the Old Testament, and is mostly used to mean “turning away”

Ironically, God's people backslid mostly after times of great blessing and prosperity. Often, when God poured out incredible mercies on Israel, the people soon turned away from him.

1 Corinthians 10:12 tells us that, "If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall."

In Jeremiah 2:19 God says, "Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that you have forsaken the Lord your God. . . ." Also, Jeremiah 3:22 says, "Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings."

How does Satan use forgetfulness and inattention to cause someone to backslide?

Are there other things, other than forgetfulness and inattention, which can slowly turn us away from God.

In the New Testament the Bible tells the story of a man who backslid, someone whom no one probably expected to fall away. It is the story of Simon Peter and his denial of Jesus Christ. Peter had walked with the Lord during three years of intensive discipleship, and yet Peter denied Him. It is a reminder to us that any of us have the potential to fall. This story also illustrates three other areas that we need to watch out for, which can be good signs that we are not growing closer to Christ.

No one suddenly backslides. A series of steps always leads to it, because every day, we are either building up or weakening our spiritual character.

Self-confidence. Luke 22:33 tells us that Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death." Peter was boasting in the wrong thing: his own strength. Mark's gospel tells us he did this repeatedly. He was prideful and self-assured. We should not be confident in ourselves but in God

Prayerlessness. This sin of prayerlessness was a direct result of Peter's first sin of self-confidence. When the disciples accompanied Jesus to the Mount of Olives, He specifically instructed Peter, James, and John to pray (Luke 22:40). But they fell asleep. They failed in praying.

Often, we do the same. We don't pray. We take matters into our own hands and come up with clever little plans and make a big mess out of things.

Following at a distance. In Luke 22:54 we read, "But Peter followed at a distance." Distance from the Lord in closeness and fellowship will always be at the foundation of all spiritual regression. In his defense, Peter was still following, but at a distance. It was half-hearted commitment.

Have you ever watched a TV nature program where a lion was chasing after lunch in a pack of a gazelles or a zebras? He usually gets the straggler, the one that is separated from the rest. In the same way, the devil often grabs the stragglers, those who are following at a distance. Cause they are the easiest to catch and devour. Don't follow at a distance. Get as close as you possibly can. You can never be too close to Jesus.

This takes a really strong effort to do. No one remains neutral with God. You’re either moving forward or moving backwards. You’re either quenching the Holy Spirit in your life or you are in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. When you are backsliding you have to contend with the idea of inertia. That is, an object in motion tends to stay in motion. If you are moving backwards in your relationship with God, you will find yourself most likely continuing to move backwards, until you step up and do something about it. And sometimes it will take a tremendous effort to overcome.

If you or someone you know was really dealing with falling away from God or just not moving forward with him, what could you tell them or do to help them or yourself?

Are there things coming up tomorrow or this weekend, which you know about that might cause you to turn your back on God or start heading in the wrong direction? What can you do to prevent that inertia of backsliding, and instead, start the ball rolling towards God?

A good book of encouragement to remain close to God is 2 Timothy. Paul’s whole purpose in writing it was to teach Timothy to hang onto everything he had been taught. Read 2 Timothy 1:13, 14

So right now in your life… are you growing spiritually, or have you been in a stalemate with God? Remember, backsliding is not just going backward; it is a failure to go forward.

           I use to be bad about this myself but now I'm loving god and gods people and I couldn't have a better life so god can do amazing things.