September 11

My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, — 1 Cor 2:4 BSB

The work of the Spirit is not to create doubts and fears but to overcome them. And yet we are constantly plagued by them. Doubts and questions arise in our minds, and Satan is quick to fuel these fears. A guilty conscience easily falls under his accusations. Memories of past failures and sins seem to strengthen unbelief, so that reaching a point where there’s no trace of doubt—either about divine realities or, more importantly, about our own saving interest in them—is rare and only happens in those precious moments when the Lord shines His light into our soul, settling the matter between Himself and our conscience.

Yet even these doubts, these troubling questions, and anxious fears work together for good, mercifully directed toward our spiritual benefit. What has brought us to the point where nothing but absolute certainty will satisfy a soul that’s been born of God? We can’t live with uncertainty, constantly unsure if we’re bound for heaven or hell. We can’t endure being tossed back and forth on a sea of doubt, unsure of our destination or what awaits us at the end of life’s journey.

All human wisdom leaves us stranded on this sea of uncertainty. It may be useful for worldly matters, but it’s utterly useless in matters of grace. It would be foolish to despise human learning and knowledge—without them, we’d be no better than savages—but it’s worse than foolish to make human wisdom our guide to eternity, or reason the foundation of our faith and hope. What you believe today, you may doubt tomorrow. All the arguments that convince your mind or the appeals that stir your emotions can do little to settle the heart in times of real trial.

What we need is the Spirit’s demonstration to dispel these doubts and settle the matter in our hearts once and for all. And nothing can do that but the Spirit of God, revealing Christ and applying the Word with power to our hearts. It is only through this that He overcomes unbelief and fear, sweetly assuring us that all is well between our soul and God.