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Through your personal relationship
with the Lord
Sunday, February 17, 2002
How Can God Help Me Conquer Doubt?
Faith Community Church, Pipestone,
MN, Dr. Oliver R. Blosser, Pastor
Hebrews 12:1-2- Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
It has been said ... "Believe and you will receive, doubt and you will go with out." Belief is a blessing but doubt is always costly. It would, therefore, be better to doubt your doubts before you doubt your beliefs. The Bible itself foretells the coming of doubters in our times- Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, II Peter 3:3.
George Barna’s research has pointed out that only eight percent of evangelical born-again Christians believe that the Bible is accurate and authoritative. So, you see, the lives of many Christians are filled with doubts about their faith.
What does it mean to doubt?
To doubt means to waver, or fluctuate in opinion; to hesitate; to be in suspense; to be in uncertainty, respecting the truth or fact; to be undetermined. It also means to question, or hold questionable; to withhold assent from; to hesitate to believe; as, I have heard the story, but I doubt the truth of it.
What are the causes of doubt in the Christian’s life?
In the Bible, doubtfulness is rebuked. There are several root causes for doubt listed in the Bible.
1. Doubt comes when you focus on your storms in life rather than your Savior of life.
Matthew 14:28-31- And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
2. Doubt comes when you focus more on your physical needs rather than your spiritual needs.
Luke 12:28-31- If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
3. Doubt comes when you rely upon yourself for direction rather than the Lord’s guidance for your life.
Acts 10:19-20-While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are seeking you. "Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."
4. Doubt comes when you are under the direct attack of Satan.
Luke 22:31-32- And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."
At such times, the Christian must use the shield of faith,
Ephesians 6:16- Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
If you are suffering from doubt in your life, is it because you have failed to examine the root cause? And you have failed to ask the following questions in the light of your doubts?
1. Have I been deliberately sinful or disobedient?
Romans 14:23-For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
2. Have I been indifferent to spiritual things?
Hebrews 12:1-2- See text above.
3. Have I been unfaithful in my church attendance?
Hebrews 10:25- Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
4. Have I been unfaithful in reading my Bible?
Romans 10:17-So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
5. Have I been unfaithful in my praying?
I Timothy 2:8- I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Doubt leads to doublemindedness.
Doubt can be debilitating. Doubt creates hesitation and uncertainty in your life. It hinders a person’s decision-making. The Apostle James mentions that the double-minded person is unstable in all his/her ways.
James 1:5-8- If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
It is not unusual for even a Christian to experience doubts. When the sincere Christian hears critics attack the Bible, there may be increased temptation to doubt God’s Word. Perhaps everyone has had doubts and uncertainties at times in his/her religious experience.
Doubt leads to religious apostasy
According to the Bible, when Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive the tablets of the Law from the hand of God, and after he remained a long time out of the sight of the children of Israel, who stood anxiously awaiting his return, they finally became doubtful of his return. The result of their doubting of Moses’ return lead to the apostasy of erecting the golden calf to worship. The great danger with doubt is that it leads to religious apostasy.
I Timothy 4:1-5- Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Doubt leads to losing the blessings of God.
Doubt/unbelief does not hinder God’s faithfulness. Paul affirms this in Romans 3:3- For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? However, doubt does effect the individual’s capacity to receive the benefits of that faithfulness from God! It was doubt/unbelief which kept many of the Israelites from seeing the Promised Land. Unbelief/doubt prevented the people of Nazareth from witnessing Christ’s miracles, Matthew 13:58. Because of unbelief, the lives of Jews as they live in various places around the world would hang in the balance, according to Deuteronomy 28:66.
Doubt opens the door for Satan’s attack.
Through doubt, Satan attacks an individual believer. It is his most effective tool to deceive the believer. Satan brought uncertainty to Eve by asking, Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'? Genesis 3:1. He will always call into question God’s Word, God’s will, God’s works, and God’s ways. Satan will afflict you with doubts where you are the most vulnerable- spiritual disobedience, disappointment, depression (discouragement) and disease.
What is the Biblical solution to doubt?
The Biblical solution to doubt is faith in the Lord. Our Lord Jesus Christ challenged His disciples to have faith without doubt
Matthew 21:21-22- So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
The text provides numerous reasons to have faith. The witnesses of Hebrews 12:1 are not spectators of us on the earth, but testifiers to us of what faith can do.
1. The faith of past Biblical examples provide a great cloud of witnesses to encourage us in our faith, Hebrews 12:1a.
Romans 15:4- For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
2. Faith challenges us to lay aside every weight (burden) of sin which ensnares, Hebrews 12:1b.
I John 5:4- For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-- our faith.
3. Faith encourages us to run with endurance the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1c.
Matthew 24:13- But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
4. Personal faith is focused upon Jesus, the Source and Perfecter of personal faith, Hebrews 12:2a.
Mark 11:22- So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.
5. Faith finds its assurance in the completed work of Jesus Christ on the cross, Hebrews 12:2b.
Romans 8:38-39- For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
6. Faith’s power is found in the authority of Jesus Christ over heaven and earth, Hebrews 12:2c.
John 1:12- But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
What is an effective way to conquer doubt in my life, or how can I mentor someone else to overcome doubt?
1. Begin regularly to read the Word of God.
Romans 10:17- So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Psalm 119:89-90- Forever, O LORD, your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you established the earth, and it abides.
2. Put away deliberate sin and disobedience.
I John 1:9- If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I John 2:1- My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
3. Identify the source of the doubts. It is not wrong to ask "why" in life.
Judges 6:13b- .... if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us?
4. Realize that spiritual disobedience, disappointment, depression, disease and death, etc. can trigger doubts.
5. Remember that the Lord never promised freedom from adversity in life, Acts 14:22b.
6. Learn not to focus on your circumstances, but upon Christ!
7. Ask what God is trying to teach you through circumstances.
8. Take a definite stand for Christ.
9. Pray for a stronger relationship with the Lord through faith.
10. Begin to claim God’s promises and trust in His faithfulness.
John 20:29- Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
11. Be faithful in worshipping with God’s people.
12. Strengthen your commitment to Christ through local church ministry.