The lifestyle one chooses can certainly become a barrier to faith in God, and a barrier to God's blessings.  A good example of this is found in the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud (1856-1939).  Freud always has been presented as a paragon of professional virtue by his devotees, one who could delve deeply into the sexual problems of others, but was himself above question.  Freud was an atheist.¹  It is now known that Freud went on vacations with his sister-in-law, Minna Bernays, without the presence of his wife, and he even signed into a hotel indicating in writing that Miss Bernays was his wife.^1,2  His affair with Miss Bernays evidently started at about the same time Freud told his wife that he and she would have to become celibate for the sake of his career development.³  In 1929 Freud wrote a book entitled The Future of an Illusion in which he described religion as an illusion representing man's helplessness in the world, and something which man must be set free from in order to become mature.  Thus, Freud's choice to be free of God was the root cause of his immoral relationship with his sister-in-law.  Such was consistent with his atheism, but would be inconsistent with a person of real faith in God.  In fact, it would have been extremely problematic had he been a religious person.  And so it is today with many of those who elect to live without faith.

There are some children that are compliant and obedient to their parents, and delight in being obedient.  There are other children who are rebellious and defiant toward any authority.  The first are a delight to parents, but the second are heavy weight upon the souls of the parents, even for years after these children leave home, which, unfortunately, is often too soon for their own good.  But they reject the advice and counsel of anyone who would try to help them, with the exception of another defiant person.  Such is the lot of the human family since time began.  There is nothing new under the sun, and the defiance and self-centeredness of a new generation in America who have rejected all the advice and counsel of an older generation should not surprise anyone.  Yet, there is a price to pay for one being so defiant, for the internal images that such rebellious child/adult have of themselves are often full of guilt and remorse, and may remain so for the rest of their of their lives.

Thus, when one rebels against God, and says they indeed do not believe in God, and who even vilify the concept of God, there inevitably arises a lifestyle that leads them still further away from God.  One of the most frightening aspects of this is that God Himself will make them feel content in their wickedness:

11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.2 Thess 2:11-12 (ESV)

When at a later time they may realize their need for forgiveness of both God and men, sometimes their lives are so messed up that nothing can put it back together again so that it is full of happiness and health.  And worse, when they realize that God demands repentance, i.e., that they must radically change their lives by turning away from their sins, the cost may seem to be too heavy and they may give up on faith.  Indeed, the cost may seem extreme!  As examples only, Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21-22; 1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-20; and Col 3:5-10 lists 36 different sins that will cause a person to be condemned if they do not repent, i.e., radically change their lives by turning away from their sins.  Christ and his apostles taught radial repentance, and this is one of the reasons Christ said that Christians would be hated by all nations (Matt 10:22; 24:9).

In the Western Countries, there has been a rebellion against God that has been fomenting with fury over the past 20 years.  This is now coming to fruition in a full rebellion against God and a total rejection of his Word, the Bible.  Divorce is now commonplace, and destroys at least 50% of marriages.  Just 100 years ago, divorce was almost unknown.  Substance abuse of all kinds is rampant.  Lying is deemed to be a normal and expected behavior.  Having sex before marriage is not even considered something sinful with many people.  Most marriages are touched by adultery.  In the meanwhile, the likelihood of a woman being inoculated with a parvovirus that causes genital warts or cervical cancer may be as high as 90% in some groups by the time she is 25.  Sexual behaviors that involve intercourse man-to-man or woman-to-woman are now portrayed as being a normal variant, and now our children and grandchildren are taught in kindergarten that it is a normal behavior to have 2 daddies or to have 2 mommies, and that this alternative lifestyle must be accepted and not criticized.

Even in this country and in other countries which are called "free," Christians are being systematically silenced and terminated from their jobs if they say anything against certain sexual sins, or if they are seen as vocal Christians.^4,5  This is especially true in some countries such as Canada or the European countries, and now this violation of freedom of speech is occurring in the USA.  Thus the so-called freedom of religion and rights under the constitution are now only for a chosen number, but not for all Americans, especially if they are Christians.  There is freedom of speech, but not for those who quote the Bible regarding sexual sins.  To say that there is freedom of speech in Canada, Europe or the USA is a lie if such speech results in persecution and loss of jobs or even imprisonment.

Consequently, this is a time in America when villains are the moral people, people of faith, people who have tried to live the life that God commanded in his Word, the Bible.  What they believe seemed good to them, but now is evil in the sight of men.  The world has turned upside down.  Even the youth call something good as being bad.  And so the cycle is repeated, and there is nothing new under heaven:

20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight! Isaiah 5:20-21 (ESV)
Here is the principle that God announced long ago regarding how he deals with nations:

7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. 9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. Jer 18:7-10 (ESV)

Freud, being a cigar smoker, died of mouth cancer after having some 30 surgeries to try to cure him.  He demanded his colleagues kill him with an overdose of medication, and in the end he got his wish.

The point is this: Chosen Lifestyle can separate you from God and make Him your enemy.  Choose your lifestyle well.  If you want to come to Christ in faith, he himself commands that you repent (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 20:21; 26:18, 20).  I plead with you, leave your lifestyle of rebellion against God, and set your heart to obey him, to walk in his ways.  There will be healing in this, O my people.