FAITH VS DOUBT
The Report and Response
25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”
30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”
Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” - Numbers 13:25-14:5
Question to Reflect On
How many times have we gone through life where God has promised something over our life, but our faith and our belief in the promises of God are overcome by fears and doubts?
Faith is Required
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. - Hebrews 11:6
If faith pleases God, something else can displease Him. What is that? Is it an issue with a lack of faith? Or is it the presence of doubt?
Faith vs Doubt
20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out[d] and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” - Mark 9:20-25
21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.
Did you know that God is inviting you to declare your heart to Him?
God is constantly offering us an opportunity to draw closer to Him
22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
If you can do anything…
What shakes our faith in God? What giants in the midst of your promise has caused an instability in your faith?
He requests compassion and help.
Help is the object of this father’s request, but the source of his hope is rooted in the compassion of Jesus.
23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
The problem is not because Jesus won’t or can’t, but human unbelief!
We can see that Jesus has turned the attention of everything to this man’s faith. A faith that right now is only the mustard-seed.
The father is merely seeking a miracle from Jesus (if you can do anything), but Jesus calls on him to put his trust in God.
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
In a split second he is self-aware and sees that his faith is still mixed with doubt, and he asks for help with this as well.
He is aware of his insufficiency
This bridge from insufficiency to sufficiency is faith itself.
So is it an issue with a lack of faith? Or is it the presence of doubt?
When you come to God, your issue isn’t a lack of faith, it’s the need for expulsion of doubts.
25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
Jesus answers, not according to the poverty of the man’s faith, but according to the riches of his grace.
Closing Thoughts
One of the greatest works of the enemy is to lead us to shame so that we find ourselves unable to present ourselves to God. But God wants to draw you towards Him.
When we are faced with “giants”, Jesus is inviting us to lock eyes with him and believe.
Our response needs to be, cast out my unbelief. This must be a fervent prayer…
"Lord, I can’t hide my doubts from You—you see them clearly. But even with my struggles, my heart testifies that I do believe in You. And if any doubt still lingers, I reject it, I fight against it, and I look to You for the strength to overcome it."
Reflective Questions
What do you see as a lack of faith, but is really a presence of doubts that need to be removed?
What is one thing I am facing as a giant to my promise, and how can I surrender to God and work with Him to have my doubts casted out?