The Power of Doubt: We All Deal with It

(Paraphrased of a story in Matthew chapter 21)

One day Jesus and the disciples were walking along a road and were hungry. Jesus saw a fig tree and went up to it to get some fruit. The tree had nothing but leaves on it so Jesus cursed this tree saying, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this they were amazed.

 

Verse 21 & 22, Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to this fig tree, but you also can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

"...if you have faith and do not doubt..."

There is power in doubt.

 

James 1:6 "...he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."

 

In Matthew chapter 14 there is another story of Jesus and his disciples. He sent them across the lake in a boat and then late  in the night Jesus decided to join them. So he went to them walking in the water. They were terrified when they saw this and finally Peter said, "If it's you Lord, call me out to you." Jesus of course did and Peter stepped out and began walking on the water to Jesus. Then, wouldn't you know, Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and began to doubt that he was really walking on water in the middle of a storm! At that moment Peter began to sink, but of course as soon as he called out to Jesus for help Jesus saved him.

 

Doubt has the power to do two things.

 

1) Doubt removes our focus from God.

When we start to look at what is going on around us, usually we begin to question the possibilities in it. We start to doubt that anything or anyone can actually do any good.

 

2) Doubt takes you under.

Look at Psalm 69:2 MSG "I'm in over my head, quicksand under me, swamp water over me; I'm going down for the third time."

 

Think of the times in your life that you have had something come against you, whether as a result of something you caused or not. If you doubted in that moment the chances are that you experienced higher levels of anxiety and fear. Jesus tells us in John 20:27, "...Stop doubting and believe!"

 

"If you believe..."

There is power in belief.

 

Mark 9:23 "Everything is possible for him who believes."

 

Mark 10:27 "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

 

Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

 

Romans 10:9 "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

 

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding."

 

God's promises for you are found throughout scripture. Go to God's word and lean on what he has written for you thousands of years ago!!

 

I wonder how many miracles have gone undone because of doubt. Jesus said in our opening scripture that if we would have faith and not doubt, if we would believe then we could do so much more than withering a fig tree with our words.

 

Today, let yourself awaken from the slumber of doubt and walk in belief!!

 

Comment below with your thoughts and how I can be praying for you!

 

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford



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