Overcoming Doubt
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Introduction
Introduction
Pastor Bryan Wilkerson tells this story
When I was a student at Harvard Divinity School, I learned preaching from Dr. Gardner Taylor, a pastor in New York City.
I'll never forget those lectures.
I remember him telling us a story from when he was preaching in Louisiana during the Depression.
Electricity was just coming into that part of the country, and he was out in a small church that had just one little light bulb hanging down from the ceiling to light up the whole sanctuary.
He was preaching away, and in the middle of his sermon, all of a sudden, the electricity went out.
The building went pitch black, and Dr. Taylor didn't know what to say, being a young preacher.
He stumbled around until one of the elderly deacons sitting in the back of the church cried out, "Preach on, preacher! We can still see Jesus in the dark!"
Sometimes that's the only time we can see him—in the dark. And the good news of the gospel is that whether we can see him in the dark or not, he can see us in the dark.
Sometimes that's the only time we can see him—in the dark.
And the good news of the gospel is that he can see us in the dark.
TRANSITION
TRANSITION
Tonight I want to talk to you about overcoming doubt
Doubt is the darkness we live in sometimes
Faith is the confidence that we can see Jesus even in the dark
Doubt vs. Unbelief
Doubt vs. Unbelief
So what is doubt
Some people think that doubt and unbelief are the same thing, but they are not.
There is a difference between doubt and unbelief
I do not believe anyone here doubts the existence of God
But we all have doubts
For example:
I believe God can do miracles, but I doubt if he will do a miracle for me
I believe that God answers prayers, but I doubt that He hears my prayers
I believe that God loves, but I doubt if he can love me
I believe that God has a voice, but I doubt if He will speak to me?
And the list goes on and on
Does God care?
Does God speak to me?
Does God have a plan for my life?
Does God know how I feel?
Biblical Examples
Biblical Examples
16 So the last will be first, and the first last.” 17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death
If you have doubt you in your faith, you are not alone
Matthew
There are many examples in the Bible of great men and women of God who had doubts
Abraham and Sarah doubted God’s promise
Abraham and Sarah doubted God’s promise
15 And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” 19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.” 22 When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.
17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
17 Entonces Abraham se postró sobre su rostro, y se rió, y dijo en su corazón: ¿A hombre de cien años ha de nacer hijo? ¿Y Sara, ya de noventa años, ha de concebir?
Genesis 17:15-22
Gideon doubted God’s call
Gideon doubted God’s call
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,
Judges
36 Y Gedeón dijo a Dios: Si has de salvar a Israel por mi mano, como has dicho,
Zechariah doubted the birth of John the Baptist
Zechariah doubted the birth of John the Baptist
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
18 Dijo Zacarías al ángel: ¿En qué conoceré esto? Porque yo soy viejo, y mi mujer es de edad avanzada.
John the Baptist doubt the identity of the Messiah
John the Baptist doubt the identity of the Messiah
1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
3 para preguntarle: ¿Eres tú aquel que había de venir, o esperaremos a otro?
The Apostles
The Apostles
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.
16 Pero los once discípulos se fueron a Galilea, al monte donde Jesús les había ordenado. 17 Y cuando le vieron, le adoraron; pero algunos dudaban.
In verse 17 we read that the eleven disciples went to Galilee to meet with Jesus on a mountain, and the Bible tells us that they worshiped.
They were able to worship God openly because God had helped them overcome their doubts.
Consider where these eleven men had been in the last 3 years before this moment. They had walked with Jesus through his earthly ministry. They had heard him teach, they had seen him perform miracles, and they fully believed that he was the Son of God. Then something tragic happened. They watched as Jesus was crucified. We can only imagine how devastated they must have been to see the one they were following as the Son of God die without ushering in the Kingdom of God.
Consider where these eleven men had been in the last 3 years before this moment.
They had walked with Jesus through his earthly ministry.
They had heard him teach, they had seen him perform miracles, and they fully believed that he was the Son of God.
Then something tragic happened.
They watched as Jesus was crucified.
We can only imagine how devastated they must have been to see the one they were following as the Son of God die without ushering in the Kingdom of God.
The Jewish community in the first century had no concept of a Messiah with two comings. In their understanding, he was supposed to come one time and establish the Kingdom of God with great authority and power. He was not supposed to die, but he did.
The Jewish community in the first century had no concept of a Messiah with two comings.
In their understanding, he was supposed to come one time and establish the Kingdom of God with great authority and power.
He was not supposed to die, but he did.
It is only natural that they had doubts later when God raised Jesus from the dead. And they did have doubts. But this was the 8th time that Jesus had appeared to them after the resurrection. He gave them time to accept the truth. He presented many undeniable proofs to them, and he helped them past their unbelief. That was very important because once they understood that Jesus had died for them, and that God raised him from the dead – they would never again have to question or doubt one of God’s promises. In the ultimate test, God had proven that His word was true. Now the disciples were ready for God to turn the page and show them what was next.
It is only natural that they had doubts later when God raised Jesus from the dead.
And they did have doubts.
But this was the 8th time that Jesus had appeared to them after the resurrection.
He gave them time to accept the truth. He presented many undeniable proofs to them, and he helped them past their unbelief.
That was very important because once they understood that Jesus had died for them, and that God raised him from the dead – they would never again have to question or doubt one of God’s promises.
In the ultimate test, God had proven that His word was true. Now the disciples were ready for God to turn the page and show them what was next.
Thomas Doubted the Resurrection
Thomas Doubted the Resurrection
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
24 Pero Tomás, uno de los doce, llamado Dídimo, no estaba con ellos cuando Jesús vino.25 Le dijeron, pues, los otros discípulos: Al Señor hemos visto. El les dijo: Si no viere en sus manos la señal de los clavos, y metiere mi dedo en el lugar de los clavos, y metiere mi mano en su costado, no creeré.
TRANSITION
TRANSITION
The point is that we all have doubts
We are never going to arrive to that magical place where nothing is putting pressure on our lives
Example: Parents
Parents imagine that once their new babies start to sleep at night, then their lives will be normal again
The truth is that there are new challenges in every stage of life…no matter what their age
We cannot have this idea that one day if say enough prayers and read enough Bible verses that we will reach a place that we no longer have to face and overcome doubts
OVERCOME YOUR DOUBTS
OVERCOME YOUR DOUBTS
Doubt is not a sin, but it interrupts your faith
It is a weapon that the devil uses to enter into your life
We have to recognize it in our lives, but we cannot allow the devil to
This is what James says about doubt in our lives
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
6 Pero pida con fe, no dudando nada; porque el que duda es semejante a la onda del mar, que es arrastrada por el viento y echada de una parte a otra. 7 No piense, pues, quien tal haga, que recibirá cosa alguna del Señor. 8 El hombre de doble ánimo es inconstante en todos sus caminos.
Doubt is a weapon that the devil is used
The one who doubts is like a wave on the sea
We have to stop this cycle from happening
Because we attach what God does to our good works
Actually God works through faith not your perfection
Even if you have not done everything right, you can still come to me
The only you have to do....is BELIEVE
Get rid of the excuses
19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ” 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.
11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”
Stop saying you cannot believe
Hebrews 3:11
This is an excuse that keeps us from defeating doubt
They were “unwilling” to believe
John the Baptist
John the Baptist
v.2 - Are you the Messiah
We have to break this cycle
Never base your belief on you circumstances or your feelings
I do not feel saved…I do not feel loved…I do not feel safe
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Propel you into a deeper level of faith
In times of doubt, we can grow in our faith
God is never afraid of the questions we have about our faith
What is most important is that we turn to Him for the answers
This is what John the Baptist did.
He said, “Are you the one?”
The questions of our heart will always lead us to deeper faith in God if we are seeking truth…because He is truth
So we are walking down a road that leads to Him
Pay attention to the evidence
Pay attention to the evidence
3.
Look at the evidence of all that God has done
Do not condemn yourself for your doubts
v.11 - John was a great man in the eyes of God, but he had his doubts
22 And have mercy on those who doubt;
Resolve to accept God’s sovereignty
There are some answers you will never receive on this side of heaven
Let first things come first
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
Deut 29:29
29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
1. ADMIT YOU HAVE DOUBTS
1. ADMIT YOU HAVE DOUBTS
This seems obvious but people do not always do it
Be specific
2. DO NOT CONDEMN YOURSELF
2. DO NOT CONDEMN YOURSELF
Jesus testified that John the Baptist was a great man in his eyes
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
11 De cierto os digo: Entre los que nacen de mujer no se ha levantado otro mayor que Juan el Bautista; pero el más pequeño en el reino de los cielos, mayor es que él.
Jesus had mercy on John, and he commands us to have mercy on others
22 And have mercy on those who doubt;
22 A algunos que dudan, convencedlos.
That means we also should not condemn ourselves
Let me ask you why it is so much easier to believe and have great faith for others but not ourselves
Because we attach what God does to our good works
Actually God works through faith not your perfection
We have to stop this cycle from happening
19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
The only you have to do....is BELIEVE
We are giving power to the enemy when we condemn ourselves
We say to ourselves, if only I could believe
Stop saying you cannot believe
This is an excuse that keeps us from defeating doubt
Get rid of the excuses
They were “unwilling” to believe
3. PRAY
3. PRAY
23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
23 Jesús le dijo: Si puedes creer, al que cree todo le es posible. 24 E inmediatamente el padre del muchacho clamó y dijo: Creo; ayuda mi incredulidad.
Turn towards Jesus Christ…not away from Him
23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
Propel you into a deeper level of faith
In times of doubt, we can grow in our faith
God is never afraid of the questions we have about our faith
What is most important is that we turn to Him for the answers
This is what John the Baptist did.
He said, “Are you the one?”
The questions of our heart will always lead us to deeper faith in God if we are seeking truth…because He is truth
So we are walking down a road that leads to Him
4. FEED YOUR FAITH
4. FEED YOUR FAITH
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
17 Así que la fe es por el oír, y el oír, por la palabra de Dios.
We base our faith on what we know to be true
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
17 Santifícalos en tu verdad; tu palabra es verdad.
We put first things first
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
1 Corinthians
Never base your faith on your feelings or your circumstances
3 Porque primeramente os he enseñado lo que asimismo recibí: Que Cristo murió por nuestros pecados, conforme a las Escrituras; 4 y que fue sepultado, y que resucitó al tercer día, conforme a las Escrituras;
5. ACT ON YOUR FAITH NOT YOUR DOUBTS
5. ACT ON YOUR FAITH NOT YOUR DOUBTS
Never base your faith on your feelings or your circumstances
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
5 derribando argumentos y toda altivez que se levanta contra el conocimiento de Dios, y llevando cautivo todo pensamiento a la obediencia a Cristo,
When you make decisions, you do it based on your faith not your doubts
Your actions have to be based on your faith
Your words have to be based on your faith
It does not mean that there are no doubts, it just means that the doubts are not in control
CLOSING
CLOSING
One man talks about the commitment to keep going by comparing it to running a marathon.
I once ran in the New York City Marathon.
The first half of that race is a party. You're swept along by 28,000 runners, crowds lining the streets, and people running in costumes.
You're touring the ethnic neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens.
You feel like you could run forever.
At mile 13, you cross over into Manhattan and start heading north, away from the finish line.
Central Park is behind you, and you're going in the wrong direction.
The crowds are thinner now. The party's over.
At about mile 16 or 18, you hit the wall. You're absolutely miserable. Physically and psychologically, you're busted. All you want to do is stop running. I remember passing one of the first aid stations. There were runners lying on cots—pale and gaunt, with IVs dripping into their arms. I thought to myself, Those lucky dogs. At that point I began to despair. I imagined myself having to go home and tell everybody I didn't finish. Why did I ever sign up for this race? What made me think I could do this?
At about mile 16 or 18, you hit the wall.
You're absolutely miserable.
Physically and psychologically, you're busted.
All you want to do is stop running.
I remember passing one of the first aid stations.
There were runners lying on cots—pale and gaunt, with IVs dripping into their arms.
I thought to myself, Those lucky dogs.
At that point I began to despair.
I imagined myself having to go home and tell everybody I didn't finish.
Why did I ever sign up for this race? What made me think I could do this?
That's when it hit me. One way or another, I had to get to Central Park. That's where my ride was. I had no car. I had no money. I would have to get there on my own two feet. So I might as well keep running. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Don't think about the next 6 miles; just think about the next step. And if you can keep that up, keep putting one foot in front of the other, the miles pass. And when you cross that finish line, it feels like glory—even when you're in 10,044th place.
That's when it hit me.
One way or another, I had to get to Central Park.
That's where my ride was. I had no car. I had no money.
I would have to get there on my own two feet.
So I might as well keep running.
Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Don't think about the next 6 miles; just think about the next step.
And if you can keep that up, keep putting one foot in front of the other, the miles pass.
And when you cross that finish line, it feels like glory—even when you're in 10,044th place.
Some of you may be hitting the wall right now—feeling like you can't go on, like you'll never make it. Following Christ is harder than you ever imagined it would be, and you're thinking about giving up—about doing something foolish. Don't do it!
Some of you may be hitting the wall right now—feeling like you can't go on, like you'll never make it.
Following Christ is harder than you ever imagined it would be, and you're thinking about giving up—about doing something foolish. Don't do it!
There's no magic to endurance racing. It's all about continuing.
There's no magic to endurance racing.
It's all about continuing.