Today is part 4 of our 4 part series on the book by Renee Swope a Proverbs 31 Ministries Radio Show Co-Host and author of the book A Confident Heart. I encourage you if you’ve just joined us to look back at the previous three blogs. Today we look at “When Doubt Whispers”. I pray you have enjoyed this series.
The small voice of doubt whispers all day long. Every time we set out to do a new thing, every time we venture out into an unknown area of growth, every time we go somewhere we haven’t gone before or meet a new person the whispers start. Every time you try a new style, a new exercise class, a new project the voice that we are so familiar with begins to whisper how we will fail. How bad it’s going to go, and why would anyone in their right mind would do that? Because we can! Because you can!
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) “13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
If you are not familiar with the spirit realm or you are a new Christian you may not realize that the whisper of doubt comes from the enemy of our soul. I refer to him as the devil because that is who Jesus called him. The job description given to the devil is stealing, killing and destroying. (John 10:10) So when we hear whispers or even a shout for that matter that is trying to steal, kill and destroy, know that it is the devil. The Bible also states that there is no truth in the devil. That being said we can rest assured that when he speaks he is lying. This truth has brought me great courage to silence the whispers and press on. The only way that I can fail is to fail to try. Once I have tried and failed I must get back up and try again, that is success--refusing to fail permanently.
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy
Allow me to share this from John Ortberg, Faith & Doubt (Zondervan, 2008), pp. 139-140
"As long as you have faith, you will have doubts. I sometimes use the following illustration when I'm speaking. I tell the audience that I have a twenty-dollar bill in my hand and ask for a volunteer who believes me. Usually only a few hands go up. Then I tell the volunteer that I am about to destroy his (or her) faith. I open my hand and show the twenty-dollar bill. The reason I can say I am destroying his faith is that now he knows I hold the bill. He sees the bill and doesn't need faith anymore. Faith is required only when we have doubts, when we do not know for sure. When knowledge comes, faith is no more."
"Sometimes a person is tempted to think, I can't become a Christian because I still have doubts. I'm still not sure. But as long as doubts exist, as long as the person is still uncertain, that is the only time faith is needed. When the doubts are gone, the person doesn't need faith anymore. Knowledge has come.
I tell the audience that this is exactly the point Paul was making in his first letter to the church at Corinth: "Now we see [that a 'knowing' word] but a poor reflection [now we have confusion, misunderstanding, doubts, and questions] … then we shall see face to face [we don't see face-to-face yet]. Now I know in part [with questions and doubts]; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (13:12).
John Ortberg, Faith & Doubt (Zondervan, 2008), pp. 139-140
I challenge you to allow Him to deal with you, all of you. Not in who you think you are but who you really are. Take a minute and watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4-tYS_6c5c and give yourself a gift by purchasing this book. You can get it anywhere including our bookstore or at our upcoming Women of Witness meeting this coming Saturday. For more information click here: http://www.mfcministries.net/ministries/wowitness.shtm
This ends our Confident Heart Series. Be sure to comment in your browser for a chance to receive a reminder of your God shaped void. You must be present at our upcoming meeting on February 13, 2016 at 10AM at Lakeview Resort and Spa in Morgantown, West Virginia. This is a free meeting and open to the public.
The small voice of doubt whispers all day long. Every time we set out to do a new thing, every time we venture out into an unknown area of growth, every time we go somewhere we haven’t gone before or meet a new person the whispers start. Every time you try a new style, a new exercise class, a new project the voice that we are so familiar with begins to whisper how we will fail. How bad it’s going to go, and why would anyone in their right mind would do that? Because we can! Because you can!
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) “13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
If you are not familiar with the spirit realm or you are a new Christian you may not realize that the whisper of doubt comes from the enemy of our soul. I refer to him as the devil because that is who Jesus called him. The job description given to the devil is stealing, killing and destroying. (John 10:10) So when we hear whispers or even a shout for that matter that is trying to steal, kill and destroy, know that it is the devil. The Bible also states that there is no truth in the devil. That being said we can rest assured that when he speaks he is lying. This truth has brought me great courage to silence the whispers and press on. The only way that I can fail is to fail to try. Once I have tried and failed I must get back up and try again, that is success--refusing to fail permanently.
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy
Allow me to share this from John Ortberg, Faith & Doubt (Zondervan, 2008), pp. 139-140
"As long as you have faith, you will have doubts. I sometimes use the following illustration when I'm speaking. I tell the audience that I have a twenty-dollar bill in my hand and ask for a volunteer who believes me. Usually only a few hands go up. Then I tell the volunteer that I am about to destroy his (or her) faith. I open my hand and show the twenty-dollar bill. The reason I can say I am destroying his faith is that now he knows I hold the bill. He sees the bill and doesn't need faith anymore. Faith is required only when we have doubts, when we do not know for sure. When knowledge comes, faith is no more."
"Sometimes a person is tempted to think, I can't become a Christian because I still have doubts. I'm still not sure. But as long as doubts exist, as long as the person is still uncertain, that is the only time faith is needed. When the doubts are gone, the person doesn't need faith anymore. Knowledge has come.
I tell the audience that this is exactly the point Paul was making in his first letter to the church at Corinth: "Now we see [that a 'knowing' word] but a poor reflection [now we have confusion, misunderstanding, doubts, and questions] … then we shall see face to face [we don't see face-to-face yet]. Now I know in part [with questions and doubts]; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (13:12).
John Ortberg, Faith & Doubt (Zondervan, 2008), pp. 139-140
I challenge you to allow Him to deal with you, all of you. Not in who you think you are but who you really are. Take a minute and watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4-tYS_6c5c and give yourself a gift by purchasing this book. You can get it anywhere including our bookstore or at our upcoming Women of Witness meeting this coming Saturday. For more information click here: http://www.mfcministries.net/ministries/wowitness.shtm
This ends our Confident Heart Series. Be sure to comment in your browser for a chance to receive a reminder of your God shaped void. You must be present at our upcoming meeting on February 13, 2016 at 10AM at Lakeview Resort and Spa in Morgantown, West Virginia. This is a free meeting and open to the public.
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