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A Christians Greatest Problem

by Duane Huffstutler  
3/30/2010 / Christian Living

A CHRISTIAN'S GREATEST PROBLEM

Matthew 21:18-22

What is the greatest problem a Christian faces? Is it cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, hate, temper, envy, lust or greed? I could go on and these are all bad problems but they are not the greatest problem that we will face. There is a problem that was washed down a long time ago to the point that it is no longer looked at as a problem. But this problem will rob us of our peace of mind. No matter what you try to do for God it stands between you and the completion of God's task. It will actually paralyze us in our walk with God. It is nothing that really nags at your life or is tearing at your soul but it creeps in unawares and we never even notice. When it gets placed in the spotlight and we start looking at it what we see is very ugly. It is the greatest sin that a person can commit. It will stop people from accepting Christ and it will stop Christians from serving God. If we allow it to take root we are in bad trouble.

Have I gotten your curiosity peaked? Well the greatest problem a Christian or anyone else as a matter of fact will ever face is doubt. It is the greatest battle in the fight of faith. If you allow it to take hold, you will doubt the promises of God, His declarations, His care for you and His lo0ve for you. Eventually it destroys everything you have worked so hard to build.

In Genesis Chapter 3 when sin entered the world it wasn't by disobedience it started with doubt which led to disobedience and death of the Spirit. Once Satan gets you to doubt God he has you hooked. Satan loves to use doubt; it is one of his greatest tools. Every sin we know of was produced from doubt. Look at Jesus in the WildernessMatthew chapter 4.

Christians have been lulled into looking at doubt as something just short of faith; we don't see it as a lack of trust. We play it down and say one day I'll receive "overcoming faith". But until you do it is ok to keep doubting God. Go ahead and tell God you don't think he is going to take care of you. Tell God you don't believe his word or that his promises or provisions are not for you. Don't call it doubt; you just need to strengthen your faith.

It is impossible to remain a doubter without dying spiritually. You will eventually find it impossible to do the will of God. You will quote scriptures but without power because of doubt. Doubt is not just a few degrees from faith. 1 John 5:10 states that it is calling God a liar and that is serious business.

Some time during your life God is going to take you to a river or someplace that requires faith to get through, but since we have lived in doubt so long and it has become a way of life, we will refuse to go forward through this place until our faith grows a little more. When someone tries to help us with our faith and encourage us to trust God and step out, we tell them in so many words or actions to back off, I am still too weak. Even though God has always provided for us before, we just have to stop and rest a while.

In Exodus 14 when God freed the children of Israel and they came to the Red Sea, did God say I realize that you have been slaves for 400 years and don't have any faith I will do things differently than I had planned? No, God said keep going forward. Each step of the way God provided for them and he promises to provide for us if we will trust him.

I know from experience that true self denial is to quit leaning on doubt. A lot of times Satan brings doubt in like this: Because I have messed up so badly in my past, God can't possibly love me any more. In our failures and short comings we reach a point we believe that God's promises are void for us and before long we start thinking that God can not forgive us anymore. Stop and listen, if anyone is going to get God's attention it is the one that is in trouble, the one that is going down. Look at Peter in Matthew 14:30-31. When Peter was walking on the water and started to sink called out to Jesus, Jesus didn't put him down for taking his eyes off of Jesus and let him drown. Jesus reached out and picked him up. Let the truth of God's word get rid of your doubt. God is still seeking the lost and those that need his help.

We need to open our eyes and ears to understand how dangerous doubt is. It starts with a little question and you end up being a slave. It restricts your spiritual growth, steals your joy and peace and keeps us from the Perfect will of God. Doubt never stops growing.

Satan doesn't care if you think doubting God is a weakness as long as you don't identify it as a sin. If he tempts you with lust, drugs, cigarettes, alcohol or any other known sins you will stand up against it with all your might fighting for your soul. But doubt is worse than any other temptation because doubt will kill you. It will stagnate you and stop you in your tracks.

So often we deal with Satan's attacks with our favorite verse repeated a few times and think that it is over. But someone who is struggling with drugs and alcohol will bombard heaven until they get through and receive the strength they need to win the fight. They resist with everything inside them. But when it comes to doubt a little Bible reading and meditation is supposed to conquer it. Surprise!!! It doesn't work like that; we must fight doubt like a drug addict fights to be free, with everything inside us.

We must ask God to forgive us for even beginning to doubt, because it is calling God a liar. Any suggestion of doubt must be confronted just like any other sin or temptation. We must always remember if doubt comes Satan sent it. Matthew 9:29 states that according to your faith be it unto you. But if we have no faith it must be read according to your doubt be it unto you.

There are only two choices for a Christian the walk of faith or the walk of doubt. And the walk of doubt is not an option for the true believer.
Where do you stand?

Duane L. Huffstutler, Written 2011, Faithwriters.com
Duane L. Huffstutler is the Sunday School Director at Oak Grove Pentecostal Ministries in Bonifay Florida. All scripture is from the King James Version (1611)

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