Doubt, Part 3: Independence and Suspicion
We’ve reached our final week discussing doubt and praying for protection and deliverance for our loved ones who struggle. (if you missed parts 1 and 2, just go back to the posts from the last two weeks)
Here is our chart, once again. We’ll focus on the last two lines today discussing independence and suspicion.
Independence is a false sense of security in oneself and one’s knowledge. It is an inability or unwillingness to trust God. Proverbs 26:12 “Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Essentially, independence is self-importance and self-reliance that essentially makes us a god unto ourselves. Satan’s first big deception was based on this lie. When he tempted Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil he said, “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”" Genesis 3:5. Ah, being like God, independent and in charge of one’s own destiny. Being like God with no need for support, protection and provision. Independent….and lost. Because we are not like God at all. We are made in His image, yet we are so in need of a Savior. Independence is a lie of the Enemy meant to keep us from the safety of the Savior.
But Psalm 40:4 says, “ Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!” Reliance on the Lord is not a weakness, it’s a powerful, spirit-infused strength that combats “principalities and powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world and against spiritual wickedness” Ephesians 6:13. Now that’s security! We must pray that our sons and daughters continually see their need for the Lord and willingly submit themselves to Him. Pray that the lie of independence would be obvious and the yearning for dependence on their Savior would be insatiable.
Suspicion is the final aspect of doubt that we’ll discuss here. It’s an inability to trust. It’s a constant questioning and refusal to believe the truth of something. But John 14:6 tells us, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” And God doesn’t lie…so if what He says is true, we can believe it. Paul confirms this in Titus 1:2, “ in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.” and Hebrews 6:18, “...it is impossible for God to lie…” He is True. He is Faithful We CAN trust Him! We need to pray that our sons and daughters don’t allow doubt to creep in and stir suspicion against the Lord. And if that suspicion arises, that they have spiritual discretion to know whether it’s a warning of the Holy Spirit or a deception of the enemy to pull them from the Lord.
Now, look at the opposite list that contradicts the list of doubts. God gives so many assurances that fight the doubt stirred up by the devil.
Certainty:
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
Clarity:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1: 1-5
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Confidence:
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
Knowledge:
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;” Proverbs 2:6
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17
Reliance:
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;” Psalm 1:1-6
Trust:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!” Psalm 40:4
Friends, doubt is a scheme of the devil. He will veil our eyes so that what is true is concealed. He will interfere with our understanding so we are confused. He is the author of doubt, confusion and fear….and too often we risk falling victim to his schemes. We MUST be in the Word!! We must know the truth and be able to speak it out to battle against doubt and deception.
Today, let’s pray that God would protect our sons and daughters from the dangers of doubt. Pray that God would make His Truth clear to them in visible, tangible, understandable ways. Pray that, as in Psalm 1, they would not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of the ungodly but that they would pursue Christ only and always.
Friends, only God can turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). If God can turn the heart of a King any direction He chooses (Proverbs 21:1), He can certainly turn the heart of our sons and daughters toward Him and guard them against the enemy.
Today, write out a prayer for your sons and daughters that you can pray throughout the week. If you’d be willing to share it, we’d love to read it! Let’s encourage one another on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). Let’s build one another up in our most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20).
Pray without ceasing.
Courage to Live…or Die
Philippians 1:20 “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”
A classic question that is often asked of children is, “what do you want to be when you grow up?”. The answers vary from ‘ballerina’ and ‘princess’ to ‘doctor’ or ‘army guy’. Sometimes you get funny, unexpected responses, like the student who wanted to ‘be’ the dump truck…(not just drive the truck, but BE the truck).
But few, if any, would have said ‘I want to die for my faith’. That’s sobering and probably not the sort of conversation that we would think to have with our children. (Yet, there are belief systems out there that train their children from a young age that giving their life for their god is honorable and rewarding.)
But at some point, we as parents, need to have those serious conversations. We need our sons and daughters to understand that following Christ requires them to be ‘all-in’. They will spend their life on something, will it have eternal value? Have we trained our sons and daughters to understand and fully believe that a life surrendered to God is a life well-lived? Have we communicated the seriousness of the choice set before them: life with Christ or eternity without Him? Here is the real question, would our sons and daughters be willing to give their life for Jesus?
Oh we have so many hopes and dreams for our sons and daughters, don’t we? But we need to look beyond this temporal life and consider our hopes and dreams for their eternity. Our sons and daughters may be called to hard places where life is fragile or where followers of Christ are viewed as enemies worthy of death. It seems foreign to us, yet God calls people to these hard places to be salt and light. And for some of us, that may become a life that is lived by our son or daughter. Are they willing? Are we willing?
Today, let’s pray Philippians 1:20 for our sons and daughters and ask the Lord to give them courage to live for Him, whether in life or in death, and to live with eternity in mind. And lets pray that the Lord gives us courage, as parents, to support them wherever God calls them.
“Father, I pray for (name) today that they would eagerly live for you in an expectation of pleasing You in all they say and do. I pray that their sincere hope today, and every day, would be that they would honor You. Give (name) an eternal perspective that sees beyond this day, week or year, that pushes past the five-year plan and the retirement goals to the value of eternity at Your right hand. Lord, help them to truly understand how fleeting this life is and make them willing to lay down their life for You. Wherever You lead, I pray that (name) would following, willingly and with full trust in You. Lord, help my desires for them to align with Yours. I pray that I would not get distracted by accomplishments and successes but would pray daily for their spiritual maturity and willingness to serve You with their life. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Confident & Unashamed
1 John 2:28 “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.”
Friends, what better thing to pray for our sons and daughters today than 1 John 2:28? Why not jot it down on a card, put it in your phone or write it on a sticky note and put it where you can pray it over again and again?
Come on, let’s pray it out loud now asking the Lord to sustain our sons and daughters and enable them to continue in Christ, faithful and committed, so they can be confident and unashamed at His coming.
Pray without ceasing.
Be Confident of This
Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Have you been praying for your son or daughter for what seems like a lifetime? Is deliverance on the horizon ….or nowhere to be seen? Sometimes we grow weary, praying and pleading and yet, not seeing any movement or sign of hope that would show us a change of heart or about-face in direction. It’s hard. It’s painful. And it stretches our trust.
Friends, don’t lose heart and don’t give up praying for your son or daughter. God is not done working! Although we may not see the progress we hope and pray for, God may be working in ways we cannot see. He operates outside of time while we are constricted by it. We have to trust Him. Be encouraged by Philippians 1:6 today and pray that God would continue to carry on the good work in our sons and daughters for their good and for His glory. Pray without ceasing and any time you feel discouraged quote Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in (name) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Confidence in Christ
2 Corinthians 5:7-9 “For we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage (confidant!), and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.”
At some point in life, we reach an age or level of experience when we begin to realize, this life isn’t really all it’s ‘cracked up to be’. The rave reviews we heard as a child and young adult painted a picture of ‘living your best life now!’. But as we grow older, we see the faults in the landscape and feel the burden of this life. We see sorrow and pain and perhaps live through it too. We realize that this life isn’t where we should fully invest our hopes and dreams, there’s got to be something more.
That’s where our faith in Jesus comes into play. The more we love Jesus, the less we’re enamored by this world. We know, with confidence, there is something more. We know that this is just a shadow. This life, this world is the ‘black and white’ version...the full color version is yet to come and we won’t believe how spectacular it is!! We have faith and confidence that God will deliver more than we could imagine and we’re hopeful and excited to see that day!
Our sons and daughters may not be there yet. They still see ‘all the things’ they want to experience and accomplish here. Is that wrong? No, God created them to accomplish the ‘good works He prepared in advance for them to do” (Ephesians 2:10) But we need to begin to pray that their love for Jesus would eclipse their love for this world and that they would live fully, as a believer in Christ, and understand that their best life is yet to come.
Faith plays a big part in the confidence we hold in Christ’s promises. A growing faith gives us an increasing confidence so that when we face the hard things, our faith and confidence carries us through. We don’t look to this life here to fulfill our hopes and dreams, we look to Jesus. We can move past disappointments and we can handle the pain because we know and have confidence that what Jesus promises He will deliver.
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters fall more and more in love with Jesus and grow in their confidence and trust in Him. Let’s pray that they are not looking to this life to be their satisfaction, but they have satisfaction in Jesus, no matter their circumstances.
Pray without ceasing.
I Remain Confident of This…
Psalm 27:13-14 “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
If we had to rate our confidence in the Lord, what score would we give ourselves? Oh if asked, we’d likely answer immediately saying we have full confidence in Him. I mean, that’s the appropriate and expected answer, right? But really, if the question is put to us when life is hard, when we’ve faced death and grief, when the diagnosis is not good, when the job prospects have dried up, when the wandering child we’ve been praying for is straying even farther, would we still answer with the same assurance? Do we have that complete confidence in our Lord that He can do more than we could ask or think….and do we live like we believe it?
But here’s something else to consider. We’ve taught our sons and daughters many things, but have we modeled full trust and confidence in God…especially when times are tough? So much more is ‘caught’ than ‘taught’. And if we want them to be adults who have full confidence in the Lord, we need to keep encouraging them to put their complete trust in Him, even when things look bleak.
King David wrote Psalm 27 and it’s a powerful testament to just how much confidence David had in the Lord. Even how it’s titled “A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God” shows David’s confidence. And how much confidence did he have? Let’s look at the challenges he was facing:
Wicked enemies advancing to devour him
An army besieging him
War breaking out against him
The day of trouble (most likely more like a season of trouble)
Enemies surrounding him
The threat of his mother and father forsaking him
False witnesses spouting malicious accusations against him
Did he complain? No. Did he rant and stress over the dire situation? No. No! What did his heart say? “Seek His face!” v. 8 Wow. Wow!! All those frightening challenges, enemies galore and David’s heart says “Seek His face.”
What do our hearts say when we face pain, disappointment, trial, turmoil and heartache? And what do our mouths say? Do we testify to the goodness of God or do we lament at our misfortune? And what about our sons and daughters? Do their hearts say “Seek His face!” when they encounter trials? Oh, friends, we desperately want our sons and daughters to seek His face, no matter what they’re going through.
Look at how does David ends the Psalm; “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” David was sure, beyond a doubt, of the goodness and power of the Lord. His trust in God eclipsed any threat or fear he might face. His God was strong enough to conquer any of it.
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters are filled with hope and confidence that they WILL see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. NO matter what they face, they have an Almighty God who loves them and wants to protect and provide for them.
“Heavenly Father, You are mighty to protect and preserve us in any situation and from any enemy. I pray that You would fill (name) with a strong confidence in Your faithfulness and provision in any situation. When they are faced with difficult or frightening circumstances, when they don’t know from where or when the answers will come, I pray that they would immediately seek Your face and be assured, beyond a doubt, that You will be their helper. You will not reject or forsake them. I pray that You would build (name)’s faith so they can say with confidence that You are their light and salvation and they will not fear. Lord, let them see Your goodness in every aspect of their life and may they testify with their attitude and words to everyone they encounter that their God is faithful. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Saturday Review- Keep on Praying!
Friends, don’t EVER give up praying for this next generation. God positioned them here and now for this time to do the bold work He prepared in advance for them to do. Let’s be that great cloud of witnesses, standing beside them, going before them in prayer and in faith. Interceding on their behalf and praying hedges of protection around them. Pray boldly and with urgency. God is working!
Review our prayer points from this past week. Take time to pray through them again, bringing your sons and daughters, by name, to the Throne of God.
Pray Psalm 46:1-3 over our sons and daughters, asking the Lord to reassure them, encourage them and help them overcome their fear and doubt, no matter what they might face today or in the days to come.
Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah”
Pray that our sons and daughters confront their fear by trusting in God- that He is the One they run to when they are afraid; confide in God and confess their deepest fears to Him- He has the power to overcome them and have confidence and trust in the Almighty to protect them from even their worst fears- what can mortal man do to them?
Pray that our sons and daughters walk closely with their Heavenly Father and find refuge under His wings.
Pray for our sons and daughters to live with that Spirit-led power, love and self-discipline and to not just ‘think’ they can, but to fully believe they can and will do it! Let’s pray that fear steps aside and knows its place in light of the Spirit’s power and presence.
Pray that our sons and daughters would fear the Lord and that they would follow His precepts and have good understanding.
Pray that they grow in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord, so that when the storms come, and they will, our sons and daughters will stand firm.
Pray that our sons and daughters would not be overcome but that they would anchor strongly into the Lord.
Pray that they are confident in their faith and they don’t doubt. But if they do, that a stronger believer would come alongside them to disciple and encourage them.
Pray without ceasing, friends. God is at work!
Have No Fear
2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
It’s rare that we live our lives without encountering hard things, isn’t it? Life is full of challenges. Some greater than others. Maybe it’s a day of ‘everything going wrong’ or maybe it’s a diagnosis that changes life altogether. It could be a short-lived challenge or a chronic issue that becomes a companion of sorts. Maybe it’s earth-shattering or just inconvenient. Whatever the ‘hard’, God equips us to deal. But it’s not US that makes us capable, it’s God IN us.
If we are believers, the Spirit of God lives in us. Think about that. The Spirit of God lives IN US. So, when we’re afraid or intimidated or overwhelmed, it is so important that we remind ourselves of the Scriptural Truth that God’s Spirit is alive and active in us and can empower us to do whatever it is God is calling us to...even the hard stuff. God’s Spirit does not make us timid and fearful, but gives us power, love and a sound mind (self-discipline).
When our sons or daughters call us in a ‘tizzy’ over something that has them fearful, frazzled or overwhelmed, let’s be mindful of how we’re going to encourage them. Friends, our responsibility as parents and fellow believers is to encourage them in Truth. More than just console them (which is needed) we need to encourage them to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and grab hold of that power of God that lives in them. We want to enable Godly living, not enable the fear.
God doesn’t indwell them in order to allow them to remain fearful, but to empower them to live with boldness and confidence to confront what they are facing with Godly strength, love and discipline.
Today, let’s pray for our sons and daughters to live with that Spirit-led power, love and self-discipline and to not just ‘think’ they can, but to fully believe they can and will do it! Let’s pray that fear steps aside and knows its place in light of the Spirit’s power and presence.
Pray without ceasing.
When I Am Afraid…
Psalm 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Let’s try something. Read the following sentences and fill in the blank:
The thing I fear most is _________.
When I am afraid I __________.
Fear makes me think about __________.
Fear initiates a reflexive reaction, whether it be a scream, a jump or a paralyzing effect that holds the person statue-still. That reflexive reaction is not something one ponders and plans, it happens automatically. It’s what is ‘programmed’ into the body and mind as the go-to response.
When something makes us afraid, we can experience panic and insecurity, uncertainty or mistrust and even complete terror. We might lose all sense of hope, security and direction. Fear can unnerve and disorient us. Even the strongest, most confident person can be derailed by fear.
When our children were little and something frightened them, we would see them running toward us and then wrapping themselves around our legs, seeking refuge and comfort. Storms or bad dreams brought them scurrying in, crawling between us, seeking safety under our covers, wrapped in our arms. But, how do they respond as adults?
We don’t want to numb our fears or ignore them. We can’t put on rose-colored glasses and pretend they’re not there. No, we need to face them. But when we do, we must face them with the confidence the Lord provides. We can’t conquer our fears, but God can! Friends, it’s so important to be intentional about how we allow ourselves to respond to fear and that we encourage our sons and daughters to respond appropriately. If we do not seek the Lord, we risk embracing false comforts that are shallow and even dangerous. How many people have we observed seeking comfort in a bottle or pill? How many try to quell their fears in dysfunctional relationships, only to find another form of fear and insecurity there?
Psalm 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
We need to work on our trust-response so that it becomes automatic -so we can say “when I am afraid I…. put my trust in God! … in God, whose word I praise!” And in order to praise God’s word, we need to know God’s Word in order to call it to mind. Intentional time with the Lord in His word prepares us well to face our fears with full trust in the Lord.
And, if we are trusting in the Almighty Sovereign God, really, what can mortal man do to us? We have the Creator of the Universe wrapping His arms of protection around us and He upholds us securely with His mighty, righteous right hand.
Let’s pray today that our sons and daughters:
Confront their fear by trusting in God- that He is the One they run to when they are afraid.
Confide in God and confess their deepest fears to Him- He has the power to overcome them.
Have confidence and trust in the Almighty to protect them from even their worst fears- what can mortal man do to them?
“Father, we confess, too often we allow our fears to control us. We give more power and attention to the things that frighten us than we do to You. Change our view, Lord. Turn our attention to You, Lord. When we are afraid, help us to fully believe in and have confidence in You to protect us. Build in daily reminders that would cause us to look to You. Let our automatic response become trust and confidence, not fear. You alone are our confidence and secure fortress, we have nothing to fear. Do not let us be intimidated by others who would bully, persecute or try to destroy us- they cannot harm us. We are Your children, set apart and sanctified, citizens of Your kingdom with an inheritance from You, our Father. I pray, today, that (name) would be confident in You, free from fear and intimidation. Help (name) to learn Your Word and look to You, trusting in You for their confidence and deliverance. In Jesus’ name, amen.”