The Devil and Doubt
Persistent Faith

Scripture Reading:  Luke 18:35-43

Key Verse:  Luke 18:42

    Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”

The devil loves to defeat us with doubt.  We must learn to defeat doubt in order to live the abundant life God provided for us through Jesus.  One of the reasons it is critical to beat the evil one when he tempts us to doubt, is many of God’s gifts are gained by our personal faith.  We are going to lose out on many of the mercies of God if we allow doubt to destroy our faith.

            The story told in our scripture reading section for today is one of those miracles that would have been missed had doubt prevailed.  A blind beggar was told that all the commotion was Jesus passing by.  He cried out to Jesus, yelling to Him, pleading for mercy.  Those in the crowd tried to quiet him, but this blind man had a persistent faith and yelled all the more!  Jesus heard the yelling and ordered that the man be brought to Him.  Jesus was very clear at that point on the reason he was receiving his sight: “Your faith has healed you.”

            Sometimes we give up on our requests to God too easily.  We ask, but nothing happens immediately.  Doubt creeps in and robs us of our faith that Jesus will answer us.  There are times, not due to our lack of faith, that God’s answer is simply “no.”  But I believe we lose some miracles because we cave to doubt.  When the devil presents his doubt-filled thoughts, we need to do like this blind beggar: call out to Jesus more!  Be persistent in faith!

Father, I know you can do all things.  Forgive me when I doubt and allow worry to overcome my faith.  Keep me strong today, I ask in Jesus’ Name, Amen.