{"id":2014,"date":"2018-06-30T21:23:54","date_gmt":"2018-06-30T21:23:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/?p=2014"},"modified":"2018-07-08T21:17:10","modified_gmt":"2018-07-08T21:17:10","slug":"why-do-i-doubt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/?p=2014","title":{"rendered":"Why Do I Doubt?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Christians make decisions believing that this decision must be God’s will.\u00a0 Sometimes, however, doubt sets in and off we go on an emotional roller coaster ride.\u00a0 What seemed clear and unmistakable is now questionable.\u00a0 Why does that happen?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The scripture tells us repeatedly that the just shall live by faith.<\/em>\u00a0 Our culture defines faith as a wild leap in the dark.\u00a0 W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary defines faith as a firm persuasion or conviction brought about by hearing.\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

People form convictions based upon what they are listening to.\u00a0 Christians are to become\u00a0firmly persuaded or to form convictions based on what the Bible says.\u00a0 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I know a young man who decided to try sky diving.\u00a0 I remember him saying that as he left the plane, his body was crying out; what have you done to us?\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>It is easy to make a decision about doing God’s will.\u00a0 It is altogether something else to actually take those steps.\u00a0 Just as the young man said his body cried out against his actual jump from the plane, so the Christian’s natural man (indwelling sin) cries out against our spiritual decisions (Romans 7).\u00a0 The remedy for us is to abide in Christ by walking in the Spirit.\u00a0 \u00a0Walking in the Spirit is letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly.\u00a0 Letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly gives believers confidence.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A part of the Christian’s armor, as listed in Ephesians 6, is the shield of faith.\u00a0 The apostle Paul instructs us in verse 16 as follows:\u00a0\u00a0Above all,<\/span> taking\u00a0the\u00a0shield\u00a0of\u00a0faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all\u00a0the\u00a0fiery darts of\u00a0the\u00a0wicked.\u00a0<\/em> If we have doubts about our decisions concerning God’s leading in our life, we should check\u00a0 \u00a0our shield of faith.\u00a0 Are we listening, understanding and obeying God’s word?\u00a0 The shield of firm persuasion and conviction will enable us to stand by our spiritual decisions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

God has promised in His word that if we ask anything according to His will,<\/span> He will do it.\u00a0 We need to check our motives.\u00a0 Is it God’s will we are seeking or is it our own will we are seeking?\u00a0 Be honest.\u00a0 We can convince ourselves of anything.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong>For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if\u00a0he ask\u00a0a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong>Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall\u00a0your\u00a0heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?\u00a0 Luke 11:9-13<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

When we have doubts, it could also be that our faith is being tested.\u00a0 Remember that testings do not add to our faith, testings reveal and refine what faith we have.\u00a0 Do we need to be in the Word?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Note: God’s word is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17).\u00a0 The Holy Spirit is the author of Scripture (II Peter 1:21 ).\u00a0 The Holy Spirit will draw us to God’s word.\u00a0 Satan will drive us away from it. When we have doubts, are we being drawn or driven?\u00a0 It ultimately depends on how we respond to the doubts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

……..let the word of Christ dwell in you richly….<\/em>….<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Christians make decisions believing that this decision must be God’s will.\u00a0 Sometimes, however, doubt sets in and off we go on an emotional roller coaster ride.\u00a0 What seemed clear and unmistakable is now questionable.\u00a0 Why does that happen? The scripture tells us repeatedly that the just shall live by faith.\u00a0 Our culture defines faith as … Continue reading Why Do I Doubt?<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2014"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2014"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2014\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2039,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2014\/revisions\/2039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}