The dealings of life in an individual can cause one to doubt the reality of what God has previously spoken. Doubt is an unruly intruder and is one of the devil’s tools. When I leave the door of my heart open to entertain doubt, the devil puts his foot in the door and whispers his lies to my unruly heart. The devil comes to rob, steal and destroy all that is of God and will take any given opportunity of doubt to get a foothold and rob me of God’s peace.

Consider the account of John the Baptist’s life and ministry. Jesus, speaking of John said, “Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist….,” Luke 7:28, and yet this prophet, greatly used of God to prepare the way for the Messiah, was the same man who sent two of his disciples to ask of Jesus, “Art thou He that should come?…or look we for another?” Luke 7:19. What were the circumstances of John’s life that had caused him to entertain doubt and continue the downward spiral of questioning unbelief? Only John can answer that. In greater moments of glory John had seen the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus, as a dove, and remaining on Him, (John 1:32-33). Observing Jesus walking one day, John proclaimed to those within ear shot, “Behold, the Lamb of God,” John 1:36. Even when John was still in the womb of his mother, Elisabeth, he leaped when she met her cousin, Mary, immaculately conceived of the Holy Ghost and carrying the Christ child in her womb, Luke 1:41.

When I hit the low spots in my life these are the times to encourage myself in God and remind myself of what God has said. Only what He says is true, the doubts and fears are all lies and lead me away from God’s truths. It is a secret place where I can enter with God and be shut in with Him. I cannot take my spouse or friends with me. It is just me and God alone, the place where I get real with God and enter into intimacy of fellowship, and He becomes my all in all. There it is that I settle it that only what He says matters and there is no place for unbelief, doubt and lies that would only lead me away from my divine destiny, to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.

“My sheep hear My voice,” John 10….When I am shut in with God I learn to recognise the only voice that counts and I learn not to trust, or lean on, my own understanding, (Proverbs 3.) My unruly heart will try and reason with the word God has spoken.

THE REASON OF THE HEART IS THE TREASON OF THE HEART……treason against God and His rule in my life.

Will I dare to tap into the divine provision of Christ and lose my life for His, my identity for His? ….To be lost in Christ means I cannot be seen, my rights to myself surrendered. Lost?…..yes!….but how glorious to be found in Him! Indwelt!

The words to this old hymn by Mrs. C.H. Morris are profound, true and the ongoing work of the divine Guide in our lives:

My stubborn will at last hath yielded
I would be Thine and Thine alone,
And this the prayer my lips are bringing,
Lord, let in me Thy will be done.

Refrain:
Sweet will of God
Still fold me closer
Till I am wholly lost in Thee,
Sweet will of God, still fold me closer,
Till I am wholly lost in Thee.

I’m tired of sin, footsore and weary,
The darksome path hath dreary grown,
But now a light has risen to cheer me,
I find in Thee my Star, my Sun.

Thy precious will, O conquering Saviour,
Doth now embrace and compass me,
All discords hushed, my peace a river,
My soul, a prisoned bird, set free.

Shut in with Thee,O Lord, forever,
My wayward feet no more to roam,
What power from Thee my soul can sever?
The centre of God’s will my home.