7 Characteristics of Backsliding: Measuring Your Walk

For Communion Sunday, Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr. of First Baptist Church of Glenarden teached on the “7 Characteristics of Backsliding.” Usually I never blog about sermons but I thought his message was short and easy to understand that I just knew someone would be blessed by it. Below is his 7 bullet points on how to measure YOUR (not someone else’s) walk with God.

Are you a person who……

Justifies themselves

Comparing themselves to others by justifying their actions ie.Saying: “Well atleast I’m not doing as bad as so and so…”

2. Holds on to deceit and refuses to turn to God (Jeremiah 8:5)

Holds on to the lies Satan has told them ie .The devil says: “Don’t go to church, they are all hypocrites” so you stop going to church

3. Does not seek God or Inquire of God

Do not ask God for direction in your life or what ways can you can better your christian walk

4. Will not worship God (Hosea 11:7)

You do not give God the glory or praise for what He has done

5. Keep looking Back (Luke 9:62)

Always looking back to who you use to be and wanting to go back because it’s “easier”

6. Has a heart that is far from God (Matthew 5:8)

You honor God through your words but have not totally commited to his word through your actions

7. Is satisfied with their own course in life (Proverbs 14:14)

Doing things YOUR way instead of asking God to guide your life

We each have our own seperate walk with the Lord, so these 7 Characteristics are not to condemn you, but to help you self- reflect on your Christian walk with Him. Nobody wants someone pointing the finger at them telling them what they’re not doing, so this is a chance for you to quietly evaluate where you are and where you would like to be. We all have fallen short of the glory of God and as brothers and sisters in Christ we should all want each other to grow and become stronger. If you feel like some of these seven characteristics hits home for you, pray this prayer:

Psalm 51 1:17 (NKJV)

1 Have mercy upon me, O God,

According to Your lovingkindness;

According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

³For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
⁴Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,^[a]
And blameless when You judge.

⁵Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
⁶Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
⁹Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

¹²Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
¹³Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

¹⁴Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
¹⁵O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

Amen.

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