HOW TO OVERCOME DOUBT

 

How to deal and overcome doubt

 

1. Everyone has doubts.  It is natural and normal.  It happens when you trust in a being, who is unseen.  Even someone as dedicated and anointed as John.

 

1. Factors that cause doubt.  Unanswered prayer, long and hard times, isolation, satanic attack, discouragement and disappointment, hurt, un-forgiveness, fear, broken relationship or a traumatic experience.
2. For John it was isolation, pro-longed discouragement and fear.  Talk about vs 18-19.

 

2. His disciples came to Jesus and Jesus at the time was curing people who sickness, disease, evil spirits and the blind. 

 

 

1. Now notice Jesus’ reaction.  There was no condemnation or lecture.  He just said, (read vs 22-23. 
2. God is aware of our doubts and will answer in love, the facts and clarity.  Condemnation comes from satan, the world, others or ourselves.  Remember God understands your doubt, he is not afraid or it, it will not separate you from Him and will not condemn us for it.   He will reassure you, the Holy Spirit will give you the promises and He will help you overcome them.

 

3. Then Jesus in vs 24-35, commends and praises John.  God when He looks at us.  He does not see our doubt but our acts of faith, our relationship with Him, He sees us not as we are but what we shall be.  Jesus presented God’s view of John the Baptist. 

1. Remember God looks at us through rose colored glasses, the blood of Jesus and the righteousness of Christ.
2. So remember doubt is normal and natural, it comes from time to time but as time progresses it will become less and less.  Apply the word, keep in prayer, stay in fellowship and share you faith are key tools to keep doubt away. 

 

 

 

QUOTES FOR JULY 22, 2026

 

HOW TO LIVE

 How to Really Live! – Ezekial 18:9 – April 5, 2009

 

Intro:  Today we are looking at the book of Ezekial, written by one of the O.T. most unusual and mystical prophets.  I love Ezekial is an illustrative and creative prophet.

He loved poetry, visual artistic expression, storytelling and using personal example to communicate his message.  He was a son of a priest that was carried away to Babylon.

 

1.  This book records the events of the captivity in Babylon.  It is a message for all Jews.

     The Jews in Palestine and Babylon were discouraged and even rebellious and Ezekial

     Had been given the task of telling them of a future destruction and exodus of the

     People.  He tells them that God is going to restore them and they would tell others

     About the Lord’s salvation.  Ezekial’s name meant, “The God who strengthens.”

 

a.  The book may start with judgment but it ends with a promise of a new future for

     Israel.  The enemies of Israel are denounced and God’s promise of redemption is

     Revealed.  He have 179 messages from God.  Ezekial task was to be a spiritual

     watchman.  To warn the people of impeding danger. 

b.  This is a book of promise and judgment a combination of threat and promise.  The

     Key thought of the book is, “I am the Sovereign Lord.”    

c.  This book is full of fantastic scenes of God’s glory.  It shows Gods glory and

     Judgment in a symbolic form, 

 

2.  In our scripture today, Ezekial reveals two conditions to this promise and two results

     Of this promise.  Ezekial like Jeremiah is primarily a prophet of hope.  He tells his

     Audience that their rebellion did not exhaust God’s mercy.  Like David who said,

     “Sorrow may last for a night but joy comes in the morning.”  God is going to fulfill

     His promises very soon.  Ezekial wanted to the people to have a new heart.

 

.  a.  The first condition in this promise is, “He who follows my decrees.”  A decree is

     Edict or order given by someone who is in authority over us.  God is sovereign

     Ezekial reminds his audience.  The person who submits, obeys God commands,

     follows through in their lives.  Obedience is key to receiving God’s full provision. 

     Obedience is greater than any sacrifice we can offer.  1 Sam 15:23  Obedience means

     to submit out of respect, reverence and love to a higher authority. 

1.  Ezekial is a man who was obedient to the call of God.  God told him that if did not tell

     The people, he would be held responsible.  He was a living message and nothing was

     Going to keep him from telling it or having it fulfilled.  Ezekial believed in personal

     Responsibility.  We have free choice and with its comes all the responsibilities and

    Consequences.  One of the hard choices he had to make was when his wife died God

    Told him not to mourn. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

b.  And faithfully keeps my laws.  Faithfulness is a concept that cannot be stressed

     Enough today.  It means doing a task with diligence, patience, without the possibility

     Of recognition or reward.  It means being in there for the long term.  Remember it is

     Not how you start hat matters in the things of God but how you finish.  You will be

     Rewarded and commended at the end of life.  Ezekial was a creative, artistic person.

     He uses an art form called pantomime to relay his message.  There are 40 pantomimes

     Listed in the Bible and 25 of them are found in Ezekial.

 

1.  The Lord through Ezekial is encouraging His people to be faithful in keeps His laws

     Some would say the ten commanded and I believe that is so but I believe the law God

     Wants is Matt 22:37-40.  Jesus said that the law and prophets hang on these two

      Commandments.

2.  The law was the guidelines or expression of God’s agreement with His people.  These

     Were measurable ways in which you could see if you were expressing God’s desires

      In your life.  Are you today expressing God’s will in your words, thoughts, actions

      And attitudes.  .

 

3.  Ezekial then makes two statements on behalf of the Lord.  The man is righteous.  The

     Two previous expressions of obedience and faithfulness show a person to be

     Righteous.  To be righteous means to be in right standing with God.  Declare not

     Guilty of sin or its consequences.  The man who is righteous is obedient and faithful.

     Is this your testimony?  Chapter 22 is a chapter looking for a man of integrity.  I

     Believe God is still looking for men like that today.  Frank Thompson calls this

     Uprightness.  Four biblical promises for this behaviour is reward, prosperity, provision

     And success.  Ezekial reminded his readers that God His promises very soon. 

     Ezekial highly regarded men like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshack amd Abednego.

a.  He will surely live, declares the Lord.  This statement was extremely powerful and

     Important considering what was happening at the time.  Death, destruction, famine,

     Pain, misery was part of everyday life.  People did not know how long they would live

     Or who would kill them. 

b.  This gives his readers and audience hope and a measuring stick to gauge their life by. 

     You are obedient and faithful you will be righteous and live.  The promise to us today

     Is that Jesus came to give us life and abundantly.  (John 10:10) 

 

1.  Life has been described in scripture as a shadow, 1 Chron 29:15

2.  Swift runner.  Job 9:25

3.  A mere handbreadth. Ps 39:5

4.  A weaver’s web.  Is 38:12

5.  A vanishing vapour.  James 4:14

 

c.  Paul encourages in light of the quickness of life to redeem each moment and make

     The most of it.  Eph 5.

 

 

 

 

d.  Jesus has been given the title of The Abundant Life Giver.  H

FOUNDATIONS OF LOVE

 

I The Foundations of Love – 1 John  3:21-24 – Sept 30, 2007

 

Intro:  It seems that we are spending a long time in this book, but remember it is powerful, truthful, simple, encouraging and talks extensively about a subject we need as much as we need to breathe.  Love.  As one southern black preacher stated, “If you love another, you are loving God.”

 

Dear friends, if our hearts do not judge us, we can be bold with God.  NIV

 

1.  John again calls the audience his friends.  This phrase along with my dear children is

     His two greetings in this book.  He looks at all believers as friends.  You might say a

     Stranger who can be a friend you have not met yet.

 

2.  John says, if our hearts do not judge or condemn us, we can be bold before God.  In   

     My last message on John we learned, how to have our hearts not condemn us.  We are

     To love one another, enter into new life, live for others, meet needs when it is  

     within Your ability, put love into action and hold onto truth.

3.  John states in a nutshell that love, righteousness and holiness creates boldness and

     Confidence.  The writer of Hebrews gives us another angle when he stated in

     Heb 4:14-16, that because Jesus went through all the temptation as we have and yet

     Did not sin.  That means we can come boldly before the throne of grace and find

     Mercy and grace in our time of need. Let’s do the have a little fun.   Say love is, and

     finish the sentence.

 

And He will give us anything we ask.  That’s because we obey His commands.  We do what pleases Him.

 

1.  This verse talks about the power of prayer.  You want answers to prayer.  Obey His

      Commands and do what pleases Him.  I gave you six things in the first part of our

      Message.  I am going to reveal a trio of commands.  Matt 22:37-40 says to “Love the

      Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul mind and strength and love your

      neighbour as yourself.  Matt 28:19 says, “To go into the entire world and preach

     the gospel, making disciples of all men baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and

     Holy Spirit.”  Lastly, John 15:12 , Jesus tells to love one another just as I have loved

      you.”

2.  God loves to give and bless.  Obedience and purity are the key, you might sat they are  

      The grease cutters to keep the pipes clean.  You might say it is the Drano of prayer. 

    

God has commanded us to do believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ.  He has also commanded us to love one another. 

 

1.  John keeps it painfully simple.  Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  In the

     Original text the word in IS, is not there.  So John just says, believe the name of the

     Lord Jesus Christ.   This is actually the books reference to faith.  To John, Jesus

     Was God with a face/  He believed that Jesus was the Alpha and Omega of

     Christian Thought. 

 

2.  He taught about Jesus’ incarnation and earthly ministry.  Remember he was part of

      Jesus’ inner circle, He was there at the transfiguration.  This left a lifetime mark on

     John.  Augustine writes, “John spoke like no other on the divinity of Christ but he

     Did not neglect His humanity.  He shows Jesus in relationship, sympathies and

     Friendships.  John focused on the person of Christ.”  Here is Jesus.

3.  Then John says, “He has commanded us to love one another.”  John was a man of

     Motives.  He believed it was his task to inspire action and enable relationships.  It

     Was told of John telling his audiences to love one another, because Jesus said it.  John

     Subscribe to the phrase.  “If Jesus said it, I believe it and that settles it.”  This

     Commandment by the way is not up for debate.  Roy B. Zuck wrote, “John

     Considered love as the appropriate expression of the regenerate life of which he has

     Been speaking.  Love is righteousness in action.”

4.  John was a strong believer of the love in action and the unfathomable riches it brought

     In Christ.  He also believe it needed to be communicated to and through the life of the

     Believer.    

 

Those who obey His commands remain joined to Him and He remains joined to them.

How do we know that God lives in us?  We it know it because the Holy Spirit He gave us. 

 

1.  John has the clearest understanding of the relationship between Christ and the believer

     Of any of the New Testament writers.  John recorded the upper room discourse where

     Jesus in John 15, talks about the vine and the branches.  John talked extensively about

     How Jesus Christ the Logos, (The Living Word), was the perfect union between the

     Father and the son.  If you saw one you saw the other. 

2.  The branches cannot survive without the vine or roots.  Obedience is the fruit of the

     Union between you and God.  It is the one way to stay connected and is the sign of

     This connection. 

3.  John then asks the question, “How do we know that God lives in us?  We know

     Because of the Holy Spirit He gave us.  John seemed to have the best understanding

     About the person and work of the Holy Spirit, than any other New Testament writer. 

     He understood this best because He recorded Jesus’ discussion about the Holy Spirit

     In the upper room discourse.  John describes the Holy Spirit, work, mission,

     Personality and how He would work between the believer and the Holy Spirit.  The

     Holy Spirit is the hidden worker of redemption, salvation and regeneration.  The

     Holy Spirit is the inner voice, He states with conviction.  You are a child of God. 

     Obey and love. 

 

 

    

 

 

QUOTES FOR JULY 21, 2026

 

FOLLY OF SIN

 

July 21 – Folly of Sin -

Isaiah 42:18-25

 

     Israel is described as blind and deaf.  He equates the messenger and servants of His as blind and deaf

To the agreements that have been made.  God keeps his side, but His people don’t.  They are blind to

What is seen and deaf to what has been presented.  The law is a delight to the Lord.  His righteousness,

Glory and greatness make the law what it is. 

     The problem is that people are trapped in prisons, dungeons, and hidden places. They are plunder,

Booty, and loot.  No one can rescue them, free them, and send them back.  The reason they are in this

Condition is because of their sin, and it was the Lord who sent there because of that.  Sin is a trap

And prison.  They have sinned, not follow His ways, or obeyed them.  When the Lord punished them

They still did not understand, and they did not take heart.  The folly of sin is that it blinds you to truth

And freedom.

TRUE POWER

 

Jan 17^th – What is True Power – Acts 1:8

 

Intro:  The Question can be asked, what is true power?  The Webster’s dictionary says, it is the ability to act in decisiveness.  It is authority given to a person or thing by others or a place where power is generated.  In some people’s mind it is weaponry, armies, money, brawn or intellect.  President Obama is called the most powerful man on the planet. 

 

1.  For the Christian it is all about connection.  Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that we would receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon us.  An electric cord is useless until connected to a power source.  A garden hose is just a piece of plastic until connected to a water source.  A person is dead in their trespasses and sin until saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. 

 

a.     True power is allowing yourself to be a conduit or vessel through which the Lord can do His work.  Jesus made it clear here true. power comes from one source, the Holy Spirit.  It is from Him and never from you. 

b.    Jesus also made it clear in Acts 1:8 that is was to be used in witnessing.  To tell others in our immediate world and then to broaden our horizons to other spheres of influence.

c.     Frank Thompson describes this verse as the promise of the Spiritual equipment for a world wide campaign.

 

2.   Mark tells us Mark 16 that this power is given to drive out demons, to speak in tongues, handle dangerous situations, have divine protection and heal the sick. 

 

a.      Paul says in 1 Cor 12 that this power enables us to operate in gifts that allow us to discern what is happening in the material and spiritual realms.  To know things that only God could know and choose to reveal.  To be wise enough to see the motives and intentions of others and how to respond with the information that has been revealed.

b.    This power allows us walk in faith and trust that God will back up His promises and His word.  We will see with this power immediate and progressive healings from afflictions and diseases in whatever form they come and from whom or where.  Power given by God enables us to see the suspension of natural, physical laws of the universe and the supernatural intervention of God.  Talk about Jesus and Lazarus according to Carmen.

c.     The power and gifts given by the Holy Spirit described in our text today allows the believer to speak in tongues they never learned and interpret those tongues in a public setting.   Through the power of the Holy Spirit messages of prophecy come to edify, exhort and build up the church or body of Christ in love.   Talk about Larry Lea at His college getting filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

3.  The power described here allows you to walk in love acceptance and forgiveness.  It helps you to overcome habits, attitudes, faults failures and sins.

To say no, to the world, the flesh and the devil.  To triumph over accusation, temptation and deception no matter where it comes from or who is its instrument.           

 

a.      Paul reminds us this morning in Rom 8:11 that we have resurrection power in us.  It will quicken our mortal bodies.  Job says in Job 5:21 that the power of God gives us spiritual life.  John states in John 17:2, that this power gives us eternal life. 

b.    Paul again says that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

      (Phil 4:13). He also reveals that we are preserved through the power of

     God. (1 Tim 1:12)

c.      In 1 Cor 3:6-8 we learn that the power of God works in and through us.  That it is our foundation and ground of trust.  (Rom 4:21) 

d.    John says in 1 John 3:8, it is the power of God and the authority of Jesus Christ that destroys the works of the devil.  Micah stated in Mic 3:8 that through the power of God we will have courage.  You have all of heaven behind you today.  That is clapping, shouting and general noise ground amen.  You can speak with authority today as the apostles of old as described in Acts 4:55.