the devil's grip

[xino]

My best friend is something else, he always has problems, full of depression and sadness.
I was speaking to him yesterday because we don't talk about Jesus.
And i just found out he isn't a believer, he says:
*he believes in God
*he wouldn't tell me the last time he prayed because it's priavte, basically hinting that he hasn't prayed in a long time
*praying to God is just all about thankfulness
*he dislike churches, he doesn't go to church and say all churches are hypocrites that say bad things to control people
*he says Jesus is just a messenger and son of God
*He doesn't like me talking about religion or i'm forcing it down his throat
*he's following the world now, going out, getting drunk and drinking
*because of the world problems he normally has, it always leaves hin depressed and sad and onto committing suicide.
*He doesn't consider himself a Christian but believes in God, he brands Christians has his enemies
*to get to heaven we just have to follow our path
*he believes everything happens by karma
*he said when he prayed or prays the truth were revealed to him
*he tries to cover himself up saying because I pirate movies has well, it makes me same as him
*a sin is a sin and they are all equal


He just says a lot of things that Jesus explained in the bible.
[*]mustard seed
[*]being worried about worldly things
[*]having an unclean lamp and body full of darkness
[*]less people walking the narrow gate

I just feel so sorry for him, he says why should I worry about him when I should worry about myself in which he is 100% right.

But it's such a shame that the devil owns this world and has pour so much hate and lies onto him, that he disowns Jesus and he's far from it!


Because I pray to God so he can help him.
Originally we chose our path to be like this, to follow who we want to follow or not.

But the reason why I made this topic is:
what if the Devil has his grip on you, your soul completely lost. How can one turn to Jesus back?
because I can tell that the devil has so influenced him and a demon/evil spirit is definitely in his heart that makes him disown Jesus and constantly lies to him and shielded his eyes from the truth!
how can he turn to Jesus when he's lied to and truth shielded away from him?

[-] is it up to my friend to decide his own path? lead is own faith?
or
[-] can we pray for him so Jesus should help him reveal the truth and smite the devil's grip out of him?

Because I believe if the devil has someone in their grip, there's no escape for them unless Jesus saves them or we pray for them.
How can one turn to Jesus when devil has you and lied to you that
*religion is a lie
*God isn't real, if he is bad things will not happen in this world
*you pray to him and no prayers answered
*christians and churches are all agressive and forces people to be a christian or go to church


It is basically mind manipulation and when someone's mind is poisoned, we would need someone's help to help the person.

I get a feeling my friend would have to depending on Jesus in his dying days because he chose that path:/

 

[Lucy68]

I'm so sorry to hear about your friend

Everyone must make up their mind for themselves. My one question to him would be 'are you happy this way'?

Sounds like he's heard most of the Christian doctrine and refuses to believe. At that point, all we can do is to pray for him...as specifically as possible.

Be as good of a witness as you can. The unbelieving world is very quick to point out Christians' faults. You don't have to be perfect but trying to be as perfect as possible says a lot

 

[xino]

thank you.

it feels like there's nothing we can do except to pray and hope Jesus changes his mind:/

 

[aussieguy]

wow thats really sad mate im sorry to hear that but many people are in the same situation as you and know someone that is just on a slope downwards that satan has a grip. by the sound of you friend my initial thought he could have muslim influences or background with the jesus is the messenger and hatred towards christians however you mentioned he believed in karma. So my next thinking is his experience with christians and the church have all been negative and hes been burnt massively by them and his thoughts now is " if thats christianity i want nothing to do with it" which sucks many christians or so called "christians" do more damage than good which is really sad.
my suggestions would be
1. pray- prayer is a powerful thing so continue to keep praying for him that God will soften his hard so that he might come to Jesus
2. try to witness to him some more if that isnt going so well play the hypothetical angle: what if christianity was true? how would you be judge based on your life according to the 10 commandments? (go through some of them with him) If its true where would you go when you die?heaven or hell? and just let him think about that, reinforce again with what Jesus did on the cross so that he wouldnt have to go to hell ..john 3:16 . and just leave it at that and ask him to think about it
just dont be afraid to talk to him a little bit more about it as paul says in romans 10:17- So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
3 continue to pray...
4. continue to be a witness in you life that he may see Gods work

its a tough situation but very common you not alone so its ok many people on this site in same situation but trust in God always, If he is Gods then God will bring your friend to him in His own time
just continue to be faithful and be an encouragement
many people on here including me will be praying mate