By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit I am constructing this sermon, my motive is to reach those who are trapped behind the great wall of doubt which grieves the Holy Spirit from working effectively on our behalf. I doubt is something you struggle with, if you often feel defeated, if failures supersede victories in your life, please be attentive to what I have to say. The gospel of St. Mark chapter 11:22-24 reads, "And Jesus answering saith unto them, "Have faith in God. 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. Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

What? Move a mountain, yes, strenuous mountains of fear, sickness, stress, persecution, addictions and affliction. These perilous stumbling blocks often make one feel conquered. But this is a lie! We are more than conquerors. Romans 8:35-39 reads, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Paul, through much affliction, came to realize that there is nothing that can take the love of Christ from us. The victory is in His hands and if we doubt, He can't work effectively for us. But don't be fooled by this, God is always with you , He says I will never leave you, nor forsake you, but we must believe in His power and might, so that He may be glorified by our confidence in Him and by our trust He will impute victory over any mountain of struggle we may confront. God is faithful, God is gracious, merciful, caring, loving, all powerful, all knowing, but He is not to be doubted, for doubt is a great wall which blocks the blessings of His glory from our lives. Remember when Peter walked on water? Let us read Matthew 14:25-31. "And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord if it be thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water." And He said, "Come." And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Why did Peter begin to sink into the sea? I tell you because he strayed from walking by faith and not sight, he began to walk by sight and not faith. He saw the mighty waves tossing to and fro as the wind raged in fury and lost focus on his awesome Lord right in front of him. The power was right there for his victory to walk on the water to Jesus, but the wall of doubt arose between him and Christ. But he knew immediately what to do, he called for Jesus to help him and the verse says whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. God is always there for us, but if we want to be victorious in our daily lives, we must not doubt. Victory is already ours as the children of God. But we must proclaim that victory by faith without doubt, for doubt will leave the victory dormant. Further more doubt is sin. Romans 14:23 says, "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not faith: for whatsoever is not FAITH is sin." So just remember every time you doubt in God you not only are throwing up a great barrier between you and the power of Almighty God, you are sinning at will in the eyes of your Father in Heaven and surely this grieves Him. Must we be so ignorant of His glory that we even attempt to doubt in His power? For He is Jehovah-Jireh our provider, Jehovah-Nissi our banner, Jehovah-Shalom our peace, Jehovah-Shammah our ever faithful companion, Jehovah-Tsidkenu our righteousness, and yet so many fall prey to doubt. Why is this you ask? I tell you why, because it's in our carnal nature to doubt, because we lust for proof and evidentual facts to bring contentment and assurance. But our faith is a gift of God, and we must put to practice what we've been given, we must grow in our faith, never forgetting what God has already done for us and to be confident in what He is going to do. Romans 1:16-17 says this, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the POWER OF GOD unto salvation to everyone that BELIEVETH; to the Jew first and also the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Let us move from strength to strength from faith to stronger faith, ever endeavoring in our growth to know God and come closer and closer unto His ways. Psalm 84:5-7 says, "Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca (weeping) make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, everyone of them in Zion appeareth before God.". We must persevere moving from strength to strength, walking in affirmation, running in confidence that our God is an awesome God and our victories reside in Him. For He promises to meet all our needs if we believe He will. Imagine He even feeds the fowls of the air, if He cares so much for them, how much more He must care for us. Afterall He sent His only Son to die for us that we might live with Him in glory! Then He rose Jesus from the grave to live within us to guide us and be our ever faithful friend. Yet some doubt in His faithfulness. God have mercy upon us. God yearns to show forth His love and care, yet He cannot when we doubt. For sin is doubt and He cannot tolerate sin, for no darkness dwells in Him. If you sow doubt, you'll reap nothing except a ball and chain of sin which will ever slow down and even entrap you from a victorious walk with God.

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap". You have heard we are more than conquerors with Christ, we have a great victor at our every beck and call if we would only incite our faith in our ever reliable God. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves", James 1:22. Remember we must love God with all that we are. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment." Matthew 22:37 & 38. Loving God is trusting fully in Him, putting aside all doubt. And having the assurance He's given us through His word that victory is ours who believe it is! Remember He even cares for the birds and meets their needs, so how much more He must care for us! Let us read a passage of scripture from Luke 12:22-31, "And he said unto His disciples, "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not, and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." What a beautiful promise, if we will seek first treasures in heaven, all else will simply be given, from physical needs to spiritual needs. Let us learn what it is to have an intimate relationship with God, study God's Word, learn who He is, once you learn who He is, you can't help but love Him and your learning of Him will bring forth a holy desire to walk on the paths of righteousness for His name sake, walking by faith and not by sight. When trials and tribulations come your way you will know that God will pull you through because you have buried the sin of doubt and as you steadily nurture your faith with good fruit, He will shower you with blessings because you've learned to trust fully in the Faithful and True! For Jesus says in St. Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light". So I urge you, take to heart the precious promises of our Saviour and be still and know that He is God and He will unfold His strength unto you, whatever your affliction, whatever your burden, anything and everything that seems to put a damper upon your life. Rest assured in God for He cannot lie, His promise of eternal life is true, "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began" Titus 1:2. Whatever your need just have faith that God will meet your needs and hold to the hope that it will come all in God's perfect timing, lest you have shadows of doubt.

For what does Hebrews 11:1 say? "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." When we have faith undefiled by doubt, we can be sure that what we hope for by our faith that God will surely give. In all this I have shared with you, be sure to be obedient to God, obey His commandments, be faithful unto Him as He is faithful unto you, keep yourself from any appearance of evil, walk in holiness, for it is written in Leviticus 20:7-8, "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God. And ye shall keep my statutes (commandments), and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you." And this is fair warning for those of disobedience. Deuteronomy 28:66, "And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life." As I said, as God say, Obey His commandments. If not Duet. 28:66 will be your fortune told. Be sure to meditate on God's Word day and night and act upon what you learn, be doers of the Word! I find one of the greatest passages of sound instruction in I Thessalonians 5:16-24, "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." Let us be sure to apply these profound words of instruction to our Christian lives. For if you do, God will work on your behalf in a mighty way, why? Because you are glorifying Him with your life. The great apostle Paul knew what it was to suffer, yet he knew and believed without doubt that God would surely intervene in his tribulations and stomp-out the adversary the devil. And soon enough Paul knew strength would come and because he knew without doubt, he took pleasure in suffering, awaiting his victory which had already been well on it's way. Paul labored in his persistent prayer that God would send strength and God said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is make perfect in weakness". Then Paul said, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, indistresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong." That's beautiful, Paul knew that God would bring good from bad, strength from weakness and victory from defeat, all because God is faithful and His promises are sure. And all God asks is that we believe in Him, live for Him separated from this world and not to doubt His power and He will deliver us from any circumstance that befalls us.

He says in II Corinthians 6:17 & 18, " Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Beautiful, huh? Remember Father knows best and by us trusting in His best we will be more than conquerors! And here is a promise to the overcomer, "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." Rev.3:21. Glory to God! I don't know about you, but I want to sit on the throne with Him and live forever with Him who first loved me! Again I say there is nothing that God can't do and there is nothing we can't do with Him for the scripture says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil. 4:13. And you dare to be doubtful. I want to share another beautiful passage of scripture from II Corinthians 6:4-10, "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." You see victory is always the outcome of defeats when you fully trust and rely on the faithfulness of God. With all this be sure to not doubt in our awesome, mighty, infailible God! Oh that great wall of doubt is a product unbecoming a true believer, for true believers know that God is true and He won't ever leave nor forsake them. Are you a true believer? or do you just profess to believe with the clouded mind of a failing doubter? And for us who trust confidently in God, let us apply the instruction Paul gave to young Timothy because we who truly trust in God will suffer because the devil focuses his atacks on the strong, for the weak are already in his grasp. "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men specially of those who believe. These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (I Timothy 4:10-12) Let us be living witnesses to the faithfulness of our God, that others might find hope and turn from doubt, for we must do this to win souls to Christ, remember wise is he who winneth souls! God will supply all your needs but there is much effort on your behalf to not allow the world to place stumbling blocks before you. You must first kick down that wall of doubt and stand upon the Rock which is Jesus and be rooted and grounded in your faith undefiled by doubt. You will find the great wall of doubt not so great at all when you realize who is greater. For greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. So I close with the words of our blessed Lord, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Glory be to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen!

By the obedience to my God,
Jeffrey B. Quante IV
March 15, 2000