How do I get past the battle with doubt?

Mark Virkler's picture

Bev asks: The Lord speaks to me mostly via dreams and images.  I have heard His voice in my inner ear, but that is seldom.  I too, am left-brained and I struggle with every little bit achieved.  It takes me forever to recognize that the fleeting image I've seen is His voice.   I feel awkward and foolish speaking in tongues - it does not seem to flow naturally, and I constantly doubt and question. How do I overcome doubt? How do I get past the questioning to relax and enjoy the presence of the Lord?   How do I get past the constant feeling of foolishness whenever I share what I've seen or heard?


Answer

Bev, here are several ideas. Recognize that doubt is satan's number one attack. The first words out of his mouth in the Garden were to the effect of: "Did God really say...? So we all need to crush this demonic attack.

Concerning speaking in tongues - Get more examples and training from others who speak in tongues. If you come to our CWG website you can use the search bar in the top right corner. Type in “Speaking in tongues” and hit “return.” This will give you hyperlinks to more than 30 articles, teachings, and testimonies on speaking in tongues. One of these links is this one, which provides you with testimonies from 18 people concerning their experience is speaking in tongues. These links will encourage you, and the more you speak in tongues, the easier it becomes. Paul does tell us that our mind is unfruitful when we speak in tongues because it is our spirit that is being edified through this experience, not our minds (1 Cor. 14). So I tell my mind, "What don't you do something helpful, like picture us in the throneroom, worshipping the King along with the multitudes, and why don't you worship him in English in my thoughts, while my spirit worships in tongues." This gives my brain something to do that is facilitative to the experience and not destructive to the experience.

Overcoming doubt that it is God’s voice – The number one tool I use and recommend is that you have a couple of spiritual friends whom you can email (or call and read) your journaling. The Bible makes it clear. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word (rhema) is confirmed (2 Cor. 13:1). I shared all my initial journaling with Patti, and she kept confirming that it came from God. That built my faith, so I continued journaling. I have had 3 such spiritual advisors for 40 years whom I bounce my journaling from. If you need help finding a spiritual person who understands and does two-way journaling, then type in our search bar “submit journaling.” The top two links that come up will take you to the locations where we provide seasoned Journalers whom you can share your journal with. Their pictures and bios are there along with samples of their journaling, so you can get to know them a bit.

Join a group going through the training on the 4 keys to hearing God’s voice, then type into our search bar “Spirit Life Circles.” You will discover Zoom groups that meet weekly to learn and grow and share their walk in the spirit. Spirit-anointed companionship builds us up.

Get some personal one-on-one training by hiring one of our Personal Spiritual Trainers to work with you for 3 months. Type in "Personal Spiritual Trainer" in our search bar.

I believe that if you take the steps above, they will take you far down the road you are traveling. Wishing you God’s speed.

Two-way Journaling Application

Hearing God's voice is as simple as: 1) quieting myself down (Ps. 62:5), 2) beholding Jesus at my right hand (Acts 2:25), 3) asking for His input and tuning in to flowing thoughts and flowing pictures (Jn. 7:37-39), and 4) journaling out His words and visions (Rev. 1:9-11). These are then tested, and they must line up with Scripture (Ps. 1:2) and be affirmed in the hearts of my spiritual advisors (2 Cor. 13:1).

  • Lord, what would You speak to me concerning having spiritual advisors, using them, having anointed spiritual fellowship, and gaining spirit-anointed teaching and training?

Prayer: I will press into Jesus, and walk in all the covenant blessings He has provided for me. I will not allow satan to steal a single one from me. I put on God’s armor and engage in the fight to have a clean head and a clean heart.

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Results 41 - 50 of 490

Pages

Intimacy with the Holy Spirit

Intimacy with the Holy Spirit

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 223 Pages

This book leads you in meditating on and journaling about two hundred and fifty verses that discuss the Holy Spirit. You will grow in intimacy with the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the anointing within you will increase! You will exclaim as the disciples did on the Emmaus Road “Did not our heart burn within us…while He opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)! In addition to being led to journal through these verses, you will read numerous two-way journal entries from Mark Virkler, as well as a five-page prayer at the conclusion of the book.

Price: $10.95

Kids Can

by Karen Barnes | 98 Pages

This book will inspire you and train you to teach children to minister in the power of the Spirit! And the stories it contains will bring tears to your eyes! Kids Can is a message for the children of today about their destiny tomorrow. When kids encounter the pure essence of Jesus, they will become empowered, equipped and energized to serve Him accurately and with amazing clarity. As they hear His voice and are encouraged in their giftings, strong leaders are created and maturity, vision and skills are fine tuned.

Price: $14.95
Lamad Biblical Education Association

Lamad Biblical Education Association

4 Co-authors | 44 Pages

FINALLY - A Spirit-Anointed Epistemology! A system of knowing for the Spirit-filled believer. A fresh moving of the Holy Spirit has been upon the Church of Jesus Christ for the last 100 years, since the Asuza Street Revival in 1902. In all that time the Spirit-filled community of believers (now numbering 27% of all Christendom), had yet to delineate an approach to learning which restored the Holy Spirit to His rightful place as the primary Teacher in our midst.

Price: $10.00
Lamad Faculty Handbook

Lamad Faculty Handbook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 78 Pages

This book presents lamad (revelation-based learning) standards  for teachers and curriculum writers. Lamad is a Hebrew word found in the Old Testament and it is translated "to teach" or "to learn."  It is a kind of learning that involves the Holy Spirit granting divine revelation to the heart of man. Thus it goes beyond western rationalism as a learning methodology.

Price: $9.95
Living with Jesus Book 1 - Welcome to God's Family

Living with Jesus Book 1 - Welcome to God's Family

by Daphne Kirk | 47 pages

The Living with Jesus series is a unique, exciting  and transformational discipleship course for children, taking them through the fundamentals of the Christian faith in a relational, interactive and challenging way, always applying to their lives the commands to love God, love one another and love the lost.

Book 1 - Welcome to God's Family introduces the child to the Body of Christ.

Price: $9.95
Living with Jesus - Book 3

Living with Jesus Book 3 – Talking and Listening

by Daphne Kirk | 47 Pages

This delightful book teaches children ages 4-8 the four keys to hearing God's voice and gets them started journaling (drawing pictures if writing is too hard for them) and seeing vision.  It is ideal for parents and children to use together, or for use in a children’s Sunday school class or children’s home group.

Book 3 - Talking and Listening - Hearing the voice of God.

Price: $9.95
Living with Jesus Book 6 - What Do We Choose?

Living with Jesus Book 6 - What Do We Choose?

by Daphne Kirk | 47 pages

The Living with Jesus series is a unique, exciting  and transformational discipleship course for children, taking them through the fundamentals of the Christian faith in a relational, interactive and challenging way, always applying to their lives the commands to love God, love one another and love the lost.

Book 6 - What Do We Choose? introduces children to making kingdom choices.

Price: $9.95
Living with Jesus Book 7 - Having Faith

Living with Jesus Book 7 - Having Faith

by Daphne Kirk | 47 pages

The Living with Jesus series is a unique, exciting  and transformational discipleship course for children, taking them through the fundamentals of the Christian faith in a relational, interactive and challenging way, always applying to their lives the commands to love God, love one another and love the lost.

Book 7 - Having Faith introduces children to a life of faith.

Price: $9.95
Living with Jesus Book 8 - Staying Protected

Living with Jesus Book 8 - Staying Protected

by Daphne Kirk | 47 pages | Published 1999

The Living with Jesus series is a unique, exciting  and transformational discipleship course for children, taking them through the fundamentals of the Christian faith in a relational, interactive and challenging way, always applying to their lives the commands to love God, love one another and love the lost.

Book 8 - Staying Protected introduces children to spiritual warfare.

Price: $9.95
Operations Manual

Operations Manual

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 134 Pages

We have helped hundreds of churches establish Schools of Ministry or church-centered Bible schools over the last 25 years. This manual draws together insights and approaches for how to do it easier, faster and better. Enjoy as you build on the success of those who have gone before you.

Price: $69.95

Pages