Why The Jesus High Go Bye-Bye?

        So many of us have a friend or a person we have witnessed in our life experience a radical change through Jesus. They were broken before and suddenly they try this whole Jesus thing-and they're not even the same person-the change is that radical. They are experiencing Jesus for the very first time and by just being around them-you can tell that the Holy Spirit is working through them and they have caught some crazy fire (1 Corinthians 5:17). They have caught the spirit (the sickness), and Jesus is living inside of them, and they are clearly showing the symptoms of it (Ex's: strong differences in behavior/language/interaction). Most of us have experienced this high off the Holy Spirit and often wonder where and why it went so quickly.

       After a few months of being a new radical believer and seeing some awesome change, most Christians claim that the high is gone and wonder where it went. This is what happens. Soon we settle down as believers, we get caught up in the busyness of life and get distracted by other things, and start pursuing other stuff to take the place of Jesus, without even knowing it. The equation has now become Jesus + Something = Joy/Everything. From what it used to be (Jesus + Nothing = Joy/Everything) We think that if we can just continue with this one sin, we'll still seek Jesus and everything will be fine. The truth is, sin and the desire to sin grows, especially faster when you encourage it. When are you going to realize that sinning is only worsening the situation. When are you going to decide to stop going back to this sin? When are you going to start putting your full faith in Jesus and trusting Him for your healing? It's time. Today's the day. People lose the symptoms (this high) because we aren't solely seeking Jesus as our source. This is why we get the high at church camps. We are placed in a confined area while sort of being strongly encouraged to worship Jesus and experience Him without any distractions from everyday life. If you don't have the symptoms, do you really have the sickness?

        Without a doubt, I have learned that Jesus + Nothing = Everything. The Holy Spirit high can continue, but only if you solely seek Jesus. The effects of Jesus-alone-seeking life are revolutionary; He has the power to save people by the thousands. We need the Christians that still believe if you walk by somebody with your shadow on them, then they'll be saved. If you don't have the symptoms, do you really sickness?

Jesus/Christianity: From a Once-Atheist

My whole life, I’ve always wanted to have fun. I’ve always wanted to be the kid that everyone liked; that had it all, that had it going on. I wanted to be the kid that had the hottest girlfriend, was the best gamer around, and was the best at sports and never lost at anything. I was competitive to. And I succeeded at most of those. I thought life was about ME.  Then high school came rolling along. My goals rose from having the hottest girlfriend to pulling off that one night stand and going as far as I could with that girl; and then boasting the next day to your friends about how much you violated that person, as if it’s something to be admired. It’s what I thought would satisfy me. You can’t really blame me/us either for feeling that way. We’re raised in a culture that elevates the WRONG and the FEW gifts in people. All over television, the computer, video games; everything has some pre-conceived message that is trying to get across to the viewer. And when you see it so often, it becomes normal, and then it becomes desire. Not to mention that the majority of young men are viewing pornography by age 12.

If you had asked me what my opinion was of Christianity and/or church at that time, I would have responded with: hypocritical, boring, no-point, dumb, who-cares, not my thing. So at this time, I didn’t go to church often (forced to go periodically) and I thought Jesus was hecka boring. I kept going my merry way and by the middle of sophomore year, I hit a peak. I was doing crazier things than anything I had done before; I was going places with girls that should be places reserved for marriage. I became extremely depressed for long periods of time, suicidal, lonely, and angry. I wondered what had happened…my whole childhood I was told that if I achieve this stuff-then will I only be happy. I achieved it-no long-term happiness? What was happening? I remember one night I was on the verge of killing myself. I was sitting alone by my bed in the dark. I turned to my Ipod and turned on some worship music just for the heck of it, in complete desperation, willing to try anything (that I have no idea how got on my Ipod). I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of Fatherly love that quickly invaded my life. Lust…addictions…everything started to go away like it had never been there before. Never been the same since.

I got involved with Overlake Christian Church and started seeking God in a community. The best church I’ve ever been to in my entire life. Period. End of Story. Thousands of believers who are behind you, encouraging you, and loving on you, WITHOUT judgment. It’s come as you are. People are exposed, not wearing masks, and opening up to the life that Christ offers. When I think about why a lot of people don’t go to church, I don’t really blame them. Everyone thinks you stand up, wear a suit, and listen for 2 hours…super cliché. Try Overlake Christian Church, where people come as they are, where you never leave without being overwhelmingly encouraged and loved upon. And let’s be honest, most churches are just doing it wrong. If your church is boring and you’re not leaving with a very real sense of the reality of the Cross, leave that church. Find a church in your area that makes you want to spend your whole day there.

So what does a person whose seen both sides think of life with/without Jesus? I think life without Jesus is fun for a while, but in no way eternal. You just can’t find anything to satisfy you and you never will. The high from sin will wear off. When you seek the flesh, it’s only temporary satisfaction. (Romans 8) When you have Jesus, you develop this impenetrable heart because you know that He loves you, He redeems you, He cares for you, He encourages you, He’s there for you, and He has a plan for you. Before Christ, the world is about you and fulfilling your needs and achieving your satisfaction. After Christ, it’s about serving others and forgiving others, as He first forgave you. Everything will change. You won’t find it in a joint, a bottle, or a bed of sin. It’s in Christ. It’s in the Church. You. Need. Jesus.