Hello 👋🏼! Sorry for the long hiatus.
Last night, our pastor preached a message that stirred me so much! It was so timely and so relevant for where we are today....
He preached on
How to deal with Doubt
He took his text over there in John 20:24-29 about Thomas having trouble with his faith... he couldn't believe unless he himself could see Jesus.
As a people, the enemy is fighting our belief so hard. He knows if we can trust God and believe Him in spite of our current situation, we will gain victory. So he assails us with doubt... not that God can... we know HE CAN... but we aren't sure if HE WILL.
In the text, Jesus outlines a pattern in those few verses that we can use today to deal with doubt.
So, how do we deal with doubt??
Hebrews 11:1 gives us an indication-- Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen...
Don’t focus on what you can’t see yet! Concentrate on what you have already seen Him do!
When we are going through difficult times, the enemy wants us to forget what God has already done for us. Those past victories seem to pale in comparison to what we are currently experiencing....but don't forget what you have already seen! God has been faithful! Praise Him for past victories , for His wondrous works, and for WHO HE IS. It will increase your faith for what He is gonna do. The enemy doesn't want you to remember that! He knows there is power in remembrance.
Don’t question where God is in your trial. He hasn't left you.
We have all been here... when we are going through a terrible trial and we can't see or feel God, the enemy wants us to think we are all alone… that God is nowhere to be found. Even Job fought that...
Job 23:8-10 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there ; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: [9] On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him : he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him : [10] But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job couldn't see Him or feel him in the midst of his trial but he knew that God could see him! What a comfort to know that when we can’t see God, He can and does always see us!
As my pastor was preaching, I was reminded about Hagar... when she felt all alone out there in the wilderness.... her boy was dying and she felt powerless to stop it. I'm sure she was at her lowest point but God had not left her. Even when she couldn't see HIM, He could see her! The Lord opened her eyes to the well of water that brought sustaining life back for her and her son.
Lord, just open our eyes! You haven't left us, you are about to step on the scene and change everything!
Thou God seest me!
Talk to Him!
When we can't see or find Him, He may be closer than we realize.
Remember Mary in the garden after the resurrection? She felt lost -- she didn't know where Jesus was. She constrained someone she supposed to be the gardener to try to find Him... But the whole time, Jesus was looking right at her...even when she didn't recognize Him.
Mary might have missed Him if she didn't talk to Him. When she talked to him, that's when she recognized Him for who He was.
So, that shows us that no matter what we see or don't see, we should talk to Him… we might miss him if we don’t talk to him.
And last of all....
Read the Word!!
We must read His Word for understanding and strength! The Word is our weapon to combat doubt and unbelief.
We won’t understand what we see unless we spend time in His Word. It is imperative that we read His Word to know Him.
His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths.
When we read His Word, we will know God has already said and declared to us!! We can use what God had already told us through His Word and His promises to combat Sstan when he bombards us with lies! We can use the Word as our weapon.
So to recap, how can we overcome and deal with the doubt that assails us?
Remember what He had already done in the past... praise Him for His marvelous works!
Know that even when we can't see Him, He is seeing us!
Talk to Him-- don't miss Him because of lack of communication!
Read His Word for strength and ammunition to fight with.
And just hang on.... God is gonna break through again for you! He is faithful ! He can be trusted!
From my heart to yours...
Tiphanie 💕