I got baptised three months ago, and before I got baptized, I was so excited to learn more about God, read my Bible, and study Scripture. Now, months later, I’m struggling with intense doubts about God and the validity of the Bible; I’m losing the desire to read, and I have doubts about the existence of God that I already went through and had years before I was baptized. I even question if I’m truly saved. Deep down, I know I’m saved and have the changes in my life to reflect that, but these doubts are getting loud and unbearable. I fear this is genuine spiritual warfare, and I don’t know how to overcome it.
@Willow
Just a quick reflection.
It has been my exprience that people who have no relationship with Jesus rarely, if ever, spend time doubting it. The fact that you are experiencing anxiety is a strong indicator that you actually have something real to lose.
KP
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Willow—
Remember that the Serpent said to Eve “Has God said…?” One of the first things he did was to sow doubt in Eve’s mind about God’s intentions. And as KPuff said, (and it is very true), the fact you are being assailed by such doubts is proof the enemy is coming at you like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5).
But it is important to remember we walk by faith and not by sight. You can “feel” like you are losing faith, when in reality you are doing no such thing. Imagine if you were driving a car and your passenger shouted “You’re going the wrong way!!” You might jump for a moment as you “feel” the fright that is coming as a result of that roaring voice. But if you have a road map, and you have been watching the signs, you realize that your driving has nothing to do with feelings, or what someone yells—it has everything to do with the MAP and where it says you are. The Bible in many ways is like a MAP–it tells you where you are, and WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST. The enemy can come in and yell “THERE IS NO GOD!! YOU HAVE BEEN FOOLED!!” and scare you for a moment—but as you read the MAP (the Word) you KNOW you are on the right path, and that there is a God without a doubt. Here’s a good verse when we are filled with doubt, and think we cannot see:
"Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of his servant, that walks in darkness, and has no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God". (Is. 50:10)
This verse is telling us that it is very possible for a true believer to "walk in darkness and have no light". And it saying that even though we are filled with doubt, and “feel” like we have lost our way—we need to trust in God and “stay upon Him”. The enemy can attack–but at the same time God can allow him to do this so that we learn to walk by faith–to strengthen us. God is allowing this to happen, just as a father teaching his child to walk. He may let go for a moment—but He is right there to catch you should you start to fall. God bless you Willow!!
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A friend of mine had the expectation that all her problems would go away once she was baptized. Not only did that not happen, but things got worse. The enemy of your soul can’t have you because you bear the seal of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13)That doesn’t mean he can’t harass and oppress you and that’s what it sounds like to me. If we’re both right about that, then your role is to stand.
Begin by submitting to God. Confess any known sin in your life and acknowledge His Lordship over you. If you haven’t already, pray about what’s going on. Resist the doubts that plague you with the truth of God’s word. Have on hand appropriate verses that destroy those doubts. A doubt is a feeling and feelings are not facts. We don’t live by our feelings. We live by truth.
Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7
Be thankful. Think of what God’s done in your life that you can see and give Him thanks. Go over it in your mind and thank Him out loud. Play worship music in your home or whatever way works for you. Take your stand. Warfare is a battle that has ultimately been won by our Lord. Our role in the present day war is to stand in Him.
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These doubts are perfectly normal and yes it is part of spiritual warfare.
Your response should be simple, continue attending church, look at your doubts and research the answers to them.
There is nothing wrong with having questions or doubts about what one believes so long as one is searching for the answers and sites like coldcasechristianity, answersingenesis and winteryknight have plenty of articles that save us from re inventing the wheel..
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Sorry should have dealt with this.
Is there a God?
Depends where one is coming from. Look around what do you see? A room, furniture, out the window, buildings or a garden. How is it that they are there? Look further, there is the sun, moon, planets, stars etc. Look down at your hand, at the skin, muscles, nerves, blood vessels etc where did they come from?
Did everything come from, why is it here? Did it come from something or from nothing.
kalam cosmological argument = 1/ Everything that has a beginning has a cause.
2/ the universe has a beginning.
3/ Therefore something caused the universe to exist.
Now this doesn’t prove that here is a God, merely that something outside of time, and space caused it, but that to me describes God. Or do you prefer the idea that nothing caused everything!