When Doubts Are Planted

Some kids were playing outside the other day. I watched them for a moment as they were having races, running from one point to another, to prove who was the fastest. One child stepped up to the mark. Another child said, “I bet you can’t run fastest this time.” “I will, too!” The other answered. “You’ll be too tired now from all that running. I’ll win this time.” The first child said nothing but still stood on his mark. The race was suddenly on. The second child won. “Told you, you couldn’t win this time,” came the teasing. So, why did the first child, the usual winner, lose this time? Was it because he was truly too tired, or was it doubt that injured his confidence?

Doubt is a powerful creature that lurks at times in all of our minds. For the child of God, doubt is an often used weapon of Satan, who loves to see us quiver in fear rather than run our race in faith. He is constantly seeking to shatter our confidence in God. He whispers doubts such as, “Will God really help this time?” “Is this really of God?” “Does God really care about this in your life?” “Is God going to answer your prayer?”

This week I was reading an article by Pastor Phil Derstine. He wrote concerning Satan’s tactics, “He wants to plant tares of doubt among your wheat fields of faith.” Isn’t that the truth! We joyfully plant seeds of joy and the peace of God in our wheat fields of faith. Our focus is on Him and His majesty. We are thankful for all He has done in our lives, and we believe He will continue in His goodness towards us — until we hear a whisper, “What if you fail this time?” “You’re so weak, God is tired of helping you.” On and on comes the onslaught of Satan’s doubting in our minds.

Our response is uncertain. We listen, consider, and sense skepticism. Ever so subtly, doubt takes root, and when it does, despondency begins to grow, then weeds of stress and misery choke out plants of joy, courage and peace in God. Ever been in that field? We have all been there, and there is only one remedy to grow healthy plants again. The field must be weeded and watered. What does that look like? Praise, praise, and more praise.

Satan and his demonic forces must leave when, in Jesus’ precious and holy name, you shout out in strong and joyful praise, “Get out of here, Satan! You have no place in my mind. I worship and praise Jesus!” Then do so. Praise God out loud. Tell Him of His greatness. Why do we do that? God hasn’t forgotten His own majesty. No. but our own hearts need to be filled with reminders; therefore, we praise Him for all He is, for all He has done in our lives, for all He will continue to do. How do we know? Because His Word tells us so.

I have found it both powerful and uplifting to praise God using Scripture. Scripture is without mistake. Scripture is glorying to God. Scripture permeates our hurting places. Some have said to me that they just don’t feel like it. That’s when to choose, in the most downcast of moments, to praise. Waiting until you feel like is a win for Satan. Don’t let it be so! Choose to praise in your most fearful of situations, in times of deep sorrow, in the heaviness of what tomorrow may bring. Doing so is a gift to yourself. Praise Him and sense the grief and fear being replaced with trust and quiet joy. The book of Psalms is a great place to find passages of Scripture to use in your times of praising.

When you praise, joy rises above your fear. Then you are reminded and know the truth of Nehemiah 8:10, The joy of the Lord is your strength.