There may be times in life, that Christians doubt the authenticity of the faith, the reliability of the Bible, and the existence of God. They wonder, is God Who He says He is, and does God listen? Is Jesus the Messiah and the Way to eternal life? Have I received the Holy Spirit? When this happens to you and doubt arises in your life, it’s important what you do with this doubt. Because a wrong choice can be disastrous for your life and eternal destination. You can start right, but in the end, it’s not about how you start, but how you finish in life.
John the Baptist started right
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light (John 1:6-8)
In the life of John the Baptist, there was also a moment when John doubted the Messiah. Was Jesus the Messiah or should they look for another?
John the Baptist was a witness of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He was chosen and appointed by God and filled with the Holy Spirit, to go in the spirit and power of Elias and to announce and prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.
John was called to turn the people of Israel to the Lord their God, to make the people ready and prepared for the coming of the Lord, by calling the people to repentance of sin and baptizing them in water.
John didn’t know Jesus and had not seen Him. But God had revealed the Messiah through His words to him.
God said, that upon Whom he would see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, that He would be the One, Who baptizes with the Holy Ghost.
John believed God and His words
John believed God and spoke the words of God, whereby John testified of the Messiah. Through the words of God, John recognized the Messiah and the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
John saw the words of God being fulfilled and was a witness of Jesus the Christ. After Jesus was baptized in water, John bore record of the heaven being opened and seeing the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon Him and remaining on Him, according to the word of God.
John bore record of God’s voice coming from heaven saying, This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased (a.o. Matthew 3, Mark 1:1-8, Luke 1:13-17; 67-80, John 1:6-8; 15-36).
John began to doubt the words of God
After all these things happened, you would think, that John would have no doubt about Jesus being the Messiah. And yet, there was a time, when John began to doubt the words of God and doubted whether Jesus was truly the Messiah.
When John was busy doing the work of the Kingdom and calling the people to repentance and baptizing those, who gave heed to his call, and discipling them, there was no single doubt. But when John was alone in prison, John began to doubt, whether Jesus was truly the Messiah.
John doubted whether Jesus was the Messiah
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me (Matthew 11:2-6)
When John the Baptist heard in the prison about the works of Christ and began to doubt whether Jesus was the Messiah, John immediately acted upon his doubt, instead of being passive and allowing the doubt in his mind and reasoning upon his doubt.
John sent two of his disciples to Jesus, the Living Word, asking Him if He was the One or that they had to look for another Messiah
Jesus answered the disciples of John and said, they had to go to John and show him again what they heard and saw.
The words of Jesus and the witness of his disciples would take away the doubt of John, who was still the old creation despite the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Eventually, John died as a martyr for Christ. Because he stayed faithful to God’s word and His righteousness. John didn’t bow to the sin of King Herod and didn’t approve of his behavior. Instead, he condemned his behavior.
His deed of obedience to God and His righteousness and disobedience to the will of King Herod cost John his life on earth. (Read also: John the Baptist, the man who didn’t bow).
Doubt destroys the faith
There can be times in life when doubt tries to enter and settle in your mind. Doubt is disastrous for the faith, since doubt destroys faith. Whosoever doubts the words of God can’t walk in the faith.
As soon as doubt tries to enter your mind, it’s crucial to take action immediately and take the Bible (God’s Word) and ‘kill’ the doubt with the words of God. Just like John.
Although John belonged to the faithless generation of fallen man and had not become a new creation in Christ, John took action immediately by sending his disciples to Jesus, the Living Word, to take away his doubt and destroy the doubt in his mind.
If you don’t attack and destroy your doubt immediately with the Word, then the doubt will eventually destroy your faith, which has consequences for your eternal destination. Because, it’s not about how you start, but how you finish.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God
God’s Word says, that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Romans 10:17).
Therefore it’s important to read and study the Bible daily and feed and renew your mind with the words of God. Instead of feeding your mind with the words and the things of this world.
As long as you stay the old creation and/or daily feed your mind with the words, knowledge, wisdom, and the things of this world, you shall keep a carnal mind.
You shall believe the words of the world. And you shall live in obedience to the ruler of this world, according to this world, and keep doing the works of the flesh.
You shall not be able to walk by faith. Since the world doesn’t acknowledge God as the Creator of heaven and earth and all there is within, but as foolishness.
And because the world considers God as foolishness, they also consider His Word and His Spirit as foolish.
The world doesn’t acknowledge the Bible as the Word of God and the highest Authority, the Truth, and the Life. But the world mocks the Bible and speaks evil of the words of God. The words of the world contradict the words of God. They testify that the words of God are evil and foolish.
Neither does the world acknowledge the Holy Spirit and the works of the Spirit and consider them foolish.
The world can’t see, comprehend, and understand God. The world can’t hear and bear His Word and can’t be in the presence of His Holy Spirit. Therefore, the world rejects God, His Word, and His Holy Spirit.
It’s not about how you start, but how you finish
Therefore, if you feed your mind with the words, knowledge, and wisdom of the world, you shall get the mind of the world and of the antichrist. You shall also consider God, His Word, and His Holy Spirit as foolish. You shall not believe and obey Them, but reject Them, whereby you play with eternity and you won’t finish as you should.
But if you love God with your whole heart and are born again in Christ and have become spiritual and daily feed your mind with the words, knowledge, and wisdom of God and the things of His Kingdom, you shall have the mind of Christ and conquer and destroy every doubt concerning the existence and authenticity of God, His Word and Spirit through the Word. (Read also: Why renewing your mind is necessary).
Daily, you have to fight the spiritual fight of faith. You should pray and stay awake and watchful. So that you will stand in the faith and not become lukewarm and go on automatic pilot and think you know it all, after reading the Bible a few times or going to church for years, and/or you begin to doubt the words of God, whereby you shall not finish the way you started and should have finished your life. Because it’s not about how you start, but how you finish.
Let doubt don’t rob you of your eternal destination. But believe in Jesus Christ, become born again in Him, and follow Him to the most desired eternal destination.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
