Ten Marks of a Backslider

Proverbs 14 14 declares the backslider and heart should be filled with his own ways. I believe that's true friends because God's Word is true and what God says about the backslider is true. He is a man who is filled with his own ways.

Now you chew on that for a while while I begin this message on the backslider. My message this evening is entitled ten marks of a backslider. I believe there are a whole lot more but we will focus on these ten this evening.

I'm just gonna list them and I'll let the Holy Spirit bring conviction if you fall in with any of them. A backslider is someone who has slidden back from a close walk with God. Someone or something in their life has caused them to step back away from God.

Their spiritual vitality is gone. Their witness for Christ to a dying world is plum gone. Where there was once a fire on the altar of their heart now that altar sits in cold ashes.

I used to have some wrong opinions on the backslider. I used to think that a person was backslidden when they had dry eyes when they prayed but I was wrong. You can be a unconverted religious person and weep like a baby when you pray.

Outward emotion has nothing to do with it. It's something all on the inside but it will manifest itself in our actions. Our text says that the backslider and heart shall be filled with his own ways.

I believe our text pinpoints this problem friends as a heart problem. I was in the hospital recently and they told me that my heart failed. That I have heart failure.

Well that's pretty bad news but worse news than that is to find out that God says to you that you have a heart problem in your walk with him. You are a backslider and heart. Now that's pretty bad news friend.

I'm going to list ten marks of a backslider and if you fall in with one or more of these then you have a heart problem with God. You're out of step with God and that puts you out of the will of God for your life. You may be a seminary professor and be backslidden.

You may be a pastor of a church and be backslidden. Most deacons already are but if you land on this list dear friend then you need to get with God and do business with him and get back in step with him. Amos 3.3 asks a question.

Can two walk together except they be agreed? Well I think you know the answer. Here now is that list. Number one.

You're either all out for him or you're all out for yourself. Number two. You like to control people for you are a very controlling person.

Number three. You have no personal witness for Christ. Number four.

You have no burden for souls going to hell. Number five. You have lost your sweetheart love for Jesus.

Number six. You like to boast of what you have and brag on what you've done. Number seven.

You know of someone in need and you have the means to help them but don't. Number eight. Your favorite subject of conversation is yourself.

Number nine. Your prayers are consumed with three persons. I, me, and mine.

Number ten. You must be acknowledged and recognized by others. The backsliding heart shall be filled with his own ways.

Let us pray.