Help with a friend who has backslid.

[gordon 2]

Can anyone offer help?

I feel that a good friend of mine is lost these days, but once he was not lost. He was firmly in the faith once, but now he claims he can't believe and that before he was deceived.

Once he would testify that the Lord did minister to him audibly, not unlike Jesus ministered to Peter as in the simple words " Feed my sheep". Now he says that he was hypnotized as if his whole fellowship experience was hypnosis. To that he would testify then he now no longer believes.

His whole week was looking forward into fellowship once,( a few yrs ago) and he was a great help at his assembly.

He was an all in Christian and demonstrably so. Now he is all out. He seems to have come increasingly depressed and where he was once all into the Lord with joy he now in all into conspiracy theory.

Where once the audible voice of the Lord was assurance, inspiration and the source of purpose for him , now it is dismissed as if it had never been.

Can anyone help me with my greatly loved friend?

 

[formula1]

I’m afraid only God can remove the scales! But I will offer prayer for Him with you. It is the most powerful thing I have!

 

[brutally honest]

He was an all in Christian and demonstrably so. Now he is all out. He seems to have come increasingly depressed and where he was once all into the Lord with joy he now in all into conspiracy theory.

Many people (including me) spend far too much time reading the news. Encourage your friend to spend more time in the Bible. I have increased my Bible reading, and it’s really helped me.

 

[j_seph]

easiest most fool proof way, don't judge him, be Christ like, and prayers

 

[gemcgrew]

He may yet cling to Christ with a faith stronger than ever before. If he is completely lost, he may get completely found.

 

[SemperFiDawg]

Can anyone offer help?

I feel that a good friend of mine is lost these days, but once he was not lost. He was firmly in the faith once, but now he claims he can't believe and that before he was deceived.

Once he would testify that the Lord did minister to him audibly, not unlike Jesus ministered to Peter as in the simple words " Feed my sheep". Now he says that he was hypnotized as if his whole fellowship experience was hypnosis. To that he would testify then he now no longer believes.

His whole week was looking forward into fellowship once,( a few yrs ago) and he was a great help at his assembly.

He was an all in Christian and demonstrably so. Now he is all out. He seems to have come increasingly depressed and where he was once all into the Lord with joy he now in all into conspiracy theory.

Where once the audible voice of the Lord was assurance, inspiration and the source of purpose for him , now it is dismissed as if it had never been.

Can anyone help me with my greatly loved friend?

To be honest all you can do is just draw close to him and love him and pray reverently for him. That is all we can do for anyone bent on self-destruction. It's hard to accept this, but it is very, very true.

 

[StriperAddict]

Encourage him to not let his feelings influence his faith. His Lord hasn't left, maybe just a manifestation or two, "God speaking", etc., seems lost.

And from what you've shared he may be "service-burnt out". Happens to leader types often. I'd encourage him to read, Relaxing with God and, The Hurt and the Healer. (Healer as in the spiritual/emotional sense).

Praying for your friend, and you, as you're led to love him from Christ.