Strengthening Our Wavering Faith – Dr. Charles Stanley

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in touch the Teaching Ministry of Dr

Charles Stanley reaching the world with

the Gospel of Jesus Christ next on in

touch strengthening our wavering

Faith the key to your whole Christian

Life is your faith for example that’s

how you were saved that’s how you have a

personal relationship with God through

his son Jesus Christ when you come to

pray this is’s always the issue of faith

when it comes to healing and asking God

for healing there’s always the issue of

faith in fact your whole daily life is

an expression of Faith either your

unbelief your doubt or your faith and

yet in spite of all that and the fact

that we know it there’s one aspect of

our faith that all of us have to deal

with continually we don’t like to deal

with it we’d like to eliminate it once

and for all but somehow we don’t or we

can’t so I want you to turn if you will

to James chapter 1

and you’ll recall that he’s writing here

to those who are going through

difficulty and hardship and persecution

and so having introduced it in the first

verse he begins the second verse by

saying consider it all joy my brethren

when you encounter various trials

knowing that the testing of your faith

produces endurance and let endurance

have its perfect result that you may be

perfect and complete lacking in nothing

but if any of you Lacks wisdom let him

ask of God who gives to all men or women

generously and without reproach and it

will be given to him but let him ask in

faith without any doubting for He Who

doubts is like the surf of the sea

driven and toss by the wind but let not

that man expect that he will receive

anything from the Lord being a

double-minded man unstable in all his

ways now I want you to get the cont text

of what James is saying here before we

come to this matter of wavering Faith

because it all fits together and so

here’s what he’s

saying as these who were probably

responding to him and talking to him

about the difficulty and hardship

talking about their trials he’s writing

to encourage them and so he says now

count it all joy when you fall into

divers of various Temptations and trials

that doesn’t make any sense whatsoever

why should I get rejoicing over pain and

hurt and things I can’t change and

things I can’t alter in my life yet

that’s exactly what he says and so he

says if you’ll notice knowing that the

testing of your faith produces endurance

he says now here’s what I want you to do

he says I want you to Rejoice count it a

joy when you fall into these testings

and trials and temptations now the King

James says Temptation the word really a

better word is Trials because the word

here means those periods of testing

which have a purpose in them that is

there’s an end to them and that end is

this that you and I would come through

them with their faith being stronger and

our heart being

purer those are two results in results

that God always has in mind when he

either allows us to go through

difficulty and hardship or he sends us

through it and that is to purify our

heart and to strengthen our faith so he

says now when you go through these

things he says listen he says what will

happen is he says it will produce

endurance endurance is that capacity to

hang in there in our terminology to be

steadfast to be constant no matter what

what does that take it takes faith and

that kind of Faith he says will be

tested because all of us are going to

face those circumstances in life where

we have to learn to endure to stay in it

to walk through a valley and to remain

there until God sees fit to release us

from it or to bring us to the end and so

he says count it all joy now what am I

to count it all joy about that I’m going

through trials and testings and

tribulations and hurting and pain no I

am to Rejoice over the fact that that as

a result of this I will learn endurance

I will learn to walk in faith my heart

will be pure and my faith will be

stronger and all of us can Rejoice over

a stronger faith and a pure heart he’s

talking about the fact that endurance is

God’s way of equipping us that is in

making us fit to do the very thing he’s

created us to do when he says complete

he means that he will work in our life

until you and I are perfectly fitted to

do what he’s called us to do and to be

the persons God wants us to be he’s not

talking about sinless perfection he’s

talking about a continuous maturing

process that goes on in our life when

God is in the process of equipping us

and enabling us to accomplish and

Achieve whatever he’s called us for now

then he says but if any of you lacks

wisdom well who’s been talking about

wisdom we’ve been talking about trials

and pain and hurt and heartache he says

but if any of you lacks wisdom let him

ask of God who gives to all men

generously and without reproach and

it’ll be given to him so now why did he

bring up wisdom because it takes wisdom

Beyond human wisdom to face difficulty

and hardship and trials in life and

persecutions and misunderstandings it

takes wisdom beyond their own it takes

Godly wisdom and so therefore when we

Face these situations and circumstances

in life if we are going to respond

properly we need the wisdom of God to

know how to face those situations in our

life that are beyond our control and

things we can’t change and things we

can’t simply alter we need Godly wisdom

and so he says now in order to receive

the kind of wisdom system that will

equip you to endure and to come out with

a pure heart and stronger faith and God

making you the person he wants you to be

he says that kind of faith comes and God

if you will ask him will give it

generously he says God will give it

generously and he won’t Badger you about

it he says listen he gives it generously

and without reproach he won’t come back

and and and argue with you about it that

is he gives it generously but he says

now watch this he says now but

let that person ask in faith without any

doubting for he says he who doubts is

like the surf of the sea driven by the

winds and toss he says don’t let that

person think or expect that they’re

going to receive anything from God so

what does he do he creates the

atmosphere here persecution difficulty

hardship the processes that God’s in the

process of teaching us to endure

purifying our heart strengthening our

faith and he says that comes as a result

of wisely responding if I respond to

hardship and difficulty and trial by

blame and anger and hurt and bitterness

and resentment and hostility and costic

attitudes he says I respond in the wrong

way if I respond properly I’m going to

need the wisdom of God to be able to

listen to criticism and take it and

accept it and move on going to be able

to accept difficulty in hardship and

look to God and respond in the wise

fashion if I do that he says I’ll need

wisdom and that comes as a result of

asking God he is generously willing to

do it if I respond in the right fashion

I’m going to come out of winner if I

don’t I want and if I ask with faith

that’s like the waves of the sea tossed

here in y he says I won’t get anything

and besides that he says being a

double-minded man unstable in all of our

ways now so he sets the he sets the the

whole pattern here for the issue of the

weakness in our faith that is wavering

Faith now what in the world is wavering

Faith wavering faith is faith that

vacillates that moves to and fro from

yes I believe he will to I’m not sure he

will I know that he will no I don’t

think it’s going to happen I thought

that’s what he meant I don’t believe

that’s what he meant I was certain

that’s what God said I’m not sure what

God says anymore I got on my knees and

asked him and I knew he was going to do

it and yet somehow I’m not sure here’s

what he said here’s what I ask I’m going

to trust God hallelujah amen about a

half hour later we say oh God I hope you

will I I I hope you will and so what

happens we go back and you know what he

says he says don’t expect to get it

that’s a pretty strong statement I want

us to examine for a few moments what

causes us to wave in our faith we have

been saved by the grace of God we have

the Bible we have the promises of God we

know what he says we know he’s an

unconditional loving God we would agree

that he’s absolutely faithful he’s

absolutely trustworthy that what in the

world makes us weave and wobble and to

and fro and wave in our faith why do we

do it and so I want us to look to see

what is it that caus our faith to away

well number one number one is this if

you and I are uncertain about what we’re

asking about if we are uncertain about

the will of God if that if we if we

don’t have some promise from his word I

don’t say that you always have to find

some promise but if you and I are asking

making any request of God somewhere in

the scripture there is a promise that

certainly would relate to what you’re

asking for whether it’s a sense of

direction or finances or relationships

or whatever it is that that the the

promise is there so if I don’t know what

the will of God is and I’m saying now

Lord here’s what I’m asking you then

where do I start here’s where I start I

start with this request father I need

here’s my need here’s what I’m asking

for I need to know what is your will

about this that’s where I start what’s

the will of the father do I have a right

to ask God to show me how to pray about

a certain thing yes do I have a right to

expect God to show me exactly how to ask

him or what to ask him for yes does he

want me to ask for the right thing yes

is he committed to showing us exactly

what to ask for yes therefore when I say

Lord show me your will about this how am

I to pray about this I’m not even sure

this is what you want for my life show

me your will God is under Divine

obligation to show you his will about

how to pray for that issue because he

wants you to ask the right thing

he says asking it shall be given you

seeking you shall find knocking it shall

be open unto you everyone who asks

receives he that seeks knocks and to the

person who is searching at he says God’s

going to open the door God wants you to

know so first of all you ask him you say

well did he say anything well yeah well

I think you did no no wait a minute if

you say Lord show me what to do show me

exactly how I’m to pray about this then

whatever the spirit of God impresses

your heart to do then you begin to pray

specifically about that so first of all

if I don’t want wavering faith and I

want to have strong faith I’ve got to

know that what I’m asking for is the

will of the father second cause is that

often times human reason runs counter or

is in Conflict to our faith for example

the Bible says give and it shall be

given to you good measure press down

shaken together the very principle of

this when you’re in need give well wait

a minute that doesn’t even make sense

for example let’s say that I have a need

for some clothes I’m I’m getting a

little ragged and and things are looking

I just I’m getting a new job I need a

need I don’t I don’t have no money to

buy any clothes you mean to tell me if I

give some that I have I’m going to come

out better doesn’t make sense correct

not even reasonable absolutely correct

but try

it you see it’s a matter of Faith here’s

what I want you to see here’s what

happens when you and I trust God do you

know what happens The Sovereign

omnipotent Almighty all knowing god who

is listen who is Sovereign of this

universe when you and I trust him he

listen he gets involved in whatever I’m

dealing with and in his awesome power

provides the need no matter what you see

that’s why it doesn’t have to be

reasonable the Christian life is not

reasonable let me ask you a question can

you reason this one out how can one man

die 2,000 years ago on

across and you 2,000 years later be

absolutely total toally forgiven of your

sin have Absolute Total eternal security

when one man back there that you have

never met never seen him he died 2,000

years ago and today you’re forgiven of

your sin that doesn’t even make any

sense except that he’s God a lot of

things don’t make any sense except that

there’s

God and so when you think about how he

operates god listen God enables Us in

whatever circumstance we’re in it

doesn’t make any sense

agreed just remember that it’s not even

supposed to make sense it just works

because God’s in it a third reason it’ll

wer is

this and that is when our feelings

overshadow or overcome our faith now

most people have the biggest problem

with our faith in this whole area of

feeling for example somebody says well

yeah I’ve asked the Lord to show me you

well are you trusting well I you know so

I just you know the tell you the truth I

just don’t feel worthy of God answering

my prayer you’ll never be worthy forget

it so feelings of

unworthiness of feelings for example of

uh uh my my inability I just you know I

I just don’t I know I’ve asked God to

give me this job and what are you going

to well I’m thinking about I just don’t

know what I’m going be able to handle it

or not while you asked God for it and

God gave you the job why don’t you think

he’s going to help you help you in it he

he answered your prayer well you know I

just I feel so inadequate I feel so

incapable or you know yes I have asked

God for this and I’ve asked him to show

me this and I’m working on this

relationship what but you know I feel so

guilty guilty about what well just

guilty about my past have you asked God

to forgive you yes has he forgiven you

yes he says you know he says very

clearly in his word if we confess our

sins he’s faithful and just to forgive

us our sins cleanse us from all

unrighteousness did you ask him to

forgive you yes did he forgive you yes

but you know I just feel I’m telling you

feeling ings are total

disaster because they change

continuously not daily but Moment by

moment feel you listen if you go by your

feelings your faith is going to wobble

all over the place now that leads me to

something else and that is one of the

primary reasons that uh we waver in our

faith is because we listen to listen we

listen

to the negative counsel of other people

and so often times we Face a situation

no circumstance first people thing

people get on the phone let me tell you

what’s going on what what what would you

do that is the worst thing you can do

listen everybody has an advice and

everybody has an opinion now listen

carefully because most people have a

hard time with this God has a unique

will for your life his will for your

life is not like his will for every

anybody else’s life you are you are a

specific individual whom God created for

the purpose of ultimately bringing him

glory but but accomplishing something in

your life and accomplishing something

through your life and for you therefore

no one else knows the will of God for

your life that does not mean that God

cannot give people insight to give you

wise Godly counsel But ultimately you’ve

got to have an affirmation from God if

listen if you make decisions based on

what other people tell you you’re going

to make the wrong decision most of the

time because most people in order to get

your approval are going to tell you what

they think you want to hear so they’ll

feel good and you’ll feel

good that’s why it’s

unwise and so you may seek Godly counsel

but even if you’ve sought Godly counsel

you listen you want God to affirm that

counsel in some

fashion well I think also when I think

in terms of one of the primary reasons

is that we focus on the circumstances

listen you’re going through some

difficult and hardship in life what

happens when you look at your trouble

what happens to the size of your trouble

trouble when you look at it it’s bigger

and bigger more and more complex the

longer you look at it the larger it gets

the more complex the more difficult it

looks you see if I want my faith to be

sturdy and strong I need to get my focus

on my father not on my problem you say

well now but when when some things hit

you you you don’t know how it’s going to

turn out right but you see I’m to I’m to

look at that in light of who is my God

who who who is this God I’m to get my

focus on him not on my

circumstance because I can tell you just

like you can tell me you Ponder your

circumstance and you keep looking at it

and looking at it and sizing it up and

weighing it and it gets bigger and

larger uh it becomes more difficult to

deal with all the time and so what

happens we say well Lord and and I can

think of in terms of this in my own life

when I first came to uh First Baptist I

came many many years ago and I came as

an associate pastor and then they were

going to vote on calling me as the

pastor and I knew that God told me that

I was going to be the pastor of the

church didn’t tell anybody else that and

well some folks said they thought he

that he told them that but I know where

kneeling down in a motel room at 4:30 in

the afternoon by the way I was in West

Palm Beach

Florida and kneeling by the bed that

afternoon here’s what God Said I knew he

said it though when I looked around

there was no way and I mean I would come

to church and preach and I’d listen to

all these folks who didn’t like me and

going to get rid of me and all these

plans they had of how they were going to

do it and so forth now I’d get in the

prayer

room it’s like God would say to me if I

ever heard him ever say just like he

said this are you going to believe what

you

see what you hear what you feel are you

going to believe what I said are you

going to believe what you see what you

hear what you feel or what I said so I’d

walk out there on Sunday morning get

ready to preach to a whole bunch of

folks who didn’t like me me and didn’t

want me wonderful experience believe

me but you know

what i’ I’d have a difficult time during

the week folks giving me a hard time I’d

get in the prayer room on Sunday morning

that’s not the only time I was there I

was there every day but I’d get in the

prayer room before I’d go out there and

preach and spend about a half an hour

and I’d walk at that and you’d think I

thought everybody that just love me to

death I mean I had the most perfect

peace the most absolute awesome

Assurance but I learned something when

God has told you something you you die

with it but don’t change your mind he

would say to me you going to believe

what you see that was bad what you he

that was terrible what you feel that was

a

horrible are you going to believe that

or you going to believe what I

said Till finally I decided I was going

to believe what God Said No matter what

and I’ve been the pastor almost 30 years

you know what

listen

you have to keep your focus on God if

you don’t keep it on him here’s what

Satan will do Satan will do everything

in his power to cause

you to keep your attention on the very

things that destroy your faith what we

see what we hear what we

feel that’s not the way God operates now

here’s the bottom line now watch this

you listen and say

Amen listen

carefully the issue is how do I correct

this now real simple don’t let this go

by

you you’re asking God about something

and you

just maybe he will maybe he won’t I

think he will I’m not sure here’s what

you do you make a decision here’s the

decision I choose to believe that God’s

trustworthy I choose to believe that God

is faithful I choose to believe that God

will do exactly what he says

I refused to doubt my God now listen

carefully you have to put this whole

sentence in there I refus to any longer

doubt God I didn’t mention circumstances

I refuse to doubt God asking that she be

given you seeking you shall find

whatsoever you shall ask in prayer

believing you shall receive so be it

even even as you believe I I refuse

listen I refuse to doubt God if I refuse

to doubt God that means I’m going to

trust God and so I’m going to I listen

my weaving back and forth from trusting

him and not trusting him stops the

moment I I decide and make a choice I

choose to believe God I choose no longer

to doubt God if I listen if I choose no

longer to doubt God that means I’m going

to trust him you know what happens my

wavering back and forth is going to come

to a conclusion you know why because now

I’m anchored in I’ve made a decision my

decision has been I’m trusting him as as

job said though he slay me I am focused

fully convinced and persuaded my God is

going to answer my

prayer so you make a decision you make a

decision listen listen carefully you

don’t make a decision to stop doubting

your circumstances you make a decision

to stop doubting God you make a decision

to stop I’m going to start believing God

that he’s who he says is and will’ll do

what he says he’ll do now what’ll help

me do that getting in his word and

meditating upon his promises because

here’s what happens when I meditate upon

his promises God begins listen I begin

to Osmos into my thinking I begin to

think the way God thinks I begin to fill

my mind and my spirit those things that

God has said all the time I’m doing that

listen listen carefully that’s why it’s

not enough to come sit and listen to a

sermon that’s not enough you need to

write it down you need to take notes

when we open the Bible read the

scripture when it

says asking it shall be given you

seeking you should find that’s what it

says you know what happens your eyeball

hits that Reg is in your mind in your

spirit then God’s got something to work

with fill your mind and your heart with

the word of God re listen recall the

promise when when Satan hits you with

one of these things and you begin to

waver it you say what’s the promise of

God I’m I have chosen I will not doubt

the Living God you know what happens

your wavering back and forth is going to

come to a screeching wonderful Halt and

listen the blessings of God are going to

begin to flow in your life

you’ve got to make a decision I will no

longer doubt the Living God who is The

Sovereign controller of this universe

and has every aspect of my life in

Absolute Total Control and nothing

listen nothing is working in or against

me that he’s not in control of I have no

need that he does let me ask you

something do you think you have a need

that God’s unaware of

no did he not say my God shall supply

all of your needs according as riches

and glory in Christ Jesus

yes do I believe God’s going to meet my

needs yes well well uh this particular

one no my God shall supply how many all

your needs according to what his riches

and glory in Christ Jesus so what I have

to decide is this I refuse to doubt God

you know what that means that means I’m

trusting him from this point on I’m

believing him if I make a decision focus

upon his word focus upon Him meditate

upon his word and listen a listen affirm

continuously I refuse to doubt the

Living God I choose to believe God I

choose to believe this Sovereign God

will keep his word every

time you know what’s happen here’s

what’s going to happen now watch this

here’s what’s going to happen you’re

going to start praying for specific

things remembering now I’m just not

talking up up in space somewhere I’m

talking to the Living God I’m making a

specific

request and I am trusting the Living God

to answer my prayer

that means from that moment on I will

live with

expectancy

anticipating watching how God does

this it’s like an adventure I’m going to

see how God is going to weave me through

this how God is going to supply this

need how God’s going to work me through

this difficulty how God’s going to see

me through this time of real hardship

and trial you know what happens you’re

going to start seeing God answering

specific requests because you didn’t

just talk to him about it you made a

specific request and you anticipated and

let you made a decision to believe that

God is going to answer your

prayer and the blessings of God going to

start flowing in your life blessings

that God he says listen he has stored up

goodness for those who trust

him if you don’t think you’re getting

your fair share if you take this message

and burn it into your soul and practice

it beginning today your circumstances

are going to change and God God’s going

listen you’re going to open the gates

and God is going to be bless you

strengthen you purify your heart deepen

your

faith and bless you with every need of

your life father how grateful we are

that you are so patient you work so

simply you just move through the most

difficult things of our life loving us

enabling us securing us strengthening us

Deliver Us father from being

double-minded two Soul two mind looking

in two directions for the same thing Let

there no longer be civil war but

absolute peace in our heart that our

trust is in you and you alone in Jesus

name

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amen