Demonic Activity

Question:



Hey I got a lot of help from my parents but I wake up in the middle of the night scared to death. I do have a high adrenaline and that leads me to think of all these weird scary things at once. Demonic spirits and somone I know and love arehurting me. Commonly and scariest thing run through my head. I'm getting a lot of help from my mom who has been through the same thing. I'm not going to see a docter because they will drug me up to stop the adrenaline. I'm only 13, but I do have a lot of stress and things going on. I have such vivid pics about what I see thatt it could be there. If I turn on my side, it feels exposed or like I'm being watched. Please I need an opinion. I'm overly tired from these things at night and it's too much for a 13 year old kid. I'm also getting attacked because I'm more involved in church. I now play guitar on stage and everytime I come back from a Christian camp or confrence it gets worse. This feels so good to spill my guts here and get it out. Thank you guys are awesome.



Answer:



While it is important to be involved in a good church and have a strong Christian family, ultimately what is going to get you through this is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If you have Him, you have all you will ever need, but if you don’t there is nothing that you can do on your own that will be of true help. That is where it starts. On the basis of having Christ, there are steps that you can take to deal with this issue. Because you have Christ there is no earthly or spiritual power that can overcome you. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, “All power is given to me in heaven and on earth.” That power is given to you in Christ. The only way in which the enemy can oppose believers is if there are areas of our lives that are not in submission to Christ. It starts with you asking God to shine His Light in you and examine what is it that needs to be realigned with Him. We are commanded to examine ourselves whether we are walking in the faith in every area of our lives or not. Next is a matter of submission. Is there any area in your life where you are leaving yourself open to attacks? Are you watching or practicing anything that would open a door for the enemy to mess with your mind? Are you making friends with people who are open to demonic activity? If you are then you have to sever those ties and bring it before the Lord and allow Him to cleanse you from that.



I would also like to encourage you to look into a couple of books that would be of tremendous help. The first one is Victory Over the Darkness by Dr. Neil Anderson. The next is also by him, a book called The Steps to Freedom in Christ for Young Adults. You can find both of these books at www.freedominchrist.com. I would also encourage you for the adrenaline to looking into a doctor. Not for the purpose of getting medicine for the issue but for advice on how to take care of your body to best channel this adrenaline. If there is anything you can do to be responsible with what you are given you best get to it.


Don't forget, if you have a question you can send it to me at asktheyouthpastor@xtrlive.com plus you can talk to us tonight at www.studenthopeline.com.

Need Prayer

Question:



Hi, I am in need of prayer. I don't want to go to someone i know because this is a bit embarrassing for me. I can't stop thinking that I am pregnant. I am married and my husband is now in Iraq but he was home a little bit ago. Now I can get the feeling out of my head that I am pregnant, even though I've had negative tests. I think it's just because I want to be, and I'm missing him. But the worst part is, I am having symptoms like morning sickness and stuff. I think because I want to be pregnant and can't stop thinking about it, my mind is making my body have the symptoms. I need help to stop thinking about it,, it is consuming my life. Thank you




Answer:



I see that this is something that really weighs on you. It makes it hard that your husband can't be there right now. But the what you can rest assured on is that God is right there with you and He can help you and take this concern off of you so that you can have peace knowing that He has everything under control. Psalm 33:20-21 says We wait in hope for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

You don't have to worry about anything. Just hand the situation over to the Lord and hand your concerns over to Him. He will take the burden off give you rest. Hang in there and don't give up. You are doing ok. I will definitely pray for you. Please let us know on how you are doing.

Don't forget, if you have a question you can send it to me at asktheyouthpastor@xtrlive.com plus you can talk to us tonight at www.studenthopeline.com.

Question About a Ball

Question:



I have been invited to a ball as a guest not as a date. And there may be dancing. We both are just friends and we do not want to go any farther. What type of dacing do you think is ok?



Answer:



There is nothing wrong in dancing in itself. Dancing is just an expression of certain emotion, or celebration, or enjoyment. But we have to remember at the same time, Paul warns us that all things are lawful but not all things are beneficial. You have freedom to choose to do whatever you want in this lifetime because Christ gives you the choice. But with the choice you make consequences, good or bad, will follow.

It's always an issue of the heart. If you're dancing to enjoy a night with friends and you are aware of being modest and not portraying yourself in dress or dance in a way that tries to draw attention to yourself, by all means enjoy the dance. But if you dance in a way that sends messages to this guy or other guys that encourages them to react in their human nature (which is sexual) then you're better off staying home.

Don't forget, if you have a question you can send it to me at asktheyouthpastor@xtrlive.com plus you can talk to us tonight at www.studenthopeline.com.

Am I Handling This the Right Way?

Question:



I have this huge crush on a classmate of mine, he's 1 year younger than I am, we're both believers, though different (I'm catholic, he's evangelist), but we still understand each other really good.

Last year, we got really close, and rumours about us dating started to spread around the school campus, we never "dated", though it was obvious that the way we behaved was like the one couples do ( we'd meet a lot outside school, I'd attend his piano performances, and he my dance performances, ect.)

But this year things started to change, we've been getting apart really slowly, and it seems the I got competition. At the beginning I was fine with it, but after a while, I got scared, of losing him like that. I told him how I felt (it was a simple "I like you", I didn't want to scare him too much), and he replied with an "You're special" and a hug, and that was it. Summer vacation came and I didn't see him for a month, and after we came back, everything was worse. Now, we barely talk, only school stuff (though he still asks me how I feel when I look really down), we still go out (to classical music concerts, most of the time) but it's not the same, we talk only about unrelevant stuff, and I can't shut my feelings off, since I have to see him every single day. I've tried to avoid him, but I can't, everytime he asks for a favor I do it, I smile and do it, I'm so helpless! I truly believe I messed it up with the confession. Am I handling the situation the right way?




Answer:



I just want to say that I understand how you feel and that things don't go how you might wish they did. It's healthy to want to have somebody and it's great that this person is a believer (that's the way God wants it). What I would have to say is that you are worrying about something though that is completely in God's control. You might look at this as a situation where you are missing out on an opportunity, it may be that God sees this as preparing you for a better opportunity. It could very well be that God has someone who is a better fit for you out there and He is steering you toward his direction. Emotions are strong, but they are not what God wants us to live by. The best thing to do is give this situation over to God knowing that He has the best for you in mind. Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for the good of those who are the called to His purposes.

Don't try and make something happen, just let God take care of the situation. Just take a breath, hand this over to God, and move forward. You'll be surprised at how freeing it is.

Don't forget, if you have a question you can send it to me at asktheyouthpastor@xtrlive.com plus you can talk to us tonight at www.studenthopeline.com.

Dating

Question:



I used to have a problem with sexual sin, a little over a year ago it was going on,, me and my girl friend, then wen we broke up, it was bad.. so from that moment on i tried so hard to stop the sexual sin. and when that was done, i started to control where my eyes went and lust issues, and from there i decided to not date anymore because if i did it would lead me back down the same road, its been over 4 months since ive even had a desire to date because i try so hard to keep it out afraid of what might come.

I have recently met this girl. and i know she likes me. she is a newborn christian. and i would have an accountability partner. i have tried very hard to not like her. but still i do.



Answer:



From what you have told me it sounds like you have seen the error of your past ways and you want to do things the right way that honors the Lord. I’m glad that you’ve taken the step to get accountability because that is a key in the healing process. The issue that you need to focus on is not whether or not you should date this girl. The issue is where your heart is. You gave into sexual sin in the past because you let your heart which was dictated by the lust of your human nature control you. That is how the world operates but as a child of God you cannot live like that since you are in Christ. God says in Romans 6:11 that you need to reckon yourself dead to sin by alive to God. That means that you have to live out your life and your day to day decisions based on the Truth that your life is in Christ. You literally have Christ in you and you have to submit every decision that you make based on that Truth.



Now this may be a good girl, and it very well may be that you two are destined to be together in God’s eyes. But I think it may be best for you to put dating on hold. This doesn’t mean you can’t talk to her or be friends. It sounds like you have done all you can on the outside to obey the Lord in this aspect but obedience starts with the heart. If at the center of your heart you are afraid that you will go back to that old way of dating then your heart is not ready because you are focused on your own lack of ability and God needs to train you to rest in His promises and to function in the dating realm in a way that pleases Him. The issue is always the heart and never the external. God is more concerned with the foundation that you are building your life on, and if you submit yourself to building your life on His foundation then He will bless you as He sees fit. Open your heart to the Lord and ask Him to teach you and let Him build you.

Don't forget, if you have a question you can send it to me at asktheyouthpastor@xtrlive.com plus you can talk to us tonight at www.studenthopeline.com.

Salvation

Question:



I have a question on something I am a little confused about. If someone is saved, but then at some point in their life, they turn away from God, will they still go to heaven? I am under the impression that they would, because once you are saved, you're saved, right?



Answer:



That’s a good question and there’s some confusion among believers as to what this means. But what it comes down to can be summarized in Ephesians 2:8-9 which says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (1) It starts with His grace. There is no way that we can obtain salvation in our own ability. The only way that we can be saved is if God came to us and offered us the opportunity through Christ to be redeemed. (2) We can’t earn it. We are not saved because we achieved a level of perfection or good that outweighs our bad. The problem was not simply that we committed acts of disobedience, it was the very core of who we are. We sin because we are naturally sinners. That identity of being a sinner separated us from God, and once we accepted Christ there was a change in identity from the inside that is meant to show on the outside. Colossians 1:27 reveals the hope of glory is Christ in us.

When you accept Him as Savior, He takes your old identity and nails it to the cross and places Himself in you. If we had no ability on our own to receive Him, then we have no ability on our own to lose Him. What a good number of people believe is that you can walk away from your salvation, but that is saying that you have to “do” something and that puts salvation in our own ability or lack of ability. 2 Timothy 2:13 says that if we do not believe, yet He remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself. Ultimately what we have to see in regards to salvation is that Christ did absolutely everything to make us right with God. All that He leaves to us is the choice to say yes to Him in belief or not. When we believe, it’s settled. Those who don’t believe, Christ will continually reach out to them as long as they have life in them.

Don't forget, if you have a question you can send it to me at asktheyouthpastor@xtrlive.com plus you can talk to us tonight at www.studenthopeline.com.

A Guy I'm Dating

Question:



I'm going through a hard time. I have to make desitions and I've been waiting for God's answers. But I can't seem to find the answers so I thought I could ask for some help. How do I know if the guy I'm with is the one that God wants me? We started going out for about 2 years. We have different culture backgrounds and it's really hard sometimes. I'm afraid of falling in love if he's not the one so I've been holding back. But he fell in love and I feel really bad so I asked him to give me time so that I could ask God for guidence. He wants to marry me, but I don't want to do anything until I have an anwer. What should i do???!!!




Answer:



That is a legitimate question, and it is one for which I know the Lord has a legitimate answer. We need to keep in mind that when one talks about marriage, God views this as two people coming together as one. From that point forward, they learn to live life as one, making decisions to serve the other, and building that relationship in the love God wants us to function. This is not a quick fix to fill a human need, and you are taking this seriously. While cultural differences can be difficult, they are not the main concern for what makes a believer's marriage work or not work.

You have to ask yourself a few questions and see how God views this relationship if it were to become a marriage. (1) For a godly marriage, both must be believers. Saved and unsaved do not go together, and it would never work. (2 Cor. 6:14) (2) Has God brought this relationship together? (Gen. 2:22) Now there are things such as attraction, a pursuing and winning of one's heart which naturally take place. But can you confidently say that God is at the heart of what is taking place? (3) Has God made it clear that you are fit for each other? God made and redeemed you for His glory, and He is the Provider for your every need. I believe the one He has for you as Genesis 2:18 says will be a fit. Not in the way the world sees it, but in union for God's plan for your life and his life. There should be a drawing of you both together to push each other in following the Lord and His plan for your lives. (4) Is this the right timing? (Ecc. 3:1) Has God been working in your life and in his life to bring you two to a place where you are ready for this lifelong commitment? Now these are not the only things that reveal if this is from God. But your relationship should definitely line up in these categories.

If this guy is not a believer, then hands down he's not the one. If he is a believer and not pursuing God in his life as he should or there is not evidence that his relationship with the Lord is not guiding his decisions daily, then he is not ready and marriage should not be discussed. I believe you also need to ask Jesus to help you examine why you are dating him. If it's to fulfill that desire to be with someone out of fear for being alone, you very well might be on track to get yourself hurt. If this was in hopes of finding the one who God has for you in marriage then you've learned the true purpose for dating. Ultimately, you need to pour your heart out to Christ and get a hold of Him at the throne and beg Him to show you what He wants. He's given you the Holy Spirit, and direct access to Him. Lay hold of Him boldly and submit to His plan whatever He has. I would also encourage you to seek out godly counsel from older believers that are in your life. Proverbs 11:14 says that there is safety in a multitude of counselors. God will honor your advice seeking from godly people and He will reveal His will. Godly people look to the Lord and their advice will be consistent as His Word reveals.


Don't forget, if you have a question you can send it to me at asktheyouthpastor@xtrlive.com plus you can talk to us tonight at www.studenthopeline.com.

Friend being Dishonest

Question:



I just found out that my best friend has been lying to me about a lot of stuff and I want to tell her how I feel because I feel like I have been treated unfairly but I also don't want her to become mad at me. What should I do?



Answer:



I know that it can be a fearful thing in confronting a friend who is taking advantage of you in some way or mistreating you, but you have to ask yourself what you want in friendship. If you just want someone who makes you feel good when you are around them and you don't value anything else then that is all you'll have. I know you don't want that though. If you want a true friend you have to be a true friend. A true friend will love you in the good times and the bad, and when needed, they will tell the other person when they are doing something wrong. If your friend hates you after that, she would have revealed that she was not really your friend, and you don't want that kind of friend. If she really is your friend then she'll see what she did was wrong and be sorry for what she did. If you want that true friendship you will need to ask God to help you confront her in a loving way, but at the same time let her know that you will not put up with that.

Don't forget, if you have a question you can send it to me at asktheyouthpastor@xtrlive.com plus you can talk to us tonight at www.studenthopeline.com.

Question:



I'm in the 9th grade and I'm struggling with God a little bit. I went to a christian school for my whole life when I switched over to public school. I was pretty close to God during those years but I feel I was young and didn't really get it.

Well during my 6th grade yeary parents got a divorce and my dad moved into a nursing home. He has a disease called MS so I've never really had that good of a roll model in my life. After the divorce my church kind of turned on my mom, they were very critical of her for divorcing him. I think they thought it was because he had MS. That wasn't it at all, my dad was addicted to porn. So we just stopped going to church. In 7th grade I stayed pretty close to God.

In 8th grade I started to slip up a bit. I started watching porn with my friends. My mom got remarried and we started going to church again and after two years of not going it just didn't sound like fun at all. So I had a bad attitude about it and I guess and I still do now. Now I am cussing a lot and watch porn a lot more then I used to. My mom almost has to drag me to church and I'm just not that happy anymore. I feel like I have come to rock bottom and I need help. Although I know I could be alot worse off. Do you have any suggestions?



Answer:



I have learned one thing about family ties, and it’s that if the parent struggles with something, then the children are likely to struggle with it themselves. God’s Word does talk about generational sin. Not that you are cursed, but when the door is opened by a parent, the children will face a similar struggle. Porn is a very dangerous drug to believers and there are more that are caught up in it that would want to admit it. One of the dangers of porn is that it isolates you. Something like this tends to be very secretive and when it is kept hidden, it cannot be dealt with, it will grow out of control, and lead to serious consequence down the road (your father could admit that). You have to realize that this is something you cannot fight on your own. If you keep this isolated then the enemy has won. You have to bring this out into the light, first with the Lord, and next with godly believers who you can share with in this struggle. 1 John 1:9 and James 5:16 say that God brings cleansing when we confess and that when we open up about our struggles that confession with prayer does much to change us. Getting good accountability is a must, and then getting safety guards up to stop access to it is another must.



Getting that into the light will completely change how it effects your attitude toward the things of God and your family. I would also pray that God would bring about a healthy fatherly figure that would give you a good picture of what our Heavenly Father is like to us. I’m sorry about the situation with your parents and how the old church treated you. That is not a healthy picture of what God is like, and His Word tells us that even when we mess up, He will always be there and will never let us down.


Don't forget, if you have a question you can send it to me at asktheyouthpastor@xtrlive.com plus you can talk to us tonight at www.studenthopeline.com.