Does God Hear Prayers of Backslidden Christians?

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nddreamer

Senior Member
#41
Aug 31, 2017
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#41
blue_ladybug said:
Yes, she had a bad childhood also.. My 2 older sisters (they claim) were physically abused by her growing up. I'm the baby of the family, so by the time I was old enough to realize I had a brother and sisters, they were all grown up and out of the house. Mom's treatment of ME wasn't physical, but it WAS emotional and mental abuse. I am trying to just remember that she had a bad childhood, just as we did, and that is why she and my oldest sister are so nasty and bitter..

Honestly, with my sister, I think she just hates herself, the world and everyone in it. She has told me that I grew up pretty much an only child, and had everything handed to me on a platter. And that's NOT true at all. I didn't have anything handed to me. Did I get more attention as a kid, than she and my other sister did? Yes, I did, because I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 5, so my parents have helped me alot during my life. They let me live at home until I was 21, they found me my first apartment, they also took me to appointments and shopping and such.

I think my sister is envious, or bitter, because my parents did, and do, more for me than they did for her. She's lucky, she had a job all these years, she has a car, and a house she inherited when the guy who owned it died. I can't get a license because of my seizures. I have to take the bus wherever I need to go. More so now that mom and dad are elderly..
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That they helped you and did all that for YOU tells me that there is love there even though they can't emote it or voice it, they show it in their actions. Emotional abuse is the worst to overcome. The scars are deeper. You have to decide what is stronger, you or the shadows that haunt you. Choose to love. No matter what you hear from your siblings or from your thoughts, you can choose to love. I know your limitations are a challenge but your greater challenge is this. Choose to love.
 
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nddreamer

Senior Member
#42
Aug 31, 2017
142
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#42
Your parents went through their own kind of hell. You don't have to make it yours.
 
LoveGodForever

LoveGodForever

Banned
#44
Jun 5, 2017
3,675
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#44
blue_ladybug said:
The title says it all. Does He hear the prayers of those who keep backsliding, or who have strayed off the path to Him and are trying to return to Him? Or does He just ignore those prayers? If possible, bible verses would be great. :)
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Depends on what the prayer is about. If the prayer is about repentance, sorrow for backsliding sin and a sincere desire to seek God in forgiveness and return to God then God's of course God will hear your prayer as you lay hold of God's promises through FAITH.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

1 John 2:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Proverbs 28:13 He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whosoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.

...................

If you pray to God however with no repentance for your backsliding and continue in your SINS, GOD will not hear your prayer

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Proverbs 28:9 He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Dont expect God to hear your prayers while you disobey his WORD.
 
Johnny_B

Johnny_B

Senior Member
#45
Mar 18, 2017
1,954
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#45
blue_ladybug said:
Christians sin every day. Whether it's a swear word that comes out of someone's mouth, or a lustful thought or whatever... It's a good thing we have God's constant forgiveness.. :)
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Amen Sister, if He had no mercy for us He would of never given us grace that we may be saved, because that sin nature is something that stays around until the day we become like Him in that resurrected body, what a day that will be when we fully have our regeneration completed.
 
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Pontiac

Guest
#46
#46
Blue, I would suggest that you talk to God in a prayer ... Asking Him to rid you of your animosity ... Tell Him that you don't want it anymore and ask Him to take it away ... Tell Him that you know His power and that you are placing your trust in Him ... I believe God will truly help you on the path to this forgiveness if you ask Him from your heart ... Ask Him to shoulder this burden for you because it is too heavy for you to carry ... Every time you feel this burden coming to you again, stop and ask God to remove it ... I believe He will help you more than you know ...
 
OneFaith

OneFaith

Senior Member
#47
Sep 5, 2016
2,270
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#47
Backsliding is a sin, but so is judging, so we need to be careful, only God knows what’s going on. I was once accused of backsliding. I went faithfully to church Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, at other times, and was there cleaning the building at other times, for like my whole life. Then I stopped going for three years. What did people do? They gossiped about me behind my back “Wow, I thought she was a true Christian, guess you never know who someone truly is inside.”

But not one of these people came to check on me, call me, or anything. Meanwhile I had been kidnapped and held captive in a basement for years. If someone doesn’t show up for church, or is unable to do things they used to do, do not assume they are backsliding.

In order to be true backsliding (prodigal son), the person has to make the conscience choice to leave God or the church- in which case they are living in sin and God don’t hear the prayers of sinners, they would have to repent and make things right with God. When I couldn’t go to church physically, I went spiritually. On Sundays I met with the saints, took the Lords Supper, sang praises to God, etc- in my head and in my heart.
 
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blue_ladybug

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
#48
Feb 21, 2014
70,920
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#48
I made this awhile ago, but taking it there and leaving it there once and for all, is proving to be easier said than done.. :(

therapy.jpg
 
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Pontiac

Guest
#49
#49
A lot of things are easier said than done Blue ... Practice, practice and more practice ... With Jesus helping you, you will get it done ...
 
EarnestQ

EarnestQ

Senior Member
#50
Apr 28, 2016
2,588
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#50
Question one: Does God hear our prayers?
He will "judge" us for every thought. Therefore He hears every thought, including those we direct to Him.

Question two: Are you going to Heaven?
The ONLY thing necessary to go to Heaven is to believe that God loves you so much that He sent His One and Only human born Son to die on the cross in your place (then ask Him to come into your life and live through you). (Read the Gospel of John a few times if you want clarification on this.)

Question three: How do you forgive someone?
There are many good answers above. Something I have found that helps me is to pray for the person I am angry at. I worked for a lady at whom I got angry every time I thought of her. This was not good for me. I started praying for her every time I thought of her. Later when she got into significant legal trouble I was able to, in good conscience, go to her home and ask if I could pray with her.

I also suggest that every time you think of your mom you thank God for her salvation and that you will be together with her in eternity.
 
blue_ladybug

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
#51
Feb 21, 2014
70,920
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#51
*Pulled forward by request"

Anyone else have any more answers? :)
 
blue_ladybug

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
#52
Feb 21, 2014
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#52
Still struggling with this, BTW. I'm just trying to keep in mind that Mom and my sister had their own rotten childhoods. I find it's somewhat easier to empathize with them that way..
 
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IFOLLOWHIM

Guest
#53
#53
Mt.6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses,your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Ep.6. 4:32 And be ye tenderhearted,forgiving one another,even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Ps.86:5 For thou,Lord ,art good,and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy into all that call upon thee.

I know how HARD this is Blue!
My dad was an evil man and we suffered greatly at his hands. Ten yrs after he died I was still struggling as you are.
Then suddenly I began to really study on Gods forgiveness and how much He loves and has forgiven me!
I went one last time to the altar and just put it in His hands bc it was destroying me.
I was able to pray then for MY OWN FORGIVENESS of the hard place in my heart and God began to move inside me.
It hurt only me to hold on to ALL the evil and bitterness and until I WAS WILLING to let God have it ,He let me!

I pray you find peace in this!
 
BillG

BillG

Senior Member
#54
Feb 15, 2017
9,025
4,444
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#54
blue_ladybug said:
The title says it all. Does He hear the prayers of those who keep backsliding, or who have strayed off the path to Him and are trying to return to Him? Or does He just ignore those prayers? If possible, bible verses would be great. :)
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I think that depends on the prayers.

If he didn't listen to my prayers I would not be here.

My prayers as a backslider or one who strayed of the path (I think both are the same) was "Jesus I need you, I have no idea how to get back etc.

Those prayers he will answer.
 
K

kaylagrl

Guest
#55
#55
blue_ladybug said:
The title says it all. Does He hear the prayers of those who keep backsliding, or who have strayed off the path to Him and are trying to return to Him? Or does He just ignore those prayers? If possible, bible verses would be great. :)
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The Bible says God is married to the backslider.
 
blue_ladybug

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
#58
Feb 21, 2014
70,920
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113
#58
John146 said:
And divorce is not an option.😀
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No one has even mentioned divorce. :confused: Although my parents ARE two people who NEVER EVER should have married each other, or better yet, had kids together..
 
J

John146

Senior Member
#60
Jan 13, 2016
17,128
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#60
blue_ladybug said:
No one has even mentioned divorce. :confused: Although my parents ARE two people who NEVER EVER should have married each other, or better yet, had kids together..
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Ephesians 5 is a good start.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Blessings
 
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