Thoughts for Life: Doubt vs. Faith

Jean Oathout begins our thoughts on
doubts and faith today, with some questions that should get us considering
how the one tends to take down the other.

When troubling thoughts come, are we going to realize them as from the evil one?

Will we remember to recall the words of faith that we've received, and will we take action to come against the doubts bombarding us?

Knowing that our faith is being tested on what we're trying to accomplish, will we take the effort to build our hopes up enough to keep on with what the Lord has directed us to do?

You'll find that the Lord brings a word of encouragement
soon after the doubting thoughts come.

I experienced this recently. I'd read the posts on Discernment vs. Criticism Part 1 and Discernment vs. Criticism Part 2 to my friends at our writers meeting, when doubting thoughts came
to me that I'd failed to do a good job, and that I'd have to make many changes!

I failed to speak out about what I was thinking to the group, and just accepted the thoughts as "true."

Thankfully, the Lord moved on someone there before I left, to
give encouraging words, which renewed my faith that I'd done right, and the approval the Lord had told me in my journaling time was the real truth.

What is something to not believe?

1. Negative thoughts and words
2. When what we've heard makes us discouraged
3. When we doubt what God's told us

These cause us to focus on the problem, which takes our
mind off what God can do.

Take depressive thoughts captive and realize they are lies,
and were meant to destroy your faith. Don't spend any
time being in allegiance with them! Don't make them
your own.

Many negative thoughts originated in our younger years,
and need to be broken from their hold on us.

Someone said that we should read three chapters in Palms out loud daily for a week, if they have such a hold on us, to help break the doubting thoughts that we have to deal with.

This helps us to combat the depressive thoughts. What we
say has a great effect on what we believe!

Say this: I break all allegiance with lies I've believed,
and give the hurt of them all to Jesus.

"The Truth will set you free!" John 8:32

When times of serious illness come, depression can hit pretty hard. Our thoughts may not be on positive things, unless we make an effort to read, think, say, and hear what God has to say.

Meditate on God's Word. Believe it! Confess your needs to Him.
He is not surprised, and is pleased in your honesty. He is not
moved by your need, but is moved by your faith!

Let’s pray:

"Dear Lord, help me choose my words wisely, for tomorrow I may have to eat
them.

Help me speak life into those around me
today-to be a source of encouragement
rather than discouragement, of hope rather than hurt, and of love rather than pain.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen."
Sharon Jaynes www.girlfriendsingod.com

“How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,

I have fled to my Refuge and breathed out my woe;

How often, when trials like sea billows roll,

Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul." --
Cushing

Today’s Bible verses:

Eph. 6:16, 17 (NIV)"In addition to all this, take
up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

Matt. 21:21 (KJV) "Jesus answered and said unto
them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and
doubt not..."

Today’s quote:

~ Rev. Phillip McClelland - "When we struggle with God
with our own doubts, God uses the struggle for His good
purposes. Our doubts cannot overcome God, but those same
doubts do not overcome us either. Through the struggle, God remakes us, gives to us a deeper understanding, a stronger
trust in Him.
When you struggle with God, He is holding on to you. If
you ever think God has left you, just remember it is then,
during the struggle, that God is holding you tight and pressing you close to His heart."
www.philipmcclelland.wordpress.com.

Some thoughts today:

~ Continuing faith is built over time. Take Gideon for example: He had his faith built to where he believed God for the impossible. You can do the same. Get your directions from God, put your feet to the ground, and run with it!

- Jesus habitually prayed and fasted at times to be ready to take
care of any need. Seems as though He'd like us to do the same.
We can have influence on those around us when they find they
can relate to us.

10th- evening’s post: To God Be the Glory
Heather Ricks

12th- Tuesday's post: #109 Emotional Dependency
C. Peter Wagner

14th- Thursday's post: #110 Physical Dependency
C. Peter Wagner

16th- Saturday's post: My Cooking Will Be Grand!
Debbie McEwen

A popular post:

What Faithful, Committed Intercession Brings
C. Peter Wagner shares with us bout the
seriousness of faithful, committed intercessions,
and what they bring." Charles G. Finney, one of the
most effective evangelists of the last century, met
Daniel Nash early in his ministry."