Last week we attacked doubt through the character of the architect. How could such a good and all-wise master designer ever make a plan that wouldn’t ultimately be for our best? This week, we want to go after the slander and lies that come from Satan. In many ways, Saturday was the toughest day for his disciples. They watched Him die Friday. Then on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, the disciples had to wrestle in all the unknowns. They didn’t know what Sunday was going to bring. They didn’t know how God was going to work. But they were still able to trust that God had something planned. Let’s look then at some of the lies we encounter on those “Saturdays” while we are waiting for the Lord to work.
Day 8: Recoginizing the Whisper
Scripture: Genesis 3:1-7 "Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths."
Boxing is a sport of strategy. While it may look like a mindless exchange of punches, a skilled boxer knows how to disguise his intentions—drawing his opponent’s eyes in one direction only to land a blow from another. If he can catch his opponent off guard, the punch lands with far greater force.
The first temptation came not with a bang, not with a loud shout, and not with a great deal of noise or attention. The first temptation came in a whisper, “Did God actually say?” Now at this point, Adam and Eve hadn’t previously been tempted, so one could argue they wouldn’t have suspected anything. But God had been instructing them, and they knew His voice was the safest voice there was. Any other advice should have been run through the filter of His Word.
But in that moment, what God said no longer felt like enough. The whisper of doubt slipped through their minds like a sudden gust of wind. Satan’s question was the sneaky punch they never saw coming. It didn’t sound outrageous. He didn’t accuse God of being a liar. He didn’t tell them to flee the garden or rally the animals for a rebellion. He simply suggested that maybe, just maybe, there was something better they were missing. And what harm could there be in entertaining a thought?
And our enemy still whispers the same way today. One of his most effective ways to hamper us is through the whisper of doubt. This whisper can speak to us in hundreds of different ways. “You know there are easier ways, don’t you? Why not take a shortcut here or there? You’ll still end up in the same place.” This whisper of doubt is designed to leave you questioning the planning of the Architect. Why stay on the sidewalk that seems to be so long and full of curves when you could cut across the lawn and save a bunch of time? The more we give ear to this whisper, the more we see those “shortcuts” showing up. It’s hard work being patient and kind, especially with difficult-to-love people. Why not tell them what you think and be done with it? It’s harder to be honest when no one else sees. What’s it going to hurt if you stretch the truth some?
Another whisper of doubt is to question the goodness of the Architect. “Are you sure God is really good to you? Oh, no doubt He’s good to other people. But what about you?” This lie of doubt challenges the way in which you view God’s promises and help towards you personally. The whisper of doubt wants us to have the suspicion that God isn’t fully for us. Therefore, we need to help ourselves, since obviously God isn’t going to do it. You could be waiting for something and praying about it. But the sucker punch of doubt strikes, and you begin to give up on those prayers. You don’t outrightly turn against God, but you start to slowly pull away from Him.
And what about the whisper of doubt that attacks the presence of the Architect? “Are you sure He’s there anymore? He seems so silent. Maybe He’s finally had enough of you. Perhaps He gave up like everyone else did. Now you’re alone. So, you’re going to have to do it in your own power and strength.” This whisper of doubt sounds like a shout in our minds. After all, the feeling of aloneness is something that hits us all from time to time. And the whisper of doubt wants to concrete that thought so that we never forget it. We then move from feeling alone to believing that we are alone. And since we’re alone, we have to take steps on our own to control our lives and what happens. We have to be the ones who are strong enough and have it together.
Are you seeing now how these whispers of doubt are like a sneak attack, but so very deadly? What can you do to stop them from taking root in your mind? One key is to refuse to let God out of your imagination. See, when God isn’t part of the things that we imagine, we quickly create a world and situations in which it’s all up to us to manage. And that never goes well. Recognizing how these sneak attacks of doubt come help to prepare us. They often aren’t loud or flashy. They often don’t start with a bang. But they do start with a thought.
Can I ask you, “What’s the Saturday moment you are in right now? Is it a health test result you are waiting to get back? Is it a prodigal child that you never hear from? Is it a job loss or financial uncertainty?” Whatever your moment is, do you see the whispers of doubt in it? And can you see your Saviour calling out to you? Thankfully, the whisper of doubt is not the final word.
Jesus has the grace and His resurrection power to rescue us, even in our stinking thinking, and to help us to think like He does. Right thinking, or thinking like Jesus, means to think about whatever is true. God is in control of all things. Nothing in my life happens unless it first comes through the hands of a loving God. Fate, chance, or anything else is not in control. Therefore, I can trust God even if I don’t know what is coming.
He enables us to think on whatever is honorable. This would mean to think on the things in life that are awe-inspiring, majestic, and holy. The opposite of this would be to think on the vulgar or God-dishonoring aspects of life. An example of this is the way a man would look at a woman: To do this in an honorable way would be to think of her as a sister-in-Christ, if she is a believer, a fellow image bearer who should be respected, instead of a dishonorable or lustful way.
His resurrection power provides us with help to think about whatever is just, or right. The standard we use to measure this is God and the gospel, not what society deems as just, or even our feelings. Suppose you felt hurt by someone in the church. Maybe that person really did hurt you. Thinking on whatever is right means we think of how Jesus would have us respond. Would the justice of Jesus be for us to replay the scenario 1000 times in our mind and dwell on how bad they were? Would the justice of Jesus be to think of all the other people we could tell our story to, or dwell on how unloving and unfair this whole situation is? Or would thinking about what is right be to consider how to love them in the way Jesus would?
The whispers of doubt may be subtle, but they are never harmless. They aim to loosen our grip on God’s Word, distort our view of His goodness, and convince us that we walk alone. But the risen Christ meets us right in the middle of those quiet battles. He doesn’t shame us for the thoughts that sneak in—He rescues us from them. His Spirit trains our minds to think with truth, honor, justice, and clarity. And as we learn to recognize the enemy’s whisper, we also learn to recognize the Shepherd’s voice even more.
So, when the doubts come, and come they will, don’t face them in your own strength. Bring them into the light of God’s Word. Let the Architect reshape your imagination with His presence, His promises, and His unchanging goodness. The whisper loses its power when the truth speaks louder. And He labels you not the doubter, but His brother and sister. Even in the doubts you are afraid to admit, Jesus is there to meet you.
So, where do you need to hear His truth to speak back to your whispers this week?
Pastor Josh
Where do you most often hear the “whisper of doubt”—in questioning God’s plan, His goodness, or His presence?
How have you seen a small, seemingly harmless thought grow into a larger struggle in your walk with Christ?
What truths about God help you silence the enemy’s whisper most effectively?
Identify one recurring doubt or whisper you’ve been battling. Write down a specific scripture that speaks directly against that lie, and commit to bringing that verse to mind every time the whisper returns this week.
