How to overcome skepticism in the positive power of the Holy Spirit

Skeptics are everywhere! They question everything, and they doubt everything. They challenge all positive change.

It can affect you. You start thinking that the "smart folks are all skeptics."

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of faith and positivity. He is a Person and can be offended by people who doubt His direction.

Here are a few ways you can follow the Holy Spirit and remain optimistic when surrounded by skepticism:

1. Never doubt God's Word.

The Holy Spirit wrote the Bible through men upon which He moved. Every verse is "inspired by God" (2 Tim. 3: 16). In a skeptical age, it is good to know that we have "rock-solid" truth upon which to build our lives.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she would conceive Jesus by the Holy Spirit, she replied, "Let it be done to me according to your word." Never, never doubt God's Holy Word!

2. Remain Spirit-filled under challenging circumstances.

When Paul and Silas were in the Philippian jail, their backs were bleeding, and their hands and feet were in stocks. Instead of getting skeptical and pessimistic about God's goodness, we read that "about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God" (Acts 16:25).  

It's not easy to continue praising God when your fortunes have reversed. 

When things are going badly, the same Holy Spirit is inside you. Start to sing and pray, and you will receive the same miracle Paul and Silas did. An earthquake shattered their chains and opened their prison doors!

3. Follow the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Israel had a cloud in the wilderness. They didn't have to make "decisions." They just followed.

He wants to lead you, also. He does it with "peace." Inside your heart, you will sense great peace in the direction of the will of God. 

Never, never go against that sincere, still, inward voice.

Skeptics are "led by the head." Believers have a "Helper," a Person who lives inside of them and guides them continually.

4. Guard your thoughts.

Satan came to Eve and got her to doubt God's goodness. He made it sound like God did not want her to reach her potential.

Remember this: thoughts that are negative, fearful, bring panic, accuse others, or condemn you are not from the Holy Spirit. They are from a "different spirit": Satan himself.

Thoughts that are "true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, excellent, and worthy of praise" are the Holy Spirit (Philippians 4: 8).

I've learned that staying upbeat and full of faith despite life's challenges comes from simply walking close to the Holy Spirit.

Let the skeptics roll their eyes, challenge the Scripture, point out your failures, follow only reasoning, and live in a negative thought world.

I follow the cloud, track with the Scripture, rejoice in all circumstances, and keep my mind free.

Practice following the Holy Spirit daily. "The mind set on the Spirit is LIFE and PEACE" (Rom. 8: 6)