Doubt and Fear are the Twin Enemies of Faith in Prayer

Tip! The Holy Bible says in (John 5:13) this statement about prayer: "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."

Many people, of this day, obtain a good report because of their money-giving, their great mental gifts and talents, but are very few who obtain a "good report" because of their great faith in God or because of the wonderful things that are being formed through their great praying.

Today, as much as at any time in history, we need people of great faith and people who are great in prayer. These are the two basic qualities that make people great in the eyes of God, the two things that create conditions of real spiritual success in the life and work of the Church. It must be our main concern to see that we maintain a faith of such quality and texture, that our prayers are acceptable before God; prayers that are grasped and held onto in faith; without doubt and without fear.

Doubt and fear are the twin enemies of faith. Sometimes, they actually take the place of faith, and although we pray, it is a restless, disquieted prayer that we offer, uneasy and often we are complaining. Peter failed in his walk on the water because he permitted the waves to break over him and swamp the power of his faith. By taking his eyes off the Lord and looking at the water all about him, he began to sink and had to cry out for help "Lord, save me, or I die!"

Tip! THE possibilities of prayer are gauged by faith in God's ability to do. Faith is the one prime condition by which God works.

Doubts should never be valued, nor fears protected. Let no one treasure the delusion that we are martyrs to fear and doubt. It is no credit to any person's mental capacity to take pleasure in doubt about God, and no comfort can possibly derive from such a thought. Our eyes should be taken off ourselves, removed from our own weakness and allowed to rest totally on God's strength. "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward." A simple, trusting faith, living day by day, even hour by hour and casting your burden on the Lord, will drive away fear, misgivings and deliver us from doubt:

"Be careful for nothing, but in everything, by supplication and prayer, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God."