Unit 1- Dark Times of Doubting

Lesson: Doubting the Promises of God
Read: Mark 11:20-24; Luke 12:22-34

“Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:22-24 NKJV).

Reflect:

1. What happened to the fig tree Jesus cursed (Mark 11:21)?

2. What does Jesus say about the ravens in Luke 12:24?

3. Jesus says the Father knows we need provisions and tells us not to be anxious.  What further instruction does He give in Luke 12:33?

Answer Key:

1. It withered away.

2. God feeds them even though they have no storehouses in the barn. 

3. To seek after the kingdom of God, not to fear, sell what you have and give to the poor, for then you will have “money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

If God really loved you, why would He allow bad things to happen to you? Others don’t seem to be having the doubts you have about God. Maybe you’re not even saved. Maybe you’ve just been kidding yourself all these years. Maybe there isn’t a God after all.

Perhaps you have lost a son or daughter in a tragic accident that has caused you to doubt the goodness of God. Maybe you doubt whether or not you can be delivered from some annoying, sinful habit.

During the dark times Satan will cause you to doubt the Almighty.
 
If you find yourself filled with doubts about God, with the uncertainty that God will not do all He promised, you are not alone.  This is one of the major areas of doubt.  The Bible is filled with “exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4). These promises come from an exceedingly great and precious God. Instead of doubting God and His promises, we’re commanded by the Lord Jesus to “have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). The Savior said, “Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea; and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says” (Mark 11:23). Jesus’ message was “Have faith in God and do not doubt in your heart.”

But what about God’s promise to always provide for you? Jesus said “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind…But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you” (Luke 12:29,31).

Our Lord was not teaching us that we should not work for our food and drink. But He was saying that there is far more to life than working eight or ten hours a day just to make a living. When you’re going through the dark moments of doubt, have faith in God. When you question His promises do what is right. Commit yourself to God. If you pay close attention to spiritual things, God will deal with the doubts of your life. The cure for any kind of doubt is faith. What God promises, He always performs!

Apply:

1. Do you doubt that God can see you through a hard time you’re experiencing?  Remember Jesus’ encouraging words, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20 NKJV).  Consider sharing your feelings with a friend and praying together.

2. What could you replace your doubt with?  Could you sing praise to God?  Pray to Him?  Look at David’s words “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (Psalm 37:24-25 NKJV).  Consider memorizing these verses to encourage yourself and help replace doubt with praise.

 

Express:
Tell God your needs and trust Him to answer your prayer. Remember Jesus words in Luke 12:27-28. “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?”

Additional Help in Prayer:
Lord, I thank You for everything You have given me.  I thank You for sending Your Son and richly blessing my life through this gift.  Father, I pray that You would provide me with my earthly and spiritual needs.  I give all I have to You and trust You to take care of me even more abundantly than You do the lilies and the ravens.

Lesson: Doubting the Power and Presence of God
Read: Matthew 14:22-33

“And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus” (Matthew 14:28-29 NKJV).

Reflect:

1. What does Jesus tell the disciples when they saw Him walking on water?

2. When Jesus said “come” what was Peter able to do (Matthew 14:29)?

3. What happened when Peter took his eyes off Jesus (Matthew 14:30)?

Answer Key:

1. “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:28).

2. Walk on water.

3. He sank.

One of Satan’s key weapons against us during the dark times is to cause us to doubt the presence and even the power of God. If the Devil can do that, he can defeat us. That’s why it’s so important during difficult times to maintain a strong faith in God’s presence and power.

One of the darkest times in Peter’s life was that night on the Sea of Galilee when the disciples saw Jesus coming toward them walking on the water. Peter called on Jesus to identify Himself by saying, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to You on the water” (Matthew 14:28). He must have been shocked when Jesus said, “Come.” Peter tiptoed out of the boat and actually walked on the water. But when the wind kicked up a little stronger and the waves got taller, Peter began to doubt God’s power.  Then he began to sink. His cry, “Lord, save me” was answered with Jesus’ outstretched arm and the words, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31).

As long as Peter believed that the Son of God had power, he did fine. But when he began to doubt God’s power, things began to go wrong. Are you experiencing one of those dark times right now? Perhaps your dark time is a dread disease, and you are doubting God’s power to heal you. Now, it may not be God’s will to heal you; but though healing could be out of His plan, it’s never out of His power. Commit yourself to God’s power.

If your dark time is a runaway teen, commit your son or daughter to God’s power. After all, the same power that kept Peter from sinking can keep your son or daughter from sinking. Trust God’s power in the dark times.
 
But do you ever doubt the presence of God? Each night you lock your windows and doors. You make sure plenty of light fills the room. You listen carefully to every little noise outside. You rest uncomfortably when you finally crawl into bed.

Some of the scariest times are those times when we’re all alone. If you live alone, you may have those dark moments much of the time. If you’re not careful, Satan will plague your mind. He will cause you to live in a sustained state of fear. But we have an answer to that old Serpent. We must believe in God’s presence with us even when we’re all alone. The Gospel of Matthew concludes with Jesus’ words, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).

There in your apartment, in your house—wherever you are—all alone, enduring a dark moment of doubt, Jesus whispers to you, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

When you doubt the presence of God, remember that nothing can separate you from His love that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35-39). Nothing!

Is it possible to survive doubt? Absolutely—as long as you know the antidote to doubt. Doubt is inevitable. But while such doubt is normal, it is not healthy.

C. S. Lewis wrote as he was grieving over the death of his wife, “Not that I am in much danger of ceasing to believe in God. The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about Him. The conclusion I dread is not 'So there’s no God after all,’ but 'So this is what God’s really like.’ “

What Lewis expressed is the common experience of all who enter the dark times of doubt. But what Lewis came to understand is that God is gracious, loving, kind, merciful, patient and comforting. The Devil would like nothing better than for us to curse God and die. But while we all enter the dark times of doubt, it is possible to survive these times. Our survival kit is marked “Faith.” Remember Jesus’ poignant words in Mark 11:22: “Have faith in God.” Armed with faith in God, you can survive the dark times of doubt.

Apply:

1. Do you find yourself doubting God’s power?  Look at Jeremiah 32:27.  “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?”  How could you stop your doubt?  Consider praising God for something He has done through His power.  Has He made the sea?  Does He cause the moon and the sun to rise and set every day?  Praise God for the things He does as a way of affirming His great power.

2. Look again at the Matthew 14 passage.  Consider that Peter was the only one who even attempted to step out onto the windy waters.  Are you out of the boat?  Are you walking towards God despite the storms around you?  Are you sinking, afraid to trust Him?  Consider praying right now to ask God to help you keep your focus on Him.

 

Express:
Thank God for always being with us even when it feels like He isn’t there.  Jesus said, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27).  Ask Jesus for the ability to feel His power and His presence and by His grace not to be afraid.

Additional Help in Prayer:
Jesus, I come humbly before You to offer praise to Your great strength and might.  I thank You for being with us at all times even with the storms of life surround us.  I pray that I would bravely follow You, not afraid, but with my eyes looking towards Your glorious appearance.

Practice this Unit:

1. Read Psalm 56 this week.  Look especially at verses 3-4.  “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?”  Do you doubt the promises, provision, power, or presence of God?  Consider offering up this psalm as a prayer every morning this week.  Keep in mind these verses were written by David when he was captured by the Philistines.  Yet he was still able to say “I will trust in You.”

2. Who are you trusting?  Do you trust doubt and fear or do you trust God?  As a reminder that God is with you write down this verse on a card and tape it up wherever you find yourself afraid most often, whether it is in home, at work or in your car.  “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV).