The Corrosive Nature of Doubt

How Uncertainty Erodes Trust in God's Promises

Think on the Bible to understand the destructive power of doubt in the lives of God's people.

Doubt

First, let's consider the word "doubt." Doubt is uncertainty or a lack of conviction regarding the truth, a fact, or the existence of something. It involves questioning and hesitating to believe or accept the information.

Expressing doubt could look like "I doubt his ability to do this."

Doubt is a lack of trust, indecision between belief and disbelief, and a lack of confidence in someone's abilities or statements.

Doubt, when left unchecked, can lead to fear and hesitation. It can paralyze decision-making and erode our personal beliefs and trust. The consequences of doubt and fear are significant, underscoring the need to address them.

Send the Cowards Home

Have you ever noticed how God commands His people to send the cowards, the doubtful, the fearful, and the unbelieving home? If they stay, they contaminate everyone else.

What they were feeling

Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. Judges 7:3.

The verse uses the words fearful and afraid, which seem redundant. The same word is used repeatedly in the same verse, but there is more to it than that. The words emphasize the intensity of the apprehension.

The first word, fearful, refers to a general sense of dread or anxiety, while the word afraid here refers to the obvious expression of fear, trembling, or shaking. Fear can be mental, physical, or emotional.

The fact that it is repetitious shows how serious the fear was. Their fear was like shock, astonishment, fright, wanting to run, panic, and intimidation.

Fear is contagious

And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart. Deuteronomy 20:8.

One man's fear might cause the hearts of others to faint, melt, dissolve, or be intimidated. Fear spreads like cancer. Fear reduces the solid heart of the strong to a feeble, melted liquid state. Their courage is gone.

Gideon saw two-thirds of his army retreat in fear.

Fear is based on Doubt.

When you doubt God's promises, remember that faith is the antidote to fear. Trust in God's ability to fulfill His promises and work in your circumstances. Fear will have no place in your heart when you believe in His power.

That doesn't mean you might not feel some fear, but no excessive fear that melts you into a puddle of doubt.

How to overcome fear

If anyone ever has a story of doubt and fear, it is Gideon. He starts the story by hearing God's promise that there will be victory. God has promised complete victory to Gideon. He will be with Gideon through it all.

Doubt fills Gideon. He says, "If the Lord be with us, why then?" Gideon blames God for abandoning them.

Gideon is insecure about himself and his family. He whines and whines to the Lord.

What is beautiful is that God listens to Gideon's whining and doubt. Then, God, step by step, tells Gideon how to overcome his doubt and fear.

Gideon had to hear from God repeatedly to believe. God sent a preacher, an angel, and the Spirit of the Lord to work in Gideon's life.

In his doubt, Gideon used two fleeces to be sure, just to be sure that God was really talking to him. He knew the battle was too big but couldn't yet see that God was bigger.

Satan's greatest weapons

Have you ever thought about how doubt and fear may be two of the greatest weapons Satan has?

• Can God make a difference here?

• Can God use me?

• Can God do it here and now with me?

• Fearful people are faithless

• Fear is contagious

• Don't forget God sent the fearful home!

• We have good excuses for our fears

• They are rational explanations of why we can't

God is patient

God was so patient with Gideon and his doubt. He allowed the two fleeces. He repeatedly sent the Word of truth. To show Gideon the fear God had caused in the enemy's camp, God sends Gideon to eavesdrop on the camp conversation.

Even sending Gideon, God allowed Gideon to take his servant, so he didn't have to go alone. Gideon and his servant hear that a man is having a strange dream and knows that God is going to destroy them.

God needs us to have some weakness so that He can effectively use us. God wants us to need Him. God hates it when His people take credit for what only God did.

Could it be that much of God's work is being hindered because of our fears?

God wants an army that is willing to fight His way regardless of whether it makes sense to the warriors.

Before the story ends, Gideon sends the cowards home, and now he also sends the careless home.

1. Boldness is one thing

2. Carelessness is another

3. Very few have been too bold; however

4. Careless people are proud and endanger lives because they believe they fight in their power, anyway

5. Careless people will not be watching for the attack of Satan.

   
   Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: I Peter 5:8
   

6. The vigilant are watching for the attack that they know is going to come

   
   Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41
   

7. By taking their weapons away from them, he takes their human intelligence and all ability.

Steps to Take

Lift your shield of faith.

Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Run every thought through the faith filter.

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:4-8

Resist the devil

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James 4:7-8