On my morning's prayer call, I was lead to speak about unanswered prayers and why many aren't seeing them manifest. I mentioned that one of the reasons for our unanswered prayers was hindrances. You know, things we allow to block us from receiving (i.e., unforgiveness, bitterness, gossiping, or anything else that contradicts the will of God). As I gave thought to the topic, I began to thumb through my notes and came across on old message God had to deal with me on, a message that spoke to doubt - one that suffocates.

Have you ever noticed, whenever you've prayed for something and it doesn't come in the time frame you expected, you begin to wonder if it will ever happen?

Or you get frustrated and begin to question, "God do you hear me?

Am I not worthy?

What am I doing wrong?"

Still, with no answer present, you allow yourself to doubt God's original promise and now fear has entered.

Doubt breeds uncertainty and is coupled with a lack of conviction. It can happen at the end of an old season or entering into a new season, because we don’t know what to expect. It can happen when we are asked to transition to a new place or as an act of faith, LEAP, and if we are not careful, doubt will suffocate and immobilize us.

I know, I’ve been there, doubting my capabilities, my calling and my ministry, which forced me to put on my mask of "having it all together", when in fact I was starting to suffocate; and just like me, there may be some of you reading now, experiencing your own personal dilemma’s of doubt and it’s starting to suffocate you.

Here it is, the Lord has given you a vision, yet because it isn’t coming to fruition the way you think it should or in your timing, you begin to do something outside of what he showed you. But let me ask you,

"Is there anything too hard for God?"

If you know that it isn't, why doubt that He will do what he promised? Instead ask yourself, could it be what I'm asking for isn't aligned with His plan for me?

Sometimes, we are walking in a way worthy of the things we’ve sought Him for, or maybe, maybe, there is something preventing you from obtaining it? So, it's not that it's too hard from Him, but rather a time for you to check you!

Ask God to show you, YOU!

Ask Him to reveal, release and replace anything that's preventing you from hearing, obeying and receiving His promises. I am a firm believer, if He said it, restoration is on the way, it’s on the way. Don't allow what you see with your natural eyes keep you from believing God's promise for you.

Take Abraham and Sarah for example, both were well over child-bearing years, yet Abraham never wavered when God's promise for Isaac didn't come fast as they had hoped. While Sarah, had her own plan that created an issue within itself, the Bible is clear to say in Romans 4:19 and 20 that his [Abraham's] faith strengthened and he never stopped believing and simply praised God for what He said He would do.

The same goes for you and I! No matter how hard it gets or time it takes to manifest, you can never stop taking God at his word. Which leads me to my next point:

You Must Believe It Before You Can See It!

Jesus said that "blessed are those that believe without seeing me", so don't let doubt ruin your faith in God and Jesus Christ.

In order to receive it, you have to believe that "it" has already happened. Just because you don't see a way, doesn't mean God doesn't have a way, so stop allowing what you can't see block what you believe in your heart. This is not the time to second-guess God or whether it can be done, when we know that "The God" that can do exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think. Whether you can see it or not, if He said it, it can and will be done, but what's stopping it? And while there can be a number of things, l want to focus today on doubt.

Do you know that doubt is a sign of weak or vulnerable faith, immature faith and a faith that refuses to grow up? How do you expect to get, recover or take back what God promised you if you are not willing to release the very thing that's holding you back? Despite what our natural eyes tell us, it is imperative that we continue to look inward, trusting God to be God and stop looking outward - trusting ourselves with what only God can do in the first place.

If we are serious about being all God has purposed us to be, we can't allow doubt to dominate our lives; and we must get real about where the distractions are coming from. The Word of God says, to bring every thought into captivity, so it is our responsibility to make those negative thoughts line up with the truth of God's word. Beloved, if we allow our doubt to go unchecked, it will eventually become unbelief.

James 1:6 says, But let him ask in faith with no doubting – for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the winds. It goes on to say in verses 7 and 8, "For let not that man suppose (presume, assume or expect) that he will receive anything from the Lord, he is double-minded and unstable in all his ways", as if we don’t already enough things to make us unstable to add doubting God to it!!!

Where there is doubt. There is NO peace

How many sleepless nights have you had because you’re doubting whether or not it will be or can be done?

That's what doubt does, it causes unrest and prevents us from being at peace with what God is doing behind the scenes in lives. One thing I have found out for certain, is when God is ready and when I am ready, He is the kind of God that will let you cut the line! The more you worry about your doubts, the less you will look at God, which will cause us to disconnect from God, losing our power source. When we're doubting, we aren't listening and lack faith; and that says we don't believe God or trust him to care for us.

...So today my prayer is that you begin to rest in him.

Begin to trust God and take him at his word.

Hebrews 4:3 says for only we who believe can enter his rest.

Find rest in – consolation – peace in him; a quiet place in him and allow him to work behind the scenes opening doors, preparing relationships, developing business and creating ministries that will allow him to get the full glory. To you who's reading this, doubting is a sign of disobedience. Trust in God. Trust him with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding…because if you’re anything like me sometimes, it’s your understanding of what God is doing that's skewed anyway. Trust him and let him guide and direct your path. ~Selah

###

If you enjoyed this article, feel free to pass it on to someone you know that use some encouragement. Also, don't forget to join me along with The Prayer Portal every Monday - Friday at 7AM central standard time for Spiritual Awakening Prayer

Follow La Tanya on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn at @latanyadwalker