Why does one backslid? The reason one backslides is because they did not believe in the TRUTH. 

They walked in the flesh, gratifying the desires of the things of the flesh. 

Let’s go to the parable of the seed sown in the thorns found in Matthew 13:7, and the explanation in verse 22. The seeds sown in the thorns are the ones that have been worried and distracted in the world, and the “…deceitfulness of the riches choke out the word and it yields no fruits.”

In the TPT, of Matthew 13:22, the WORD says, “The one sown among thorns represents one who receives the message, but all of life’s busy distractions, his divided heart, and his ambition for wealth result in suffocating the kingdom message and it becomes fruitless.”

This is telling us that the things of this world are going to distract us, it would divide our heart, focusing on what is less important. Also, the ambition for wealth, basically gaining the whole wide world and losing your soul is a distraction that causes us to seek it more so than the WORD of the GOD. And it would suffocate the WORD of truth, where the WORD will become fruitless in our lives. 

In Deuteronomy 8:18, the WORD says, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”

This shows us that it is GOD that gives us the ability to gain wealth. But we, man, when we ask the LORD, our hearts are filled with intentions that are not for GOD but we ourselves. The book of  James 4:3 NIV, the WORD says, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” 

Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, the pride of life (1 John 2:16).

Because we have a good Father who knows our hearts, He’s not going to give some of us wealth because our hearts will be set on these worldly things more so than having a relationship with Him. He wants to give us good things, but if our intentions is wrong before Him, He’s not going to give it to us. We need to mature, where we surrender our will to His Will. The WORD said, and you shall remember the LORD your GOD, who is the ONE who gives you the wealth. But that does not mean that the ONE who gives you the wealth will give it to you to use it for your purpose. 

Remember the earth is the LORD’s the fullness thereof, the world and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1). Meaning that everything, every good and perfect gift that comes from above, belongs to the LORD, even the ability to gain wealth. Everything has been given to us because was given to the children of men (Psalm 115:16) but our use of what we’ve been given should worship the LORD, give praise and focus unto the LORD. We did not come with it nor are we going to leave with it. 

So, referring to the backsliding, your life of living in the world while being a “christian” has led you to believe that the world has something for you. In the flesh, it does. In the eyes, it does. In what you desire to do, it does. 

It is hostile to GOD. It is fleeting. It’s temporary, and its results is death, because the wages of sin is death. Living in the world gratifies the flesh, and the flesh leads to sin. As the LORD said to Cain, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:7.

You must have control over sin. You must rule over it. 

Matthew 16:26  TPT, the WORD says, “For even if you were to gain all the wealth and power of this world—at the cost of your own life—what good would that be? And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul?”

So this is where the renewing the mind comes. In Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

How do we walk in GOD’s will? We need to daily, day and night, be in GOD’s WORD.  We need to study it, meditate it, and utter it out of our mouth. And the Holy Spirit will reveal to us the WORD of the LORD so that we walk in the will/plan/purposes of GOD. 

So why do people backside? The WORD was not fully in them and they did not trust the LORD. 

Living as a Christian gets easier when you offer yourself to GOD, as a living sacrifice. When I decided to read His WORD and journal His WORD, started praying, basically disciplining myself which led me to love the WORD, the LORD drew to me and revealed more of Himself to me through His WORD, and more ways, spiritually. And I trusted in Him more and more.

Jeremiah 29:11, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”. 

When I was younger, I backslid a lot, even though I was raised in a Christian family. I stole because I wanted something. I listening to worldly music because I wanted to listen to the words of a song or the sound/melody sounded “good”, not knowing that it opened demonic doors. I dressed a certain way because I wanted to get noticed by men because my version of love was construed. When you lean only on your own understanding, it leads you down to paths that are not good for you, but I thank the LORD that I had praying parents that prayed for me and still are doing so, one in the clouds of witness, and one  prays with me and in her prayer closet. 

The WORD tells us in Matthew 6:23 that if you think your eyes are filled with light but instead is filled with darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness! 

We are called to seek ye first the kingdom of GOD. We are called to submit to GOD, and resist the devil, and he shall flee from you. 

Repent, turn from wordy pleasure and desire that will not serve at any point. WALK AWAY FROM SIN. 

James 4:8 NIV, the WORD says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Now, as I am continually growing and learning, He’s working in me as He is working in  you when you surrender yourself to His will. 

This is life is not about us, it’s about Him. 

Walking in sin is not good, Walking in being right standing with GOD is better. If you are not walking right with GOD, but you are a Christian, then you are mocking GOD’s sacrifice and what He has done for you through Christ Jesus. 

Jesus Christ, gave all his privileges of being GOD (John 1:1; Philippians 2:6) and made himself a humble servant so he could be like us, understanding us better. So that when He died and rose again, He would intercede for us because He understood our weaknesses. And He’s the only ONE that could do it because He lived a perfect life, unlike us. He died overcame sin that we will also overcome sin. He also went to hell, where the angels that disobeyed GOD are meant to go, not us. Hell was never meant for us. 

And that all came from GOD’s love for the world. 

Jesus Christ is coming back. GOD will judge those that have forsaken him and don’t believe in Him. Do not wait to repent. Repent now, turn and surrender your will to Him and let Him change your thinking. 

When you are transformed in Him, your way of thinking and doing is going to be so different from the world. The world of course will see it as weird, stupid, and even out of this world. But submit to GOD, and ask for His strength to endure, walk in faith His WORD, and focus on the purpose of your life on earth. Think of what you’re reaping when you follow Christ: good fruits, righteousness of GOD, and you have eternal life, and many more things as you draw near to Him. 

I am speaking these words because I also need to awaken myself to walking closer to Him. May He give us a willing spirit to sustain us in walking in His will/plan/purposes, and to give us His mercy and grace for our time of need on a daily basis. His mercies are new every morning. 

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV