Has anyone hearts got hardened towards God while seeking after him

I was wondering because i have seen it contuinaaly happening to me and it is really scaring me. I pray more and read scriptuire more and all that keeps happening is my heartand conscious hardening and losing desire towards God, do ou think this becaus God let me go because of my continued sexual sin that i didn't repent of until i got married. I want to repent.

Hi man, I HIGHLY recommend you getting the book entitled, "Principles of Spiritual Growth" by Miles J. Stanford. It's a small book and not hard to read at all, just simple basic and eye opening biblical teaching that will help establish your thinking about God and how God thinks about you. You might find it in your local area used books stores. [url=https://my.backtothebible.org/product?stock_code=0739X]Back to the bible[/url]

A little bit of warning though. Once you come into knowledge about your life in Christ, your thinking will change and you will not be able to do the things you used to do. You won't be able to charge God with not loving you or suggesting He has left you, those thoughts will have to be pushed aside by what you'll read in this book.

Has anyone hearts got hardened towards God while seeking after him?

I was wondering because i have seen it continually happening to me and it is really scaring me. I pray more and read scripture more and all that keeps happening is my heart and conscious hardening and losing desire towards God

Sometimes people get their emotions confused with their actual attitude or desires or thoughts or conscience or whatever. You might get a variety of off-topic answers from people unless you are more specific.

do you think this because God let me go because of my continued sexual sin that i didn't repent of until i got married. I want to repent.

I am happy i can talk to you all about this, this has been a hard almost 3 years for me struggling without the presence of God strong in my life. I have posted on this site many times about my problem but i still seem to not have been delivered yet, i mean what does it take for God to deliver me from this, i mean i have tried and tried to surrender and repent of everything just to fail, then i have tried to just place my faith in Christ and just keep doubting, i read his word and i am filled with doubts and my heart disbelieves what i am reading though i don't want to, i have lost desire to serve him and read the word and i stopped going to church because i just feel dead and have no one i can talk to who can relate to my problems. I have sought for peace from God from the sins of my past but all i get is a hardened heart and more disbelief towards him within myself though i don't want to disbelieve. I really need the encouragement still after 3 years because i really wa freaking out again this week that their was no hope for me. Ben Joseph all of this happened to me after i spent 3 years in sexual sin with my wife before we were married and then we got married and she was unsaved, i thought i was saved but i am unsure since i have been doubting for so long and because God's presence has seemed to leave me since we got married, at times like at the revival conference i truly believe he began to speak to me again but then left.

Dear John,

The Holy Spirit has come to help you cease from sin. However, every time you do a deal with sin to commit it, God keeps His word to minister death to you. If you want life, you will have to keep strangling that sin till you've wrestled it to the ground, and then you still need to cut of its head, like David did to Goliath.

Having said this, I do wonder (if you are indeed battling with sins) if you are suffering from what is called 'perceptual disorientation'?

In other words, you are, in fact, winning the battle, and God is right with you in the fight (assisting you), but you have to be so concentrated towards conquering, that you simply have no [i]sense[/i] of His presence.

I've been through this many many times, and eventually have the testimony that He does not fail. But that is based on coming to the end of certain battles, and finding that without Him, I could not have overcome [u]at all[/u].

The points made by snufalapacus, are very valid.

Neither is God going to yield (even just a little) to your sinful desires, so that you can have the impression He approves of your misbehaviours. The word 'compromise' is not in His vocabulary, except as an accusation against those who refuse to worship Him with [u]all[/u] their heart, and mind, and soul, and strength.

I know it's tough, but He wants you to make [u]the choice[/u], and stick with [i]Him[/i], for your own good, as much as for Him to be able to receive back a disobedient child, as, for instance, Paul testifies - 1 Tim 1:14. (For context, read 1 Tim 12, 13.)

Afterthought: if you really [i]are[/i] [u]getting[/u] a hardened heart, that is because of unbelief. Every time you sin, you are exercising unbelief, which in spiritual terms, gives rise to idolatry.

Wayne said:

Sexual sin seems to be split out from the rest in scripture as having a much more dramatic impact on us than other sins. [b]Not that it is any different in God's eyes.[/b]

He expects man to [i]see[/i] that it is an abomination to God, to worship their own flesh (or that of another), instead of the Creator, and Paul has set this out very clearly in the New Testament, (Rom 1:25), as have many Old Testament characters, for example, David. To God be [u]all[/u] the glory is the only way forward - which includes honouring, utterly, His image in man, [i]in fact[/i], not merely by proclaimed intention.

If anyone knows someone who can talk to me who might be able to help me or who has been through this thing and who could pray with me someone with experience dealing with souls, i really feel helpless seeking the Lord myself.

i will talk to anyone i am really miserable and hopeless.

i am just sick of doubting, of my heart being hardened, i am sick of the demonic attack i go through, i have sought after the Lord for over 2 years now for deliverance and i know the answer is Jesus during this time i have lost my faith in Jesus unwillingly it is like my faith in him has been literally ripped out of my heart and conscious. I understand i never trusted him on his finished work and the forgiveness of sins and i have sought after that, but at the same time i am confused because i believed on him for healing 6 years ago and he healed me and he changed my heart and my life but stupid me fell into sexual sin and never got out of it. But i actually experienced the holy spirit and i was changed inward to desire the spirit so i know it was real, so those verses in hebrews 6 and 10 and peter are very scary to me because i hope its not me. But thank you for your encouragement, i just have to trust he won't forsake me.

it is like my faith in him has been literally ripped out of my heart and conscious.

I'm sorta sorry I always sound so radical, but please believe I'm speaking from experience, that there really is no shortcut to [i]walking out[/i] repetitiously, genuine repentance (that is, showing God that you now think differently about those things) in the areas of your mind and body where you have sinned. It will take time, and as long as you are genuinely trying to stop sinning, you will eventually succeed in ceasing from those sins.

You used the word 'conscious', and I think you may have meant 'conscience', which is consistent with scripture: 1 Tim 4:2. I testify, that you can get your conscience back, but until it is functioning normally again, and you find yourself able to care about what it's telling you so that you obey it, you will need to work very hard to keep to the letter of the law, because: 1 Tim 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane...' 1 John 5:3.

For this is the LOVE of GOD, that YOU [u]KEEP[/u] [that is, you take to heart] HIS [i]commandments[/i], (Acts 17:30, John 14:21, John 15:10), and, Romans 13:14.

It's tough, but never underestimate the blessing which will flow from your obedience. Matt 7:20, 21.

bible4life, how can you be in unbelief unwillingly? It is completely your choice.

Maybe you are trying to believe a confused version of the gospel? (very common problem) This would make belief difficult if you were trying to believe something that don't really make sense.

Or maybe you are judging your belief by your emotions? Is it just that you "feel like you don't believe"? Or are you deliberately choosing to doubt?

Could you really be having demonic attacks of doubt? Maybe. I don't know how to judge your case over the internet let alone in person, but maybe my thoughts can be of use to you.

If you are being assaulted with thoughts of doubt and fear from the devil then I truly sympathize with you. Sometimes we just need to run to God and cry like little babies casting all our cares on the Lord who "is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil" Luke 6:35

Other times we just need to man-up. The whole point of running to God is to draw strength from him to carry on his battle against evil. In a war, men sometimes get wounded or overwhelmed by the enemy but their ultimate goal is not simply to be healed and comfortable but to continue in the fight until it is completely won. So we should go to God for our strength. But we shouldn't hope to just give up and find comfort in quitting. Any good soldier would rightly lose all respect for himself if he gave up. I expect you would agree with that.

I'm not saying it's wrong to cry to God nor am I trying to condemn you but only to offer what I know. The devil would gladly get us stuck crying and crying and crying until he turns us into pathetic cowards. God says cowards will not be allowed in his kingdom. Rev 21:8

What if Abraham had given into doubting thoughts when he was going to sacrifice Isaac? What if Jesus had given into doubting thoughts when he knew he was going to be betrayed? What about the prophet who was sawed in half? What about martyrs dropped into boiling oil?? That's serious! If you are willing to become a human french-fry for God you are seriously tough and have my respect no problem.

What about merely psychological and emotional trials? Are we willing to patiently endure?

The bible says "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." Prov 24:10

The bible says "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." Prov 25:28

Sometimes you just need to be a man about stuff.

The bible says "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?" Isa 40:28

God's been suffering more than you and I can imagine for a long time. God's endured over 6000 years of open rebellion in his kingdom. He's seen every rape, murder, child abuse, and sins you can't even imagine. Our problems are like getting a pedicure compared to what God endures. (I hope you don't know what getting a pedicure is like - neither do I)

That's why we can go to him for strength. He "faints not neither is weary". We can draw strength from the Father's strength. We can be strong like he is. We can war against sin and not be overcome by fear, thoughts, emotions, doubts, and all that.

The bible says "Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight" Ps 144:1

Now, if you are in a mindset like I used to be in then you may just be thinking about all that hebrews 6 and 10 stuff right now and thinking "What good is courage gonna do for me if I'm doomed anyway?"

I'm not saying that's your mindset but I'll share some more thoughts as if in response to that very common mindset. Take it or leave it. I just don't know what else I can do to be of help other than offer what has helped me. I'd be glad to just listen also if you just want to tell someone what's been going on.

Now if you continued in sin then you would definitely fulfill Heb 6 and 10. If we reject Jesus and choose sin and burn up all the time that God gives us to repent then what else can he do for us? Nothing. God is longsuffering and slow to anger and doesn't want ANYONE to perish. God is also a righteous judge who loves his kingdom so much that he will punish rebels with eternal fire for sinning against him and each other. God will protect his kingdom from the wicked by destroying them eternally.

Is there some point where it is too late for a sinner? Of course there's a point where it's too late. People generally assume that point is at the moment of death. Could that point ever come sooner? I don't know. God is judge and not me. Does that mean that it may already be too late for someone who is alive? I guess it would mean that wouldn't it?

Please keep in mind that this is based on my own experience and I'm not claiming to have diagnosed your problems. I'll make it sound personal in the hopes that it may be helpful but not to pretend I know you well enough to judge.

Now if you were doomed to hell for your sins and God could not be just in offering you reconciliation... would you still love him? Would you accept his judgment? Or would you spend the rest of your life selfishly worrying about yourself? Wouldn't God still be worthy of all of your love and obedience? Wouldn't it be only further sin to obsess over your fate instead of loving God with all of your mind? Or is love and obedience to God only worth it if it gets you into heaven? Wouldn't that just be selfish and wicked? To only courageously follow God if you get what you want in the end? If you really love God you'll refuse to obsess over such fear because he is worthy of all the time you waste by worrying about it.

These are things I think to myself in order to encourage myself not to become a sissified little girl worrying about all the Hebrews 6 and 10 "it's too late for me" passages.

Do you think that you could possibly be more concerned with your own salvation than God is? What blindness this is for so many people... Trust in God's judgment whatever it may be. Even if God had to punish you in the lake of fire. Would that be a good excuse to give up? Of course not. If there is any possible way for God to forgive you he will surely find it long before you invent something with your little pea-sized brain.

The bible says "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." 1Pet 5:6-7

The bible says "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." Jas 4:10

"Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" Jas 4:8

That's all I can think of right now to offer to you other than my willingness to listen. Repent or perish. Repent even if you might still perish. Trust in and love God even if you think you might perish. Go to God for strength if tempted. Cry to God when you need to cry to God. Don't be a total sissy. Overcome fear like a man. Don't earn hell with cowardice. Being afraid of going to hell won't save you. Lots of people who are afraid of hell will still end up there. If necessary, repent of obsessing about perishing or you'll actually perish for real. If you are being attacked with evil thoughts that you don't willingly give in to then "count it all joy" James 1. Let God teach you courage and perseverance while you endure your trial like a man. Don't confuse feelings and thoughts that you can't control with sin or unbelief. If you can't control it then it ain't your fault. If you think stuff is your fault that really ain't your fault then you will let the devil turn you into a guilt ridden sissy. I can vouch from experience on that one. It's not a sin to have strange emotions or whatever. If you ONLY think about YOU and your supposedly hardened heart then you will ONLY feel like you have a hardened heart. If your problems and insides are all you think about and focus on then your feelings will follow your thinking. You can ONLY inspire yourself to love God by thinking ABOUT God. Meditating on your own confusion will NOT inspire you to love God. It will only inspire you to feel like a dry piece of dung, a Pharisee, and in general to have zero respect for yourself as a human being made in God's image. You have to think about God and how worthy he is of your obedience in order to be inspired to actually obey him. Think about God's beautiful righteous law that commands only love and nothing unnecessary. No grievous commands and heavy burdens, just perfect love for him and our neighbor. Think about how much God loves us sinners. Think about things that you admire about God. If you can't think of anything admirable about God then you need a theology make-over. But I'm sure you can think of things about God that inspire you to love him. Don't forget other people too. And yourself as well. Just don't put yourself first.

Ok. Sorry if any of this ends up not being helpful.

Like I asked at the top, how could you be in unbelief unwillingly? That doesn't make any sense. What do you mean you don't trust in his finished work and all that? You're not trying to comfort yourself with that once-saved-always-saved crutch are you? I used to do that. What do you mean about seeking after the forgiveness of sins? God has been seeking to forgive your sins but you were still doing them. If you really stopped sinning and started obeying then what else would God expect of you?

By the way I can relate to your experience quite a bit including the sexual sins in the past. I can relate to thinking it is too late for me and all of that. I've tried to show that in what I've written and also to encourage you in what I believe is the right direction when having such thoughts. God bless you as you persevere in obedience and faith.

No brother that is really helpful.

Hey bible4life

our situations are very similiar. I've often wished for thee answer for my own life but like you, haven't found it. Some advice that might help you is some advice that I was given. Stop trying to seek the Lord. Stop resisting any sins. Stop trying to read the word. And stop going to church. Stop praying. Stop doing all of it. Try to get away from God. Be a real sinner so that you can have a real salvation. Sometimes we become so deluded and confused that it takes extreme measures to show us what is true.

Like, you might know that your a sinner but until you actually commit a sin and are convinced of it, you won't truely know that your a sinner. The problem is that you don't have much to be forgiven of and so therefore you don't love God much. Go out and commit some sins and then you'll be able to sincerely say, "Dear Lord, I am so sorry for doing that. I sinned against your Son who died for me."

Do you get what I'm saying? I hope so.

Paul wrote,

our situations are very similiar. I've often wished for thee answer for my own life but like you, haven't found it. Some advice that might help you is some advice that I was given. Stop trying to seek the Lord. Stop resisting any sins. Stop trying to read the word. And stop going to church. Stop praying. Stop doing all of it. Try to get away from God. Be a real sinner so that you can have a real salvation. Sometimes we become so deluded and confused that it takes extreme measures to show us what is true.

our situations are very similiar... Some advice that might help you is some advice that I was given. Stop trying to seek the Lord. Stop resisting any sins. Stop trying to read the word. And stop going to church. Stop praying. Stop doing all of it. Try to get away from God. Be a real sinner so that you can have a real salvation. Sometimes we become so deluded and confused that it takes extreme measures to show us what is true. [b]I've often wished for thee answer for my own life but like you, haven't found it.[/b]

You have [u]no[/u] [i]gospel[/i] for John, as the apostle Paul has (Rom 2:16, Rom 16:25) for all of us, but you pass on this [i]useless advice[/i] anyway!??

2 Timothy 2
1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of [i]this[/i] life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 5 And if a man also strive for masteries, [i]yet[/i] is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. 7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: 9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, [i]even[/i] unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, [u]that they may[/u] [b]also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus[/b] with eternal glory.

11 [i]It is[/i] a faithful saying: For if we be dead with [i]him[/i], we shall also live with [i]him[/i]: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with [i]him[/i]: if we deny [i]him[/i], he also will deny us: 13 If we believe not, [i]yet[/i] he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

just stop striving to be better and rest in what Jesus has done for you at the cross. anything else is useless... you must labor to enter in that rest...He is the only door...He is the only way...YOU CAN NOT DO IT AND THAT IS WHY JESUS CAME AND WENT TO THE CROSS FOR YOU,PERSONALLY.jimp

John, I do think that if you [i]determined[/i] to understand the New Testament, you would find it easier to resist sin.

This morning, I read the end of 2 Timothy, and was struck by the context of the phrase '[b]ever learning[/b] and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.' [i]Paul goes on[/i] 8 'Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, [b]so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith[/b]. 9 [u]But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all[/u] [i]men[/i], as theirs also was. 10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of [i]them[/i] all the Lord delivered me.'

Do we suppose the Lord delivered Paul out of [u]all[/u] his persecutions and afflictions [u]while[/u] he was wilfully sinning? I hope [i]not[/i].

The above verses are, in fact, some of the most comforting in the experience of many Christians who have not yet been as squeezed by the Lord's ordained will for them, as He intends them to be - for His glory. After all, Jesus was squeezed until He was dead, that what should pour out of His death was a new era of blessing (the outpouring of the Holy Ghost - the power to become sons of God), for all people who would afterwards believe in Him.

Going back to 'ever learning': recently, I was considering the meaning of 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil', compared with 'the tree of life'. Jesus said 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life'. So, I am assuming that there is a great degree of overlap between the three definitions He gave of Himself. 'I am the Life' = 'I am the Truth' = 'I am the Way', without any controversy, without any lie / lying, without any conflict between the meaning of any one of those statements. Jesus is the Tree of Life. He also said 'I am the true vine'. Which implies there is a false vine.

Now, what could that false vine be? I believe it is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is the philosophy which says we have to try everything to find out if we like it or not. Not to find out if it is a fruit of the tree of life, and therefore true / truth, but to find out [u]what we can learn[/u] from eating of it. Thus 'ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth'.

I pondered on the phrase 'but never able to come to', because Calvinism would have us focus on the 'never able to', as if God had decreed that we would not have the ability. But I don't think this is what Paul is saying. He is saying that by 'ever learning' (from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil), we are [u]by default[/u], never [b]coming to[/b] the tree of truth and life. It is as if we are heading down a road that simply doesn't lead to the tree of life, so we are never going to get to the tree of life, because it lies at the end of a different route. Does that make sense?

Numbers 21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

In a previous thread, Preach Parsly pointed out from the above verses, that it must have taken considerable courage to take ones eyes off the serpents, to look to the serpent on the pole, because one would be abandoning ones own power to resist, and would be depending on the healing power of the serpent on the pole.

As you know, Jesus refers specifically to this episode of Jewish history, as a picture of the cross - John 3:14, 15, 17. If you don't want to be condemned, or to feel condemned, then you have no alternative but to hide yourself - your whole self - in the death of Christ on that cross, for there, you will be free - to live [u]in Him[/u].

Well...what I'm talking about is heart-felt religion. Anyone can "seek the Lord" till the cows come home. Anyone can pray, read their Bibles, go to church and resist sins. These aren't the marks of a Christian. People think that these things are good things.

What I'm saying is that whatever isn't of faith is sin and if this brother is doing all these things and feeling miserable, then based off my own experience, I know that this brother is sinning when he reads his Bible and when he prays or strives against sins.

Let me ask you, if a brother can't attend church because he's sick, do you think he sinned? If a blind man can't read the Bible because he's blind, do you think he sinned? What I'm saying is that this brother is sick and he's deaf and he's blind but he doesn't believe it. He doesn't believe it because the devil has deceived him by using sermonindex people and other people into believing that he needs to read, pray, resist sin, yadayadayada.

This poor brother gets mixed signals from everyone on this forum and probably other places. On one hand you all tell him that he's saved by grace through faith and not of himself. Then you tell him he needs to trust God. Then you tell him that he must read and pray and seek the Lord. Then you tell him that he must repent.

My o my, you've overdosed the guy with your medicines to the point that he's numb and sickly. What's the solution? Stop it all! Go back to being a normal, earthly minded, sinner. Instead of pray, stop praying. Instead of not sinning, sin (if you want). Instead of going to church, avoid it like the plague. And instead of caring about God so much, just live your life void of Him.

And you know another thing...either all you people on here have become so numb and deluded yourselves to the point that you think the slavery your in is actually freedom.

There's a freedom where like Martin Luther put it so wonderfully, you can sin boldly and yet have more faith in Christ. You aren't afraid to commit a sin or put your Bible down or not pray, not out dishonor to God but out of love. How can that be? Well, you have a deep rooted love that goes beyond these trite things.

Am I telling this brother to go out and murder people? Definetely not. Am I telling him to go get married and start cheating on his wife. Defintely not. Am I telling him to sin some sins that are serious offenses both to God and to man? No! But I am telling him to spite the devil by sinning small sins. Put the Bible down, get off your knees, become a gluton, sleep on Sundays, and give into whatever your heart desires.

It's at this point that I'll leave it.

Brothers and sisters I really appreciate all the wisdom i probably don't deserve this much care but thank you so much. Paul I desire God, I don't want to leave him ever, when he came in my life 6 years ago my life changed and for the first time I had life like never before, i had someone who actually heard my cries and understood me. If Jesus Christ did not answer me in my time of need I might have killed myself because I had no hope. He came when no one else cared. i am concerned for you, I will pray for you because the words out of your mouth was not good at all, I will be praying for you Paul.

You folks on this forum are seriously too holy for me.

Hi Paul,

You folks on this forum are seriously too holy for me.

If I may say... it is one thing failing to get victory over a sin which seems to have its talons into your mind and soul (but in your heart you have [i]every[/i] intention of beating it (one day) and are genuinely crying out to God for such a continuous victory), and simply rolling over to sin - giving up all attempt to please God, or to seek Him, or to live in the power of His gift of the Holy Spirit.