Spiritual Detox #1: “I Accepted Jesus, Now My Problems Will End” — The Big Lie and the True Promise

by | Dec 10, 2025 | Practical Life

Estimated reading time: 14-16 minutes Series: Myths and Truths of Christian Life (Episode 1 of 7) Keywords: problems after accepting Jesus, christian suffering, prosperity gospel, biblical trials, spiritual warfare, John 16:33, new convert.

Introduction: The New Convert’s Reality Shock

There is a silent, agonizing moment in the life of almost every new Christian. You have just gone through the most transformative experience of your life: the new birth. You wept, felt the weight of sin lift from your shoulders, felt the peace of God flood your room, and thought: “Finally! Now everything will work out. Now God is with me, and nothing bad will happen to me.”

This expectation is fueled by a religious culture that often engages in “false advertising” of the Gospel. Perhaps you heard phrases like “Stop suffering,” “Come to Jesus and pay your debts,” or “The King’s child does not face shame.”

Then, a week passes. The car breaks down. Your boss, who was chill, starts picking on you. A marital crisis explodes out of nowhere. You catch a terrible flu on the very day of your baptism.

The shock is inevitable. A cold voice whispers in your mind: “Did God not accept me? Did I do something wrong? Or is this all a lie?”

If you are living in this whirlwind, stop everything and breathe. This article is the Spiritual Detox you need. Let’s clear out the “theological trash” put in your head and understand, with biblical depth, why the war often begins—not ends—on the day of your conversion.

1. The Contract You Didn’t Read: What Does the Bible Really Promise?

Before complaining about the “product” (Christian life), we need to read the “manual” (the Bible). Jesus was possibly the most honest leader in history. While politicians and salespeople promise ease to gain followers, Jesus promised crosses to those who wanted to follow Him.

Let’s analyze the “fine print” of the contract Jesus offered us in John 16:33:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Note the grammar. Jesus didn’t say “maybe you will have tribulations” or “if you have little faith, you will have tribulations.” He used the affirmative future indicative: You will have tribulations. It is a guarantee. In the original Greek, the word used is thlipsis, which means “pressure,” “crushing,” “compression.”

Christian life is not an insurance policy against suffering; it is the guarantee of God’s presence in the midst of suffering. The myth that “Jesus solves all material problems instantly” is a modern invention, known as the Prosperity Gospel, which finds no backing in the lives of the apostles, the prophets, nor Christ Himself.

2. The Physics of Faith: Why Did the War Start Now?

To understand why your problems seem to have increased after accepting Jesus, we need to use an analogy from physics: the Law of Resistance.

Imagine a river with a strong current flowing toward a waterfall (the abyss). When you were not a Christian, you were like a boat adrift or a dead fish. You went down the river with the current.

  • Did you feel the friction of the water? No.
  • Did you exert effort? No.
  • Everything seemed to “flow.” Sure, you were heading for the abyss, but the journey was smooth.

The day you converted, you decided to swim against the current. You turned the boat toward the source (God). What happens physically when you swim against the current? The water hits your face. Resistance increases. Effort triples.

Problems increased not because God abandoned you, but because you changed direction. The world system (the current), your own flesh (the old boat), and the devil (who wants to push you to the waterfall) now offer resistance. Therefore, congratulations. The difficulty you are feeling is proof that you are alive and swimming in the right direction. Dead fish don’t feel resistance.

3. The Three Sources of Problems (Spiritual Diagnosis)

Not every problem is the same. To know how to fight, you need to identify the origin of the attack. Biblically, there are three main sources of affliction in a Christian’s life:

A. The Fallen World (Life Happens)

Not everything is spiritual. We live on a planet broken by sin.

  • If you don’t brush your teeth, you get cavities. It’s not the devil, it’s biology.
  • If the country’s economy crashes, you might lose your job. It’s not persecution, it’s macroeconomics. Christians get sick, Christians have car accidents, Christians get old. This is part of the human condition described in Romans 8:22 (“The whole creation groans”). How to react: With wisdom and patience, trusting that God cares for us in life’s contingencies.

B. The Enemy’s Attack (Spiritual Warfare)

There is, indeed, malignant opposition. The enemy doesn’t waste ammunition on those who already belong to him. But now that you have defected from the army of darkness, you have become a target. Usually, these attacks target your identity and your faith. They are thoughts of accusation, sudden temptations, or inexplicable confusion in key relationships. How to react: With the Armor of God (Ephesians 6). Standing firm in faith, praying, and using the Word as a sword.

C. God’s Discipline and Testing (The Refining Fire)

This is the part no one likes, but it is the most vital. Sometimes, it is God Himself who leads us into the desert. Remember: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4:1). The Spirit led, the devil tempted. God allows crises to forge our character. He is more interested in your holiness than your comfort. He uses the heat of the furnace to burn off impurities (pride, self-sufficiency) and leave only pure gold.

4. Case Studies: Heroes Who Suffered

If you think you are suffering because you have little faith, let’s look at the Bible’s “Hall of Fame.”

Joseph of Egypt: The Palace Process

Joseph had a dream from God. What happened right after? He was thrown into a pit by his brothers, sold as a slave, falsely accused of rape, and forgotten in prison for years. It was 13 years of “problems” between the promise and the fulfillment. If Joseph had lived the “easy life” in his father’s house, he would remain just a spoiled boy. The afflictions transformed the spoiled boy into the Governor of Egypt, capable of saving the world from famine. Lesson: The pit is not the end; it is the transport to the palace.

The Apostle Paul: The Thorn in the Flesh

Paul was the greatest missionary in history. He raised the dead. But he had a “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12). We don’t know if it was an eye disease, persecution, or a temptation. He prayed three times for God to remove the problem. God’s answer was: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God didn’t remove the problem, but gave grace to endure it. Lesson: Sometimes, the miracle is not the cure, it is the strength to keep walking while sick.

5. The Danger of “Bargain Faith”

Why is it so dangerous to believe that “accepting Jesus ends problems”? Because it creates a bargain faith. You start treating God like a waiter or a bank manager: “God, I tithed and went to the service, so You have an obligation to fix my car.”

When God doesn’t do it (because He is a Father, not an employee), you get frustrated and abandon the faith. Satan challenged God about Job with exactly this argument: “Does Job fear God for no reason? … You have blessed the work of his hands… But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face” (Job 1:9-11). Satan accused Job of being an opportunist. When we go through problems and continue worshipping, we prove to the devil that we love God for who He is, not for what He gives.

6. How to Stand When Everything Crumbles? (Practical Guide)

Okay, I understand it’s normal to have problems. But how do I not break down? How do I cross the valley of the shadow of death without losing faith?

1. Change the Lens (Eternal Perspective)

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:17: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Paul called stonings, shipwrecks, and hunger “light and momentary.” Why? Because he compared them with eternity. Your problems seem giant because you are looking at them with a magnifying glass. Look at heaven, and the problems will become small.

2. Don’t Isolate Yourself (The Power of the Body)

When the lion wants to attack, he separates the prey from the herd. In a crisis, your tendency will be to isolate, not go to church, not reply to texts. Don’t do that. The church is a hospital. Allow yourself to be healed. Ask for prayer. Cry on someone’s shoulder. “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).

3. Feed the Spirit (Wartime Nutrition)

In war, soldiers eat reinforced rations. In a crisis, you cannot live on “spiritual snacks” (a verse on Instagram). You need “steak” (Bible reading, worship, prayer). Even without the desire, read. Even while crying, pray. God’s Word is the anchor that prevents your boat from capsizing.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Christian Suffering

1. If I am suffering, is it because I am in sin? Not necessarily. Job suffered because he was righteous, not because he was a sinner. Jesus suffered and was perfect. Sin brings natural consequences (if you steal, you will be arrested), but not all suffering is punishment. It can be a trial or an attack.

2. Can the devil touch a believer’s life? He cannot touch your salvation (your soul is sealed in Christ), but God can allow him to touch circumstances to test our faith, always within limits established by God (as He did with Job). The devil is “God’s dog” on a leash; he only goes as far as the leash allows.

3. Why doesn’t God stop evil if He is good? God uses evil for ends we do not yet understand. He used the evil of the cross (the death of Jesus) for the greatest good of the universe (our salvation). He is an expert at turning curses into blessings.

Conclusion: Peace in the Storm

Accepting Jesus is not a guarantee of heaven on Earth. It is a guarantee that you will never go through hell alone again. The Gospel does not promise that your feet won’t hurt on the walk; it promises there will be a feast and rest when you get home.

If today you are wounded, tired, and confused, know this: Jesus is in the boat. He is not sleeping out of neglect; He is sleeping because He is in control. At the right time, He will stand up and say to the wind: “Peace, be still.” Until then, keep rowing.

Hearing Him Org — Teaching you to see Jesus through the tears.

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