Many are the reasons that can cause one’s walk with the Lord to become lukewarm or cold, cause a seasoned believer or new convert to loose “that loving feeling”. It may be indecision… you were not quite ready when you made your commitment to the Lord. To follow Jesus requires 100% surrender “Luke 9:23-26” and you were not ready to let go of some things, surrender some habits, get rid of some friends, lovers or relationships and now you’ve caved in to the temptations or pressures of returning to your preJesus life “Philippians 3:13”. Or you may have been hurt, mistreated, victimized or disappointed by a trusted friend, loved one, brother, sister or church leader. This disappointment has discouraged you, has affected you negatively and because of the pain you are still hurting, you’ve been wounded “2 Kings 20:5”. It may be betrayal… “Jeremiah 12:6” you are church leader who has been disrespected, slighted, ignored and been the victim of envy, jealousy or hate from other church leaders or members and you are discouraged and hurt. Jesus knows and cares. He is waiting with arms wide open my brother, my sister, to embrace your return and repair the wounds whether self inflicted or inflicted by others “Luke 15:11-32”.  

Undecided or Confused? Stop the indecision now “Joshua 24:15”!  Nothing can compare to Jesus, no lover, no amount of money, no relationship, no accomplishment… nothing can compare to eternal life. Indecision implies being halted between two attractive options.. what will you give in exchange for your soul “Mark 8:36”. What can compare to Jesus? If your indecision caused your backsliding, take a moment to consider where you’ve faulted and return to the Lord now and renew your commitment with absolute resolve and surrender. He is the Lover of your soul. Think on the famous words of the popular hymn by Rhea F. Miller, “I’d rather have Jesus than silver and gold, I’d rather be his than have riches untold.” “Return to Me … saith the Lord and I’ll fix it”.

Hurt? It happens… we’re often hurt by the ones we love and look up to and the church is no exception. There’s however a directive in the bible we need to follow that gives opportunity to your offending brother to remedy the wrong and to disallow the entrance of the devil through a spirit of bitterness and unforgiveness “Luke 17:3”. Truth be told, there are lots of hurting, disappointed and angry people in church and church folk can be a source of pain instead of comfort “Psalm 34:18”. The sad reality is that if the wound is not attended to, hurting people hurt others, the offended becomes the offender through a spirit of bitterness. Make a decision to put away the hurt, pain and bitterness “Ephesians 4:31-32”. Permit yourself to heal. Your source of pain may be a beloved, brother, sister, elder, church mother, pastor… doesn’t matter who, think carefully on why you’re hurt or discouraged. Realize it’s not your fault. Make a firm decision now, to forgive the offender “Colossians 3:13”. Or you may have been involved in an intimate relationship with the offending person and your heart may have been broken… life is too short to be carrying this incident, wound and pain around. Jesus and eternal life are too precious to be side tracked by the weight of this offence. Give it to Jesus “Psalm 147:3”. Jesus wants you to come as you are, come with the pain, come with the hurt, come with the anger… come to Him. He wants to heal you, heal your mind, heal your heart, heal your emotions… make you whole again and restore you to the plan he has for your life. “Release the offender saith Lord and Embrace me”. Nothing will separate you from His love “Romans 8:35”. “Return to your first love now”.

It’s sad but true… the anointing and the gifts the Lord may have blessed you with through the office of the Holy Spirit can be a source of envy, jealousy and competition among less anointed church leaders. Instead of embracing the work of the Holy Spirit on your life and making room for the Holy spirit to use you to bless the local assembly, these self appointed church leaders would rather ignore you, suppress you and quarantine you. So they call and recognize every one else but you. You are not called to preach, to sing, to exhort, to pray or to minister. They however, do expect you to show up at church to hear their preaching, their singing, their exhorting and of course to contribute your tithes and offerings but you must be seen and not heard. By so doing these church leaders are not aware they are grieving the Holy Spirit and are working the works of the Devil. Recognize my fellow leader the call, purpose and anointing on your life are the same, its without repentance. He who has begun a good work in you, knows everything and sees all, and He’s well able to perform it “Philippians 1:6”. Professing to see, they are blind, professing to hear, they are deaf, professing to speak they are dumb. They did the same to Jesus. The error is not yours but theirs. Trust the Lord for direction and move on “Luke 9:5”. Recite the following prayer… the Lord is still married to you “Jeremiah 3:14″…

A Prayer of Re-commitment and Re-dedication

“Lord your Holy Word says in “Zechariah 1:3”, if I return to You,
You”ll return to me. Lord I return to you now with all my weakness,
hurt, pain, errors and I ask your forgiveness. Receive me my Holy Lord and Savior, and as the prodigal son returned to his father, I return to You.
Once again I confess my sins, I renounce the devil, this world and sin.
I confess unforgiveness, bitterness, discouragement, unbelief
prayerlessness, every habit and all rebelliousness. Cleanse and purge me of all filthiness and make me whole again.
Create in me a clean heart, O god; and renew a right spirit within me “Psalm 51:10-12”. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with the free spirit.
Lord I declare I am yours, I am restored, my body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and that I am saved. I recommit my life to you!
Use me and guide me In Jesus name… Amen”

My friend, once again the Lord has cleansed and made you whole! Praise God for His goodness and mercies, His lovingkindness and marvelous works to us all. Stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage “Galatians 5:1”. Remember once the Lord cleans you, its the devil’s desire to get you back putting you in more bondage thus causing your state to be worse than before..”Luke 11:26 “. Beware, be vigilant and be diligent “1 Thessalonians 5:22”. Amen. We would like to hear from you, send us a praise report so we can continue to pray and encourage you.