This video is a video response to a comment received at The Twelve Gates You Tube Channel which said
"I think I'm Saved, I Think I'm Born Again but I'm not sure"
I think this is a common problem out there that needs addressing, hence this video which gives examples of how you will probably not get "Saved". It also looks at what Scripture has to say about the process of being "Saved" especially the Book of Acts which was the dawn of the Church Age where the Spirit was working strongly in those times.
Can a Christian lose the Holy Spirit and lose their Salvation and become a Backslidden Christian? Will the Holy Spirit ever leave a believer? This is a question many Christians will ask whilst on their walk with Jesus but the scriptures are very clear on this fact and you are sealed with the Holy Spirit until your redemption. As the saying states "Once Saved Always Saved" but many disagree with this. It is clearly stated in scripture that it is a permanent thing and cannot be taken away, but if you Sin and do not repent you will be convicted of your sin and will either Quench the Spirit or Grieve The Spirit, but it will still be there.
However to confirm this absolutely, this article will take a look at the three most popular arguments about the Holy Spirit and whether it can be lost and you become a backslidden christian.
Evidence in the Old Testament suggests that David, Saul and Samson did lose the Holy Spirit but that was part of the Old Covenant where the Holy Spirit was more of a companion and not indwelling inside a person. Under the New Covenant the Holy Spirit actually resides inside hence the term "Holy Spirit Filled Believer" or "Indwelt with the Holy Spirit.
The Three Arguments
There are three thoughts or arguments on losing the Holy Spirit this creates a similar situation to the Pre, Mid and Post Tribulation Rapture debate although they are entirely different topics although not unrelated.
The three thoughts or arguments on the Holy Spirit
1. You CAN absolutely lose the Holy Spirit
2. You can absolutely NOT lose the Holy Spirit
3. If you lost the Holy Spirit.... you never had it in the first place
Lets analyse these 3 arguments with relevant scripture to prove their points.
1. You CAN absolutely lose the Holy Spirit
Those who quote this will come up with the three classic cases of David, Saul and Samson from the Old Testament who lost the Holy Spirit. Others often quote Adam and Solomon amongst others. Scriptures below relating to David, Samson and Saul.
In Psalm 51, David prayed:
Psalm 51:11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Samson is another case of the Holy Spirit departing but is mentioned as the "Lord Departing" in the classic Samson and Delilah scene
Judges 16:20. And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
Saul is the third often quote example
1 Samuel 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
All three scriptures have one thing in common. They are all taken from the Old Testament.
2. You can absolutely NOT lose the Holy Spirit
This argument or theory is based on scriptures that state quite clearly that the Holy Spirit is something that is received and not taken away again as illustrated in the Bible quotes below:
John 14:15-16 15. If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
John 10:27-28 27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
The comforter mentioned in John 14:15-16 is the Holy Spirit. These Bible quotes all have one thing in common, they are taken from The New Testament.
3. If you lost the Holy Spirit.... you never had it in the first place!
This argument is similar to No2 stating that you cannot lose the Holy Spirit but reasons that those who think they have lost it may never have had it in the first place. This can arise through a Fake Saving or a False Born Again experience whereby the person thinks they have been "Saved" and received the Holy Spirit but in fact they never originally received the Holy Spirit and therefore never had it to lose in the first place!
1 John 2:19, "They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us."
Conclusions:
There are many other Bible Quotes in reference to "Salvation", being "Born Again" and "Saved" and of course "The Holy Spirit" but to answer the question again "Can you lose the Holy Spirit" and "Can you lose your Salvation" you have firstly have to look at the classic Bible quote
John 3:16
16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
That in itself should answer the question.
Secondly if you take the 3 arguments of 1. You CAN absolutely lose the Holy Spirit, 2. You can absolutely NOT lose the Holy Spirit and 3. If you lost the Holy Spirit.... you never had it in the first place, you will realise the following.
1. The "You CAN lose The Holy Spirit" quotes scripture from the Old Testament based on the Old Covenant. In the Old Covenant the Holy Spirit was a temporary companion and was not indwelling in the person concerned but external and would leave when that person broke the statutes or when God saw fit.
2. The "You Cannot lose the Holy Spirit" and the "You cannot lose the Holy Spirit if you never had it" theories quote scripture solely based on the New Testament and are in relation to the New Covenant. The New Covenant relates to Christianity and this is what is relevant to Christians. In our case the Holy Spirit is not an external force but something that lives inside us and cannot be taken away, but the Spirit can be grieved or Quenched through sinful acts without asking for forgiveness as in Repentance. If you are a True Born Again Believer you will know what that experience is like and afterwards you tend to repent and not repeat it again. Even with the Holy Spirit inside us we will never be totally sin free but if we confess our sin by repentance, they will be forgiven but this does not give us a licence to sin freely or habitually as all sin will come under conviction by the Holy Spirit that lives inside a True Born Again Believer.
1 John 1:7-10 7. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Another question that also arises frequently
While our relationship with God is secure in Christ, unconfessed sin in our lives can hinder our fellowship with God and effectively quench the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives.To conclude while the Holy Spirit will never leave us, the benefits and joy the Holy Spirits presence can in fact depart from us through unrepentant Sin but the Holy Spirit itself will remain. If we repent of our sins then God is “faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”. That is the New Covenant This is why Jesus laid his life on the cross for us and as a result Christians are under The New Covenant and not The Old Covenant ways of the Old Testament.
Further recommended video from The Twelve Gates You Tube
An in depth look at 25 signs that definitely say you have received the Holy Spirit and are indwelt by it which is part of the process of being "Born Again" and "Saved". If you have it, basically you really do not need to ask this question, there will be no doubts in your mind ....you just know and if you have checked, it has been confirmed by scripture. But just in case you do not know or do have doubts, for whatever the reason maybe you got "Saved" by dubious means via a False Preacher , here are the signs that you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit and that it is working in your life. Some of these are from my personal experience and others are mentioned in scripture, some are both. As always check everything against THE WORD!
7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit
We need the Holy Spirit in order to obey and follow Jesus Christ. You receive it by the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is something that cannot be performed by man and is different to a normal Baptism, that is performed by man. These are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Wisdom: giving us Grace to see things the way God sees them. Understanding: the gift of knowing how people are feeling deep down inside Right Judgement: which way to act in difficult circumstances knowing the difference between right and wrong and good and evil Courage: this is not freedom from fear but it´s being afraid and still carrying on. Gives the strength to carry on doing what´s right even when people or situations will oppose us Knowledge: Not just knowing the facts but knowing the meaning behind those facts. This is particularly relevant to the Bible. The ability to see the TRUE meaning of the Word. Reverence: helps us to understand what is Holy in this world, not just places and buildings but people and not just the obvious but ordinary people Awe in God´s Presence: seeing the wonder of God´s presence and work all around us in this world and beyond
1. God is No1 in your life. You become a servant of God and your everyday thoughts, movements and actions will certainly be a reflection of that. God will be No1, there is no compromise. You may or may not be aware of it, but others especially those close to you will. Instead of focusing on the self you are aware that you become a vessel on this world that he is working through reaching out into the world in a physical form.
2. The Before and After. The differences. Life changes. The Old self and old ways will fall away. The new self will have a different way of seeing things and will have different goals and objectives. The change could be dramatic or it could be slower, each situation is different.
3. The Gifts. Almost all will have Discernment. This is a given and is an essential item in the armoury of a Born Again Christian who has the Holy Spirit. The others will be one or some or maybe all of the following: Teaching, Preaching, Prophecy, Healing, Speaking in Tongues. One thing you will receive regardless is you will not be afraid of death!
4. The deeper understanding of the Word. You will live your life by Scripture as in the Bible and the words contained within it will leap off the page. You will see beyond their surface 2 dimensional meaning that everybody sees, but also their hidden meaning, a third dimension to the Bible that is hidden from most, but is shown to those who are meant to understand. This will reveal itself to those who have the Spirit and from deeper study including cross referencing rather than reading the Bible like a novel.
. 5. Spirit knows spirit. You will recognise others who have the Spirit and they will recognise you. You will come to realise there are not as many around as many people think and it will be like meeting a close family member who you have not seen in decades.
6. The Fruits of the Spirit. Patience, Love, Understanding, Joy, Peace, Humbleness, Meekness, Caring , Wisdom. You are a Giver rather than a Receiver...................
7. A greater Understanding of how God works and how he communicates. He doesn't work and think like us, his ways are different. We are of the flesh, he is of the Spirit. When you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit you will bridge that divide. You will experience bizarre forms of communication but you will always know where it is from as it will always check out with Scripture.
8. Circumcised heart. You feel the pain and suffering of others. You will find it hard to walk past someone living on the streets without at least acknowledging them. You will cry or even weep more than you did before and sometimes over the most extraordinary things. A circumcised heart is mentioned in the Old and New Testament
9. Feeling of deep peace. An inner peace you have never felt before that will make itself known in your outer appearance accompanied by a sound mind.
10. The craving for worldly material things becomes minimal or non existent. There will be not the slightest interest in the latest Samsung S7 or the Iphone equivalent. You learn to not buy the latest technological gizmo and buy something that´s not so cutting edge, but was a year or so ago and "does the job". That will be your mentality with everything. You will be concerned with "storing treasure in heaven" and the world is concerned with "storing treasure here on earth". That is a big indicator that you are indeed indwelt with the Holy Spirit.
11. You sin considerably less. You will still sin, but you feel so bad afterwards that any sin you do, you immediately repent. Always. The spirit will control the flesh rather than the other way round.
12. You will have a presence, something that people can't put their finger on but they will be aware of. Not something you will notice... but others will.
13. The problems of the world will seem more acute. You will look at people in a different way and the world and it´s problems will seem more prominent than you noticed before and this could have powerful ramifications in your life maybe bringing about a career change or setting up a charity.
14. You will argue much less. Not trying to win an argument or have the last word..........those are things of the world you learn to rise above.
15. Righteousness will be strong and the urge to shine your light into the darkness and expose it will be strong also. The urge to seek the truth will also be strong.
16. A sense of freedom but also a sense of separation from the world and an understanding that you live in the world but cannot be part of it. Your goals are spiritual and striving towards holiness, most other people are caught up in the "rat race" and concerned with striving toward worldly goals. The two are at odds with each other and it will become painfully apparent the further you go down that narrow way spiritual journey.
17. Strange things will happen, you will see strange things, signs and wonders and come across what can only be described as "not your normal everyday people".
18. Persecution. People will try to drag you down or worse for your obvious obedience to God but you will continue to follow the Lord even if you suffer affliction or persecution for doing so, even death. The Holy Spirit will give you an utterly unshakable faith to endure such scenarios.
19. Fellowship. You will seek the fellowship of other people that are like yourself, because you realise the things you do and say and the things you see will make most people feel uncomfortable, therefore fellowship with Christians who are like yourself is desirable and essential.
20. The inability to blaspheme. You will be aware that you no longer swear or blaspheme especially against the Holy Spirit. If you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit you cannot blaspheme, it cannot be done.
21. Avoidance of mind altering substances: You will probably either reduce alcohol intake or avoid it all together, drugs and narcotics will be avoided also and if you were a smoker you may again cut down or maybe think about quitting.
22. Awareness that your body is a temple: If you were a junk food eater, you will again cut down or avoid such food or even lose the taste for it. You will be distinctly aware that to approach holiness your body and mind must be as pure as possible.
23. Evangelism: You will be driven to spread and share the Word in any shape or form. Those who are vaguely interested will have questions and will seek you out and be drawn to you, looking for life answers without even knowing that you are a Christian. Basically you will walk as Jesus walked, another proof that you are indwelt by The Holy Spirit!
24. Prayer and Worship. Worship: You will have an overpowering urge to worship and praise The Lord on at least a daily basis, even multiple times during the day. Prayer life: You see the Lord both inspiring you to pray for certain things or people and answering your prayers. You will have a personal relationship with the Lord, one that cannot be replaced by any man made service saying pre-scripted words.
25. Fear of the Lord: You may be a Servant of God but you are also aware of an overpowering fear of him if you do not follow his statutes, commandments and laws that are there for good reason, but you are also aware he always gives warning when you are straying from "the narrow way"
Bible Quotes: (KJV)
1 John:3:24
And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1 John:4:2-3
2: Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1 John:4:6
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Ecclesiastes 7:9
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
1 John:4:13
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
1 John:5:6
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
1 John:5:8
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
2 Timothy:1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
John 10:28
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
John 3:15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Galatians 5:22-25
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9. To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10. To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
Ephesians 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Deuteronomy 30:6
6. And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
Colossians 3:1-2
1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Matthew 6:19-21
19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
John 16:12-14
12. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
2 Timothy 2:21
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
Proverbs 1:7
7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Psalm 145:19
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Life after you´re saved. What´s it like? This is a "been there and got the T shirt" style article. So what happens after being Saved, what next?
This is not an article about Being Saved as in the process or a Testimony see my Testimonial. This is not an article about the question whether you are saved or not, see How do you know you are saved. This is an article on Post Saved, the journey after you are Saved, what´s it like from a personal perspective. How you feel, how you see yourself, your expectations of life, how other people see you, the internal changes, what you get given, the problems, the gifts, what you see, and a host of other things that go along with being "Born Again" or "Saved"
This is probably more aimed at Believers rather than Non Believers, but can be read by either, but be warned if you are a Non Believer..........you´re going to need an open mind. Certainly if you don´t believe the Bible, you will not believe any of this. This is not a blueprint or template for the act of being Born Again, each case will be different, some happen quick, others more slowly, some people get a slight nudge in the right direction others (like myself) need a much more violent and radical reboot to achieve the same effect.....the end result though regardless of the process and journey will be the same....you become a servant and messenger of God....a Born Again Christian.
What is the Holy Spirit. My attempt to explain what it is?
First off the picture from this article and how it came about, it´s important as it´s how this whole article came about. Was in a Supermarket (Morrisons) the other week and normally the music is your A Typical supermarket blandness then on came this song a clubby Ibiza style number from way back in 2001 called "Another Chance" by Roger Sanchez. Memories came flooding back (songs do that don´t they) and a semi bop mode came over the normally painfully dull supermarket experience. Left the store with a smile on the face and didn´t think any more of it.
A couple of days later, tried to remember the music video for the song, couldn´t remember it. Did a search on You Tube hit play and straight away the memories came flooding back. Watched it, watched it again and the thought came into the head, there´s something very Christian about this video, it would make a good backdrop for an article at The Twelve Gates............but what. Pondered this for a couple more days and a light bulb went off "This video is a good explanation for what it is like to be saved". Why not write an article about that and weave this music video into it to give some sort of idea to the less well informed what it´s actually like.
Lyrics If I had another chance tonight I'd try to tell you that the things We had were right [Repeat: x 2]
If I had another chance tonight
The song itself "Another Chance" is a typical repetitive club number, but it´s catchy, hard to get out of your head and the title is very relevant to the Christian faith as in being "Born Again" or "Saved". Why? You get given this big heart and a bright light, you feel amazing, free and happy and you want to share this with the world, but not everybody shares your views or wants to hear them, and this video demonstrates that very clearly. You hit a point where you realise you are not like you were before, you go through a realisation phase (the small heart phase) then you enter the next realisation phase that you have been given this "THING", you´re not the same as everybody else and you have to get on with life, do what you have to do and be this new person, carry this big heart around, don´t be ashamed of it, shine your light and relish the gift you have been given. You then realise you will never be 100% accepted by the world (I call non believers The Grey´s) and do what you have to do.
Introduction
To delve deeper into the Born Again life here´s a quote from a typical End Times Video about The Times of Noah and the fact these times are here again it´s by Barney Winner 5 at You Tube. and reading it now it still brings a tear to eye.
This needs to be read to adjust your mind for what is to follow, it sets the tone as this is not your normal everyday sort of read.
Remember you are washed by the Blood of the Lamb. You are. You are washed by the blood of the lamb. You did not come to Jesus on your own. The father sent you to Christ. You acknowledged that call that the father had on your life. And you said YES. So yes, you´re struggling , Yes, you´re striving. But you belong to Christ. You do not belong to the fallen Angels
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Post Testimony
I was "Saved" or "Born Again" on 6 October 2015 which at the time of writing is almost ten months ago. Strange things led to that night (See Testimony) and strange things have continued to happen after the event but I no longer consider them strange, it´s just how God works. The saying "God works in mysterious ways" is something quoted by many including myself, but that quote isn´t actually in the Bible, it´s from a hymn. For those who have the spirit will know that more to the point and the correct term would be "God works in the way that the "Word" says he works".
Old Testament quote from Isaiah 55:8-9.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the Lord.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
In short the journey you embark on to reach the final destination leads you to become a Holy Spirit filled Believer. You will find Spirit knows Spirit. One can talk to another without feeling uncomfortable or awkward, whereas normal people will feel uncomfortable, or think you´re a bit odd or eccentric or you´ve lost your marbles. You leave the old person behind and become this new creation. There is no urge to go back to that old person, many destroy what remnants there was of their past, some leave bits and pieces lying around just to remind themselves what they used to be like. I´m in the latter category. Being Born Again varies from person to person, it´s not a hard drive wipe and installation of a new operating system, some changes are more dramatic and quick, others more subtle and slow. Again this varies from person to person
From what limited conversations I have had with other Born Again Believers or what limited stuff I´ve seen online the following observations are common.
1. No one will believe your story, only True Believers
2. Become like a child and you gain a new father as in God
3. Feel others pain and suffering (circumcised heart)
4. Get an overpowering urge to help others that are struggling in life
5. Get an overpowering urge to go to Church
6. Get an overpowering urge to read The Bible
7. Get an overpowering urge to pray
8. Feel an overwhelming sense of peace
9. Become a lover of people regardless of who they are
10. Live the simple Life not interested in the World and it´s material bias
11. You pursue more spirtual objectives in life
12. Discernment: Ability to see others who have the Spirit. There are not many
13. Sin is something you avoid, if you do sin (and you will but not as much) you have an overpowering urge to Repent
From my personal experience and the following observations have been made
1. Weird things happening, weird conversations with people I wouldn´t normally meet prior to being Saved
2. You see the glaringly obvious difference between right and wrong and think "No I can´t do that" .If you do, you will feel terrible afterwards and you will not do it again.
3. Some people report seeing the world differently like the colours are brighter. Myself that didn´t happen but my taste buds have changed. Used to have an incredibly sweet tooth at addiction levels, now struggle to eat a fruit yoghurt, find it way too sweet. Used to live off takeaways, now hardly touch them. Haven´t had my favourite Chicken Cottage for nearly 10 months now. Not once!
4. For some reason don´t seem to watch much TV these days, have no interest in it apart from the news.
5. The hair trigger temper has gone, haven´t lost my temper in 10 months
6. You are aware you are carrying a light, do get looks a lot these days (even in Central London), but you are also aware you cannot turn down this light or hide it.
7. Do cry more than I used to in the most bizarre situations.
8. Way more patience with everything these days and slowed down instead of what one customer said to me before I was Saved in a Supermarket once who called me a "Damned Motorway shopper"
9. Not really interested or bothered with the Self anymore, more interested in other people and putting them first.
10. You will be guided to places which you have n oreason why you aregoing there but when you get there the reason is abundantly clear.
This list could reach a hundred but you get the idea from 10.
The Gifts
When you are Born Again or Saved the Spiritual Gifts will include one or more of the following, 1) Wisdom, 2) knowledge, 3) faith, 4) healing, 5) working miracles, 6) prophecy, 7) distinguishing between spirits, 8) speaking diverse tongues, 9) interpretation of tongues and other matters , 10) teaching, 11) encouraging, 12) giving, 13) serving, 14) leading, 15) showing mercy, 16) evangelism, 17) pastoring, 18) prophet (Ephesians 4: 11-14), 19) helping others, and 20) administration. Spiritual gifts equip an individual to do tasks beyond what is naturally conceivable.
Out of that list I would say personally I have Wisdom, Knowledge (in a very sort period of time) obviously Faith, some Prophecy, definetly distinguishing between Spirits, teaching, encouraging, definetly giving, definetly serving and leading, showing mercy and forgiveness and helping others. I wouldn´t class myself as an Evangelist, Pastor or Prophet. Not yet anyway. I can´t speak in tongues although I haven´t tried and don´t have the gift of healing (haven´t tried that either).
Answered Prayers.
I would say that is the biggest test whether you are Born Again or not and that is are you in touch with the Lord and are your prayers getting answered. Prayers I find may get answered quickly or they could take months or longer but they should be answered. Some people say they hear God, others say they see signs, others something else, it works differently for different people but you will get some form of communication in one way or another, something that cannot be denied. I have heard the Lordś voice twice, once quietly and one very distinctly on Christmas Day last year in a church that I´ve never been to in my life that I found in the middle of nowhere that I felt strangely led to, that was open and empty. I remember having tears streaming down my face and I heard him, nobody else was there and my question was answered. The question was asked in a silent prayer! I have to say it freaked me out but I´ve heard nothing since but these days there is always an unmistakable sign, always.
Following the Spirit
The spirit will lead you away from darkness and always towards the light, it´s an inner voice thing you receive, that non believers do not have. You see things that other people cannot see, you sense things other people cannot sense and you see danger where others see no danger. Certain things will pop out at you for no apparent reason, could be something you are reading, something online, something you see as you walk down the road, something in the news or in a newspaper and you will realise it has some importance. It may not be immediately apparent but it becomes apparent within a time frame and you act upon it. I use it when I´m trying to find True Believers on line, they probably do the same thing. A sort of seperating the wheat from the chaff. You´re not judging somebody from their outward appearance or their personality or mannerisms or what brand of designer shades they are wearing, you are judging them by what is coming out of their mouth and what they are saying in written form. You are judging what´s on the inside not the externals.
Any major events in life or even minor ones, the Spirit has been used every time and it shows me without fail which way to go, what to do and when and how and why.
Views on Born Again types in society. Non Believers: May believe you but deep down they don´t and probably think you need some sort of therapy. Others react in a shocked way but still think you are bonkers. Others will react and say "Oh.... that´s nice" and maybe just the odd one may start to show some interest and ask questions. Always the potential signs of someone possibly starting that journey to becoming a believer themselves. Believers: There are different sorts of Believers out there, but even many of these who sort of believe will take what you say with a pinch of salt. Some will think you are strange, or think you have the opinion of yourself that you are something special and more Christian than the rest. Some get envious (not a Christian Trait), others who I call True Believers, will have what you have, see you have it as well and see you as a Brother or Sister and shake your hand looking deep in your eyes or give you a hug. As I´ve found online and in the world at large, these types are very few and far between. Churches: From my personal experience, the Institional Church without a shadow of a doubt does not like Born Again or Saved types and I´m talking the real deal here not the "little prayer" types. I think they see you not as a "True Believer" but somebody that is operating outside the Church or using the Church but bypassing the Institution which in their eyes is Heresy. They also realise and don´t like to admit it that you have something they don´t have, you have a presence, they realise you don´t really need a Church (although it is important) to lead you in your spiritual affairs. You are led by the Spirit and The Father. They also realise that you could be a disruptive influence amongst other church goers and are a threat to their authority. It´s a tricky situation to be in. My attitude these days when it comes to anything involving Institutional Religion is keep quiet, do what is expected of you, be polite and leave and return the following Sunday.
People I follow Online.
I use You Tube a lot not only for The Twelve Gates website content and articles but also for my personal viewing. It´s difficult to find a True Believer on this plaform, some are blatantly not Christian but just playing at it, some do what I call "put the Christian Coat on" and look the part but as soon as they open their mouths you know these are just normal people with you guessed it a "Christian Coat On". I currently follow two "Sisters", one is married with two kids the other is a bit younger and a bit more hip but she talks the talk but also walks the walk. The videos they produce are basic, sometimes sitting in a basement with boilers going, other times in their cars but it´s what they say is what matters. One we pray together at the end, another she sometimes start crying about her experiences she´s had with helping needy people. It´s powerful stuff and I would say on many occassions better than what I hear in Church. I will not give these women´s names out or their channel names, I think it´s best to cultivate and find your own but if you are in the faith you need to find people to learn things that maybe you were not aware of but always check them out, otherwise more harm than good is done. I used to follow a few Pastors on Twitter but recently deleted most of them, (something the Spirit told me to do), I now just follow a Nun and some general Christian News websites.
Changes in my Life
This is not a trumpet blow, but just a contrast to illustrate the power of being "Born Again" My old life condensed down in a nutshell.
My Old Self:
Occupation: Celebrity Photographer and Celebrity Photo Sales. photographing the rich and famous within the London area
Character: Aggressive, short tempered, go getter, impatient, ladies man, cold and no heart, loud, selfish and self centred but it has to be said a Creative Type
Food: Junk Food and Massive Quantities of anything with Sugar
Website: Famefad.com (still out there as a reminder of my old self)
Church: No
Bible Reading: No way
Prayer: You can´t be serious?
The Born Again:
Occupation: Book of Revelation and End Times News Website Founder and Author
Character: Patient, Calm, Caring, Big Heart, Put others first, Humble, Quieter
Food: Healthy non processed non fast and REAL food. Not a fan of Sugar not even in Tea.
What´s my typical day and week
Church Monday to Friday in Central London
Saturday Day off
Sunday Church Hertfordshire Where I Live
Prayer Psalms First Thing in the Morning. Psalms and Personal Prayer in Church (except Saturday just Psalms Morning and Evening). Psalms before I go to bed
Study the Bible At least 1 Chapter everyday, sometimes more, except Saturday Day Off.
Websites:
Running of this The Twelve Gates website and associated Social Media (Twitter) and You Tube Channel. Monday - Friday. Weekends off
London Homeless: Recently launched on 1 August 2016 a website to help the homeless in London called London Homeless. This will become part of a wider program to raise awareness of the issue of Homelessness in London and provide help and information to those who are homeless in London or living rough.
Looking to help more in the community especially with the Homeless. Also other things I have hadpersonal experience with before being saved such as Family Problems, Suicide and Financial Problems amongst others. It´s only been ten months, when I´m ready the Lord will let me know what to do. I feel strongly a Ministry is some way down the line, again that´s not for me to decide but the powers that be.
Summary
This is really just skimming the surface of what it´s like to be "Born Again" or "Saved" but it gives a good idea, what it´s like living as you are in the real world. A lot of the weirder stuff has been left out but all True Believers will have similar stories. The Roger Sanchez "Another Chance" video sums it up superbly. Do not expect to be welcomed with open arms by everybody. I didn´t mention demonic attacks (I´ve had them, they have and will happen), if you are in the same job at work after being "Born Again" people will look at you differently, so will your family and friends and other half. Churches will look at you differently from the rest of the congregation and so will the congregation. So will the World. That´s the negatives.
There are many positives, firstly you have something that trust me not many people have, it´s liberating and freeing, you will crave to be with other True believers and crave to get closer to God through Prayer and Fasting (didn´t mention Fasting either). You will not worry about what direction you are heading in life, these will be revealed to you over time and your direction will be taken care of by the powers that be. You will have many questions but you will always find and get answers. You will have a peace that you never felt before and will be able to cut through the fog of confusion that hangs in our world and get straight to the truth every time.
For me I feel I´ve gone through the narrow gate and I am on the narrow path, if I stray off that path I´m on a dog leash and brought back in line, but it´s a spiritual leash not a physical one. It also feels like I´m one of those Shire Horses and given a plough and a field and told to find some seeds and plough that field in your own good time. You are conscious of "The Eye" and "the Tongue" and watch these constantly. You will also be aware of the term "Let it Go" especially when it comes to arguments. You will have enemies but their efforts will come to nothing and they will be silenced.
Can you lose your Salvation and be Unborn Again. In my experience, I think you get this thing and there is no going back.....ever!
Finally here´s some advice if you are the on the narrow path or narrow way to being "Saved" or "Born Again" or have recently said "Yes".
Advice
All the signs and wonders that you see, you must keep to yourself.
Follow the Spirit no matter what. Do not follow the flesh
If you say "Yes" make sure that you are 100% sure, but if you are in that situation you will know with every cell of your body... make no mistake.
You must realise you have been chosen, but you will have an important job to do, but you will be given all the tools to do that job.
You live in the world but you cannot be part of it.
Bible Quotes:
Matthew 7:13-14
13. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
I John 2:3-4
"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight" (1 John 3:22)
1 John 2:15
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (
1 John 3:14
"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death"
John 8:31
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, *IF* ye continue in my word, *THEN* are ye my disciples indeed;
John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Job 28:23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
James 4:8-10 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
1 John 4:13
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit"
The Seven Deadly Sins also known as "Capital Vices" or "Cardinal Sins" are Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Sloth. They are the exact opposite of the "Seven Heavenly Virtues" of faith, hope, charity, fortitude, justice, temperance and prudence. These 7 sins are often thought to be abuses or excessive versions of somebodies natural faculties or passions.
This article looks at the emotional problems faced by modern men and women and the temptations that are out there in the modern world . Whether you are a believer or an agnostic this article will see how sin manifests itself in our modern times and society and more importantly is it something to worry about and what can be done to overcome it.
The Seven Deadly sins are a list just like the Ten Commandments but nowhere are they recorded in a list like this and nowhere in the Bible are they specifically referred to as the seven deadly sins or as the exact opposite as the seven virtues. The Seven Deadly Sins do not pre date the Ten Commandments. Catholicism seems to teach this listing of sins it appears in Protestantism less so. I'm not a Catholic by the way!
A video that gives a quick explanation of what are "The Seven Deadly Sins?" in non religious laymans terms
Are we powerless to resist sin?
Sin doesn’t just happen. First there is temptation, and then there is a choice.All sins have a common characteristic in that they produce an emotional reaction that impacts the body. A person experiencing for example anger will also experience physical conditions, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and increased levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline. The modern day word used to describe this state is a "Buzz" or "High". Interestingly enough Drugs, Alcohol and Promiscuous sex such as Rape and Adultery and Pornography can produce these sensations along with Winning at gambling or even Rebelling.
All sin has the same qualities it produces a short term buzz. It's addictive but the long term effects are devastating, destroy the soul and ultimately destroy lives and relationships. Sin never satisifies. You always crave for more and a stronger version of what you had before, you become a slave to it and it takes over your life and often you are not aware that this is happening but others around you notice and may bring it to your attention, but you carry on regardless laughing it off. Eventually it destroys lives and can lead to loss of a job or business, homelessness, imprisonment, destruction of a marriage or family and even a long term illness or even death. What starts as "just a bit of innocent fun" ends up destroying a persons life. Believe me I've been there. See my Testimonial.
The Film Se7en (1995)
A video below of a Trailer for the Film Se7en which was released in 1995. The film itself is a stomach churner to say the least especially the ending but the message is very clear and relevant to our modern day society. This film initially gets you siding with the police in finding this psychopath that is committing these atrocities but when the film finishes and a day or so later it dawns on you that this man as sick as he was, he was trying to tell and show the world all it's sins in all their gory detail. He knew that the only way to get such a message across is to hit people over the head with a sledge hammer, otherwise people don't take any notice. You could say in true Christian faith style he sacrifices his life for what he believes in. (we never do find out whether he is a Christian or not). It's a recommended film but keep a bucket handy. don't say you haven't been warned!
The Seven Deadly Sins According to the Bible
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief. A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
(Proverbs 6:16-19).
Extra sins including some of the before mentioned
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,lasciviousness,Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21
The Seven Deadly Sins
PRIDE or Vanity
It was Pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. - St. Augustine
The sin of pride is a preoccupation with self. Pride is excessive belief in the self that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity. There is a fine line between self confidence with a sense of accomplishment, and thinking you are better than everyone else around you because of that. It is the gateway through all other sin enters the mortal soul. This is how Lucifer became the fallen Angel as illustrated in the Bible quote below from Isiaih.
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Isiaih 14:12-15
The modern day equivalent of Vanity and Pride as a Sin would be the world of Celebrity. It is an example of something that makes old fashioned sin look good and flaunts itself and influences our society in many ways but the devastating results of sin are all prevalent in the celebrity world and prove that Pride is the gateway to all other sins listed below. The Illuminati in the Entertainment Industry sheds further light on this topic
Further Bible Quotes
Proverbs 16:5 - Every one [that is] proud in heart [is] an abomination to the LORD: [though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
Proverbs 29:23 - A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
Proverbs 16:18 - Pride [goeth] before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Galatians 6:3 - For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
ENVY
Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.Envy is like a parasite. Of all the seven deadly sins, envy is the most internally destructive. It will eat away at you until there is nothing left but a shell. You get what you think you want, but that want is not from desire. Envy is the double edged sword where it is not just about hating other people for what they have. It is also hating yourself for not having it. Modern day society places great emphasis on material possessions and the marketing machine surrounding this including the media creates plays on Envy in our society, which is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, it's the very mechanism that generates sales in our Western Society
Bible Quotes
Job 5:2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
GLUTTONY
Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires. Gluttony is the consumption in excess to the point of being wasteful. To the point of being harmful. This can be food, it can be water, it can be fuel, it can be alcohol it can be drugs . It can be anything. Examples in our modern day world would include, overeating
such as Buffets - all you can eat, Over indulgence, drug abuse and drug addiction(marijuana, alcohol, nicotine, crack, cocaine, etc.)
Proverbs 23:20-21 - "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags."
Proverbs 25:16 - "Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it."
LUST
Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body. Lust is an addiction. Lust is a desire that objectives others into tools for achieving that desire. Lust can be for power, for knowledge, for money, for blood, for alcohol, for drugs, for sex, for pleasure for anything. Modern day society confuses lust such as Adultery and Rape with love with devastating consequences. Lust is the trail of clothing in the hallway, the trashy cousin of love.
Further examples include Sexual lust, Lust for money, Lust for power, Lust for glory, Extreme passion for another person, Strong attraction to a celebrity, Sudden uncontrollable sexual attraction. Lust in our modern days can take many forms here are some examples
1. Lustful murder is extinction of a life by another's sexual fantasies
2. Rape is Forced genital penetration
3. Pedosexuality is sexual attraction towards children
4. Zoosexuality is sexual attraction towards animals
5. Sexual Assault is unwanted groping, unwanted flashing, or forced sexual arousal by another entity
6. Fornication is sex outside marriage
7. Exhibitionism is seduction outside the privacy of home or living quarters
8. Sexual Objectification viewing another living being as an object of sexual pleasure,
-watching Pornography
-hiring Prostitutute - Buying sexual services for money
-going to a strip club
9. Homosexuality is sexual attraction towards the same sex
Bible Quotes
Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
1 John 2:16 - For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
WRATH
Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath. It is not to be confused with Anger and is not murder. Wrath is blind uncontrollable rage, irrational and blind hate, a lashing out at its target with anything from spiteful words to violence to outright slaughter or murder. Wrath on a global scale is what starts wars and can continue to spawn wars for decades to come. Examples of wrath can be Domestic violence, War and Speech promoting violence
Bible Quotes
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires
James 1:19-20
“In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
Ephesians 4:26-2
Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.
Proverbs 29:11
GREED
Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness. Greed can cover the acquisition of power, the obsession over wealth and the accumulation of material possessions. Having these things in their selves is not a sin but having them in excess and just for the self and nobody else and for self gain is a sin. In the corporate world major global corporations are guilty of these and it is evidenced in politics.
Examples in our modern times are many and can include Capitalism where everything has a price, Materialism, Bribery, Fraud, Black Market buying / selling Out of Sight of mainstream society, Slavery (Human Trafficking) -Prostituting Sexual Objectification of one self to sell sexual services for money and Pornography is filming or photographing of one's sexual activities
Bible Quotes:
1 Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1 Timothy 6:9 - But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
Luke 12:15 - And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
SLOTH
Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work. In it's everyday form it can be translated as laziness BUT it can also apply to the following situations. If you see someone getting harassed, do you step in to stop it? If you see someone who is having a hard life, do you try to brighten up their life? If you see something suspicious, do you say something? Or is it none of your business and you turn a blind eye and carry on as normal?. Modern day examples would be the TV Addict and Couch Potato.
Bible Quote:
Proverbs 13:4 - The soul of the sluggard desireth, and [hath] nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
Proverbs 21:25 - The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
Proverbs 20:4 - The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.
The Modern Social Sins
1. Destroying the environment
2. genetic manipulation
3. obscene wealth
4. creating poverty
5. drug trafficking
6. immoral scientific experimentation
7 violation of the fundamental rights of human nature
How can you avoid sin and what's the big deal?
Most people think that Sin is freedom to do what you want and forget about the consequences but Sin and the committing of Sin is going against God and his laws and statutes and is punishable in God's eyes in extreme cases just like it was in Sodom and Gomorrah. What if you commit sin in a private darkened room and keep quiet, surely God will not find out? He will. God sees and knows everything and will punish you more for doing so.! Sin is part of the battle of Good V Evil
The cure for these sins is the gift of a new heart that acts in accordance to the love and law of God. This new heart can only come from God.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Humanity's only hope is the miracle of a regenerated heart that acts according to the direction of the Holy Spirit to walk in God’s statutes and judgements.
The only way to achieve the above and avoid sin is to be Born Again and in dwelt by the Holy Spirit. It cannot be done any other way. No matter how hard you try, it's in mans nature to sin that's why Jesus died on the cross.
and in Christ we have victory over the destructive power of sin. (See Romans 6:22 and 8:2.)
How can sin be overcome?
If you are a true born again Christian you will have and be aware of the Seven Heavenly virtues and these are your weapons to overcome sin.
The Seven Heavenly Virtues
1. Kindness = Cures envy by placing the desire to help others above the need to have what other people have
2.Temperance = Cures gluttony by creating the desire to be healthy, therefore making you fit and able to serve others
3. Charity or love = Cures greed by putting the desire to help others in need rather than storing up treasure for one’s self
4. Chastity or Self-control = Cures lust by controlling passion and diverts that energy for the good of others
5. Humility = Cures pride by removing the ego and boastfulness and haughtiness, therefore creating the right attitude of mind for service
6. Diligence or Zeal = Cures slothfulness by placing the best interest of others above the life of laziness and relaxation.
7. Patience = Cures wrath by taking time to understand the needs and desires of others before acting or speaking.
Summary
In this day and age where evil is disguised as good, and good is made to look evil, where lines are being blurred in every aspect of our lives and confusion and chaos reigns, the word sin is looked as something a bit old fashioned and something "of the past" and not really a concern in this modern day and age, it's even paraded round as fun or a pastime to get a few kicks to liven up the day.
The problem is Sin is just as valid as it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah as it is today and we all know what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah. Sin is clever, deceitful, divisive and enticing and on the surface it looks a bit of harmless fun but further down the line it takes you to a much darker place and you become a slave to it, whether it be drug addiction, porn addiction, alcoholism........... the problem is you don't even realise you are going there. I would say it's like getting on a roller coaster ride, it's fun initially until you realise you are stuck on this thing and you can't get off. So is Sin something to worry about.......YES it is! Sin is part of the ultimate battle between Good and Evil and why the Seven Deadly Sins are named as such for a reason
Some closing Bible quotes to ponder over regarding Temptation which is what leads to Sin
Keep these truths in mind: •You will never face a temptation that is impossible to overcome. (See I Corinthians 10:13.)
No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.
1 Cor 10:13
•God is eager to give you all the grace you need to reject the temptation. (See Hebrews 4:16.)
Further viewing over at The Twelve Gates You Tube Channel
The Seven Deadly Sins Playlist: 7 videos with further information on each of the Seven Deadly Sins filmed in London
This article is about the very special term "Born Again" delving deeper into what it actually is, how you receive it, what happens, what changes take place and more importantly how you do not receive it.
This is a heavy, heavy article that comes with a Warning that some of the videos featured here may have an emotional impact and are probably best viewed in private and not on say Public Transport, McDonalds or whilst in the queue at the local Supermarket. Don't say I didn't warn you!
The owner of this website talking about the journey he went on before he actually got "Saved" or "Born Again". It is a Spiritual Journey to put it mildly!
So what does this "Born" Again mean or what is often referred to as "Saved"?
Oxford Dictionary Definition
Of, pertaining to, or characterized by (an experience of) new birth in Christ or spiritual renewal; of a Christian: placing special emphasis on this experience as a basis for all one's actions, evangelical
Wikipedia
Born again is a phrase used by many Protestants to describe the phenomenon of gaining faith in Jesus Christ. It is an experience when everything they have been taught as Christians becomes real, and they develop a direct and personal relationship with God.
With the voluntaristic type, rebirth is expressed in a new alignment of the will, in the liberation of new capabilities and powers that were hitherto undeveloped in the person concerned. With the intellectual type, it leads to an activation of the capabilities for understanding, to the breakthrough of a "vision".
Posts
