The writer of Hebrews explains: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith comes from hearing the Word of God, then putting that learning into practice with obedient action (Romans 10:17; 2:13). It is built up gradually, as we learn to obey and trust God.
Satan is always seeking ways to weaken our faith. Following are four attitudes or ways of thinking, fostered by Satan, that can undermine and weaken our faith.
A Crisis Of Confidence
Doubt can prove devastating. Its root cause is unbelief which starts as uncertainty and a questioning of God’s truth. This plants the seeds of doubt, which, if not properly handled, develops into unbelief. Satan knows we can’t have faith in God if we are questioning Him, or are uncertain about His Word and lack confidence in His promises.
After Jesus had miraculously fed over 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, He sent the disciples into a boat while He prayed alone. A short time later they saw Jesus walking towards them on the water in the middle of a storm. Peter then attempted to walk on the water towards Him (Matthew 14:27- 29). But, when he began to survey his surroundings instead of keeping his mind on Christ, he started to doubt and began to sink. He cried out for help, “And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and rebuked him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” (verse 30-31).
Uncertainty is part of life and our response, as Christians, is important. We should not allow ourselves to disbelieve God’s promises, protection, or providence. We build faith in God by trusting Him in the small things so we can increase our confidence that He will see us through the big storms of life. Since we are prone to forget God’s benefits, some Christian bloggers recommend keeping a prayer journal of God’s answered prayers, so we can look back and review all our loving Heavenly Father has done for us.
Constant Fretting
Dictionary. com defines worry as uneasiness or anxiety. Occasional worry is normal, but when worry gets out of control, it is categorised as anxiety which, if severe, can interfere with our daily life and affect both mind and body.
In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus stated: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25). He explained how His Father feeds the birds and clothes the flowers, and affirms that He will do the same for His children if they seek Him (verses 26-34).
Jesus wants us to prioritise spiritual matters because He is much more concerned with our relationship with Him, our place in the body of Christ, and our character. The more we worry about the temporal aspects of life, the less we focus on our eternal destiny:“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Fearfulness
Fear is the natural progression from doubt and worry. The main way to defend against fear is to put our hope in God’s Word. If we fear death, we may be unsure of our standing with God. Acts chapter 7 records the martyrdom of Stephen, who didn’t fear death because he was assured of the hope of the resurrection and the Kingdom of God.
Events we have no control over such as wars can only paralyse us with fear if we don’t have hope in God’s plan for mankind. Christ affirmed: “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:22). God has promised that He won’t let humanity destroy itself, but will bring His Kingdom to the earth in time to save us.
Human Reasoning
Human reasoning involves looking at the world and issues from a purely physical perspective, and attempting to apply solutions apart from God. This majority of the world throws physical solutions, based on human reasoning, at spiritual problems. The less we put our faith in God, the more we tend to rely on our own ideas and opinions.
There are many examples in the Bible of people taking matters into their own hands, and although things generally worked out in the end, they or their descendants suffered consequences. In contrast, King David waited for God to give him the kingdom of Israel in His time and did not try to take it from King Saul (1 Samuel 24:1-10). To defend against human reasoning we must put our hope in God’s law, and His timing.
General tips to counter Satan’s influence:
- Never be in a situation where we are breaking God’s commandments to try to solve our problems.
- Always recognise we do not have all the answers and not become wise in our own eyes (Proverbs 1:5-6).
- Consider others as more important than yourself (Philippians 2:3). Look to serve rather than be served.
- View yourself as a steward, understanding that everything they have is on loan and can be taken away in an instant.
