(The following is Part One of a message I ministered @ MWC Nov. 25 in the AM service...a message that deals with the fact that no matter what your position may be in Christ, you are still going to face trials. No one, absolutely, no one is immune. The good news is...we will be better off when we come out of the trial than we were when we went into it. God never allows us to face ANYTHING that will not eventually become beneficial for us. It may not seem like it at the time...but hold on it will be revealed. Possibly when you are facing another battle. I pray you are blessed by this message and that it will speak to encourage you. Remember, " If God be for us who can be against us.")
I want to preface the message today with a statement that many, if not all, here will be able to relate to....we are in war. Not a game...not make-believe strategies that you can lay down the game control and walk away from...it is a war. A war that is effecting every family in here whether directly or indirectly. The Apostle Paul defined it this way....Ephesians 6:10, 12 NLT, "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."
The object of the evil rulers...the authorities...the Devil is to destroy our faith in God. To do this he will work untiringly and methodically to destroy our faith in four basic areas; Faith in Yourself, faith in One Another (division), faith in The Church, and faith in The Word. When failure in either on of these areas is experienced the ultimate outcome will be to lose our faith in God.
Warning: The enemy is a relentless enemy. His work is subtle. Paul in II Cor. 11:1-4 some words concerning the church at Corinth that sheds light upon this. " WOULD to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility (not obvious; cleverly indirect and ingenious), so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. "
The Trial of Your Faith: To better understand what the trial of your faith is and it’s results note James 1:1-8: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3knowing that the testing/trying of your faith produces patience. 4But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” NKJ
The product of the trial: v. When you go through something God always makes sure that
something good comes from it. You may not see it immediately but in time it will show up.
Note some of the by-products of a trial....
1. Endurance: the ability or power to bear prolonged exertion, pain, or hardship; an act or
example of toleration of prolonged suffering or hardship; the survival or persistence of
something despite the ravages of time.
2. Steadfastness: receive strength; make strong; to turn resolutely to certain direction; to
confirm.
3. Patience: the ability to endure waiting or delay without becoming annoyed or upset, or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties the ability to tolerate being hurt, provoked, or annoyed without complaint or loss of temper.
The product of these are: v. 4 “…perfectly and fully developed (with no defects), lacking in nothing.”
The cause of the devil's pursuit in this warfare is found in v. 5-8: (Read)
*He knows that when we begin to operate in faith that what we ask will be given! V. 5
*Failure to operate in faith produces just the opposite. V. 6-8
(To be continued....)
Next week I "The Battleground" of our faith. We will note four areas the enemy is fighting to destroy your faith.
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