DISMISS DOUBT!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
It is not enough just to believe, we must learn to dismiss doubt!
I DO THIS IN TWO PARTS.
I. HOW YOU HANDLE ADVERSITY CAN BECOME A DEATH TRAP?
OR ADVERSITY CAN BRING GREAT PROMOTION.
HOW YOU HANDLE ADVERSITY IS UP TO YOU?
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
A. I read many years ago about a small town that sat high on the cliffs on the east coast of Newfoundland. The men in the community had established a fishing co-operative. This made a good size fishing fleet.
One day the men from the community left on a fishing expedition.
The men had been successful that day, but a terrible storm rolled in very quickly. It was before the day of the modern day navigational equipment. Fog rolled in and the men had lost all ability to know where
the fleet was in relationship to their home port.
All the fishing vessels were doomed to sink in the icy storm water and the men would die before any rescue vessels could reach their area.
The women of the small town gathered in a local church to pray.
B. They knew the danger of the northeaster as what was called a perfect storm had the men trapped at sea.
The men on the little vessels were being tossed to and fro and it seemed all hope was dashed. The men communicated by radio from ship to ship and prayed.
About that time one of the fishermen had tied him self on the deck and was praying. He opened his eyes and saw a glow in the distance.
The fleet bound together and headed toward the glow.
Brighter and brighter the glow became. The glow was guiding the fleet home, the men came in the safety of the bay.
One of the ladies came out of the church and saw one of the houses high on the cliff aflame. Her neighbor’s house was fully engulfed in flames going several hundred feet in the air.
C. The lady ran in the church and said: WHAT IS GOD DOING TO US?
About that time a young lad came running to the church, the fleet would be pulling into the dock, they were all safe from the dangerous storm.
The home that caught on fire and burned to the ground
--- the glow of the flame guided the men and the fleet home.
What appeared to be a terrible disaster of a home burning to the ground, became the guiding light home. Every man was reunited with his family, and the fleet was saved.
SOMETIMES WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE WORSE THING THAT COULD EVER HAPPEN --- IS THE BEST THING THAT COULD EVER HAPPEN.
D. HAVE YOU EVER SAID: GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?
To find that a loving God was not punishing you but rather growing you to a new level?
II. DISMISS DOUBT!! GIVE PERMISSION. TAKE IT! GET RID OF THE NEGATIVE TO RELEASE THE POSITIVE!
A. Jairus’ daughter was very sick, and Jairus set out to find Jesus.
After a long hard journey Jairus found Jesus --- and invited Jesus:
COME AND HEAL MY DAUGHTER!
B. Jesus stopped, and the lady that had an issue of blood 12 years took some of Jesus’ time.
C. Jesus heads to Jairus house!
D. THEN COMES THE BAD NEWS: DON’T BOTHER JESUS--- IT’S TOO LATE? WHY TROUBLE JESUS?
Luke 8:49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
E. DON’T FEAR! FEAR IS DOUBT! ONLY BELIEVE!
Luke 8: 50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
F. WHILE JAIRUS GAVE JESUS PERMISSION, JESUS HAD TO DISMISS THE DOUBTERS. WE NEED BELIEVERS IN THE HOUSE!
Luke 8: 51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
Matthew 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
G. JESUS DISMISSED DOUBTERS AND JAIRUS WILL HAVE GRANDCHILDREN!
III. NOTHING CREATES A MORE DEEP SEATED ANXIETY THAN EXPECTING A LIFE FREE OF ANXIETY! --- GOD KNOWS!
A. WORRY IS NOT FAITH, FAITH IS NOT WORRY.
B. WHY WORRY WHEN YOU CAN PRAY?
IF YOU DON’T PRAY MAYBE YOU SHOULD WORRY.
Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
2 Thes. 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
C. STATS SUGGEST AT ANY GIVEN TIME 25% of your family and friends may be against you!
Stats go on to suggest that 20% of people against you would be against anybody they know?
Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Psalm 68:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm or Song of David. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
IV. HUMAN DISAPPOINTMENTS CAN DRIVE ONE TO A DIVINE APPOINTMENT!
A. JOB’S FRIENDS DID NOT ALWAYS TALK LIKE FRIENDS.
B. They did come and sit with Job for days, they loved Job and their desire was to help and not hurt Job.
C. WHY CAN’T WE SEE THE TOOL FEAR AND DOUBT CAN BECOME
IN OUR ENEMIES HAND?
Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
D. DO WE HAVE AN UNWAVERING TRUST OF GOD?
DO WE HAVE AN UNWAVERING TRUST OF GOD’S PLAN?
Job 42:10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:12 So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:
V. YOU CAN’T DO IT! THEY CAN’T DO IT!
YET GOD CAN DO IT! --- DO NOT STOP GOD!
A. THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD HAVE COME LONG AND HARD.
B. THE PREACHER HAS GOOD NEWS:
HERE IS GOOD NEWS YOU CAN USE IF YOU CHOOSE?
C. THE NEGATIVE CROWD LOVES TO SAY OUR GOD CAN’T DO IT!
GOD LOVES TO PROVE THEM WRONG!
2 Kings 7:1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a
shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
D. THE PEOPLE THAT SAY IT CAN’T BE DONE WILL BE TRAMPLED BY THOSE THAT ARE DOING IT!
2 Kings 7:19 And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.
E. WE MUST DISMISS THOSE THAT DOUBT AND WANT TO BIRTH
DOUBT IN OUR SPIRIT MAN!
VI. YOU CAN’T STAY THE SAME AND EXPECT EVERYTHING ELSE TO BE DIFFERENT! CHANGE WILL OCCUR WHEN THE PAIN OF CHANGE BECOMES LESS THAN THE PAIN OF REMAINING THE SAME!
A. IN ONE DAY GOD GOT HIS CHILDREN OUT OF EGYPT?
BUT IT SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN GOD 40 YEARS TO GET EGYPT OUT OF HIS CHILDREN!
Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
B. Things happen when you pray that will not ordinarily happen!
1 Cor. 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
C. DOUBT YOUR DOUBTS!
BELIEVE YOUR BELIEVES!
D. HAPPINESS IS A FREEWILL DECISION MADE BEFORE ADVERSITY OR THE PROBLEM COMES TO THE CAMP.
1. Free from hate and revenge.
2. Free from doubt and worry.
3. Love to give, and give more.
4. Expect less.
5. Live simply and exercise faith and excuse doubt!
VII. HUMAN DISAPPOINTMENTS CAN DRIVE ONE TO A DIVINE APPOINTMENT!
WE MUST GUARD OUR HEARTS --- LOVE NEVER FAILS!
A. We must know the word, love the word! Declare the word!
B. THE WORD OF GOD WILL DO THE WORK OF GOD!
Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
C. BY KNOWING GOD AND HIS POWERFUL WORD OUR MOUTHS CAN
BRING A DIVINE RELEASE AND OPEN GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE!
D. We can fall prey to the today’s spirits and the doubt will breed doubt.
FEAR BREEDS FEAR!
Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
E. God has a better plan than Ford ever dreamed.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
F. PUT THE GARBAGE IN THE DUMP! DISMISS DOUBT!
Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
VIII. OUR GOD SHALL PROVIDE A WAY FOR HIS PEOPLE.
MAY THERE ARISE FROM WITHIN THE CHURCH A CRY THAT DEMANDS A WAY FOR THE RELEASE OF THE LORD AND HIS PLAN. GET READY!
GET READY CHURCH! GET READY FAMILY!
A. LET US BUILD A ROAD BY FAITH STRAIGHT INTO OUR HEARTS.
Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Luke 3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
B. WE HAVE COME THROUGH DESERTS AND DRY PLACES, BUT GOD HAS A PURPOSE AND A PLAN.
C. LET US JOURNEY:
EVERY VALLEY MUST BE EXALTED.
Let us let go of depression, discouragement, disappointment, despair and DOUBT... GIVE RELEASE.
This SCAR is a TESTIMONY of SURVIVAL!
D. EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL SHALL BE MADE LOW!
2 Tim. 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Haughty, highminded, proud, boasters,
Pride, selfishness, I need no one, CONTRARY?
God seeks a broken and contrite heart...
E. THEN WE COME TO THE CROOKED AND WAVERING UP AND DOWN
VACILLIATING LIFE STYLES OF THE DOUBLE MINDED?
No roots, no fruits.
James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
F. NOW LET US TRUST THE GOD THAT MAKES ROUGH PLACES SMOOTH!
No sinking sand? No stumbling blocks?
There has always been a CRY FOR THE SMOOTH?
Isaiah 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
GOD HAS PROMISED HIS FAITHFUL TO SMOOTH OUT THE ROUGH
PLACES BEFORE US!
IX. DO WE UNDERSTAND WORTH? VALUE? PRIORITIES?
GOD GIVES A SIMPLE WORKABLE PLAN! ALL ELSE IS REDUCED TO THINGS?
A. WHAT YOU LOVE YOU WILL FIND TIME TO DO? True? False?
B. Does what breaks your heart align with what breaks God’s heart?
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
C. God gives every man:
1. Time
2. Talent
3. Energy
D. Do we have an evaluation system that holds us accountable?
Does our value system align with the Bible?
E. THE MAIN THING IS TO KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING!
F. Will we submit our motives to inspection?
Our attitudes?
G. HOW MANY GREAT MEN OF GOD HAD A CHANGE OF HEART
BEFORE THEY HAD A CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES?
CONCLUSION:
All loneliness, fear, doubt and discouragement flee with PRAYER --- PRAISE --- AND WORSHIP!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
