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Message Title - The Trial of your Faith.
Foundation Scriptures:
1 Peter 1:3-7 &
1 Peter 4:12-14
Not many Christians want to hear anything about the
trial of their faith.
When trials come most people want out of the trials
immediately if not sooner.
Some Christians become disillusioned and despondent when
trials come their way, for they had believed that being
a Christian meant immunity from trials and
immunity from trouble and tribulation.
In John
8:31-32
Jesus said If you continue in my Word, then are you
My Disciples indeed and you shall know the Truth and the
Truth shall make you free
What
is the Truth about the Trial of Your Faith
In John 16:33 - Jesus said " In the world you shall
have tribulation - but be of good cheer - take
courage - be confident be undaunted - for I have
overcome the world".
In 2 Tim 3:12
- The apostle Paul said "All who desire to live
godly in Christ, will suffer persecution".
Jesus said They hated me, they will hate you.
Psalm 34:19 - "Many are the afflictions/troubles/evils
that confront the consistently righteous, but the Lord
delivers him out of them all".
2
Cor 1:3 - Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of
all comfort. 4 - Who comforteth us in all our
tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them
which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we
ourselves are comforted of God.
The big question is, WHY MUST OUR FAITH BE TESTED?
1. THE TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH IS TO PROVE ITS GENUINENESS
1 Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for
a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by
various trials. 7 That the genuineness of your faith,
being much more precious than gold that perishes, though
it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour,
and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
2. THE TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH IS PRE-ARRANGED BY GOD
Psalm 37:23 - "The steps of a good man are ordered by
the Lord"
The Hebrew word used
here for "ordered" really means, pre-arranged,
step-by-step, fixed, ordained by God.
"And you shall
remember that the Lord your God led you all the
way these forty years in the wilderness (Deut 8:2)
WHY?
Deut 8:2 -
To humble you and test you, to know what was in your
heart,
whether you would keep His commandments or not.
v16 - Says - "The Lord your God fed you with manna, that
He might humble you, and that He might test you - TO DO
YOU GOOD IN THE END".
In Gen 22:1 (TBS) "God tested Abraham" v2 - The test
"Take now your son, your only son whom you love, and go
to the
land
of
Moriah
and offer him there as a burnt offering". v3 "Abraham
rose early in the morning".
Illustrate the events.
v12 - The Angel of the Lord said - "Do not lay your hand
on the lad, or do anything to him, for now I know that
you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your
only son from Me".
In Matt 4:1 (TBS) "Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit,
into the wilderness, to be tempted (TESTED) by the
Devil". Jesus was tested for 40 days - Victorious
Warren Wiersbe
in one of his commentaries on the New Testament says,
"A faith that can not be tested can not be trusted".
When Jesus told the parable of the Sower,
the Seed and the four types of Soil he spoke of a
shallowness that would lead to stumbling or falling away.
Matt 13:3
"Some seed fell on stony places, where they did not have
much earth, and they immediately sprang up, because they
had no depth of earth, but when the sun was up, they
were scorched, and because they had no root, they
withered away.
v20 "He who
received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears
the word, and immediately receives it with joy, yet he
has no root in himself, but endures only for a while,
for when tribulation or persecution arises because of
the word, immediately, he stumbles".
3. THE
TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH IS CONTROLLED BY GOD
1 Peter 1:6
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little
while (KJV) "A season" if need be, you have been
grieved, you are in distress, you are in heaviness, by
various trials".
Jesus sent a letter to the Church in Smyrna -
Rev 2:10
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer,
behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison,
that ye may be
tried; and ye shall have
tribulation ten
days.
1
Cor
10:13
(NLT) Remember
that the
temptations that come into your life are no
different from what others experience. And
God is faithful.
He will keep the
temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand
up against it. When you are tempted, he will show
you a way out so that you will not give in to it.
Always remember
the words of
Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble.
Also remember
the words of Isa 43:2
- When you pass
THROUGH the waters, I will be with you, and through
the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk
through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the
flame scorch you.
Illustrate - The events in Dan chapter 3 Consider The
3 Hebrews - They were not alone in the fire - The FOUTH Man
was there too - The Son of God was there.
Always remember this God says you are going THROUGH
Whatever it is you are going through It is not the
place you are going to.
Psalm 23.4
Though I walk THROUGH the valley Fear no evil Thou
with me
Warren Wiersbe
- "When God permits His children to go through the
furnace, He keeps his eye on the clock - and
His hand on the thermostat.
This means God controls the time and God controls the
degree of heat
4. THE
TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH - IS DESIGNED BY GOD TO WORK
FOR YOU AND NEVER AGAINST YOU
In 2 Cor
4:17
The apostle Paul says "For our light affliction which is
but for a moment is working for us a far more
exceeding
and eternal weight of glory.
Let's see some of the things,
which Paul considered, as
"Light
afflictions"
2 Cor 6:4 But in all things we commend ourselves as
ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in
needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in
tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings.
2 Cor
11:23
In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in
prisons more
frequently, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes
minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I
was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a
day I have been in the deep. 26 in journeys often, in
perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my
own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in
the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the
sea, in perils among false brethren.
27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in
hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and
nakedness-28 Besides the other things, what comes upon
me daily, my deep concern for all the Churches.
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for
I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. 12
I know how to be abased, and I know
how to abound. Everywhere and in all things
I have learned
both to be full and to be hungry, both
to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me.
Rom
8:28
We know that ALL things work together for good to them
that love God
to them who are the called according to his purpose
5. THE
TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES PATIENCE
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy NIV > Consider
it pure joy -
when you fall into various trials. 3 knowing that the
testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let
patience have
its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking nothing.
The word patience here really means perseverance
When our faith is tested it is PRODUCTIVE and not
DESTRUCTIVE
In Rom 5:3 -The
apostle Paul says, "We also glory in tribulations,
knowing that, tribulation produces perseverance, and
perseverance character and character hope".
Amp Bible - "Let us also be full of joy now, let us
exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our
sufferings, knowing that, pressure and affliction and
hardship, produce patient and unswerving endurance, and
endurance develops maturity of character, and character
of this sort, produces the habit of joyful and confident
hope of
eternal salvation".
6: THE TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH PROVES THE SUFFICIENCY OF
GOD'S GRACE
2
Corinthians 12:7 -
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the
abundance
of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to
me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted
above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with
the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for
My strength is made
perfect in weakness."
Therefore most gladly
I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions,
in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak,
then I am strong.
In 2 Cor 4:7 - Paul
says "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellency of the power may be of God and not of us".
7: THE TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH WILL PRODUCE THE KIND OF
FAITH THAT WILL BRING PRAISE AND HONOUR AND GLORY
TO
GOD.
1 Peter 1:7
"That the genuineness of your faith, being much more
precious than gold that perishes, though it be tested by
fire, may be found to praise, honour and glory at the
revelation (the appearing) of Jesus Christ.
In Job chapter
23:10
- Job said - "He knows the way that I take - WHEN He has
tested me -
I shall come forth as gold
Gold Commentary by CH Spurgeon
-
Gold is defined by chemists to be the most perfect, the
most durable, the most tenacious, and the most
unchangeable of all metals.
When exposed to the action of the fire it becomes red
hot before it melts, but in melting it suffers no
alteration.
The continual action of any furnace, howsoever long
applied, has no effect on any of its properties. It has
been kept in a state of fusion for several months, in
the furnace of a glass house, without suffering the
smallest change
Job
23:10
-
He approves of my conduct; my ways please him. He tries
me but,
like gold -
I shall lose
nothing in the fire. I shall come forth more pure
and luminous.
If that which is reputed to be gold is exposed to the
action of a strong fire, if it be genuine,
it will lose
nothing of its quality, nor of its weight.
If it went into
the fire gold, it will come out gold; the strongest
fire will neither alter nor destroy it.
Job went into the furnace of affliction an innocent,
righteous man and he came out the same. His character
lost nothing of its value and nothing of its lustre.
8: THE TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH - ENABLES YOU THE COMFORTED
TO BE A
COMFORTER.
2 Cor 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of all comfort. Who comforts us
in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
those who are in any trouble, with the comfort, with
which we ourselves are comforted by God".
The most qualified person
to be an effective counsellor and comforter is the
person who has graduated from the High School of
Affliction and the University of Tribulation.
In Heb 4:15 (TBS) We do not have a High Priest who can
not sympathise with our weaknesses, but we do have One
in Jesus, Who was in all points tempted as we are, yet
without sin. 16 - "Let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace
to help in the time of need."
Romans 8:35 - Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is
written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We
are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all
these things we are more than conquerors through Him who
loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor
angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present
nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any
other created thing, shall be able to separate us from
the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When your faith is a genuine faith You will be able to
say at the end of your life what the apostle Paul said
at the end of his life.
2 Tim 4:6 -
The time of my departure is at hand.
(7) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the
race, I have kept
the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up
for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to
me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Trials may never be your choice But the outcome always
is.
The key is attitude -
Trials will make us either better or bitter
Let me show you what I mean -
Ruth 1:20
- "Don't call me Naomi," she told them. "Instead, call
me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for
me. Verse 21 - I went away full, but the LORD has
brought me home empty. Why should you call me Naomi when
the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has
sent such tragedy?"
Contrast that attitude with that of Job Job received
four reports of destruction and death, then take
note of his response -
Job 1:20 - Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and
shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and
worshiped. 21
And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb,
and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the
LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
22 In all
this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
In
Job 13:15 Job said - Though he slay me, yet will I trust
in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Joseph is another great example of
how to respond to trials the right way -
His brothers hated
him and despised him, thought of murdering him - sold
him as slave - broke their father's heart with grief for
his son - Gen 50:20 - "As for you, ye thought evil
against me; but
God meant it unto good.
Heb
12:15
(JB Phillips Translation) - Be very careful that
none of you fails to respond to the GRACE God gives, for
if he does, there can very easily spring up in him A
ROOT OF BITTERNESS which is not only harmful in itself,
but can also poison the lives of many others also.
Some words found in the famous song - "Through it all"
So I thank God for
the mountains
And I thank Him for the valleys
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through;
For if I'd never had a problem
I wouldn't know that He could solve them,
I'd never know what faith in God could do.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God;
Through it all, through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word
Footnote:
Jim is still developing this
message - He is working on these
additional points and will add them soon, once he has
fully developed the thoughts.
James 1:2
-4 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your
way, let it be
an opportunity for joy. 3 - For when your faith is
tested, your
endurance has a chance to grow.
4 - So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully
developed, you
will be strong in character and ready for anything.
Additional things to consider
Works tried By Fire
1 Cor 3 (Wood Hay Stubble or Gold Silver and precious
stones
Pauls call Gods
instructions to Annanias The things he must suffer.
Jesus told Peter
about the things he would suffer because of his faith John 21
Parable of sower
Persecution for the Words sake - A falling away.
Church in Revelation
(Smyrna)
Ministering Angels
assist in time of trial
An Angel Ministered
to Elijah
Angels Ministered to
Christ
Angels Minister to
the saints Heb 1:14
God may permit the devil to test His people - But
the devil is limited by God as in the life of Job and
the devil is also limited as to the duration of the
test.
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