Doubting Spirits
Doubting God and His Word is a
habit imposed by the devil, and the longer it is indulged
in, the stronger becomes its binding power. Doubting
causes a path, or furrow, on the brain like a path across
an orchard or field where many feet have trod; and nothing
but a stern resistance and the power of God can ever erase
these furrows and break the habit of doubting. I repeat
that doubting is a careless habit, imposed by the devil,
for no reasonable person can willingly and maliciously
doubt God. Possibly the worst phase of doubting is
doubting what God has done for the soul. Those who are
habitual doubters often do much praying, but do very
little believing. If Satan can succeed in getting one to
doubt one's experience and cast away one's confidence he
has gained an inroad to the soul, which if not quickly
closed is likely to cause prolonged trouble. I have known
persons to doubt their experience, go and ask God's
forgiveness and doubt Him again before rising from prayer.
A soul thus harassed by the devil soon becomes despondent
and almost despairs of life. Doubting spirits and accusing
spirits are very closely allied, and often work together.
To some people doubting becomes almost a second nature,
and doubting becomes much easier than believing. E such
people would treat the doubting spirit like some people
treat peddlers they would not be troubled so much. Some
people shut their doors in the peddler's face,
notwithstanding his desires to show his goods. If people
would always shut their hearts' doors to all doubts in
spite of their earnest pleas for entrance they would soon
cease to come so often. Doubts, like some book agents,
almost force an entrance, and the only way to get rid of
them is to tell them to go.
NO JUST REASON FOR DOUBTS,—There
are but three just reasons to doubt anyone. (1) If a
person is or has been unfaithful it is a hinderance to our
confidence and faith in him. (2) If a person is unable to
perform what he promises we cannot have faith in him. (3)
If a person is of faithful character and unlimited
ability, and yet we do not have his promise, we still
cannot depend upon him.
1. "God is faithful, by whom
ye were called to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ
our Lord." 1 Cor. 1:9. Who could doubt the character
and faithfulness of our God, who has kept His promises
from generation to generation and proved Himself faithful
even to those who are unfaithful? "If we believe not,
yet he abideth faithful: he can not deny himself." 2
Tim. 2:13. He promised Noah that He would no more destroy
the world by water, and placed His bow in the cloud as a
token of that promise, and though thousands of years have
past, God remains true to His promise, and His bow still
remains in the cloud.
"Since the morn when time began,
Hath His Word ceased to prevail?
Is the God of heaven weak as man,
Or can His promise fail?
"Hath a mortal yet been found
Who hath trusted Him in vain?
Search the whole broad space of earth around,
And search it once again.
"On the Word of God I calmly rest,
With a sweet assurance in my breast;
For I know it is His holy will
Each promise to fulfill."
2. God is able to do all He has
promised. "And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in
earth." Matt. 28:18.
3. He has promised us power over
all the power of the devil. "Behold, I give unto you
power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the
power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt
you." Luke 10:19. "According as his divine power
hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and
godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called
us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye
might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped
the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2
Pet. 1:3, 4. "But thanks be to God, which giveth us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know
that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Cor.
15:57, 58.
We have exceeding great and
precious promises from God in which to put our trust; His
character and faithfulness are irreproachable, and His
power unlimited. This positively leaves no room for
doubts, and he who doubts God does so without a cause, and
against reason. The most unreasonable thing a man ever did
was to doubt God. It is much easier to believe God than to
doubt Him, and yet so many people struggle to believe,
while no one seems to put forth any effort to doubt. Þ
DELIVERANCE.—There is deliverance
for every soul that will accept God's way, even from the
severest case of doubts and fears. If you are a doubter,
settle it first that God is true and that He "loves
you with an everlasting love." Though you may have
failed a thousand times, God loves you still. And though
you may have been unfaithful many times, yet He abideth
true; "he can not deny himself," and "his
mercy endureth forever." Two things you must rely on,
trust in, and cling to. These are: (1) The written Word of
God, (2) Your God-given reason, or judgment. Without these
two landmarks you could never find the way to deliverance.
Feelings will deceive you, doubts assail you, and past
experience fail you; but the unchanging Word of God and
your better judgment are way-marks on the road to peace.
Þ
Meet the conditions of the Word the
best you can, implore the help of God, and resisting
Satan, set your face toward the land of victory,
determined to conquer or die, and Satan, doubts, and fears
will stand back and let you pass. Believe where you cannot
see or feel, and trust where you cannot trace. Your fight
may be a feeble one for a while, but "each victory
will help you some other to win," and you will soon
be able to vanquish your every foe; and standing on the
banks of sweet deliverance you may sing the victor's song,
and sway a scepter greater than that of which earthly
potentates have ever dreamed. Never be discouraged; all
discouragements are of the devil, and should be resisted
as the devil himself. Use your reason and strengthen your
conscience; look at the mercy of God and His loving
kindness. Read the Bible, obey it, and believe it despite
all your feelings to the contrary. Emotions are the
doubter's worst enemies except the devils themselves; but
faith can conquer every foe. Tie the anchor of hope fast
to the rock of eternal truth with the unbreakable cable of
faith and then emotions may rise and fall and the storms
of doubts may rage, but your anchor is sure. And sooner or
later you will learn to pay but little attention to
superficial emotions, and trust in the truth. After you
once gain a victory over Satan you will be much stronger.
Þ
Never give up when tried or feeling
bad, for you are not so capable of judging at such times.
Wait till you feel well, and then consider. Put off giving
up your experience till tomorrow, like some people put off
seeking God and you will get along much better; and when
tomorrow comes put it off again. Or, what is better still,
abandon the idea and go to helping some one else out of
trouble, and God will bless you and bless others.
A DESPERATE STRUGGLE.—The
following is a supposed argument, or dialogue, between
Satan, Doubts, Fears, and Feelings on one side against
Reason, Truth, Faith, and Trust on the other. The argument
is supposed to be concerning a doubting soul that is
trying to get the victory.
Satan (speaking to Doubting
Soul).—You are progressing so slowly of late it must be
that you are deceived in your Christian experience.
Feelings.—Yes, you have been
feeling so downcast several days, and one who has the
victory should feel like shouting and praising God.
Reason.—This is the devil, you
had better dismiss him at once, or he will deceive you.
Fears (coming up hastily).—Many
people have been led astray by Reason, and supposing they
were right, have lost their souls. So very many people are
deceived, you had better examine yourself.
Doubts.—You know you did not get
a clear witness to your sanctification, and even if you
are justified you are not sanctified.
Feelings.—Yes, we all believe
that Doubts is right about this, for at the time of your
consecration you did not feel like Brother A, for he felt
the fire and really knew that he received the Holy Spirit.
Faith.—Pay no attention to
Feelings, but believe in God.
Doubts.—But—those who are saved
should feel better than you do.
Truth. "By grace are ye saved
through faith" (Eph. 2:8); so heed the admonition of
Faith and dismiss these—
Fears (interrupting).—But—but
you had better be careful, or you are liable to turn the
Lord away.
Trust. "Trust in the Lord and
do right," end these enemies shall not harm you.
Satan.—Yes, but as Doubts has
before stated, this soul was not sanctified in the
beginning.
Doubts.—You had better give up
your sanctification and—
Fears "(interrupting
again).—Yes, you had better be sure of it, for it is an
awful thing to be lost.
Feelings.—These awful feelings
are surely the fruits of carnality. You do not feel right
toward your brethren, and you feel so tried.
Doubts, Fears, Feelings, and Satan
(all in unison).—Give up! give up! give up! you know you
are not sanctified now, for you have listened to Doubts.
(At this Doubting Soul concludes to
give up and seek sanctification to be sure of heaven.)
Satan.—Although you have given it
up now you know that you were sanctified the first place
and you could not fall from sanctification without
committing sin, and if you have sinned you are no longer
justified.
Doubts.—Yes, you have doubted,
and doubting is sin.
Feelings.—Yes, and you feel just
like a lost sinner, so you will surely have to repent.
(At this Doubting Soul begins to
weep, and concludes to begin over again and seek pardon.
About this time Feelings comes in, for company, It now
being late, Doubting Soul, weary with the struggles of the
day, concludes to retire for a little rest. But Feelings
and his two friends keep up such a chatter talking over
the day's victory, that Doubting Soul is unable to sleep,
and arising concludes to put in the night in prayer. After
Doubting Soul prays for a short time, Reason and Truth
come in and persuade him to dismiss Feelings and his two
friends and invite Trust and Faith to come in. After some
persuasion Doubling Soul concludes to invite Trust in,
which he does, and concludes to rest for a while, as it is
now growing late. But soon after retiring, Doubts and his
friend Worry rap at the door, and ask to be admitted.
Despite the earnest pleadings of Trust, Doubting Soul
finally opens the door just a little and Doubts and Worry
quickly press their way in; and as they come in at the
door Trust is compelled to climb out at the window, and
Doubting Soul is again left in the hands of his enemies.
After a long struggle with Doubts
and his troublesome comrade, Doubting Soul concludes to
call for Reason to come in again. Reason on entering at
once sets to work to encourage Doubting Soul and offset
the works of Doubts and Worry. After a few encouraging
words from Reason, Doubting Soul concludes to have Trust
and Truth to come in and help. At the entrance of Trust
and Truth, Doubts at once calls for Satan and Fears to
come in and bring Feelings along. At the entrance of
Satan, Fears, and Feelings, Doubting Soul feels somewhat
alarmed; but as Reason and Trust take their stand one on
each side of him and Truth at his back, he feels quite
secure. After a short conflict Satan, Doubts, and Fears
are compelled to retreat to one corner; but Feelings
seeming to be more fearless lingers near for a while, but
finally recedes to the corner with his friends, where all
make considerable noise by way of lamentation, as Reason,
Truth, and Trust encourage Doubting Soul.
Finally Doubting Soul is advised to
permit Faith to enter. At this the crowd in the corner are
greatly angered and Feelings begins to shed tears. But
Doubting Soul is strengthened by Truth and still exhorted
to invite Faith to come in. At the request of Doubting
Soul, Reason goes to the door and opening it Faith steps
in. At the sight of Faith, and even before he is fairly in
the room, Satan, Doubts, and Fears all make a wild rush
for the window and clamber out almost treading upon one
another, while Feelings crouches himself in the corner and
keeps very still for awhile. At the entrance of Faith,
Doubting Soul seems much revived, and Truth says,
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." At this
Faith replies, "The victory is won," and
Feelings is compelled to go out, but lingers near the
door. Doubting Soul now retires for the remainder of the
night while Trust stands guard.
Satan, Doubts, Fears, and Feelings
all appear at the door early next morning and agree that
Feelings shall take the lead in gaining an entrance.
Feelings (rapping at the
door.)—Let me in just for awhile.
(Feelings pleads so sympathetically
that Doubting Soul at once lets him in.)
Feelings (after gaining an
entrance).—Now you feel just as bad as you did before,
and you did not receive a definite witness.
Doubts (from the outside).—Yes,
let us in, and we will help you to settle this matter.
Satan (from the outside). "In
the multitude of counsel there is safety" so let us
in.
Fears.—Now, you want to be sure
this time, so don't go too fast. You had better let us in
while we consider.
(With a few sympathetic words from
Feelings, Doubting Soul opens the door against the
warnings of Reason and Truth; and Faith, Trust, Reason,
and Truth all retire disappointed at Doubting Soul's
conduct, though not in any wise discouraged. Doubts and
Feelings soon convince Doubting Soul that he is not
justified, much to the satisfaction of Satan, while Fears
walks the floor and casts an occasional glance at the
haggard face of poor Doubting Soul.
After the continuance of this for
some time Doubting Soul is very much discouraged, and
Satan says to him, You have committed the unpardonable
sin.)
Feelings.—Yes, you feel just like
there was no mercy for you.
Fears.—I, too, think that this
case is hopeless. Doubting Soul, you will never get out of
this deplorable condition.
Doubts.—I have seen several cases
like this one, and none of them ever found peace. Doubting
Soul, you have now been in my company so long that you can
never again look upon the countenance of Faith, for he is
my bitter enemy and I will not permit him to see you.
Satan.—You are a burden to your
friends, and God no longer cares for you, and you are so
miserable that the best thing you can do is to end your
life and—
Reason (coming up quickly and
entering the room without ceremony).—This is Satan, and
if you do not resist him he will drive you insane.
Satan and Fears (both speaking at
once).—Insane! insane! you are almost insane now.
Doubts.—Yes, see how forgetful
you are. You will never recover from this. Your mind is
affected now.
Truth (stepping in with an air of
assurance). "Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you."
Doubts.—You are too weak to
resist, so Truth must go out.
Faith (speaking from the door).
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved."
Fears.—You have doubted too long
now. You are too great a sinner to be forgiven.
Truth.—"Though your sins be
as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be
red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
Satan.—But you have no confidence
in yourself, even if God should be willing to receive you.
Through long doubting you have cast away your confidence.
Faith.—Your self confidence will
be restored to you if you will "have faith in
God."
Feelings.—You have doubted so
long now, and you feel so weak you cannot believe.
Faith.—Trust me, and I will drive
Satan, Doubts, and Fears to the "four winds,"
and will conquer Feelings and make him your servant.
Reason.—Feelings is always
deceptive; trust him not. Many people feel right who are
only deceived, and Feelings causes many an honest soul to
listen to Satan and Doubts, who are both enemies of God.
(At this Doubting Soul is almost
ready to dismiss Satan and his troublesome companions and
tell Faith to come in.)
Satan.—But don't be in a hurry,
there is plenty of time.
Truth.—"Today is the day of
salvation, now is the accepted time." You had better
invite Faith in at once.
Doubts.—You are too weak to have
Faith come in.
Trust.—Let me enter and sustain
you, and you will soon be strong enough to entertain
Faith.
Reason.—I will assist you.
Truth.—Whosoever will may be
saved.
(Doubting Soul is now much
encouraged and invites Trust to come in immediately, and
Satan, Doubts, and Fears again recede to a corner, while
Feelings stands back at quite a distance. Soon Faith is
allowed to come in again and all the enemies of Doubting
Soul are again cast out, and Truth says, Your name shall
no longer be called Doubting, but Faithful; and so long as
you will trust us we will protect you from Satan, Doubts,
and Fears, and will cause Feelings to be your friend. At
this Faithful takes courage and seeks and obtains
sanctification and enjoys the constant friendship of
Faith, Truth, and Trust.
Many times after this did Satan
come as an angel of light and try to gain an entrance, but
Truth invariably exposed Satan, and Faithful was not
deceived by him. Doubts often clothed himself in pitiful
robes and sought to excite the sympathy of Faithful and
gain an entrance. And many times when Faithful would turn
Doubts away it seemed very hard, and almost like turning
away his best friend. Fears often tried to intimidate
Faithful and make him dismiss Faith, but Faith, Truth, and
Trust would sing a trio, which would always stimulate and
encourage Faithful.
Trust would not allow Faithful to
even look out at the door, at first, when Satan, Doubts,
and Fears were frying to get in, lest he should not be
able to withstand them; but finally Faithful entirely
forgot his former troubles, and when his old enemies came
around he would take Faith with him and boldly open the
door and rebuke Satan and his fellows and cause them to
flee.
Feelings was rather treacherous for
a while, and often came near deceiving Faithful, but Trust
finally enabled him to pay no attention to the foolish
whims and sympathetic stories of Feelings, but to look to
Faith and Truth for guidance.
Faithful soon aspired to greater
victories and remembered his former troubles "as
waters that pass away." And instead of spending his
time in struggling with his enemies he had time to praise
God and worship Him with joy. And Faith "appointed
unto him beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning,
the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness."
Isa. 61:3.
