THE DANGER OF DOUBT
Numbers 13:1-3, 23-31
Intro: There is no way I can stand before you tonight and tell you I have never doubted God or the ability of God. In many instances I have found myself questioning God’s will but I have found out his will is never wrong. I am compelled to believe by the Word of God that for a Christian to doubt God is sinful. The Bible speaks of the sin of unbelief. Doubt and unbelief are defined near the same. I know for a certainty that doubt will cause broken fellowship with God and hinder you from many blessings. But it goes much farther than that. I want to preach on the subject “THE DANGER OF DOUBT”
I. Doubt will deceive you
We read in the account I have just given you where Moses has appointed 12 spies, one from each tribe, to spy out the land of Canaan. The spies go out and spy the land for forty days and come back with their report. 10 of the 12 gave and evil report but Caleb and Joshua gave a good report. The people would not accept the report of Joshua and Caleb
II. Doubt will divert you
Because of this doubt the children of Israel turned and went back into the wilderness where they spent 40 years. 1 year for each day the spies were out.
III. Doubt will demoralize you (Exodus 32)
Moses dwelt in the mountains 40 days with God. When the people saw he delayed they persuaded Aaron to build a golden calf so they could worship it. During the time they worshipped it they were drunk, naked (v25) and engaged in explicit sexual orgies (I Cor 10:8)
IV. Doubt will defile you
Worshipping the golden calf was a throwback to worship in Egypt. It was an abomination for Egyptians to sacrifice animals because they thought them sacred. (Ex 8:25)
V. Doubt will destroy you (Numbers 14:21-38)
The Lord told Moses because all of the men who went had “seen” (Shekinah) Glory of God and tempted him these ten times (see footnote) would not see the land. But my servant Caleb had another spirit with him and had followed me fully will I bring into the land and his seed shall possess it. But for those that doubted all of the men 20 years and upward fell in the wilderness(v29) 599,998 men died because they doubted they could enter into Canaan.
