FAITH, DOUBT AND UNBELIEF
Without faith, it’s impossible to please God. —Hebrews 11:6
God’s knowledge is absolute, unerring, complete, and intuitive. It embraces all things past, present, and future and searches the inmost thoughts of the heart.
Man’s knowledge is partial, imperfect, relative, gradually acquired, and largely mixed with error.
1 Cor 13:12 AMP For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes, we will see reality, face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God].
Doubt means: “To waver or fluctuate in opinion; to hesitate; to be in suspense; to be in uncertainty; to respect the truth or fact; and to be undetermined.” We will always doubt when we lean on our own understanding.
Doubt comes from the Greek word tala (Strongs G8511), a primitive root meaning to “suspend; figuratively (through hesitation) to be uncertain; by implication (of mental dependence) to habituate—be bent, hang (in doubt).”
Doubt is brought on by indecision, which leads to fear, and before you know it, you have taken yourself out of the faith equation.
James 1:6-8 AMP But you must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man, that He should repent.
Unbelief comes from the Greek word Apistia (Strongs G570), which means “without (divine) persuasion, no faithfulness or want of faith, unfaithfulness, distrust or betraying a trust.”
It is the negated form of pistos, meaning “faithful.” It is the antithesis of faith.
Have you ever hit or experienced some unbelief?
As believers, we can believe in God but not believe some of the things He says.
What are some of the things you struggle with believing?
Mark 9:21-24 AMP Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he answered, “Since childhood. The demon has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” Jesus said to him, “[You say to Me,] ‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes and trusts [in Me]!” Immediately, the father of the boy cried out [with a desperate, piercing cry], saying, “I do believe; help [me overcome] my unbelief!”
Ask in faith without doubting God’s willingness to help.
When you are standing in front of something you have never seen before, you have got to hold on to what you KNOW. Then go deeper and get an “I Know that I KNOW!”
To know is finite, but to get an “I know that I know” comes from an infinite God!
This is what you KNOW:
Hebrews 11:6 He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Love, which is the very essence of God, is where you get your trust. Love trusts. True intimacy with the Father will remove hindrances of doubt and unbelief and cause deep wells of trust.
Believe (Strongs G 4102) pistis (an adjective derived from peíthō, which means “persuaded”) – properly, faithful (loyalty to faith; literally, fullness of faith); typically, of believing the faith God imparts. faith.”
Pistis—Faith—is always a gift received from God and nothing that can be produced or generated by people.
Pistis, meaning “faith, faithful,” comes from the root word pist, referring to persuasion.
To believe like this is to be persuaded! We can be fully persuaded!
The Lord persuades the yielded believer to be confident in His preferred will.
This belief involves obedience, but it is the result of God’s persuasion.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].
Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
The Scriptures say Abraham did not waver through unbelief/doubt.
Romans 4:20-22 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness.
He even hoped against all hope!
You must be willing to move forward in FAITH and KNOW you will not always have all the answers, but you know the One Who does! He is faithful, He is Truth, and He is a rewarder to those who will diligently seek Him.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. —Hebrews 11:6
Blessings,
Lynda Renne
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