"Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it's really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do!" As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his feet. Still they stood there doubting, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?”
Luke 24:39-40 NLT
HOW DO I OVERCOME MY DOUBTS?
BY EXPRESSING THEM OPENLY.
Now Thomas… 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 it.”
John 20:24, 25 NIV
Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
Mark 9:22-24 NLT
2. BY INVESTIGATING THEM HONESTLY.
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.”
John 20:26, 27 NIV
And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it…
2 Peter 1:19a NIV
• WE CAN BE “MORE CERTAIN” BECAUSE YOU AND I HAVE …
The words of the prophets.
The evidence of the resurrection.
The testimony of reliable witnesses.
3. BY RESPONDING ACCORDINGLY.
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!”
John 20:27, 28 NIV
While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, "Leave that innocent man alone. I've been very upset today because of a dream I had about him…" Pilate asked them, "Then what should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?" "He should be crucified!" they all said. Pilate asked, "Why? What has he done wrong?" But they began to shout loudly, "He should be crucified!" Pilate saw that he was not getting anywhere. Instead, a riot was breaking out. So Pilate took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. He said, "I won't be guilty of killing this man. Do what you want!"
Matthew 27:19, 22-24 GW
4. BY OBEYING GOD CONSISTENTLY.
Simon Peter and Thomas, who was also called Didymus, were there together. Nathanael from Cana in Galilee and the sons of Zebedee were with them. So were two other disciples. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them. They said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat. That night they didn’t catch anything. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore. But the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, don’t you have any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat. There you will find some fish.” When they did, they could not pull the net into the boat. There were too many fish in it.
John 21:2-6 NIRV
If you want to test my teachings and discover where I received them, first be passionate to do God’s will,[a] and then you will be able to discern if my teachings are from the heart of God or from my own opinions.
John 7:17 TPT
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
Luke 5:5 NIV
Take a close look at everything, test it, then cling to what is good.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 VOICE
Taste and see that the LORD is good. Blessed is the person who goes to him for safety.
Psalm 34:8 NiRV
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:29 NIV