By THE SPIRIT James wrote in chapter 1:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 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 wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
We must not let ourselves be double-minded because in that state our prayers will no longer be effective and produce any desired results. Double-mindedness comes when faith is diluted by doubt and James gives us a stern warning about this condition. FATHER and HIS Word must become preeminent in our lives and above our five physical senses. Our senses provide us information about the natural whereas faith operates in the supernatural or above the natural. Each of us must decide which realm will be the final authority because you cannot have it both ways.
In Matthew chapter 21 it is written by THE SPIRIT for our instruction:
18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.
19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.
22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Asking and believing in the present results in receiving when there is no doubt affecting your believing. Doubt calls into question the veracity of FATHER’S Word in one’s mind and arises by allowing the senses to dispute the Truth of The Word. When our physical senses cause us to give the natural preeminence in our lives, we doubt the Spiritual. The battle for preeminence occurs in our minds and that is why James uses the term “double-minded”. The issue is not external but instead it is between our ears.
What we constantly expose our mind to will determine what position we take- spiritual or natural. When confronted by the devil attempting to create doubt with logic, reasoning, and focusing on the natural, Jesus responded each time “It is written” thus He was not moved by the natural. We too must learn to respond in the same manner, doubting not.
Traditions of man are also a problem to walking in faith. Jesus spoke in Mark chapter 7:
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”
6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
The result of their traditions:
13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
As we focus on FATHER, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and The Most Holy Spirit for WHO THEY ARE rather than what THEY can do, our faith will grow and our doubt will disintegrate. Our confidence will grow strong in FATER’S Word because we truly know HIM for WHO HE IS. When we magnify FATHER in our lives HE becomes preeminent and our faith is energized. David had this revelation as he wrote by THE SPIRIT in Psalm 34:
2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.