Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 7:17-23 "WINNING THE WAR AGAINST DOUBTS"
Day 85 – Luke 7
Text: Luke 7:17-23
WINNING THE WAR AGAINST DOUBTS
Doubts can and do trouble just about everyone. They may come at any time. They can assail a person mercilessly. They can cause a person to feel depressed, empty and confused.
What can we do when we are severely disturbed by doubts? How do we win the war against doubts?
FUNDAMENTALS- AN IMPORTANT DEFENCE
A lesser man would have collapsed when thrown into jail by a wicked and unjust king. Herod the Tetrarch was cunning and grossly abused his powers when he threw John into jail for speaking up against his immoral behaviour.
John would need to call up whatever reserves he had in him to fend off the first wave of depressing feelings, when he first stepped into prison! What were his fundamentals like?
Remember what Luke wrote about John as he was growing up? Let us re-read the familiar words,
“So the child grew and became strong in spirit,
and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”
Luke 1:80
How we often neglect our “fundamentals”. It is almost “too little, too late” when we wait till doubts come our way, to build up adequate defences. It is important that we teach our children from a very young age to develop strong fundamentals so that they can cope with the vagaries of life lots more effectively.
It might be difficult, but we must try, perhaps work even harder at developing fundamentals even right now. “Strong in spirit” – is an important fundamental. That was Luke’s description of one of the most outstanding fundamentals in the life of John. Doubts assail more than the mind. Doubts challenge our very spirit! Only one who is very strong in spirit can defeat the power of doubt!
STAYING FOCUSED
John kept in touch with the life and ministry of Jesus. We understand this to be the case, when we read that his disciples reported to him concerning the things Jesus did (Luke 7:18). This routine reporting was not John’s way of catching up with world news. John kept up with the movement and activities of Jesus simply because he believed with all his heart that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Lamb of God.
Did he not speak to Jesus Himself ? Did he not humbly acquiesce to Jesus’ request for baptism? Did he not hear the very voice of God Himself declaring Jesus to be His beloved Son in whom He was well pleased? Did he not also see the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending on Jesus? Did he not tell his own disciples that Jesus was indeed the Lamb of God? Some had already become Disciples of Jesus!
The war against doubt can only be won when we learn to stay our minds on that which we know to be true! Doubts assail our feelings. Doubts seek to confuse our minds. The best weapon is to stay focused!
We are reminded of what Isaiah said,
“You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is STAYED on You,
Because he trusts in You.
TRUST in the Lord forever
For in YAH (Jehovah), the LORD
Is everlasting strength.”
Isaiah 26:3-4
CLEARING UP DOUBTS
John the Baptiser had always been forthright. He continued to be what he was all along. He sent two of his disciples to Jesus with a question. This was John’s way of dealing with his doubts. He had always been an honest searcher of truth, and he wasn’t about to stop now.
“Are You The Coming One,
or do we look for another?”
Luke 7:20
John knew God well enough to believe that one can be direct and forthright about our feelings and our doubts! God would not be upset or offended if such bold and direct questions were raised up.
Would Jesus be offended and upset with such a direct question? Would He be disturbed by what seems to be an impertinent question? John counted on Jesus coming up with the right answer.
If Jesus was indeed the Messiah , then He would not be upset at all. He would understand the depth of pain John felt. The Scriptures had this to say about the Messiah-Servant,
“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,
My Elect One in whom My Soul delights!
I have put My Spirit upon Him…
He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench…”
Isaiah 42:1-3
ARE WE DEALING WITH OUR DOUBTS EFFECTIVELY?
Many of us continue to struggle with our doubts. We need to know how we can deal with our doubts effectively, or we will always be in danger of being overwhelmed. Let us come to our precious Saviour with ALL our doubts. Let us seek to win this war against doubts! We can through the grace that is in Christ Jesus, our Saviour.