July 26
Encouragement for Today
“Drop the Doubt”
Luann Prater, Proverbs 31 Speaker Team Member
Key Verse:
John 18:17, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” (NIV)
Devotion:
Satan is clever. We are told he is always scheming. In this passage, he sends a slave girl to deliver his scheme of doubt. A simple question worded with the presupposition that Peter will say no. In the Garden of Eden, he posed a very similar question to Eve, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The fact is no, God did not say that, but Eve entertained the question and it changed her life forever.
Satan’s method-of-operation hasn’t changed because it continues to work! He trips us up in the same way:
“That movie isn’t that bad, is it?”
“Everyone else calls in sick, don’t they?”
“It won’t matter if I skip church, will it?”
“It won’t matter if I do it just this once, will it?”
“No one will find out, will they?”
What question is Satan whispering in your ear? Where is it coming from? When Peter was singled out and alone, away from his band of believers, he was caught off guard. He had just been with Jesus in a Spirit-filled experience, praying in the garden. And yet when he was separated from the group, left standing outside the gate, given time to let his imagination run wild as he watched Jesus being led away, he was vulnerable. Satan’s seemingly innocent little question beckoned a ‘no’ response. “You are not one of them, are you?”
Think about the parallel! He used the lowliest person in that culture to deliver the question, not just a girl—but a slave girl! Peter could have just walked away, but he responded with the answer Satan was betting on.
Satan is watching how we live our lives. He sees when we separate ourselves from other believers, when we are alone and doubting or numb from our circumstances. At just that moment he flings the flaming arrow straight for our doubting mind in the form of a question from the most unexpected and insignificant source.
Peter learned how to drop doubt and became the leader of the early church. Dropping doubt requires that you know the truth. Peter had first-hand experience knowing our Lord and then the precious gift of the Holy Spirit. We discover the truth in God’s Word, from the Holy Spirit who lives inside each believer and through fellow believers who band together to remain strong in the faith.
Satan may be clever, but he is not original. We know his schemes. He repeats them over and over. Don’t entertain the question and you too will drop the doubt.
My Prayer for Today:
Lord, we live in a world that lies about the truth. It tells us that truth is relative. That it is different for everyone. But Your Word tells us the unshakeable truth. Help us this day to hold on to the truth and drop the doubt that Satan is trying to fling into our life. We ask this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Application Steps:
Read John 15:9-17.
Practice calling out this verse when a doubt enters your mind, “2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Concentrate on the last part of that verse, “take captive every thought.” I encourage you to call out this verse each and every time a negative thought or provocative question pops into your mind. Symbolically grab it in the air as if you are catching it, recite the verse and then let it go. Watch God honor your faith and Satan lose any hold on your mind.
Call two Christian sisters and pray with them over the phone. Ask the Lord for protection from doubts and schemes the devil is preparing to throw in your path.
Reflection Points:
What nagging question has been occupying your mind this week?
Who delivered the first seed of doubt?
What step can you take today to walk away from the temptation brought on by this thought?
Share your victory over doubt with someone else.
Power Verses:
Matthew 21:21-22, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not no only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (NIV)
John 16:13, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” (NIV)
1 Corinthians 1:27, ”. . . God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (NIV)
Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (NIV)
Additional Resources:
Who Holds the Key to Your Heart, by Lysa TerKeurst
http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/newresources_whoHoldsKey.htm
Coming Out of the Dark, by Mary Southerland
http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/newresources_outDark.htm
Message of the Month Club
http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/resourceMessage.htm
Originally published Tuesday, 26 July 2005.
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