Mensa Otabil - What If No One Believes Me? (10/03/2025)
Welcome to a brand new week. This week, we are going back to the story of Moses, and we're going to track his calling and how he responds to God. Throughout the week, we will be in Exodus chapter four, and as we normally do, we will take it verse by verse.
Exodus chapter four, verse 1: "Then Moses answered and said, 'But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice. Suppose they say, "The Lord has not appeared to you."'" I like the way he uses the word "suppose." He's imagining the worst-case scenario. Moses had an extraordinary encounter with God, a kind of encounter that we all hope to have with God. We think that if we ever had such an encounter, all our doubts and fears would be wiped away. But it tells you that you may have such an encounter with God and still be doubtful about what He wants to do with your life.
Moses saw a burning bush without being consumed. He heard the voice of God; God introduced Himself to Moses and said, "I am that I am." All these were magnificent supernatural encounters, yet they didn't drown out the voice of doubt in his heart. It's something we all experience. We may have a deep assurance from God and be very certain about what we must do, but at the same time, be unsettlingly doubtful about whether we can do it, whether we have what it takes.
So, Moses wanted to know whether God had a backup plan for him. What if it doesn't work? What if I go to tell them that You've sent me, and they say, "No, no, no, God didn't send you"? Is there a Plan B? Is there a backup plan, Lord? What do You have for me? Because any time God impresses something great upon our hearts, we're going to hear a voice of negativity. Sometimes it comes from outsiders, but most of the time, it comes from within us, often from our past.
It's the voice of our past failures running after us. Moses failed in Egypt and ran to Midian. Forty years have passed, but the voice of failure was still there, still speaking to him, still demoralizing him. Now, despite having this supernatural encounter, which should be sufficient for him to know it will be okay, the voice of doubt is strong. One of the things you have to know is that self-doubt can be a very strong voice. Self-doubt can sometimes be positive because it helps us avoid overconfidence, but many times it just diminishes us and paralyzes us. For Moses, it wasn't helping him to become better; it was about to destroy the supernatural relationship he had with God.
Do you ever go through situations like that, where in your heart you know you can do something great, but the voice of your past failures resurfaces? It could be how you feel academically, how you failed in a relationship, or how you feel in business. Something about your past tells you that you are disqualified and can't do it, although everything about your present tells you that you have what it takes. That is where Moses was, and we see that throughout the scriptures. When God raised up people to do something for Him, they almost always had to come up with excuses as to why they thought it would be very difficult for them to obey God.
If you are doubting whether God can use you, I trust that this week you will find that the God who knows your past also knows your future. When He is sending you, He doesn't send you to your past; He sends you to your future, and He believes you have what it takes to do the assignment He has called you to do. So, we're going to be like Moses; we may ask questions, and God will give us the answers.
Let's pray. Say with me, "Heavenly Father, Your word is my sure foundation. Help me to trust You, even when I don't trust myself. In Jesus' name, Amen." Well, my friends, I will be with you again tomorrow. I'm Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.