A friend, who is a good person, has recently turned their back on Christianity. He's gone to Satanism, saying it's better. I just need some help with some things to say to him to help him get back on the right path. He really is a good guy and I don't want to see him like this. I've talked to him a little bit, but I need some help. Please, what should I do?
2007-02-02 16:16:45 · 25 answers · asked by Loved By Someone Above 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
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Ask fellow Christians to pray for him. I will be.
2007-02-02 16:23:34 · answer #1 · answered by Tony C 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know I'm coming in late, but I want to throw in some life experience.
I know exactly how you feel. I've personally known people, in my own family, and friends, who fell into Satanism. It is a vile, filthy, horrid thing. Please, if you want to research it, don't research it at home on your own computer. It will turn your stomach.
All you can do is pray for them and be a good Christian example. Preaching won't do anything if his heart is not ready to accept it. Just be there as a friend and make it clear you're expecting him to come back to his home.
With a lot of Satanists I've known, it ends up being a phase. Once they see how hardcore it really is, they back out. I've been to sacrifice locations where they have tortured animals and the whole bit. That stuff is for real. It's not just theory or allegory, it literally happens.
The only thing, and I repeat, the ONLY thing strong enough to break Satansim is the grace of Jesus Christ.
May God help you in your fight.
.
2007-02-03 00:30:32 · answer #2 · answered by cirque de lune 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your friend must have been disappointed or disillusioned by people or things in Christianity or maybe God didn't answer his prayers. Perhaps you can find out what it is.
Then only you can advise him as a friend but don't be pushy about it. Pray for the discernment & maybe you can find some answers in the Bible which can apply to his problem. Sometimes I just flip through the Bible to get some inspiration on something I have to resolve and just
happen to be at the right page with the answer staring back at me.
2007-02-03 00:30:24 · answer #3 · answered by shannondelaney 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First and foremost, pray that the Holy Spirit uses you as the instrument to reach this friend. Pray for guidance. You don't say how old this friend is, can assume he is a teenager or possible early 20s. Peer pressure is probably the source of his actions right now.
Don't preach to him... show him through God's Word that this new path he is treading upon is not the course he is destine to go. Again, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide every word and action through you.
God bless you!
2007-02-03 00:23:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Honey, Im sorry to say what Im about to say; bc' it may not be what you want to hear.
Your friend had nothing but a FALSE CONVERSION. Because if the giving of his heart where to Jesus genuine, he would not have turned away. Especially to such an extreme as Christ's arch nemesis: Satan(ism).
My best answer for you is this. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, believe for the LORD to intervene WITHOUT WAIVERING, and speak to your friend, in tones of love and compassion only; not hellfire and brimstone. INQUIRE; not INVESTIGATE what his purpose was in the first place for chosing Jesus as Lord. Tell him that he did not stick around long enough in the faith to understand the danger of leaving it. The danger is even still; yet another lost soul.
As I said before, you really should know (as in reading your wording in your question I can say I think you DO KNOW)....that there is much changing power in prayer. One should never consider that when all else fails; THEN pray. PRAYER is a top priority, and prayer is powerful. "The effectual fervant prayer of a righteous man availeth MUCH!" So keep your friend in your prayers, and urge him to keep attending the Christian Church "for you".......in the atmosphere of a BIBLE BELIEVING AND TEACHING CHURCH; this "corporate" (so to speak`) gathering of worship, in the collective of worshippers in SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, is where the presence of GOD settles. This may be useful. But don't let that take away from your own private prayer time either. IT IS IN THE PERFECT MIX of private and public worship and prayer, that our pleas; troubles and cries- come to the very throne of GOD and HIS grace. Pray always in Jesus name, to the LORD GOD! I will keep you in my prayers,and your friend likewise! May the Holy Spirit quicken what ever conversion he had to Christ, and may he be turned once more unto the truth! AMEN.
2007-02-03 01:10:29 · answer #5 · answered by º§€V€Nº 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am a Jehovah's Witness & can give you a couple of scriptures on how to deal with this. 1 Cor. 10:21-You cannot partake at the table of Jehovah & the table of demons; 1 Cor. 5:10-not even EAT with such a man. There are sooo many more you have to read. and there are others that say to help him come back, but without Jehovah's help...it will be close to impossible. Please study with us & learn the accurate knowledge of truth & perhaps Jehovah will help you in your effort to turn him back. Just to let you know, we don't charge a cent & studying w/ us or attending one of our meetings can only help you. I'm not trying to convert you. That is something YOU choose to do. But I'd like to help you.
2007-02-03 00:34:59 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
You cannot save this person, as much as you want too, because only Jesus saves. Give this friend over to Jesus and sincerely pray for his soul. Be a good witness by living your faith and this person may see the truth. Remember that Father God would like for everyone to be His child.
2007-02-03 00:24:36 · answer #7 · answered by martha d 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try solo to explain how much it hurts you to see him leave a sphere of light and love.
Take two or three others if he doesn't listen.
Tell whatever small group you are a part of so they can pray. When it says in the Bible to treat one as a tax-collector, it does not mean to avoid them, but rather try to convert them.
Bless you for trying. If he doesn't listen, then leave lest you get sucked in as well.
2007-02-03 01:24:22 · answer #8 · answered by Joe Cool 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'l agree that he's off track. But if all his Christian friends have your attitude--its no wonder.
What do I mean? You said not one word--or indicated you cared--WHY he chose to do this.
In other words, start by LISTENING to him. There's a reason for this--and its likely that at its root that reason is that he felt isolated before he ever thought about leaving. You want to help, stop worrying about "telling" him something--start treating him like a person and LISTEN.
And I do mean listen--not sit there making mental notes so you can "counter" what he says--just listen and try to understand. I'll guarantee someone in his new circle did just that.
2007-02-03 00:40:04 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The best thing you can do is leave him alone. It is his right to choose whatever path he wants. The more you harass him, the more you will push him away. All you can do is continue to be his friend and support him to a degree. If you feel uncomfortable with that, end the friendship. No one wants to hear that they're choosing something wrong, especially when it comes to religion. This is his choice, you have no right to interfere with it. He isn't trying to do the same to you so, show him the respect that we all deserve and let him do as he pleases as long as he's not hurting anyone.
Showing him bible verses and telling him he's going to hell is not going to work. No one responds well to that, ever.
2007-02-03 00:22:48 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋