Why Can't I Feel the Holy Spirit Anymore? Have I Lost It?

[Sunflower Garden]

I'm terrified. I feel like I've lost the holy spirit, grieved him too many times, and committed the unpardonable sin.
I've been struggling a lot with a specific sin lately. And just yesterday, I committed sin willfully, as I had also done a couple times before. I've repented and prayed a thousand times, yet j keep going back, sometimes immediately after prayer. I'm scared I'm no longer sincere. I don't know how to be sincere.
This article describes me to a T: Point of No Return | Free Book Library | Amazing Facts
I have been a believer for a little over a year now and I'm already afraid I'm falling away. It used to be so easy to commit to church, reading the bible, praying, and abstaining from sin. I used to feel so filled with the spirit, so excited for Christ's return.
But now I feel nothing, nothing at all. I haven't felt the spirit in a long time. I don't feel conviction, or even a general sense of joy when I go to church or talk to believers. It's all just numb, just as it was before I was a believer.
I don't feel love for God anymore. I feel like the only reason I try to obey is because I'm scared of death, and not because I truly care for Him.
I've prayed to go back as I once was, and it's not happening.
I feel done for. I'm scared I passed the point of no return, and I'm gonna die. Or if I haven't passed it yet, then someday I will without knowing.
Has God left me forever? How can I get him back? I feel dead. I feel like I'll never ever be saved.

 

[Romans 8]

One cannot commit the unpardonable sin since Jesus lived in the flesh. We as Christians on earth are not, and will never be sin free. On our paths we move in waves, crest and trough. You are going to have relapses. We all do. When you're ready jump back on the horse, each time you will find you're stronger in Him.

Be careful what you read. There is much misinformation out there. The fact that you're so concerned about your sin speaks wonders. Your salvation is dependent on your belief in God, your trust in Jesus, not your feelings. Try not to rely on feelings as a measuring stick on your path. Feelings can be misleading. You are simply at the trough in a wave, soon enough another wave will come which will pick you up allowing you to see the horizon once again. God Bless.

 

[Tolworth John]

'm terrified. I feel like I've lost the holy spirit, grieved him too many times, and committed the unpardonable sin.

Then thank God that you are scared because obnly a Christian is afraid of committing this sin.

But now I feel nothing, nothing at all. I haven't felt the spirit in a long time. I don't feel conviction, or even a general sense of joy when I go to church or talk to believers. It's all just numb, just as it was before I was a believer.
I don't feel love for God anymore. I feel like the only reason I try to obey is because I'm scared of death, and not because I truly care for Him

Have you talked to your minister?
If you have pass on my thought that he is no good at his job, if you haven't please do.

First, feeling has very little to do with whether you are or are not a Christian. Just as feeling has nothing to do with citizenship.

Just as a parent lets go of a toddler to see if he can walk, so God seems to let go of Christians, can they walk on without needing guiding reins or a baby walker?
You are being tested. So seek help and support from your church family.

Restart your self discipline of daily bible readings and prayer. Make it a point to attend church, to be early so you can prepare yourself for worship.

If your minister is unhelpfull contact the next nearest church.

Remember what Jesus went through to save you. He will test your faith and love for him, but he will never let you go.

 

[AmyPerle]

I believe one thing about sin: if we keep going back to the same sin, then there is something specific that God expect us to work on. I really believe God doesn't always deliver us "magically" from a struggle in our lives. Asking for forgiveness is good, God wants it, and being concerned with our sin is important, because sin is disobedience, and God expect obedience from us. We will sin, but if there is a sin that characterise our life, then there is a problem, and I think God want us and ask us to deal with it. We rarely do it alone. Try to speak to somebody about it, and depending about the issue, seek specialised people in this area that will help you. God wants us to use our struggle, give you victory over it. Teaching you how to not be a slave to your own willingness and to surpass our shame that ..sometimes go with it. Then, you'll be reinforce in your walk, and you'll be able to serve Him by helping somebody who deal with the same thing you are dealing with now, by showing love, understanding, and guidance.

Also, I believe one thing that God loves the most from us, is our transparancy, our honesty. Let him know your doubts, and your feelings. Try to reconnect by: the nature (creation), music, companionship with brothers and sisters etc. Search for it, those are just exemples. But I believe for the most part that you should search for guidance and therapist to understand why your going through that specific & reccurent problem, in order to deal with it. The more we wait for it, the more we get use to the sin.. until we are completely deaden. One of the thing that could give you the impression that you don't feel the love of God & don't feel anything toward him anymore, is that sin keep us away from God. Repeated sins perverted our lives.

Good luck with this, you can have the victory in God. Don't be ashamed about anything. The more shameful thing would be to not feel any concerns at all. You're on the right path because you are preoccupied. And you know what ?

* If you feel concerns about it, then in my opinion, the Holy Spirit is still in you. Because it is the Holy spirit that convict us of sin (John 16 I believe).

 

[Sunflower Garden]

Thanks for the nice replies.

I opened my Bible up to Hebrews today, then immediately lost my page. When I opened it back up, the first thing I see is a picture of a demon. (My Bible has small illustrations here and there.)

This scares me. Does it mean anything?

 

[AWorkInProgress]

I'm terrified. I feel like I've lost the holy spirit, grieved him too many times, and committed the unpardonable sin.
I've been struggling a lot with a specific sin lately. And just yesterday, I committed sin willfully, as I had also done a couple times before. I've repented and prayed a thousand times, yet j keep going back, sometimes immediately after prayer. I'm scared I'm no longer sincere. I don't know how to be sincere.
This article describes me to a T: Point of No Return | Free Book Library | Amazing Facts
I have been a believer for a little over a year now and I'm already afraid I'm falling away. It used to be so easy to commit to church, reading the bible, praying, and abstaining from sin. I used to feel so filled with the spirit, so excited for Christ's return.
But now I feel nothing, nothing at all. I haven't felt the spirit in a long time. I don't feel conviction, or even a general sense of joy when I go to church or talk to believers. It's all just numb, just as it was before I was a believer.
I don't feel love for God anymore. I feel like the only reason I try to obey is because I'm scared of death, and not because I truly care for Him.
I've prayed to go back as I once was, and it's not happening.
I feel done for. I'm scared I passed the point of no return, and I'm gonna die. Or if I haven't passed it yet, then someday I will without knowing.
Has God left me forever? How can I get him back? I feel dead. I feel like I'll never ever be saved.

Hello Sunflower Garden,

I remember my first years saved, fighting my demons by the power of Jesus' name and clinging tightly to him as I walked thru trials. Seeing the power of the Holy Spirit speaking life into my dead soul, then sharing it with others who were in pain. Then life happens, I am no longer the little scared boy I used to be and I made my share of mistakes and then some.

Today I struggle with my frustration with how things turned out, and I struggle with poor life style choices I made over the years. The brilliant light of the Holy Spirit is now ambers of what is left of a smoldering fire. Just like you I questioned it all, if I was even saved.

I am learning that my walk with God comes with many different types of seasons. Right now you and me both are walking thru a dry season. A season where it is easier to become more like the world, then to be one who is set apart from it. Then there are little moments like these, where I can share with others my pain. The Holy Spirit reminds me I was that broken child who lived by grace. As much as my frustration wants me to say "screw it" with Christianity, there is something inside that won't let me. I don't know what tomorrow brings, and I know I deserve punishment. Yet grace abounds... grace doesn't leave me.

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide..." -John 15:16a ESV

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. " Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV

God in his wisdom has chosen who he will have mercy and we are part of His workmanship from beginning to end. Sometimes the hardest part is to embrace the fact that he never left us, but we in our fallen state tried to leave Him. He is always there, always willing to take you and I back. To be there when no one or thing else has been. When friends and family and neighbors have given up on us, the Lord God Almight never let's go.

Stop running from the Holy Spirit, be honest and sincere about what you are going thru and let the light back into your soul. I started this journey realizing I was powerless on my own, that I needed Jesus to be the one with the power to set me free from sin. Now we both need to start at that point again, and let Jesus reign. Let him turn our ashes into beauty, and our sorrow into gladness.

 

[public hermit]

I'm terrified. I feel like I've lost the holy spirit, grieved him too many times, and committed the unpardonable sin.
I've been struggling a lot with a specific sin lately. And just yesterday, I committed sin willfully, as I had also done a couple times before. I've repented and prayed a thousand times, yet j keep going back, sometimes immediately after prayer. I'm scared I'm no longer sincere. I don't know how to be sincere.
This article describes me to a T: Point of No Return | Free Book Library | Amazing Facts
I have been a believer for a little over a year now and I'm already afraid I'm falling away. It used to be so easy to commit to church, reading the bible, praying, and abstaining from sin. I used to feel so filled with the spirit, so excited for Christ's return.
But now I feel nothing, nothing at all. I haven't felt the spirit in a long time. I don't feel conviction, or even a general sense of joy when I go to church or talk to believers. It's all just numb, just as it was before I was a believer.
I don't feel love for God anymore. I feel like the only reason I try to obey is because I'm scared of death, and not because I truly care for Him.
I've prayed to go back as I once was, and it's not happening.
I feel done for. I'm scared I passed the point of no return, and I'm gonna die. Or if I haven't passed it yet, then someday I will without knowing.
Has God left me forever? How can I get him back? I feel dead. I feel like I'll never ever be saved.

My friend, I am praying for you. God loves you, even when you don't feel it. In fact, try not to put too much stock in how you feel. Trust in God's grace and love for you, in spite of how you feel. Your feelings may change, day to day; but God is the same yesterday, today, forever. If God gave his very Son for you, you need not fear that God will hold anything else good from you.

Trust, not so much in how you feel. Trust in the truth: Jesus is alive and gives forgiveness and grace to you. Accept that truth and trust in the Person. Jesus Christ is not a feeling He is a living being, much like you and I. God wants what is good for you, trust that.

It is sometimes the case, if we have put a lot of stock into how we feel, that God will allow those feelings to dissipate. This is not God being cruel. This is God gently urging us to trust Him and not how he feel. If you have entered a period of aridity, lack of good feelings, see it as an act of grace on the part of our Lord who loves you.

The fact that you care is enough for me to know that you have not lost God's grace. Consider what is happening to you as a period of growth. My friend, God loves you so much that he has allowed you to enter a period of maturity, of growth, where you seek the Living God and not feelings about the Living God. I think you'll be fine. Just keep at it, God will not give up on you, ever.

 

[Blade]

Ok.. so you need to flip this. Well when God talks to you He will NEVER use fear in anyway. Its written God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. And you are in Christs hands and His hands are in the Fathers hands. And He NEVER looses anything. And Its written He that started a good thing in you WILL FINISH IT! Ok.. so you goofed up.. get up dust off and keep going ..repent. Ask the Father to put you back on the right path. Yeah that easy.

See as others said He is not against you.. He loves you.. what you think He is like ANY man on this earth? NO! No matter how bad you are.. He NEVER leaves you and is for you! His love is not based on how good or bad you are. Read Isa 41 10 "o do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

The enemy uses fear.. God will NEVER do that. And Jesus said.. that sweet sweet Holy Spirit? Will be with you FOREVER! Can Christ lie? He is in you with you.. and uses PEACE! What are the fruits of the spirit "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." And Jesus said my sheep (YOU) know my voice.. the voice of a stranger they will not follow

 

[stevevw]

I'm terrified. I feel like I've lost the holy spirit, grieved him too many times, and committed the unpardonable sin.
I've been struggling a lot with a specific sin lately. And just yesterday, I committed sin willfully, as I had also done a couple times before. I've repented and prayed a thousand times, yet j keep going back, sometimes immediately after prayer. I'm scared I'm no longer sincere. I don't know how to be sincere.
This article describes me to a T: Point of No Return | Free Book Library | Amazing Facts
I have been a believer for a little over a year now and I'm already afraid I'm falling away. It used to be so easy to commit to church, reading the bible, praying, and abstaining from sin. I used to feel so filled with the spirit, so excited for Christ's return.
But now I feel nothing, nothing at all. I haven't felt the spirit in a long time. I don't feel conviction, or even a general sense of joy when I go to church or talk to believers. It's all just numb, just as it was before I was a believer.
I don't feel love for God anymore. I feel like the only reason I try to obey is because I'm scared of death, and not because I truly care for Him.
I've prayed to go back as I once was, and it's not happening.
I feel done for. I'm scared I passed the point of no return, and I'm gonna die. Or if I haven't passed it yet, then someday I will without knowing.
Has God left me forever? How can I get him back? I feel dead. I feel like I'll never ever be saved.

We have to remember that we have different aspects to us such as our emotions, mentality, our physical dimension and spirituality. Often these can be intertwined and we find it hard to discern one from another. Our emotions can get the better of us and can overwhelm us. We can mistake our feelings for spirituality. Sometimes we need to grow through an experience and mature and just make mistakes to learn. God crafts us and makes us stronger. I can relate to what you are experiencing and when I look back I felt God had abandoned me but He was always there in the back ground ready for when I went through what I had to go through to get to that point where I became stronger and let God in a little more. We are always growing and it is not always about how we feel but our willingness to keep coming back to God and in the end we will find Him.

 

[Messerve]

I remember as a teenager struggling with insecurities and certain sins I couldn't seem to break away from, one thing that helped a lot was to remember that satan had already lost the battle over me ultimately, when I gave myself to Jesus. So the battle continues, but we know He wins in the end. Somehow that makes it easier to say no when you're tempted to sin. I wish I could remember that all the time, though.

I'm so forgetful and dumb and make the same mistakes over and over. I can honestly say 99% of the time I don't willingly sin against Jesus, because I'm half oblivious to what I'm even doing... And the times I was aware it was sin, I felt so soul-sick afterwards and begged for mercy and re-assurance of my salvation. I would guess that's about where you are right now. It's not a good place to be, but it's not the end of the story either.

I still struggle with some of those things from my teenage years, and I often get discouraged because it seems like high time that stuff was all behind me.There are so many negative memories stored in the recesses of my mind that keep resurfacing and drawing me back to places of failure.

It's frustrating when you read about other Christians who claim total victory over sins in their life, and at times I thought I could claim the same thing. Yet, eventually, I was back in the valley and feeling defeated.

But God knows us better than anyone. He knows exactly how hard your fight is, and if your fight seems particularly hard, be encouraged that it's possible He wants to use you in a particularly powerful way some day.

As others said, it is a good sign that you desire change and are feeling convicted. It's the Spirit (and the good fruits of the Spirit) who is the evidence of our salvation. Unbelievers don't feel conviction - they merely feel fear of being found out. There is a big difference.

 

[HowdyDave@]

Anybody who is worried that they might have committed the unpardonable sin hasn't committed it!

If you had, you wouldn't care.

 

[SusaninBC]

I opened my Bible up to Hebrews today, then immediately lost my page. When I opened it back up, the first thing I see is a picture of a demon. (My Bible has small illustrations here and there.)

This scares me. Does it mean anything?

It means your Bible has an illustration of a demon in it, and you happened to open it to that page. And that is all that it means. Nothing more, and nothing less.

 

[newme20]

I'm terrified. I feel like I've lost the holy spirit, grieved him too many times, and committed the unpardonable sin.
I've been struggling a lot with a specific sin lately. And just yesterday, I committed sin willfully, as I had also done a couple times before. I've repented and prayed a thousand times, yet j keep going back, sometimes immediately after prayer. I'm scared I'm no longer sincere. I don't know how to be sincere.
This article describes me to a T: Point of No Return | Free Book Library | Amazing Facts
I have been a believer for a little over a year now and I'm already afraid I'm falling away. It used to be so easy to commit to church, reading the bible, praying, and abstaining from sin. I used to feel so filled with the spirit, so excited for Christ's return.
But now I feel nothing, nothing at all. I haven't felt the spirit in a long time. I don't feel conviction, or even a general sense of joy when I go to church or talk to believers. It's all just numb, just as it was before I was a believer.
I don't feel love for God anymore. I feel like the only reason I try to obey is because I'm scared of death, and not because I truly care for Him.
I've prayed to go back as I once was, and it's not happening.
I feel done for. I'm scared I passed the point of no return, and I'm gonna die. Or if I haven't passed it yet, then someday I will without knowing.
Has God left me forever? How can I get him back? I feel dead. I feel like I'll I went through the same thing. If it's true you will no it beyond a shadow of a dout, if you don't know it it's not true just keep going in the word and god will meet you.

 

[Divide]

Thanks for the nice replies.

I opened my Bible up to Hebrews today, then immediately lost my page. When I opened it back up, the first thing I see is a picture of a demon. (My Bible has small illustrations here and there.)

This scares me. Does it mean anything?

This bugs you, I can tell. So what can be said? Your conscience is intact. Not only that but it's bothered you enough that you opened a hread and asked the question.

Therefore, the Holy Spirit is still with you and that alone proves it. The Holy Spirit's job is to lead us into all truth, right? And He bears witness with our spirit, right? That means He talks to our spirit. We can't hear it but when your spirit talks to you, it is heard by you as your conscience.

So whats really going on is you have the enemy whispering lies into your head. Scripture says we are to take these thoughts captive to Christ and reject them as lies. In other words, speak them down in Jesus name and declare that they are lies sent from the enemy which you do not accept, then go read and pray the Psalms. You'll be alright.

The whole world is under increased spiritual attack and it sounds like that includes you. So my advicce other than standing on His word, is to learn more about spiritual warfare.

 

[newme20]

Were you led by the spirit and born again, and began to be separated from your old life as you identified in christ? And was the holy spirit leading you to kill your sin at any time? And were you rejoicing with joy inexpressible like the scripture says? If this was not you then you were not born again. This happened to me I have a testimony on how this happened to me, if this relates to you then you'll no by reading it or youll see this is not you, I can try and share the link if I can figure out how?

 

[newme20]

Can we get the spirit back after we have disobeyed him and he left? this is my testimony check it out if you want and anybody eltce if you guys want. If you all don't belive you can do anything to lose the holy spirit I belive your only fooling yourselves. I belive you all no deep inside that if you sin consistently against the holy spirit you can land yourself under his wrath. Many christian will not edit to this because most are possibly in a state of backsliding themselves.