Overcoming Doubt

Text: Mark 9:14-29

Introduction:

A. The President of the college I went to used to make a statement in many of his sermons that always bothered me. He would say, "I don't understand how a person can doubt his salvation, form the moment I was saved I never had any doubts whatsoever." Every time I heard him make that statement I would cringe. Most people do doubt at some time or another. His experience was the exception, not the rule. Rather than helping people overcome their doubts, his statement gave them more doubts. People listening who were entertaining doubts would say to themselves, "Well, since I am having doubts, and since he never had any doubts, then I must not be saved."

B. Scripture

1. Mt. 14:31 Peter walks on the water but then sinks and Jesus asks, "Why did you doubt?"

2. Lk. 24:38 Jesus appears after his resurrection and asks, "Why do doubts rise in your

minds?"

3. Mk. 9:24 the Father exclaims, "Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief"

C. We all must admit that we often feel like this father. We believe and doubt at the same time.

D. This story deals with doubts on two levels, the father who doubted God and the disciples

who doubted themselves.

Big Idea: Our doubts can be conquered if we understand their cause and apply God's Word to effect a remedy for your doubts.

Transitional Sentence: I want to give seven reasons people entertain doubts about their salvation and about God.

  1. Compare our experience to someone else's experience
    1. This Father saw others being healed, but wondered about his son. He wasn't getting the same experience as the others.
    2. Types of experiences
      1. Shed tears, joy, quiet
      2. Damascus road, burning bush
    3. 2 Cor. 10:12 "Comparing themselves by themselves they became fools."
      1. When you compare yourself to others you make yourself better or worse depending upon who you compare yourself to.
      2. Compare yourself to Scripture. It is the only true mirror (indicator) of where you are spiritually
    4. Experiences can differ, content is the same
  2. Basing salvation on feeling, not faith/fact/Scripture
    1. illus. John the Baptist in prison of Machaerus: Mt. 11:2 asked, "Lord, is it you or look we for another?"
    2. Emotions are fickle
      1. Emotions change with circumstances, salvation never changes. Nothing can separate us from the love of God
      2. I never feel saved in the morning
    3. Emotions are deceitful
      1. "It feels so good it can't be wrong"
      2. "I feel like clobbering him"
      3. Unmarried couple "But I love him/her"
  3. Crisis Experience
    1. Exasperated Father
      1. Bereavement, birth defect, teen who went into coma during routine surgery
      2. These types of situations can cause you to doubt God, God's goodness, your own spirituality and can lead to despair and despondency
      3. Circumstances are not an indication of God's love
        1. Rom. 8:30ff, even those who needs aren't met haven't been separated from the love of God
        2. Acts: James is martyred while Peter is delivered from prison. God loved them both.
      4. Wiersbe: "Trials can either make you bitter or better"
      5. Hudson Taylor: "Are your trials coming between you and God or pushing you closer to God?"
    2. Why is there evil? Why do bad things happen to good people (Not going to give a whole sermon on this)
      1. So we can demonstrate God's grace
      2. Build character
      3. C. S. Lewis "Question should be 'Why do some not experience pain?'"
      4. Relationship of love and freedom and their relationship to sin
  4. When situations don't fit our pre-conceived ideas.
    1. Disciples were used to commanding demons to depart. In this situation they also needed to pray.
    2. "This kind" took a different approach. God uses these types of situations to "stretch" us.
  5. Sin (1 John 3:18-24)
    1. Deed and truth
    2. Confidence comes when there is no known sin
    3. God is greater than our doubts
  6. Young Age
  7. Poor understanding of Scripture "Help thou my unbelief"
    1. Don't understand eternal security
    2. Don't understand election
    3. Don't understand plan of salvation

Conclusion:

Thomas in John 11:16 was ready to die for Jesus. After the crucifixion he doubted. But after seeing Jesus his faith was restored. Yours can be restored if you search God's Word. Romans 10:17 "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."