Faith that Moves Mountains: The Enemies of Faith

Word of Life Study Series

Welcome to Word of Life Study Series- Faith that moves mountains! There are enemies in this hostile world that are bent on destroying our faith. We could take an entire season on this subject alone. For time sake, we will focus our study on three main ones: fear, doubt and unbelief. These are Satan’s main weapons that are designed to undermine, and destroy our faith in God. Let us now disclose these enemies, and discover some Biblical strategies in order to overcome them. 2 Corinthians 2:11, "In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes."

1. Three kinds of Fear

Fear is a paralyzing force that holds people in a helpless grip of torment. It is of the devil, and is part of his arsenal to destroy mankind- fear is simply faith in the devil. When I looked up the Greek meaning of fear in my Vines Expository Dictionary, I discovered that there are many renderings, and applications in the Bible concerning the subject of fear. Everything ranging from a good kind of fear that speaks of a reverential, respect, and awe of God to a diabolical type that comes straight from the pit of hell.

2. Doubt, the Double Minded

In our study concerning the enemies of faith, we come to our next adversary- doubt. This subtle enemy plants itself into the minds of believers in order to hinder the flow of faith from their hearts. Doubt creates an instability in our lives, to waver and hesitate in putting faith in God and His Word. Until we are rooted and grounded in the Word, and established in our heart concerning God’s will, doubts will consciously or unconsciously, continue to hinder us in our faith walk.

3. Unbelief, the Sin of Disobedience

We have been saying that doubt is a condition that affects the soul area (mind, will and emotions), producing a double-minded wavering between believing God or the circumstances. Unbelief, is quite different in nature. It is a condition of the heart. It is a rebellious, disobedient, hardened, and callused heart that knows the will of God be stubbornly chooses to disobey it. This condition is much more serious than doubt. Doubts are the result of a lack of knowledge, and God’s Word in our heart, but unbelief knows the will of God, but still deliberately disobeys it- that person will never enter into God’s rest according to the Scriptures- Hebrews 3:7-13.

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