Overcoming Doubt

 

Overcoming Doubt

 

　I. DOUBT DEFINED: Matthew 6:10; Romans 14:23; James 1:6-7

— Uncertain — mistrust — apprehensive — suspi- cion.

— Lack of confidence and conviction.

II. JESUS’ REACTION:

1. Matthew 14:31, “O thou of little faith” — Peter.

2. Mark 4:40, “How is it that ye have no faith?” — Storm.

3. Mark 9:19, “O faithless generation.” — Demon.

III. TRADITIONAL CHRISTIANS’ ATTITUDE:

— Condone to extent openly unashamedly talk of doubting God.

— Pretense of honesty — doubt God is way of life.

IV. KEYS TO VICTORY OVER DOUBT:

1. Basis of doubt: John 20:24-29.

2. Location of doubt: Mark 11:22; II Cor. 10:5; John 3:6.

3. Necessity of renewed mind: Hebrews 12:3.

4. Consistent meditation: Philippians 4:8; Isaiah 26:3.

5. Controlled company.

6. Controlled tongue:

A. Praise.

B. Confess.

 

Overcoming Doubt

 

As you begin to learn how to get victory in overcoming doubt, it will help you to walk in victory every day, 365 days a year. This is a victory ministry, but this will give you some extra teaching in this particular area.

I. DOUBT DEFINED: I want you to read three verses of Scripture. Matthew 6:10. We know the Lord’s prayer: “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Will there be any doubt in heaven? All right, then you and I can overcome doubt, where? Down here. I want you to make this confession with me: “Through the power of Christ in me, I will overcome doubt of God’s Word at any time and any place in the Bible.” We want to teach you to how overcome doubt.

Romans 14:23 says, that which is not of faith is sin. All right, you’ve confessed that you’re going to overcome doubt. The next thing you’ll have to do is realize that doubt is sin. Until a Christian realizes that doubt is just as much a sin as killing someone, you’ll not be able to overcome it. You’re going to have to realize that it’s God’s will for you to overcome doubt. Because doubt is the drain plug of your faith. Until you begin to overcome doubt of what God’s Word says, and that God will do what He says He will do, you will not be able to move in the faith arena and the faith sphere as God desires for you to.

James 1:6-7 says a man that wavers will get nothing. He’s double minded. You see, you’ll believe one minute and the next minute you won’t believe. Now you’re desiring to believe continually, and you’re desiring to stand fast upon the Word of God. We’re going to bring some thoughts to you to help you overcome doubt.

First of all let us define doubt or give you the definition of doubt. Doubt means uncertainty, mistrust, apprehension, suspicion, lack of confidence and conviction that God will do what He says He will do. Doubt is really doubting God’s Word. Doubt is really thinking that perhaps God has lied, and that He will not fulfill what He has said. But you and I must come to the place as Christians and realize that God’s Word is true, all of it is true, and God’s Word is spoken directly to you and me.

Many times people say, “If Jesus would just speak to me, then I would believe it.” Dear Christian friend, Jesus is speaking to you every time you read the Word, if you’ll just accept it and realize it is Him speaking. Whenever you have an uncertainty about whether God will do what He says He’ll do, just read these Scriptures: Phil. 4:19, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory”; I Peter 2:24, “by His stripes ye were healed at Calvary.”

But you’ll notice the devil will always come to bring these uncertainties: Mistrust, apprehension, suspicion, lack of confidence and conviction that God will fulfill what He says He’ll do. So when we listen to the devil, we’re throwing doubt upon God’s Word.

II. JESUS’ REACTION: Secondly, let’s look at Jesus’ reaction to doubt. Many people wonder, “Well, how did Jesus react to doubt? How did Jesus feel about it?”

1. In Matthew 14:31 we find Jesus talking to Peter. Peter had walked on the water. Peter was the only one who had enough courage and boldness and faith to get out of the boat, the only one. He walked on the water, but doubt came and he began to sink, then Jesus reached out and picked him up, and said, “O thou of little faith.” Jesus always rebuked doubt. Dear Christian friend, Jesus says doubt is sin; he always rebuked it.

2. Mark 4:40, they were in a storm at sea. A storm — the boat was rocking and rolling and pitching to and fro, and the disciples became fearful and Jesus said unto them, “How is it that you have no faith?” Now here they were facing a storm, and Jesus is saying, “Well, what about YOUR faith? Why didn’t YOU fellows do something about it? YOU have faith; why didn’t you do something about it? Why didn’t YOU act upon it?”

What did Jesus do after Peter had sunk while walking on the water? He rebuked him. Here in the middle of the storm, Jesus rebuked them by saying, “How is it that you have no faith?”

3. Mark 9:19, the disciples could not cast out a demon. Jesus came back and cast out the demon; and after he had cast out the demon, He said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you?” He called them a faithless generation. Now if He will rebuke them for failing to walk on the water, not being able to overcome the storm and cast out a demon, you know He rebukes anything else that involves doubt.

He got on them quickly — how quickly will He get on the Christian today if we listen to Him as He begins to talk to us about the various things and we doubt God. You’re going to have to settle it in yourself, that doubt is sin. It’s sin. Until you realize that doubt is sin, the devil will keep you doubting God’s promises and God’s Word, and your prayers will go unanswered and they will not be fulfilled.

 

Doubt — a Way of Life

 

III. TRADITIONAL CHRISTIANS’ ATTITUDE: Let’s look at the traditional Christian attitude about doubt. The traditional Christian attitude condones doubt to the extent that Christians openly and unashamedly talk of doubting God’s Word. Doubting God is a way of life, under a pretense of honesty. Christianity should be “Doubt-anity” for most people today. Everywhere you go Christians are saying, “I know the Word says this, but…” “I know God can do it, but…” “The Bible says that, but I just can’t see that.”

Dear Christian friend, do you realize what you’re doing? Don’t you realize that “Churchianity” and Christianity today is condoning doubt talk, questioning the integrity of the Word of God to such an extent that it’s a common thing for a Christian to do? It’s just a common practice today for Christians to say, “IF…AND…BUT…HOWEVER,” about God’s Word.

Brother and sister, this is God’s Word, this is pure truth, this is God Himself speaking to you and me, but regretfully we’ve made doubt a way of life. It’s been so condoned, to the extent that openly and unashamedly people will say, “Well, I just don’t believe that.” You will read it to them and they’ll say, “I don’t believe it.” You’ll show them the Bible says, “By His stripes you’re healed,” and they’ll read it and say, “Well, I just can’t accept that.” You’ll show them the Scripture, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.” They say, “Well, I know the Bible says that, but God wants ME to do something about it.”

Brothers and sisters, I come to you in the name of Jesus, encouraging you to stop talking doubt. Never question God’s Word in any way. If you want to question God’s Word, you get aside and talk to God about it. But you see, there’s a doubt complex. Doubting God’s Word under the disguise of not understanding God’s Word has opened the door for Christians just to constantly talk about the Word of God.

So many Christians today, under the pretense of honesty, say, “Well, I’m just going to be honest about it…I know it says it, but I just don’t believe it.” Oh, you’d better be careful when you, under the disguise of honesty, say, “Well, I’m just being honest about it; I’m not going to lie about it.” What you’re doing is saying God has lied in His Word. What you’re doing is saying I know God said it but I don’t believe it.

“Brother Willis, I don’t mean it that way.” Then what DO you mean when you say that? What DO you mean? What do you mean when you say IF, AND, BUT or HOWEVER? Dear Christian friend, when God says it, God means exactly what He says. If we can’t trust God’s Word, whose CAN we trust? If God has lied in part of it, then He could have lied in all of it. If part of it is wrong, all of it can be wrong.

But, brothers and sisters, I believe ALL of it is right, and I believe God is wanting his men and women today to realize doubt is sin, and if they don’t understand God’s Word they’ll keep their mouths shut. Or if they can’t keep their mouths shut, they’ll read it and say, “Well, God says this; I don’t understand it but I believe it.”

Believe It Then Understand It

Brothers and sisters, you don’t have to understand God’s Word. You believe it, and THEN understand it. But as long as you question the integrity of the Word of God, you will limit yourself in how far you can go with God. As long as you are bold enough to open your mouth and say, “I just can’t accept that; I know it’s in the Bible but I can’t accept it,” I want to tell you, I always keep my mouth shut. I’ve said many times, “If something comes to you and you can’t accept it, take it and put it upon the shelf,” but don’t begin to talk about it, you be careful.

 

Humanism Questions God’s Word

 

Now I know there’s a lot of discussing the Scriptures, but God’s people today are unashamedly questioning God’s Word. Just as if I would say, “My car is setting outside, right in front of the door,” but you say, “Brother Willis, I just came in a little bit ago and there was no car in front of the door.” I just parked the car there and came in. You wouldn’t come against me like that, or would you? So let’s make sure we don’t come against God’s Word.

This is a traditional Christian attitude today. I know from seven years pastoring a Baptist church, that members didn’t think anything about doubting God’s Word, and questioning God’s Word. You go right now to the traditional church today and read them some Scriptures, and if they can’t understand it they’ll tell you very quickly, “That’s not Baptist,” or “That’s not Catholic.”

I don’t give a flip-flop if it’s Baptist or Catholic or Presbyterian or Episcopalian, if God said it, it’s TRUE, and everybody else is wrong. Everybody else is a liar. It’s time we opened God’s Word and said, “God has said what He meant, and that settles it. I don’t dare open my mouth to doubt God’s Word.” Hallelujah!

Brothers and sisters, if you’re going to overcome doubt you’re going to have to realize it is sin. But it’s condoned, it’s been condoned to the extent that it is just openly done today.

Now before we look at the keys to victory, let’s go back over the main points. First of all, doubt is uncertainty, mistrust, apprehension, suspicion, lack of confidence and conviction that God’s Word is true. Maybe God made a mistake; maybe I’m not understanding it correctly. You believe what He says here, by faith, and God will clear it up for you.

But what happens? So many times we say, “Well, I’m fearful of getting into error about it.” Brothers and sisters, fear of being misled is demonic itself. If you can’t trust Jesus to keep you from being misled, you give up, because you’ll never make it. If He can’t keep you clear, and keep you out of error, you won’t be out of error. We’re going to have to learn to trust Him in this particular area.

All right, what was Jesus’ reaction to doubt? O, thou of little faith. How IS it that you have no faith? O faithless generation. What is the traditional Christian attitude toward doubt? They don’t think anything at all about questioning the Word of God. Many times I present truths and read the Scriptures, and people will just sit there. I can just see them shaking their heads. They don’t realize what they’re doing. They don’t realize they’re contradicting the Word of God.

Let me give you one of the best examples. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” But I hear a lot of you say, “Well, I know it says that, Brother Willis, but…” Don’t you say that. If God says you can do it, then YOU CAN DO IT.

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Jesus Christ Who strengthens me.” If God says I can, then I can. I John 4:4 says, “He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world,” that means that He that is in me IS greater than he that is in the world, and if He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world, then I can whip the devil. Romans 8:37 says, “I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.”

“Brother Willis, I know it says that, but I just can’t overcome that.” Don’t you say that; the Bible says you are MORE than a conqueror. You know why you can’t overcome it? Because you’re doubting the Word of God. You’re not BELIEVING God’s word. God’s Word SAYS you’re a conqueror; God’s Word SAYS you’re healed; God’s Word SAYS you’re delivered. Just believe God’s Word and don’t let the doubt come out of your mouth, or your thoughts, and you’ll walk in victory over it.

You see, the thoughts you think and the words that come out of your mouth will be fulfilled. You say, “I believe God’s Word,” and you don’t understand a thing about it, God will fulfill it for you. But if you say, “I don’t know about that; I can’t understand that,” the devil will keep you so you can’t understand it. Say, “I believe it, I believe it, I believe it.”

You know this is one of the ways that God has blessed me so tremendously in these past years. All during the time when I was in college and seminary, a lot of the professors would tear the Bible up. They would attack it when we’d get into the Hebrew or the Greek of it, and I’d listen to them put it all up there and show exactly how there were errors in the Bible.

They would show and tell about the flood and about Noah and tell that the walls of Jericho really fell down because an earthquake came. The river was dammed and that’s how they walked across the Jordan; some trees fell down and blocked the water. I just sat there and listened to them. I said, “I sure wish God would have said what He meant.” But somehow, something down inside of me kept saying, “God’s Word is still true.” I’ve always said, “God’s Word is true.”

I said God’s Word was true years ago. When I first started preaching I’d get up and open the Bible upside down. One old deacon came up and put his arm around my shoulder and said, “Brother Willis, you sure didn’t lie to us, you would get up there sometimes and open that Bible upside down.” When I first started preaching I had my testimony and one message, “I’m a debtor to Christ” — that’s all I had. I was called to pastor a church, and I went the first Sunday and preached my two messages, and they called me back for the next Sunday and I didn’t have anything.

I started digging, but I always said, “I believe God’s Word. God’s Word is true.” I didn’t understand it. I’ve had many people bring God’s Word against me and say, “well, what about this? I don’t understand it.” I said, “I don’t understand it either, but God said it and I believe it.” “Yeah, but how does this fit?” I don’t know how it fits, but I believe it.

You say, “Brother Willis, that’s just blind dumb faith. No, that is just faith in God. What God says is true, and because I can’t fit it together does not mean it doesn’t fit. God’s got everything in here and it fits together. I want to say this to you, I want to say it before the throne of glory, and I want to say it before the devil and all his demons, God’s Word is true — it all fits. It is all correct; therefore, you and I must come to the place where we will not doubt the Word of God. Just take it and say, “God, I believe it. God, I believe it.” You may not understand it, but He didn’t say, “Understand it.” He said, “Believe it.” I have learned from experience as I confess with my mouth, that I’ll believe it.

Oh, I can remember when some of the boys would get through some of the classes, and they’d come back from Greek and they’d get old Elbert Willis over there because I was one of these fundies, they used to call us. Fundies are fundamentals, who just believe the Bible. They’d get me over there and say, “Now look here, I’m going to show you right here in Galatians about this and this; you can see they cross each other.”

I used to just look at them and when they’d get through I’d say, “Do you really believe that? They’d say, “Oh, yes, I believe it’s in error.” I said, “Go Sunday and preach to your people the way you believe it.” If they had of preached to the people in the Bible belt that way, they would have run them off so fast. I said, “If you believe it, preach it. If you believe there’s error in the Bible, preach it; don’t cover up, don’t camouflage it, either take it and believe it, or get off my back.”

Brothers and sisters, I’m going to say something I’ve never said before. I believe any church that has a cross over it and doesn’t believe the whole Bible, are hypocrites. Why put a cross on top of the church and a Bible in front of it up there and say, “We believe the Word of God,” then tear half the pages out and say, “It doesn’t make sense?” They ought to have a telephone book there because they have got more confidence in the telephone book than they do the Bible.

If we’re going to believe the Bible, let’s believe it. If God’s Word is true, let’s take it. If we’re going to believe God’s Word, let’s take it and say it’s all true. Let’s not have a cross up or a Bible somewhere and say, “Well, this is what it says here in the Bible; I believe the Holy Bible, but this part is not for today, and this, you can’t interpret that way, it didn’t really happen that way.”

You can’t do things like that. Over here it says healing, but God’s put doctors here today to heal you. I know it says demons, but you don’t cast them out any more. You see what I’m talking about? Doubt. Doubt is destroying the integrity of the Word, and brothers and sisters, when you destroy the integrity of the Word of God, you’re knocking your foundation out from under you. If this is a lie, then we’ve lost it all. But, glory, hallelujah, it’s not a lie, it’s the truth, and we’ve gained it all!

Don’t doubt God’s Word. “Brother Willis, how do I doubt?” If you doubt it with your mind, don’t doubt it with your voice. Hold on, hold on, hold on; because it’s true. God’s Word is true whether you believe it or not, or whether I believe it or not. Because you believe it or don’t believe it, won’t change it one bit. If you’ll believe it you can get the results of it. The more of it I believe, the more I can receive of it. But a lot of people, I’m afraid, have “Doubtanity.” They say, “I doubt this page and I doubt that, and I doubt that.” When they get through they don’t have but about a third of the Bible left to believe.

IV. KEYS TO VICTORY OVER DOUBT. How can we have victory over doubt? What are some keys to it.?

1. Basis of doubt. John 20:24-29; we want to see the basis of doubt. I’ve pointed out to you about how bad it is; now I’m going to show you how to have victory over it.

John 20:24, “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I SHALL SEE in his hands the print of the nails, and PUT my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I WILL NOT BELIEVE.” What is the basis of doubt? Your senses. Thomas said, “If I don’t see it, and if I don’t feel it, I won’t believe.”

Dear Christian friend, the basis of doubt is your five senses. You’re going to have to realize that the devil is the god of this world; he controls the sense area; he can influence your eyes and your ears and your feelings to the extent you’ll override the Word of God that’s in you. So the basis of doubt is wanting to see it or feel it before you can believe it. Faith believes it and then it sees it and feels it. Doubt says I’ll have to see it, I’ll have to understand it, I’ll have to see it work; if you’ll just give me a sign, if I could just get a little word of encouragement; if just a little of the pain would go away, then I would believe it.

Brothers and sisters, that is speaking doubt. When you need anything else beside the Word of God to accept it, you are in doubt, it’s not faith. Faith accepts just the word of God. Now I know sometimes the pain can be so bad in your body and you say, “If I just had a little relief I could believe it.” That wouldn’t help your faith at all, that would help your feelings. Only the Word of God will build your faith and feed your faith. Therefore, you’re going to have to realize that if you have to see it and feel it before you can believe it, you’re still in the natural — it is not faith. This is what Thomas said, in the 25th verse of Scripture.

Verse 26 says, “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” Now Jesus knew that Thomas had doubt in him. Do you agree with me? Do you think He knows if you doubt Him? We need to be a little more careful about doubt, don’t we? Jesus knew that Thomas had doubted, and He came to him and said, “OK, Thomas, feel, boy.” He knew. He knows today when you and I doubt.

In verse 27, He says, And be not what? Faithless. So what’s the opposite of faith? Doubt. “And be not faithless, but believing.”

“And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and My God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Jesus is saying, “Blessed is that man or woman or boy or girl who will believe My Word and has not seen.” Blessed are you when you believe His Word without seeing anything, because that is faith.

Let’s read verse 25 again: “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them,…” and this is how Christians are many times. You can tell them, “I saw a miracle, a leg grew out.” They’ll say, “Well, I’d have to see it to believe it.” “If God would just give me a sign I’d believe it.” Brothers and sisters, when people tell you that, you just look at them and say, “Praise the Lord,” because if they saw it they wouldn’t believe it. Many people want a sign, they want a miracle to believe the word of God. If that’s what it’s going to take, well, very few of them get it.

“…Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put (whose finger?) MY finger…” He’s not going to believe what anyone else will tell him. He says, “I’m going to have to see it with my peepers, and I’m going to have to stick MY fingers in there before I’ll believe it.” You know, that’s so. Many Christians will read a Scripture about healing, and say, “Well, if God would just heal me I’d believe it.” You can’t get it that way. You’re going to have to believe Him first, then you’ll begin to get the signs.

Verse 26 says, “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither (whose finger?) THY finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither THY hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”

Verse 29 says, “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

All right, the basis of doubting God’s Word is what? I have to see it to believe it. Your senses. You’re going to have to realize more and more, your senses will not line up with the Word of God. The devil is always trying to bring enough evidence against your eyes and your ears and your feelings to make you doubt God’s Word.

2. Location of doubt: Secondly, what is the location of doubt? Turn to Mark 11:22, “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.” Literally this means have a God kind of faith.

In verse 23 we read, “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his HEART, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” Now listen to me carefully. He says if you do not doubt in your what? Heart. You’ll have whatsoever you say. Now he does not say if you shall doubt in your mind. Your heart means your spirit. In the New Testament the heart is referring to your spirit.

Now for you and me, our spirits have no doubt in them. Let me explain this to you now. When Jesus was speaking these words, He was speaking to people before the cross. Now one could be saved in the way we are today, because today you cannot be saved except through the shedding of the blood, remission of blood, the shedding of His blood. After the cross, after the death, after the resurrection of Jesus, then He ascended back to heaven and the Holy Spirit came. All right, what happens to our hearts? When the Holy Spirit comes and touches our heart, John 3:6 says flesh is born of flesh and spirit is born of Spirit — our heart, or our spirit, is regenerated.

He says in II Corinthians 5:17, behold, old things pass away and all things become new, and you become a new creature in Christ. What becomes new? Not your body, but your spirit. Now your spirit is created and the Holy Spirit comes to live in it, right? There is no sin in your heart. The sin, the doubt, is in your head.

Now why did He say unto them, “Don’t doubt in your heart?” Their hearts had not been regenerated by the work of the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come. Only through a heart that is regenerated by the work of the Holy Spirit is there no sin. But the devil puts the doubt in your head. This is why the mind has to be renewed by the Word of God, so you can drive the doubt out and your mind will be open and you’ll refuse the doubt.

If you let your mind get cluttered with doubt, it’s like cutting the light switch off — you cut your faith off. So doubt is in your head. You can have doubt in your head, and faith in your head. He says, “Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart…” Heart means your what? Your spirit.

John 3:6 says flesh is born of flesh and spirit is born of Spirit. When the Holy Spirit gave birth, touched your human spirit and gave birth to it, recreated it, it became a holy place for the Holy Spirit to live. Therefore, you’re going to have to realize that when doubt comes, anything that questions the integrity of the Word of God, it comes to your mind. Who does it come from? The devil. Therefore you’re going to have to have your mind renewed by the Word of God.

“Brother Willis, how is my mind renewed by the Word of God?” You simply take the Bible and continue to read and study and meditate upon the Word until you get the Word of God in your mind. When you have the Word of God in your mind, the devil will come against you and say, “You’re not going to get it.” Then automatically the Holy Spirit says, “Whatsoever you desire, when you pray, you shall receive it.”

There you have two thoughts in your mind. The devil injects doubt, and the Holy Spirit brings to mind the Scripture. Then you, by an act of your will, decide what you’re going to accept. If the Word of God is strong enough in your mind, then you can take that and drive the doubt out; but if the Word of God is not drilled into your mind, the doubt will drive the Word out, and you’ll cut off your faith and you’ll not receive your answer. Am I making this clear to you?

Let me go through it for you again, because you need to get it clear if you’re going to overcome doubt. Doubt is in the head, not the heart. There is no doubt in the spirit; the spirit is a new creation in Christ. Old things have passed away. But the devil knows that as long as he can make you doubt in your head, you’ll not act upon it.

Here’s what he does. You start believing God for something; then the devil shoots your head with doubt. And next thing you know…well, let’s say for example you’re believing God for a healing. You ask Him to heal you. The devil shoots through your feelings pain in your body. Your head begins to doubt if you’re healed. And then all at once in your mind comes the Scripture: “By His stripes I am healed.” Now if your mind is renewed by that Word, you’ll be able to take that Word and drive that doubt out, then that will kill that pain and you’ll walk out your healing.

BUT, if that Word is not imprinted in your mind, good and strong and hard, if you haven’t meditated on the Scripture in a deep way, when the doubt comes…it will come through your ears or your eyes or your feelings; it will override the Scripture and you’ll yield to the doubt and then you’ll get what doubt gives you. But if you hold to the Word of God, then the Word of God will maintain and you’ll get what the Word of God says unto you. Are you understanding what I’m saying?

You have to realize the basis of doubt is your senses. How does doubt get to your mind? Through your eyes, your ears, and your feelings. You see, there is no way you can doubt that you’re healed if you’ve got the Scripture in you, unless you get a pain that contradicts the healing, or you get something through your eyes or ears that contradicts the healing, right? You see, you believe the Word of God; you believe, “By His stripes I’m healed.”

All right, the devil says, “OK. He is saying now, ‘By His stripes I’m healed;’ how can I defeat him?” First of all, he’ll jab you with a pain. That pain will register in your mind, and he’ll put a thought in your mind, and you’ll say, “Uh, oh, I didn’t get it.” Then someone else will walk up to you and say, “How do you feel?” He hits you with your feelings, he stuck it into your mind, then someone comes up and puts some information in your ears. Then the next thing you know, you look down and the knot is still there, and you see it with your eyes. What you got with your feelings and your ears and your eyes was too much. So you will take off to the doctor. Do you understand what rules? Feelings!

The only way the Word will rule — you will have to, yourself, take these Scriptures and confess them with your mouth, over and over and over, to get them in you. I know, I’ve been through this, saints. I can remember when I was walking out healings when I first came into this, my mind would just poof. One minute I’d say, “By His stripes I’m healed,” and the next minute my mind would think about how bad I felt.

When you’re walking out a healing all at once your mind will be thinking on your sickness before you even realize it. Am I talking to you? You’ll be believing God for some financial miracle, and you’ll not even be thinking and all at once you’ll catch yourself thinking about it. How does this happen? The devil bombards you.

From the minute you begin to act upon a Scripture, the devil is going to bombard your mind with doubt. He’s going to bombard your mind with doubt through your eyes, what you see, what you hear, and what you feel. He’s going to try to bring enough against your feelings, through your ears, and through your eyes, that you will take the eye, the ear, and the feeling information and push aside the Word of God. Then you’ve lost the battle.

So the basis of doubt is your senses. The only way the devil can get this doubt information to you is through your eyes, your ears, and your feelings. He can also use your smell and taste, if it’s in a particular area like that. But he uses your senses.

So where is doubt? In your head, not your heart. So whenever you believe God for something, and doubt comes in your head, you realize that doubt is in your head and not your heart, just say, “No, that doubt’s not in my heart.” Here’s what happens to most Christians. They’ll pray for something, and the next thing you know doubt comes in their mind, and they say, “Uh, oh, I guess I didn’t believe God for it, so I won’t get it.”

Our home, we walked it through. The devil probably shot a million doubts into my head, probably two million, morning, noon and night. Listen, brothers and sisters, I walked it out. It didn’t come easy, it was a spiritual battle. But, you see, I have enough of the Word in me that whenever the doubt comes, I shut it out if it doesn’t line up with the Word of God. I can’t stop doubt from coming, but I can slam the door on it mighty quick. But most Christians, when the doubt comes they say, “Oh, oh, oh, oh…” Then you think, “I’ve got it; it’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine,” and you’ll get a little victory. About that time the devil just booms again, and you say, “Ahhhhh.” That’s how it goes.

What will determine your answer, is how much Word is in you. If you just know that Scripture with your head, he’ll drive that Scripture out and the pain or what you have through your eyes or ears will override, and you’ll give in to that and that’s what you’ll get.

So the basis of doubt is your senses, and the location of doubt is in your head, not your heart. When he shoots doubt in my head, my mouth starts going, “Praise God, praise God, glory, hallelujah, thank You, Jesus.” He shoots doubt in my head, and my mind just keeps going, “Oh, glory, hallelujah, praise God…” He shoots a little pain in my body, and my mouth is still going, “Oh, glory, glory.” I just keep my mouth and my mind set on Jesus. “Is it easy to do it, Brother Willis?” No, it’s not easy to do it; but after you keep on doing it for a while it gets easier and easier. I don’t have near the problem with it now that I used to. Listen, what I know about this, I walked through. Everybody who comes, comes in the same door.

3. Necessity of renewed mind. Your senses is the basis of doubt. Let me say it to you again. I know I’m going over and over it, but I want to get you clear on it. This is victory for you over doubt. How does doubt get in your mind? Through your senses — eyes, ears, feelings, smell, taste — that’s how it gets in your mind. Where is doubt located? In your what? The Scripture says if you don’t doubt in your HEART — there is no doubt in your heart. Your heart is pure, because Jesus has made it that way. Therefore, there is the necessity for the renewing of the mind. Here’s what happens to most of you whenever you get defeated. Because all of you are walking things out, here’s what happens.

Hebrews 12:3, “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” How do you faint in your mind? If your mind is not renewed by the Word of God, after so much doubt, after so much pain, your mind gives way and lets the doubt and the pain rule. You get weary in your mind. Your mind gets tired of concentrating upon Scripture, and next thing you know it’s easier to just say, “Oh, well, what’s the use?” and go get your pills or go to the bank. He says, “Lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” This is why a renewed mind is an absolute necessity. How is your mind renewed? By the Word of God.

This beautifully explains the renewing of the mind. You see, your mind is like a computer. Ever since you’ve been born, the devil, through your eyes and ears and your feelings and your nose and your mouth, has been programming you. He’s been programming you. You smell something and you say, “Well, that’s a cherry pie.” How do you know what you smell is a cherry pie? Because you’ve been programmed that that’s a cherry pie. You’ve been programmed to a certain smell as being a cherry pie. You taste of something and you say, “Well, that’s strawberry ice cream.” Well, why do you say it’s strawberry ice cream? Because you’ve been programmed that’s how strawberry ice cream tastes.

Now if you had never been told that was strawberry ice cream and didn’t know anything about strawberries or how strawberries taste, you wouldn’t know what it tasted like. So what the devil has done — ever since you’ve been born, he’s been, through your five senses, putting information in your computer. Now what God says is, “I want you to take my Word and reprogram your mind. I want you to take My Word, which is mightier and greater, and take out all that worldly information, and put My Word in.”

Now, let’s say for example you’re thirty years old. The devil has programmed your mind for thirty years, and all at once you decide you’re going to reprogram it. Thirty years of running in one track — it doesn’t reprogram easily. You do know that, don’t you? It kicks out this new information because it doesn’t like it. This information doesn’t agree with the old information. Therefore, there must be a consistency in your life of putting in the new information so that you’ll have it in there to erase the old information. God’s Word is stronger — this information is stronger than what you’ve received through your five senses, through the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Therefore as you get this in your mind you’ll be able to override the doubt.

One more way of explaining it to you. The Lord showed me a cassette player. A cassette player with a cassette tape in it. The cassette tape already has information on it. You punch the play button, and the tape plays the information that’s on it, right? Today, you see, you are programmed by the world, and the devil punches the button, or the world punches the button, and that’s what comes out. All right, you take the same cassette player with that cassette tape in it, and you push the play and the record buttons, and you start speaking new words into that cassette player. The new words are mightier than the old words and that cassette player erases the old words and puts the new words on the tape.

Brothers and sisters, God’s Word, the Bible, is mightier than what you have in your mind, so if you’ll stay with it, it will erase the old and put the new in. This is why there’s the necessity of the renewed mind. But the devil has programmed you for thirty years, and he’s not going to give up his program easily. You’re not going to get reprogrammed in one minute or one hour or one year. You’re going to have to consistently begin to put new information into your computer.

The more new information you get in your computer, the more information you have to follow God with. If you just have five words of the new information in your mind, then all you can act upon with God is those five words; but if you have 500 new words in your computer, then the Holy Spirit can quicken 500 new words to you. Do you understand what I’m saying?

If you have one Scripture in your mind, then the Holy Spirit can only quicken one Scripture; if you have 50 Scriptures in your renewed mind, then the Holy Spirit has 50 Scriptures to choose from to reach you in that particular time or situation that you need to get victory. If you’ve got 500, the Holy Spirit has that many He can use. This is why it’s so important not to doubt God’s Word, and get it in your computer. I’m calling your mind a computer; do you understand what I mean?

If you’re wondering why it’s so hard to remember the Bible, why it’s so hard to study, it’s because the devil fights you on it. He knows when you get this information, it will erase his. Because the Word of God is stronger. So he’s got to keep you from getting the Word in there.

The next thing you know, you get God’s Word in there, and it says, “By His stripes you’re healed,” and you’ll say, “Huh, that old information says I’ve got to go to the doctor, but the new information says by His stripes I’m healed. Hummmm,” and the new information gets stronger, and the next thing you know — “I don’t need a doctor!”

The old information says everybody has to get healed by the doctor. But you know the new information gets in there and says, “Believers shall lay hands on the sick and they’ll be healed.” You’ve got two types of information in your computer — the old information and the new information. As you meditate on that new information, it gets stronger. Then you can say, “Come here, let me lay my hands on you.”

The old information says, “Be reverent, be reverent.” The new information says, “Praise Him, make a joyful sound.” You get that new information, and it is mightier, and it has been building in you. The next thing you know, you’re praising Him with joy. That new information gets in you, you believe it and it overrides the old information.

The old information says, “Keep your hands crossed reverently in front of you, or in your pocket.” That’s old information, right? But you get the new information in your computer and it says, “Raise holy hands to the Lord.” Next thing you know, the new information overrides the old information, and you’ve got your hands up, you’ve got your antennae up. Isn’t that what’s been happening to you?

The more of God’s Word you get, the stronger it becomes, and it will always override the old information. When doubt comes on any subject, the new information is mightier because it is God’s Word, it’s pure truth, and it will override all the old information. The old information came through your five senses, but this new information you have in your mind, the Holy Ghost puts His spotlight upon it and quickens it. That’s how you overcome doubt. It’s simple, but it’s a war, up here. Stay on that Word. Whichever information in your computer is reigning, that’s how you react. If joy and victory information in your computer is on top, then you’ll move in joy and victory.

4. Consistent meditation: Philippians 4:8. Only think on those things that are just, holy, pure, lovely, honest, and of good report. Don’t let your mind think outside of Philippians 4:8.

Isaiah 26:3 says he whose eye is stayed upon (let’s say) Jesus, shall have perfect peace. He whose eye is stayed upon Jesus shall have perfect peace — on God? Well, I can’t see Him. How do I have perfect peace? He whose eye is stayed upon Jesus — this is Jesus for us, the Word that comes to your mind.

Jesus says, “I can do all things.” Fear comes to your mind — you get your eye stayed on Jesus, in II Tim. 1:7 where Jesus says, “I haven’t given you a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.” How do you stay your eye on Jesus? Stay it on the Scriptures, and the Holy Ghost will speak to you through the Scriptures.

5. Controlled company. When you’re walking in doubt you can’t walk among unbelievers — stay away from them. Control your company. There’s a time to witness, but I want to tell you, when you’re having a battle, you’d better stay around believers. If you don’t you’ll find Job friends on every corner. They’ll be good Christians, too. So if you’re going to have victory over doubt, you have to control the company you walk in.

I don’t any more because I can handle that thing, but used to if someone got around me and they started talking doubt, I left quick. I’d go to someone’s house and they started telling me all their problems and I was walking in problems myself, I couldn’t help them or we would both have been down. I was smart, I got out; then when I’d get up I’d come back.

6. Controlled tongue.

A. Praise

B. Confess

I want to tell you, if your mind is stayed upon the Scriptures, and your mouth is praising Him in English and in tongues and making good confessions, doubt can’t stay. Doubt may come into your mind and it will hit your mind and hit your mind, but all at once your mind will jump in on the Scriptures and your mouth will go (tongues), glory, hallelujah, praise the name of Jesus, He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world, I’m more than a conqueror; and while you’re saying that your mind has the Scripture in it and it’s driving the doubt out. The Holy Ghost will bring up a Scripture, and you open your mouth and start praising God, and speaking in tongues, and getting your mind stayed upon Jesus, and you’ll have victory.

Let me lead you in a confession: “In the name of Jesus, I say I’m going to get the Word of God in my mind, and I’ll reject anything that comes into my computer that contradicts or questions the Word of God, because God will not give me His Word and then question it. So whenever God’s Word is questioned I know, I know, I know it’s the devil; and I have power over you, devil, and in the name of Jesus I’ll use the Scripture in my mind and the name of Jesus on my mouth, and my heavenly language on my lips, and I’ll keep my eyes stayed on Jesus.”

He whose MIND is stayed upon Jesus shall have perfect peace. He whose MIND is stayed upon his troubles, has troubles. He whose MIND is stayed upon Jesus has health; he whose MIND is stayed upon his pain, gets more pain. So doubt and do without, or believe and receive. Praise the Lord.