Am I the only one who...

[DorothyG]

Am I the only one who gave up video games and is grieving over it?

I've had a problem with wanting to escape reality my whole life. I'm not sure where it comes from but I am seeking counseling on the issue (and others).

I want to know if there's anyone out there who faces the same struggle as I do. These past two weeks have been really hard and I've found myself crying a lot when I have these flashbacks of my favorite video games.

I loved video games. Something I could control and have unlimited tries to accomplish. I couldn't fail. I loved it. So unrealistic. I fell in love with taking on the role of someone else with abilities that I don't have in real life. Fantasy worlds... supernatural abilities...

I must say my hand-eye coordination is above average from almost 16 years of intense gaming.

Seven months ago I decided to give my life to Jesus and he laid it on my heart to stop gaming, watching anime, cartoons, reading fantasy, and various other things (you know, repenting). He told (I use this term because I can't really think of what else to call it) me that it was extremely unhealthy to obsess over worlds other than the one he created for me and everyone else to live on. Told me that it was more important to focus on solving problems, defeating enemies, and accomplishing goals in this world, the real one... the one that counts.

I played a lot of rpg games, some mmorpg games, adventure games, first-person shooter games, etc.

Skyrim, Halo, COD, Pokemon, Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Fallout, Dead Space, Runescape, Dragon's Dogma, Star Ocean, etc.

I read books like Harry Potter, The Inheritance Series (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance) etc.

I watched Anime like FMA, Clannad, Angel Beats, JY-OH-SEI: Planet of the Beast King, Samurai Champloo, Mushi-Shi (My favorite) etc.

I'm having such a hard time with it recently... I hold back tears throughout the day. It's quite a battle... Last night I watched shadows dance throughout my room as I seemed to hit a peak of flashbacks.

I think it's called euphoric recall.
I seem to only remember all the good things. Never the bad.
Satan puts on as an angel of light... Where's the real light from God?

Please pray for me friends. This is so hard...

I want to serve Jesus and die to my flesh, I know what God has prepared in Heaven for me is soooooo much better than anything I could possibly imagine and I know God has a plan for my life but I'm having a hard time finding my calling and occupying my mind with what God wants me to occupy it with.

I've been praying about it but it seems the more I pray, the quieter God gets.

 

[Ugly]

First, let me warn you, there is a good chance at least one person will criticize your decision. And misconstrue your point. Be prepared.

Second, as to where is the light of God on the subject. That's what faith is. Its trusting that something is there you can't see. That's what makes satans ploys so tempting. He removes the need for faith by putting things in front of you that Seem tangible, but are built on lies. God makes you wander through things in faith to find the truths.
When we follow the false light we end up in regret. When we push through in faith we end up growing and becoming stronger.

 

[jimmydiggs]

I broke away from video games. It was one of many idols for me before Christ. I still am fancied by it time to time, and have maybe once or twice a semester played a few hours. I feel drawn to it at times, but I know it's a waste of time and I should spend that time with Christ instead. It's difficult though some days. I used to play a lot of history based games, and now I'm a history education major. Learning about the Hapsburgs makes me want to play EU2 with the WATKABAOI mod and do some mad stomping as Austria.

 

[bless09]

hello..personally i dont play or watch any of it too much like you do,because i know where it will lead me..i understand where you are coming from especially nowadays that technology is so advanced we tend to use it to escape from reality..the frustrations you feel and all sorts are the response of your flesh from sudden absence of these things..i know it's not easy it will never be because being a christian, a child of God, doesn't mean that you won't have any problems and difficulties..it's not that but, it's having an assurance that whatever we will experience in the future we have the GREATEST GOD and HE Is greater than our problems..i know and i believe as you continue to pray and strive to become a better person for the Lord He will be with you and you can surpass your first huge challenge in life..this is a challenge you need to go through with the Lord..just trust Him ..you will be in my prayers..

 

[DorothyG]

First, let me warn you, there is a good chance at least one person will criticize your decision. And misconstrue your point. Be prepared.

Well for me it would be like criticizing my decision to quit drinking alcohol after being an alcoholic for 16 years.

One is too many and a thousand is never enough. So anyone who wants to criticize my decision will be ignored because I know it's not God's will for me to start an activity again that was previously an idol in my life. I don't enjoy these activities like a normal person would. I overdo it big time.

 

[jimmydiggs]

Well for me it would be like criticizing my decision to quit drinking alcohol after being an alcoholic for 16 years.

19-16=3?

One is too many and a thousand is never enough. So anyone who wants to criticize my decision will be ignored because I know it's not God's will for me to start an activity again that was previously an idol in my life. I don't enjoy these activities like a normal person would. I overdo it big time.

Run the race and crucify the world!

 

[DorothyG]

I broke away from video games. It was one of many idols for me before Christ. I still am fancied by it time to time, and have maybe once or twice a semester played a few hours. I feel drawn to it at times, but I know it's a waste of time and I should spend that time with Christ instead. It's difficult though some days. I used to play a lot of history based games, and now I'm a history education major. Learning about the Hapsburgs makes me want to play EU2 with the WATKABAOI mod and do some mad stomping as Austria.

It's nice to know that I'm not completely alone. Thanks for your feedback.

 

[DorothyG]

19-16=3?

Run the race and crucify the world! [/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

Yes sir! I was three when I got hooked to my first two video games: Diddy Kong Racing, and Mario Party.

 

[jimmydiggs]

Yes sir! I was three when I got hooked to my first two video games: Diddy Kong Racing, and Mario Party.

Oh, I thought you were talking about alcohol.

 

[DorothyG]

Second, as to where is the light of God on the subject. That's what faith is. Its trusting that something is there you can't see. That's what makes satans ploys so tempting. He removes the need for faith by putting things in front of you that Seem tangible, but are built on lies. God makes you wander through things in faith to find the truths.
When we follow the false light we end up in regret. When we push through in faith we end up growing and becoming stronger.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[DorothyG]

Oh, I thought you were talking about alcohol.

Oh HAHA

No way, I've never had a problem with alcohol.

 

[Ugly]

Well for me it would be like criticizing my decision to quit drinking alcohol after being an alcoholic for 16 years.

One is too many and a thousand is never enough. So anyone who wants to criticize my decision will be ignored because I know it's not God's will for me to start an activity again that was previously an idol in my life. I don't enjoy these activities like a normal person would. I overdo it big time.

Yeah. I understand that. But there's always that one person out there, you know? But if you feel thats what God is calling you to do and you're working at it and sticking with it, then that's great. Its very hard to give up the things we get the most enjoyment out of, so its commendable you are willing and trying.

 

[JimJimmers]

I'll pray for you. Much respect for your perseverance in giving up something you love, for Someone who loves you so much more.

 

[DorothyG]

I'll pray for you. Much respect for your perseverance in giving up something you love, for Someone who loves you so much more.

Thanks I really appreciate it.

 

[DorothyG]

Yeah. I understand that. But there's always that one person out there, you know? But if you feel thats what God is calling you to do and you're working at it and sticking with it, then that's great. Its very hard to give up the things we get the most enjoyment out of, so its commendable you are willing and trying.

Yeah, that one person.

And thank you.

I actually haven't played a video game, watched an anime, or read a fantasy book in almost 8 months. I was doing fine until these past two weeks and now it's like a demonic attack on my weaknesses.

It's really frustrating.

 

[Ugly]

Sounds like an addiction. Which may be the reason God pulled you away from it all. And addictions come back to haunt you sometimes. It's like they say about alcoholics, you never really stop being one. You just stop giving in to the urges. Seems to apply to addiction in general.

 

[Yahshua]

Am I the only one who gave up video games and is grieving over it?

I've had a problem with wanting to escape reality my whole life. I'm not sure where it comes from but I am seeking counseling on the issue (and others).

I want to know if there's anyone out there who faces the same struggle as I do. These past two weeks have been really hard and I've found myself crying a lot when I have these flashbacks of my favorite video games.

I loved video games. Something I could control and have unlimited tries to accomplish. I couldn't fail. I loved it. So unrealistic. I fell in love with taking on the role of someone else with abilities that I don't have in real life. Fantasy worlds... supernatural abilities...

I must say my hand-eye coordination is above average from almost 16 years of intense gaming.

Seven months ago I decided to give my life to Jesus and he laid it on my heart to stop gaming, watching anime, cartoons, reading fantasy, and various other things (you know, repenting). He told (I use this term because I can't really think of what else to call it) me that it was extremely unhealthy to obsess over worlds other than the one he created for me and everyone else to live on. Told me that it was more important to focus on solving problems, defeating enemies, and accomplishing goals in this world, the real one... the one that counts.

I played a lot of rpg games, some mmorpg games, adventure games, first-person shooter games, etc.

Skyrim, Halo, COD, Pokemon, Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Fallout, Dead Space, Runescape, Dragon's Dogma, Star Ocean, etc.

I read books like Harry Potter, The Inheritance Series (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, Inheritance) etc.

I watched Anime like FMA, Clannad, Angel Beats, JY-OH-SEI: Planet of the Beast King, Samurai Champloo, Mushi-Shi (My favorite) etc.

I'm having such a hard time with it recently... I hold back tears throughout the day. It's quite a battle... Last night I watched shadows dance throughout my room as I seemed to hit a peak of flashbacks.

I think it's called euphoric recall.
I seem to only remember all the good things. Never the bad.
Satan puts on as an angel of light... Where's the real light from God?

Please pray for me friends. This is so hard...

I want to serve Jesus and die to my flesh, I know what God has prepared in Heaven for me is soooooo much better than anything I could possibly imagine and I know God has a plan for my life but I'm having a hard time finding my calling and occupying my mind with what God wants me to occupy it with.

I've been praying about it but it seems the more I pray, the quieter God gets.

Believe me you've almost described my teen years to the letter lol.

Oh the fantasy! But unfortunately such things aren't real...or are they?

You'd be surprised how fulfilling the things of God are for someone like you and I...and the best part is we're free to obsess about God. The following might now be as coherent as I'd like, so I apologize if it's hard to understand (I was kind of typing stream of thought).

Did you know that much of what we love about those other worlds is actually reality in scripture?

- In games like Skyrim, Dragons Dogma and Zelda your war is against dragons and evil and your weapons are magic swords and the voice spells/commands. Well in the spirit realm you battle a dragon, demons and fallen minions with the "sword of the spirit" aka "the word of God" spoken from your mouth with strength. It's the same dynamic. Scripture even teaches you to put on spiritual armor for battle. It really is similar to Bleach or YuYu Hakusho.

- In books like harry potter his war is against an elusive snake who tries to kill him while operating behind the scenes, while harry's busy discovering his true heritage & destiny to defeat the snake; required to learn all he can to prepare for his final battle. Likewise, your war is with that old serpent who tries everything to make sure you remain (spiritually) dead, while you're called to learn about your true heritage, learning all you can to defeat each one of his spells & deceptions.

- In anime fantasies there's a strong emphasis on internal power and spirit energies; unlocking the potential within in order to war in a world not seen by average people. And like I already mentioned, there's a spiritual realm we war in daily if we have eyes to see it...if only we'd learn to tap into the power made available to us by the holy spirit, this world can be just as exciting as those fantasy worlds as we vanquish demons and enemies of God.

- We even have "unlimited tries" (i.e. everlasting life by faith in Christ) to keep getting better and more skilled at playing this game until we win...and there's something about video games that equally is true for the things of God. You ABSOLUTELY KNOW - without a shadow of a doubt - that the game you're playing is YOURS to win, you simply have to take the time to figure out the mechanics.

- Realize there's even example after example of the supernatural abilities you crave, found in scripture: Christ appeared to many past shut doors after his resurrection (this is teleportation), Apostles were whisked away by the Spirit to other spiritual battles (spiritual travel); by the Spirit Sampson had superhuman strength; Elijah by the Spirit outran chariots (speed); with the Spirit people lived hundreds of years (immortality); with the Spirit poisonous snakes had no effect on apostles (immunity); with the Spirit Christ commanded the winds and seas (forces of nature); with the Spirit the dead are raised back to life (reanimation); demons are ripped from victims bodies and cast into utter darkness (spiritual powers of light over darkness); illnesses and deformities are restored (healing); angels will bear thee up; and by the Spirit we will ascend into the air (flight) and our bodies will radiate with light (transformation). A child of God's TRUE abilities is nothing but supernatural.

---

God is calling you out of the fantasy into reality because the reality is so much better...but like any game, it takes training; you have to get your exp points high, as well as learn some powerful sentences (scripture), in order to start unlocking these abilities. And don't trust anyone to "guide" you...the enemy has hidden agents everywhere. God will guide you as you study (that just my advice, but don't even take my word for it).

So start to look at the things of God the way you look at the things you love and you'll realize that it's truly everything you're craving and more. You can become one of the most dangerous priestess in the history of this hidden war.

 

[AppleMelon]

LONG ANSWER but a lot of Bible quotes too.

I used to watch Naruto, and read the manga every week. I used to play LoL, platform racing 2, pretty much any pointless computer game. I stopped reading Naruto when I realised it was of the devil. Naruto himself is devil-possessed! The reason I don't watch it is because I now hate it, that stuff is for the children of the devil.

Proverbs 8:13 - "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate."

Once you realise that most mangas are satanic, you won't want anything to do with them.

Something which you must do to completely mortify the deeds of the flesh, the previous addictions is to replace your addictions with godly addictions.

1 Corinthians 16:15 - "I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)"

Addiction isn't a bad thing if affectioned correctly. I am not addicted to sermons, reading the Bible and I recently started listening to the Bible. I simply don't have time to waste thinking about my old self's way, it was at enmity with God, it was opposed to God, I do not want to be the enemy of God.

Another way to get rid of those thoughts is to read the word of God. The King James Version, as I can see in your little message you use an NLT. The NLT isn't any good, it's a perversion of the real word of God. I'm sure you don't use it because you know it's a perversion, but rather you just haven't heard the truth about it.

Some examples of where the NLT is wrong:

"1 Peter 4:1 - "for us" is omitted1 Peter 4:14 - half of the verse is omitted
1 John 3:16 -completely removes "the love of God"
1 John 4:3 - the all-important words "Christ is come in the flesh" are omitted 1 John 5:7-8 -- Trinitarian clause omitted
1 John 5:7 - half of the verse is omitted, thus denying the Godhead
1 John 5:13 - half of the verse is omitted
Revelation 1:11 - first half of the verse is omitted
Revelation 5:14 - "him that liveth forever and ever" is omitted"

There are many more faults with the NLT but, there are no faults in the KJV, the perfect word of God for the English speaker. As soon as I started reading the KJV I memorised a verse which absolutely destroyed an addiction I had. Every time I quoted it, my temptation went away and I can testify that the Holy Spirit of God truly wrote that book through man because it has power.

Another way to beat the temptation is to take heed to these verses.

James 4:7 - "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Start seeking God and not getting enticed by the devil's temptations and he will stop tempting you.

Romans 6:11 - "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (The verse I memorised)

If you're dead to sin, how can you sin? If someone is dead, how can they move? Realise that you are dead to sin and that you don't have to submit or even think of submitting.

Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Romans 12:1-2 - "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

If you're a sacrifice to God, you live only for God and not for anything else. If your whole being is sacrificed to God, even your thoughts have to be holy and for the glory of God.

Now, some specific verses:

Philippians 4:8 - " Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Are mangas lovely, honest, just etc..? Is COD or Skyrim, of good report, do they have any virtue, are the worthy of praise? Of course not, find godly things to think on, such as Heaven, the Rapture, Jesus Christ, the word of God, rewards at the judgement seat of Christ. Listen to godly music, hymns & spiritual songs, not evil contemporary music which is meant to glorify the flesh, nor rap, nor any sort of wordly music, but lovely, virtuous godly music.

1 Corinthians 10:31 - "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

That's the big one. Doing everything for the glory of God.

Lastly, you should stay away from wolves in sheep's clothing like Billy Graham. He thinks that people who don't even know the name of Jesus are saved. He's a servant of the Roman Catholic "Church" which is pure evil, he sent people to their "churches" when they supposedly got saved at his crusade.

Billy Graham somehow can be friends with probably all the presidents even if they're ungodly people.

James 4:4 - "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

Friendship of the world is enmity with God. Billy Graham is a friend of those who represent the world, presidents. Jesus wasn't loved by government officials, they saw no fault in Him, but they still didn't respect Him enough to go against the people and spare His life. Billy Graham can somehow be all pally with Barack Obama who went to his house and had they had a prayer together.

Good people to listen to are Bryan Denlinger his channel is Husky394xp, Gregory Miller, Ryan Price at Fort Lauderdale Baptist Church. There are more people but, these are just a few good ones.

 

[Ace85]

I actually enjoy playing Mario. This is something that my sister and I play, and I usually end up laughing so hard, I have tears running down my face. As for the other games mentioned, never used them, and never been interested. If you are into it, I would recommend that you seek out a healing ministry, and have prayer for witchcraft. It's amazing what spiritual stuff creeps into our lives that we are unaware of.
All the best!

 

[TJ91]

19-16=3?

i think it was ment as a comparison.