Dealing with Doubt in Faith: “I Believe, Help My Unbelief”!
Plenty of people who truly love the Lord struggle with doubt and the spirit of fear at times. A lot of people who believe that God can work miracles wrestle with thoughts of doubt when they don’t see the answers they were hoping for. Plenty of godly people have those moments when they cry out in faith, “Lord Jesus, I believe! Help my unbelief!”
Life can be desperate, confusing and terrifying at times and everyone experiences seasons when it seems that the miracle just isn’t coming no matter how hard they pray, or fast, and cry out to the Lord and stand on His promises.
These are normal, human responses to the desperation of your need, but God has empowered you to have a supernatural response to what you’re walking through.
What Does the Bible Say About Doubt and Unbelief?
βHebrews 3:12 says, “Be attentive, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, and you depart from the living God.”
Doubt is like spiritual cancer, an invasive tool of the enemy to eat away at your faith until it finally dies.
In Mark 11:23, Jesus said, “…do not doubt in your heart, but believe…”
The word “doubt” that Jesus used in context of this verse was when He spoke to His disciples about receiving in prayer. This kind of “doubt” has to do with an intentional decision to withdraw from faith and to contend or argue against what you should believe in.
When Jesus said, “…but believe…”, He meant that His followers must be fully persuaded in their soul enough to have confidence in entrusting their outcome to God’s ability.
It doesn’t take a special, great faith to see God’s powerful works, it takes an unwavering faith in Him. If you’re struggling with doubt and unbelief that doesn’t necessarily mean you have a weak faith in the Lord, but that something in your soul is contending against the knowledge of God.
God Already Knows You’re Struggling with Unbelief
If your lack of faith is causing you to stumble, it could ultimately cause you to depart from God. (Hebrews 3:12) The Holy Spirit sees your heart and He already knows that your trust in a faithful God has been compromised, so you may as well admit the truth to Him.
Sometimes the most powerful prayer you can pray is to invite the Lord into what He already knows about and ask for His help in Jesus’ name. God’s unfailing love will not leave you, even when you’re struggling.
The name of Jesus is enough to address every need – both spiritual and natural – but if you’re already wrestling with unbelief in your heart, Matthew 13:58 shows that the miraculous works of God will be limited in your life.
How do you Fight Unbelief?
The Greek word for “unbelief” is “apistia” and it is rooted in a lack of the kind of faith that only from your knowledge of the Word of God.
Overtime, a lack of God’s Word will lead to “apistia” – an apathetic perspective of God that will erode your faith and lead you into unbelief.
One of the prayer principles Jesus prayed shows that partnering with God on earth creates a spiritual dynamic that invites His power to move in you, through you, and around you.
But if you don’t really know God, how can you partner with the Holy Spirit in anything His Word says He can do? The enemy would love nothing more to keep you angry and disappointed with God, and doubting His Word.
So, how do you fight unbelief?
- Sometimes it is necessary to send out a prayer request to another believer and ask for help.
- Sometimes you’ll need to step into a season of spiritual warfare to cast out an evil spirit of unbelief or an unclean spirit that has gained access into your life.
- Sometimes the testing of your faith is simply a way to reveal to you what God already knew what going on.
- Sometimes it is a lack of God’s Word in your life that has led you to a place where your faith and knowledge of Christ Jesus is also lacking
Hebrews 12:2 says:
“Let us look to Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The dark world is growing even darker and the Kingdom of God needs people of great faith to stand firm for Christ. If you see doubt and unbelief in your life, now is the time to fight it!
“Lord I Believe, Help My Unbelief!”
An account is told in the gospel of Mark, chapter 9, about a desperate father who brought his ill son to Jesus, after he had tried everything else. The son was tormented with a demonic, evil spirit and the boy had seizures, was unable to speak and continued to try and kill himself over and over.
The boy’s father had already brought his son to the Temple, and to Jesus’ disciples, but no one was able to help. To Jesus, the man said, “If You can do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.” (Mark 9:22)
Have you ever prayed that prayer?
“If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes,” Jesus told him. The father was a man of faith, that’s why he was at the Temple, but he’d tried everything for his demon-possessed son and nothing was working so when Jesus said, “…all things are possible to him who believes” – the man was forced to confront the truth within himself about his own unbelief.
“…Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, βO Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!β (Mark 9:24, MEV)
Sometimes doubt is a natural response, but God wants you to have a spiritual response to the issues in your life and that can only come through faith.
~Alicia Purdy
There is nothing unspiritual or sinful about experiencing moments where you are tempted to doubt the Lord. Sometimes doubt is a natural response, but God wants you to have a spiritual response to the issues in your life and that can only come through faith.
How to Overcome Doubt in Faith When Fear Arises
“I want to believe God, but I have doubts.” Have you ever said that to yourself?
Jesus called His disciples and followers an “unbelieving generation” before He rebuked the demon that had been tormenting the boy. Why?
Because they’d witnessed God’s faithfulness and Christ’s power with their own eyes. but they still didn’t operate in that faith.
Overcoming doubt is as simple as operating in faith. God hears your prayers. He knows the desires of your heart. Worship is a faith action that proves what you don’t see is actually true. It’s not that you don’t have enough faith. It’s that your actions must line up with what you say you believe.
In Romans 4:20, the Apostle Paul noted what set Abraham’s faith apart wasn’t that he was given more faith, but that he:
- “…did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief…”
- “…but was strong in faith…”
- “…giving glory to God…”
- “…and being fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was able to perform.”
Yes, the son received a miracle healing and was set free from what tormented him, but the father was also healed and set free from what tormented him too. When the father acknowledged his unbelief, Jesus could address it.
The only thing that can build up your faith is a lifestyle founded upon knowing and understanding Word of God, fellowshipping with God in prayer, and dwelling in His presence through in praise and worship. That’s how the deep things of God within are see outside of you as you operate in the faith you’ve cultivated.
You can trust God. You’re going to make it to the other side of your dark valleys with your faith stronger than when you went in. That’s why you must continually keep your spirit strong.
Plenty of hard things, seasons of trial, temptation, and tribulation come to everyone, but the good news is that you don’t have to be moved when the enemy comes in like a flood if you stand upon the Rock that is Jesus Christ.
Thought for Today: Dealing with Doubt and Unbelief by Fighting in Faith
Growing in Christ should be a daily and lifelong process because if you’re not spiritually growing, you’re going to spiritually die. Doubt and unbelief will eventually consume your faith and affect your relationship with the Lord if you don’t acknowledge and address it (Hebrews 3:12)
In Matthew 28:16-17, after Jesus resurrected, “…the eleven disciples went away to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. βWhen they saw Him, they worshipped Him. But some doubted.“
Why didnβt Jesus address their doubts if He knew they had them? Why did He feel comfortable giving His disciples the Great Commission knowing their faith was wavering? Because worship is separate from what you think or feel.
Jesus saw their worship and that revealed their hearts to Him. Remember, when you need a miracle for yourself or your family members, Jesus is the only one who can do it, so stay close to Him through praise!
When you build your life around the supernatural power of praise, a knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and a vital relationship in prayer, you are constructing and reinforcing a spiritual wall of protection against the evil spirit of unbelief.
A strong faith doesn’t mean the enemy will stop trying to attack, but it means that he will not defeat you.
The “shield of faith” the Lord has given you is effective for protection, but a shield can also be used a weapon!
The longer you remain in the presence of God, which is invited close through worship, (Psalm 22:3, Psalm 91:1) the more protected you will be from the doubt and unbelief that will try to take you down, and the stronger you will be for the next battle!
Strengthen Your Belief in the God Who is Able: “When the Righteous Cry Out, the Lord Responds in Two Ways”