We all deal with doubts from time to time. Every. single. one. of. us.

Our minds may overthink into “what ifs” that leads to doubts of GOD’s goodness or gets stuck on questioning HIS faithfulness or our faith of eternal salvation even.

Our hearts may become broken with sorrow of grief due to losses in life or drown out the hope of HIS promises with overwhelming emotional turmoil due to worries, anxieties, and uncertainties.

Our souls may be overcome by trials and tribulations that lead to insecurities and wavering in unbelief.

Our spirits may become severely wounded and deal with past trauma or negative experiences that holds us down in despair or holds us back in disrepair from growing spiritually mature not lacking anything.

Is doubt a sin? It is not a sin, but a hindrance for going forward in faith. We still need to reconcile our doubt by putting our faith back in GOD trusting in JESUS again… Are we condemned if we doubt? No, JESUS desires to be the answer to our dealing with doubt by offering Himself as the answer propelling us to walk by faith moving forward as more than a conqueror…

What are your doubts?

JESUS is Love’s answer that undergirds our faith in Him despite our doubts…

We need to be reminded of who JESUS is to us when we doubt so we can be reestablished with faith restored in Him.

¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Revelation 22:13

When we look further at JESUS who is the Alpha, the First, and the Beginning we may consider the start of His earthly ministry. Even before He began His ministry, He desired to follow through with being Baptized by John the Baptist first. Furthermore and prior to this pinnacle event, Mary, with JESUS inside her womb, visited her cousin Elizabeth, with John the Baptist inside her womb. John the Baptist, at the very start of being present with JESUS in the same room and hearing Mary’s voice, leaped for joy.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill HIS promises to her!”

Luke 1:39-45

I mention all this to introduce John the Baptist who dealt with doubting who JESUS was at a crucial time in his life. Wow, John the Baptist doubted too just like me and you.

John the Baptist was given the mission to make a way for JESUS being the Messiah who would teach repentance and forgiveness, bring healing to the broken, as well as preach about the Kingdom of Heaven.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for Him.'”

Matthew 3:1-3

John the Baptist would have had time knowing who JESUS was whenever Mary would visit. His mom, Elizabeth, may have talked about JESUS being Lord to him while growing up. Once he was older and serving in his GOD given purpose, John the Baptist reiterates an understanding of the importance of who JESUS was when he disclosed this information to the Pharisees and Sadducees.

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes One who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor, gathering His wheat in to the barn and burning the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Matthew 3:11-12

John the Baptist, upon seeing JESUS, declares JESUS as the Lamb of GOD, and believing He is the one who takes away sin.

John Testifies About JESUS

The next day John saw JESUS coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of GOD, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:29

After JESUS approaches John the Baptist to be baptized by him, he realizes JESUS is more important and that JESUS needed to baptize him. JESUS convinces John the Baptist to baptize Him to fulfill all righteousness, so John agrees to do so. John the Baptist is present to see the Spirit of GOD come upon JESUS as a dove and shine upon Him and then hear a voice from Heaven say JESUS is HIS Son and that HE is pleased with Him.

The Baptism of JESUS

Then JESUS came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”

JESUS replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

As soon as JESUS was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment Heaven opened, and He saw the Spirit of GOD descending like a dove and alighting on Him. And a voice from Heaven said, “This is MY Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:13-17

John the Baptist would testify of who JESUS was again before he was imprisoned. He knew in his heart of hearts JESUS was GOD’s Son. There are times our faith is strong and we believe and trust in JESUS without a doubt especially when we are involved in serving GOD with our given purpose.

John Testifies Again About JESUS

After this, JESUS and his disciples went out into the Judea countryside, where He spent some time with them, and baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. (This was before John was put in prison.) An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan -the One you testified about -look, He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”

To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from Heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of Him.’ The bride belongs to the Bridegroom. The friend who attends the Bridegroom waits and listens for Him, and is full of joy when he hears the Bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.”

The One who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from Heaven is above all. He testifies to what He has seen and heard, but no one accepts His testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that GOD is truthful. For the One whom GOD has sent speaks the words of GOD, for GOD gives the Spirit without limit. The FATHER loves the Son and has placed everything in His hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for GOD’s wrath remains on him.

John 3:22-36

Yet, John would later doubt if JESUS was the One to come. Knowing this helps us when we wrestle with our own doubts. We are not alone when we go through such a struggle of faith. Yes, even John the Baptist struggled with doubt too.

John the Baptist doubted when he felt the sentence of death looming while being imprisoned. This is a time when we may doubt too when it is toward the end of our life or we think about dying and what that will be like.

When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask Him, “Are you the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

JESUS replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of Me.”

Matthew 11:2-6

JESUS answers John’s doubt by exclaiming and verifying who He is and to encourage John that he had done GOD’s mission fulfilling his purpose to prepare the way for JESUS to do His ministry.

JESUS tells us there has been no one greater born of women than John the Baptist and speaks highly of him for doing GOD’s will in preparing His way.

As John’s disciples were leaving, JESUS began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes?

No, those who wear fine clothes are in king’s palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send MY messenger ahead of You,

who will prepare Your way before You.’

Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears, let him hear.

Matthew 11:7-15

Not only is John greater in JESUS’ mind, He goes on to give us hope that whoever of us who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. So, JESUS is sharing His heart about how important and valuable His children are who believe and trust in Him.

If John the Baptist, being the greater one ever born to women, doubted too -this fact brings us comfort and helps us know it is alright when we doubt for we are human and it may happen to anyone of us at various times of our lives.

Let’s look at the verse about who JESUS is again:

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Revelation 22:13

When we look further at JESUS who is the Omega, the Last, and the End, we may think about JESUS being crucified on the cross for our sins. Yet He was buried only 3 days and then was raised back to life. JESUS is also known as the Resurrection and the Life. As the Omega, the Last, and the End we can think of JESUS taking on GOD’s wrath and our sin with our shame and guilt, while at the same time overcoming death, the grave, and our enemy satan. In all this, He won the victory and reigns as KING of kings and LORD of lords sitting at the right hand of GOD our FATHER.

Doubts would again arise in the minds of the disciples after JESUS was crucified and He had risen from the dead.

Again, JESUS would prove to be the answer to their doubts and to ours as well.

In Luke 24, the account of JESUS’ resurrection and how he revisited others after the stone was rolled away from the tomb is described. He showed Himself and spoke with the women that included Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James and other women with them. After seeing JESUS, these women went and told JESUS’ disciples that He was alive, but they did not believe. JESUS met with 2 men and talked with them on the road to Emmaus and explained the scriptures to them and then revealing Himself to them. Later, JESUS would appear to His disciples to encourage and comfort them.

JESUS Appears to the Disciples

While they were still talking about this, JESUS Himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself! Touch Me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

When He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything to eat?” They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate it in their presence.

He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what My FATHER has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension of JESUS

When He had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into Heaven. Then they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising GOD.

Luke 24:36-53

JESUS, Himself, provided the answer to the disciples doubts by showing them He was alive, letting them see His scars, eating before them, sharing the Scriptures that explained His death and resurrection, encouraging them that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and blessing them before He ascended back into Heaven.

JESUS will do the same for us when we doubt in His timing and way. As we read the Word, pray, trust in Him, and believe the promises of GOD, He will be the answer to our doubts as well.

Thomas, one of the disciples, also doubted that JESUS had risen from the dead even after the other disciples told him He was alive.

JESUS Appears to Thomas

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when JESUS came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

A week later His disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, JESUS came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then JESUS told him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:24-29

JESUS did not condemn John the Baptist for doubting nor did He condemn Thomas. He revealed to them both who He was and became the answer to their doubts. He was pleased to let both of them know more about Himself that changed their doubts to belief and reassurance. His response was one of affirming love that took away their fears… JESUS goes on to say that blessed are we who believe and trust in Him though for now we don’t see Him physically. Whatever our doubts, we can bring them to JESUS and wait patiently for Him to be the answer to each one. He is pleased to reveal more of Himself to us in His timing and way…

JESUS, who began His work within us when we first believed and trusted Him, will bring us to perfect faith and complete maturity as we continue to put our trust in Him…

JESUS, the Example

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of GOD’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on JESUS, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of GOD [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].

Hebrews 12:1-2 AMP

Take a moment to listen to Jeremy Camp’s song by clicking the link below:

The Answer

JESUS is the answer to our every doubt, our every fear, and our every need…

The following song Author/Perfecter by Rivers & Robots speaks to who we need to know about JESUS to bring us calm, comfort, consolation, and His commitment to be always present with us no matter what is going on in our lives…