Doubt in the Midst of Faith

Wrestling with Doubt

Stories in scripture of valiant people of faith. We note many of them had periods of doubt.

Abraham struggles believing the great vision God places before him

Sarah laughs at the sound of her having a chid

Gideon struggles with the ability to conquer in the face of serious adversity

Moses does not believe himself able to fulfill the calling God is giving him

Sometimes the great the vision the harder it is to believe and have faith.

The issue is not believing God its when the enemy begins to assail our gates that we begin to second guess what God has promised

Abraham twice tries to give his wife away because of fear.

In our walk of faith the waves and winds will try to cause doubt, but in Christ our faith is made stronger.

Matthew 14:26–31 ESV

But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Some fear others (Peter) are willing to believe

They were already doing what Jesus sent them

In the encounter there is a calling

Peter steps in boldly but is quickly assailed… why did you doubt?

Jesus picked him up and placed him back in the boat… He picks us up and places back where we need to be.

Wrestling with Doubt

John 20:25–29 ESV

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.” 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.” 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.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Thomas catches a bad rap… but truth is he did not want to rely on someone else’s account or faith he was going to prove it for himself

Its one thing to have moments of doubt its another to not believe or worse yet to stop believing

We should all have that moment when it is proven to us where we can say “My Lord, My God”

Jesus is not so much rebuking him but securing in him there will be moments when what He has promised or what He has done will be hard to see but we must still believe

Overcome Doubt in the Face of Trials

James 1:2–8 ESV

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 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. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James refers to the supplication

We have to be sure of what we are asking for

well maybe if its ok will you or;

Have your way Lord we ask for this in your name knowing that what we ask for in your name You will do

By this point we have assuaged doubt

Be firm, affirmed, and stable in how you are asking what you are asking for.

Notice that trials and tribulations… the winds are meant to steadfastness

Stand in Faith

Matthew 21:18–22 ESV

In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Whatever you ask in prayer...

Stand in faith and you will do those things by Jesus

Power to move mountains

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Many have come before us that have traversed the faith have had doubt and have overcome

The answer is looking to Jesus as the author and perfecter of our faith

Close with the following:

Sitting in front of Aarons… I hear the Lord “Watch me move this mountain.”

Lord if you have done it before I will see you again. Carlos brings back a story about God providing for a year of rent…

My vision is may appear crazy but I have witnesses who have been in the exact same place.