HOW SLICK IS DOUBT?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Ever watch duck hunting on TV? Good duck hunters have DECOYS that look so real, they move to imitate real ducks, they make real quacking sounds like ducks, and real ducks are SLICKED INTO THE BELIEF THAT THOSE DECOY DUCKS ARE REAL DUCKS. DOUBT BECOMES A REALLY GOOD DECOY AWAY FROM FAITH AND TRUSTING GOD. The trouble is real clear landing with the DECOYS MIGHT MEAN SUDDEN DEATH?
TEXT: Matthew 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshiped him: but some doubted.
**DOUBT: TO BE WITHOUT RESOURCE, unsure, to be uncertain, to believe that something is not true, unlikely, no confidence, to call into question, distrust, uncertain, hesitation,
DOUBT IN THE BIBLE IS ALMOST ALWAYS SEEN IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT.
There can grow a spirit or attitude of worry and doubt in our minds. The more you feed doubt and worry the stronger it can grow…
We can doubt each other. We can doubt the Bible. We can doubt God. We can doubt God’s plan. The word doubt suggest a weakness of faith or even unbelief.
SLICK TALK…
Isaiah takes us back in history to where DOUBT BEGAN…
DOUBT BEGAN IN HEAVEN in the very heart of the choir director named LUCIFER. I hate his name and just like to call him
ENEMY.
Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
We probably have heard THE ENEMY OF GOD slicked talked up to a 1/3 of the angels to DOUBT GOD.
Our enemy not only hates God, the enemy hates God’s work of creation.
THE FIRST HUMAN DOUBT WAS PLANTED IN THE MIND OF A WOMAN BY GOD’S ENEMY… So in the perfect garden the enemy caught EVE ALONE, she was isolated from Adam and began to SLICK TALKED EVE. Eve would have been a better person if she had never entered the discussion with the slick talking enemy.
The enemy CAST THE SHADOW OF DOUBT IN THE MIND OF THE WOMAN…
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
DOUBT IS SO SLICK IT IS CONTAGEOUS… SEEMS WHEN ONE PERSON ACCEPTS DOUBT THEY LOVE TO SHARE THEIR DOUBT WITH OTHERS.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
SEVERAL THINGS HAPPEN WHEN WE ACCEPT THE SLICK TALK OF DOUBT…
Genesis 3: 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
MAN’S PHYSICAL EYES ARE OPEN AND THEY CLOSE THEIR SPIRITUAL VISION…
Man saw his needs and supposed God could never met those needs.
1. DOUBT HINDERS REPENTANCE, THEY TRIED TO FIX THEIR PROBLEM BY SEWING LEAVES TOGETHER.
2. DOUBT CAUSES FEAR AND WORRY.
3. DOUBT CAUSES A FEAR OF GOD ENOUGH THAT GOD’S WELCOMED VISITS BEFORE HAVE THE SLICK TALK OF HIDING FROM GOD…
4. Doubt and sin separates us from God and fellow man…
5. Doubt’s slick talk brings up a new game: THE BLAME GAME… EVE BLAMES THE ENEMY. ADAM BLAMES THE WOMAN AND IN DOUBT ADAM ACTUALLY BLAMES GOD… That woman YOU gave ME.
Genesis 3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
WHO DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF DOUBTERS? PERHAPS THE MOST NOTORIOUS AND WELL KNOWN FOR THE SLICK HABIT OF DOUBT COMES FROM THE SLICK TALK OF UNFAITHFULNESS…
Thomas had been known as DIDYMUS… Thomas Didymus had some famous words.
John 11:16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
Thomas thought he was so strong, LET’S GO AND DIE WITH HIM?
THOMAS ,HOW SURE ARE YOU? FOR SOME REASON THOMAS MISSED PRAYER TIME. I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE HE HAD A GOOD EXCUSE. HAVE WE LEARNED MISSING CAN HURT?
John 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
The very time JESUS CAME, THOMAS WAS NOT THERE AND THE SLICK TALK OF THE ENEMY GOT THOMAS TO DOUBT…
THOMAS MISSED, MISSING CAN HURT:
**WHAT DID THOMAS GET BY MISSING, A NEW NAME: THE DOUBTER?
**He missed 1. Jesus gave a measure of peace to the ones there. 2. Thomas missed seeing Jesus. 3. Jesus gave **JOY and Thomas missed that. 4. Thomas missed the verbal commissioning of Jesus. 5. He missed the touch **of the Holy Spirit. 6. Thomas missed the giving of power…
**WHAT DID THOAMAS GET MY MISSING: 1. The new name DOUBTER. 2. Thomas received a second **hand report, hearsay is not allowed in court. 3. Thomas received DOUBT, uncertainty. 4. Thomas was **embarrassed when he was called out before the others. 5. Thomas was rebuked by the son of God. 6. Thomas **will forever be a good example of a bad example… DOUBT HURTS
**DOUBT BREEDS MANY ISSUES: FEAR, WORRY, DISCOURAGEMENT, WRONG PRIORITIES, A SPIRIT OF LAZINESS, KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM GOD AND HIS WORD, UNFAITHFULNESS, AWOL, …
AS THERE ARE DEGREES OF DOUBT THERE ARE DEGREES OF FAITH…
NO FAITH?
Mark 4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
LITTLE FAITH?
Matthew 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
A RARITY : GREAT FAITH
Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
GOD GIVES EVERY MAN IS GIVEN A MEASURE OF FAITH…
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
How much is a measure? YOUR MEASURE AND MY MEASURE MAY VARY… It may depend on what you have to face. If you face small problems you measure will probably be small. If you are going to face giants GOD WILL GIVE YOU GIANT FAITH… Not to worry my friend, GOD WILL GIVE YOU ENOUGH TO SEE YOU THROUGH THE BATTLE.
THE SLICKNESS OF DOUBT CAN COME AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF LIFE… PETER HAD THE FAITH TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT… NOW BEFORE YOU TALK ABOUT PETER, NOTICE THERE ARE 11 OTHERS JUST SITTING IN THE BOAT BAD MOUTHING PETER FOR GOING UNDER…
Matthew 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Peter talked to Jesus and JESUS INVITED PETER: COME…
Peter’s doubt grew when he took his eyes off Jesus and he focused on the HOWLING WINDS AND THE COLD WAVES… Peter had the sliding faith of doubt… he had the faith until he saw the obstacles…
Matthew 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
PETER COULD HAVE DROWN IN DOUBT BUT JESUS OFFERED A NEW LEVEL TO OVERCOME DOUBT, TOUCH ME JESUS…
JAMES THE BROTHER OF JESUS WARNS US ABOUT DOUBT…
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
***CONCLUSION: DOUBT CAN COME IN SEVERAL FORMS: 1. EMOTIONAL DOUBT, 2. SPIRITUAL DOUBT 3. DOUBT IN IGNORNACE, 4. REASONABLE DOUBT, 5. DOUBT DOUBT --- WHEN THERE IS NO REASON TO DOUBT BUT YOU DOUBT ANYWAY. 6. INTELLECTUAL DOUBT. We will operate in life in pouting, questioning, doubting, unbelief, fear, worry or we can make the choice to walk in joy, peace, faith, hope, love. Do we have a plan to defeat our doubts and release our faith? God’s design is that through sin, suffering, trials, storms and darkness that we live in a victorious life of faith not doubt. Little things can give birth to doubt and fear and shipwreck God’s plan for you.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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