What is “doubt”? Webster’s New World Dictionary defines it as: 1. to be uncertain in your opinion or belief 2. to be inclined to disbelief and 3. to hesitate.
Does your character fit into one of those categories? I mention this one thing; a lack of faith in the Lord God’s Word will cause you to hesitate in every phase of your life. Look what happened to the apostle Peter when he attempted to walk on water. Then Peter called to Him, “Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You, walking on the water.”
“Yes, come,” Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Matthew 14:28-31 NLT Peter, even in the presence of the Lord Jesus, had doubt! In the world today, we are in a season where there is no room for doubt. It requires absolute faith in the Lord God. Without it that, we--like Peter--will drowned without His help!
Peter struggled with doubt more than once in his relationship with the King! His lack of faith even caused him to doubt and deny King Jesus. Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, so he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the [residence of the] high priest; but Peter was standing outside at the door. So the other disciple (John), who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter inside. Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and the officers had made a fire of coals, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. And Peter was with them, standing and warming himself. John 18:15-18 AMP
Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”
But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!”
Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So Peter went out and wept bitterly. Luke 22:54-62
The Lord Jesus wants you to have total faith in the Lord God’s Word. There should be no doubt of that in our minds. Believing in the Lord God’s Word is an individual thing, not a group plan like insurance. You must believe without wavering. Make up your mind, settle any doubt and stand strong on His Word. If you want something from your Heavenly Father, ask and totally believe in Him and His Word. Too often we pray, have faith, but keep “revisiting” in our mind what we are believing for. When you truly believe He will answer your prayer, you know that in the Lord God’s time it WILL be done. It is settled. Wait and watch! 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. James 1:5-8
Focus Point: Our priority is in pleasing the Lord God by obeying and living by His Word. It is in your total faith in Him that things are done in your life. Allow me to share with you examples of what faith in His Word will accomplish in your life. Back when the Lord Jesus was here on earth, a soldier had such great faith in Him that he refused to even allow King Jesus to come to his house. All the soldier required was for the King to speak the words. When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with Him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”
Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. Turning to those who were following Him, He said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour. Matthew 8:5-13 NLT
Now that was total faith—without doubt—in the King’s Word! He knew the power of His Words.
Keep in mind, this soldier wasn’t a Jew, but a Gentile. Do you recall what the Lord Jesus stated to the Canaanite woman? Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan (Canaanites were ancient pagan enemies of Israel) came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Matthew 15:21-28
Persistent, total faith!
My point is this: the Lord God recognizes your faith in Him above all else. It was the centurion’s faith that the Lord Jesus recognized. It was the Canaanite woman’s faith in Him that the Lord Jesus recognized. They did not waver or doubt in the Lord Jesus and His power to heal and restore.
If we are to trust and believe, we must have no doubt in our faith in Him. Doubt is toxic to your faith in Him. What does doubt bring? Nothing. Remember what James said: 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. James 1:6-8
Yes, your faith in King Jesus and His Word is your greatest asset in the Kingdom.
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
All scriptures are New King James except where noted.
These articles may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are sited at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
Does your character fit into one of those categories? I mention this one thing; a lack of faith in the Lord God’s Word will cause you to hesitate in every phase of your life. Look what happened to the apostle Peter when he attempted to walk on water. Then Peter called to Him, “Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You, walking on the water.”
“Yes, come,” Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Matthew 14:28-31 NLT Peter, even in the presence of the Lord Jesus, had doubt! In the world today, we are in a season where there is no room for doubt. It requires absolute faith in the Lord God. Without it that, we--like Peter--will drowned without His help!
Peter struggled with doubt more than once in his relationship with the King! His lack of faith even caused him to doubt and deny King Jesus. Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, so he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the [residence of the] high priest; but Peter was standing outside at the door. So the other disciple (John), who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter inside. Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and the officers had made a fire of coals, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. And Peter was with them, standing and warming himself. John 18:15-18 AMP
Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”
But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!”
Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So Peter went out and wept bitterly. Luke 22:54-62
The Lord Jesus wants you to have total faith in the Lord God’s Word. There should be no doubt of that in our minds. Believing in the Lord God’s Word is an individual thing, not a group plan like insurance. You must believe without wavering. Make up your mind, settle any doubt and stand strong on His Word. If you want something from your Heavenly Father, ask and totally believe in Him and His Word. Too often we pray, have faith, but keep “revisiting” in our mind what we are believing for. When you truly believe He will answer your prayer, you know that in the Lord God’s time it WILL be done. It is settled. Wait and watch! 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. James 1:5-8
Focus Point: Our priority is in pleasing the Lord God by obeying and living by His Word. It is in your total faith in Him that things are done in your life. Allow me to share with you examples of what faith in His Word will accomplish in your life. Back when the Lord Jesus was here on earth, a soldier had such great faith in Him that he refused to even allow King Jesus to come to his house. All the soldier required was for the King to speak the words. When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with Him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”
Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. Turning to those who were following Him, He said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour. Matthew 8:5-13 NLT
Now that was total faith—without doubt—in the King’s Word! He knew the power of His Words.
Keep in mind, this soldier wasn’t a Jew, but a Gentile. Do you recall what the Lord Jesus stated to the Canaanite woman? Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan (Canaanites were ancient pagan enemies of Israel) came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Matthew 15:21-28
Persistent, total faith!
My point is this: the Lord God recognizes your faith in Him above all else. It was the centurion’s faith that the Lord Jesus recognized. It was the Canaanite woman’s faith in Him that the Lord Jesus recognized. They did not waver or doubt in the Lord Jesus and His power to heal and restore.
If we are to trust and believe, we must have no doubt in our faith in Him. Doubt is toxic to your faith in Him. What does doubt bring? Nothing. Remember what James said: 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. James 1:6-8
Yes, your faith in King Jesus and His Word is your greatest asset in the Kingdom.
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
All scriptures are New King James except where noted.
These articles may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are sited at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
