Spiritual Blessing Blockers – Part 4 | Overcoming Doubt and Unbelief
Of all the roadblocks we allow to detour our blessings, doubt and unbelief are among the most problematic. So far, we have unpacked the basics of what it means to block blessings that are ours as Christians, so that we may prosper in the Lord.
It is not a question of whether the blessing is available to us, but rather, whether we believe the blessing is accessible.
Doubt is the enemy’s snare. When Satan is allowed to use our mind as his playground, he will rob us of our inheritance as sons and daughters of God. Let us learn how to recognize when our blessings are being stolen and how to reclaim them.
What Is the Spirit of Doubt?
Doubt is a normal experience of life, and it can often arise within the context of faith. It is a longing to be sure of the things in which we trust. When it comes to living in faith, doubt is actually an integral part of the journey. When the spirit of doubt creeps in, we are called to rely on our faith. And it is only when we step out in faith that we grow to maturity in our relationship with the Lord.
“…for assuredly, I say to you, 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
So, what does that mean? Jesus is making a point. Faith activates power! We have His power and the only thing that holds us back from utilizing it is our lack of faith. If our hearts are aligned with His will for His glory, we can move mountains!
God knows our doubts, and He wants to assure us that even through the storms of life, we can trust Him. When we let our doubts go unchecked, they can grow into fear and unbelief. As a result of doubt, we could unknowingly be building a dam, layer by layer, that blocks the flow of blessings.
What Is the Spirit of Unbelief?
Unbelief is believing something other than what God has said about a situation. You may believe in God and His plan of salvation through Jesus, but still not believe everything He taught through His prophets. Let’s go back to an important question…
- Do you believe that His blessings are available to you?
“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.”—Hebrews 3:12
This verse tells us that unbelief stems from an evil heart, and a heart of unbelief grieves God. From the beginning, we are reminded that the natural instinct of our heart is inclined to sin. We must be intentional about aligning our heart with God’s Holy Spirit.
How Do I Know If I Am Surrendering to the Spirit of Doubt and Unbelief?
Have you ever had anyone question your integrity? If so, then you know it hurts. Imagine how God must feel when we choose not to believe His Word. If you are walking in anything other than the full freedom offered to you through Jesus, then you can be assured that you have come into agreement with the enemy on some level of doubt or unbelief in your life…
3 Keys to Recognizing the Spirit of Doubt
1. Do you question the Lord’s Word? If so, remember…
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”—2 Timothy 3:16
2. Do you question the Lord’s intentions for your life? If so, remember…
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”—Jeremiah 29:11
3. Do you question the Lord’s love for you? If so, remember…
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”—John 3:16-17
If you answered yes to any of those questions, it is time to choose a change. Recognizing where you are falling into the trap of unbelief is the first step to living free through Jesus. His Word will declare the truth about who He is. Spending time in His Word not only grows your faith, but also deepens your intimacy with God.
The trials in life become manageable when you learn to face the adversary with faith. In contrast, when faith is lacking, you are surrendering to the enemy, giving way to the doubts that begin to block your blessings.
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”—James 4:7-8
This is not to say the opposite of faith is doubt… control is the opposite of doubt. When we feel the need to be in the driver’s seat around every turn and over every bump, our faith is not in God, but in ourselves.
Freedom from blessing blockers comes when we can relinquish control back into the hands of the Almighty!
How Do I Overcome Doubt and Unbelief?
When it comes to overcoming doubt and unbelief, the Bible gives us plenty of direction.
- Confess:
“… ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”—Romans 10:8-10
In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he reminds us that confession is the first step to salvation. So, when we confess our doubts to the Lord, we are aligning ourselves with him in humility.
- Believe:
However, merely confessing our unbelief without action to change the heart is not enough to tear down the walls that doubt can build. Jesus tells us that there must be a transformation of the heart. We must believe in our heart unto righteousness. Our salvation is secure with the confession, but our blessings are not unlocked until we align our heart with God’s will for our lives.
“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’”—Luke 9:23
We must get our heart involved if we want to break the chains of doubt and unbelief that hold back our blessings.
- Pray:
“So Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your unbelief… However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’”—Matthew 17:20-21
Here, Jesus reminds us that prayer is a key component to overcoming doubt and unbelief. When we are truly seeking to align with Jesus, we need to follow His example.
There is power in prayer. The Bible tells us that when two or more gather in His name, that He is in their midst (see Matthew 18:20).
- Fast:
Fasting is a way to keep our thoughts on what we are desiring to accomplish. When we fast, we are resisting temptation and communing with God, telling Him we are willing to make sacrifices for the greater good of His plan. Just as we want to fully trust Him, He wants us to fully surrender to His purpose for our lives.
Remember Who You Are in Christ
When you invite Jesus into your heart, the enemy starts working overtime. Satan wants nothing more than to distract you with doubt and keep you from claiming the inheritance God has offered. Recognizing your rightful place as a co-heir with Jesus is an immediate way to align yourself with His will.
In Romans 11, Paul likens the Gentile Believers as branches of a wild olive tree—successfully grafted into the cultivated olive tree through Christ’s work on the cross. The promised covenant between God and Israel is now available to all… the natural branches and the grafted ones—on the original tree—absorbing nutrients from the original root system.
“…He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.”—Ephesians 1:4-5
In order to fully understand more about adoption into God’s family, you must discover the Jewish roots of the faith and the inheritance that is yours in Christ Jesus… Your blessings are there waiting to be claimed!
You can learn more about your adoptive family… [CLICK HERE].
