Faith is a beautiful topic to talk about and to understand. It is so rich that I honestly do not believe that we can ever exhaust the subject. I would like to dive into faith as it pertains to trials. I had a dear friend ask me if it was possible to have faith during trials. I know for a fact that Scripture gives us a clear yes. I would like to explore with you a few probing questions to examine your own beliefs in God, Scripture, faith and your identity in Christ. Knowing where you stand on this matter will help you to be more than victorious when trials come your way.
Can God be trusted?
This is not a question to take lightly. Some people believe in God, but they do not trust Him, rather it is because of their human relationships that have failed them or they had a poor example of a human father; and they assume that their Father God is the same way. I am here to put your mind at ease, if that is you, that you can 100% place all your trust in God. His word in Numbers 23:19 NLT says, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind…” So, to project sinful, fallen mankind’s character on God is a practice that deceives us from understanding who God truly is. God is not human. He is our Creator and in James 1:14 scriptures tell us that God is light and that in Him there is no shadow or darkness and that He never changes. He IS everything that is good.
So, if we can trust God knowing that He is perfect. He is love. He is righteousness, just and all things good. Can I trust Scripture?
Yes! Yes, you can. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 TPT tells us, “God has transmitted his very substance into every Scripture, for it is God-breathed. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. Then you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you.” God created Scripture. He used human authors but His Holy Spirit was upon them to record what He wanted recorded so that we can be empowered by His instructions, corrections and understanding of who He is and who we are in Him. It is one of the ways that God communicates to us in our daily lives. Now, you may have questions on hermeneutics (how to properly interpret Scripture) or on all the different Bible translations, which ones to trust. I will have to address hermeneutics on another article because there is a proper way to interpret scripture. And as far as which translation you should go with that is subjective. I would recommend that you take the time to research different translations and ask Holy Spirit which one He wants you to read. I personally have several translations that I flip between and when I am wanting to do a study on a subject I will go back to the original language of the scripture that I am researching.
Now that we know that we can trust God and His Word, let us take a look at “what is faith” so that we can better answer the question, “Can we have faith in the middle of a trial?”.
The Strong’s Concordance states that faith (4102 pistis) is faith, belief, trust, confidence, fidelity, faithfulness. The root word is peitho (3982) which means persuasion (come to trust), faith. Faith is stated in Hebrews 11:1 AMP, “Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].” Faith is God’s warranty deed, certifying that the revelation He in birthed will come to pass. Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:5-9). God gives us His faith (warranty deed that we can trust His word) so that through our oneness with Christ Jesus we bless God with our faith (Romans 4:20, 2 Corin. 1:20). God wants to be glorified by His children by their exercising their trust and belief in Him. So, as any good Father, He gives His children the faith He desires to be blessed with. It is our choice, or will, to give Him back that faith. Scripture tells us that He gives us all a measure of faith (Romans 12:3.) our job is to give it back to Him by exercising that measure. And if we desire a greater measure than we just need to ask for it (Matt. 7:7-8). He is faithful to answer our desires to bless Him in a greater way.
God and His Word can be trusted and faith is a gift from Him that we are to return back to Him in full. What about when trials come our way? Can you still have faith?
The answer to those questions is “YES”. The Bible tells us that trials, (whether persecution, temptation or hard times) are going to come our way (1 Peter 4:12) but that we should count it as all joy (1 Peter 1:6). “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—through your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials. It will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:7. The joy that we can have, if we choose to focus on Jesus rather than ourselves, comes from the knowledge that God is perfecting our faith through the trials that are allowed in our lives and that if we continue on our journey with Jesus in faith that we will be rewarded in heaven for it.
As I stated previously, you do have a choice to make in your walk with Jesus. You can choose to have doubt, which is just unbelief in who God says He is and who you are in Him. You can choose to view your trial as the “giant” (Israel not going into the promise land reference) and God as the “grasshopper”. Which will keep you in misery, torment, cycles, and spiritual death. Because doubt is faith in the lies of the enemy. Satan wants nothing more than for Christians to be ineffective in their walk with Jesus. He loves to whisper lies to us that “it’s too hard”, “no one understands”, “God hates me”, “I’m just a dirty sinner”, “I’m not worthy of freedom”, “I can’t live for Jesus like He wants me too”, etc. That is throwing the faith that God has given you in His Word in the dirt and telling God He’s not big enough to help you with what you are facing. It’s a slap in God’s face, who is the Creator of all things. Creation is never greater than the Creator. And the devil, who only has lies, is NEVER bigger or stronger than God!
The trials we face are meant to level us up spiritually. (Spiritual maturity is measured by how we love God and others (James 1:2-3, Colossians 3:14).)
What the devil means for our destructions God will turn around for our good, if we let Him (Genesis 50:20, John 10:10). That is why we can have joy and peace that only Jesus can give us during hardship. He understands the trails for He was faced with the same testing and did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). He has given us every spiritual blessing to live a life of godliness (Ephesians 1:3). He has given us the victory of the Cross (Colossians 2:14) and His very Spirit lives inside of all believers (2 Tim. 1:14). Our soul (mind, will, emotions) is not our god. Emotions lie to us all the time, but God never does. Romans 6 does a beautiful job describing how we are one with Christ and that He is the King of our heart, not sin. We are dead to sins power over us the moment we said yes to Jesus. We are a new creation! No longer a sinner, enslaved to sin’s control. We have been redeemed and Christ’s blood on the Cross paid our debt to sin in full! The devil has no authority to accuse us and hold sins punishment over us (See Colossians 2).
No one can tell you to have faith. You have faith. You have to apply the faith that God has given you. If you find that you are going through a trial, and you don’t think that you have faith to get you through it. I have three suggestions for success:
1. Cry out in prayer for Holy Spirit to increase your faith. He is faithful to answer.
2. Ask Holy Spirit for a promise in His Word that you can stand on for that problem you are facing. He is faithful to give it to you. This will help you to use the faith that God has given you to stand on His Word when doubt, hardship, hurt wants to take up territory in your mind and heart. Stand firm proclaiming God’s word over the situation. God is faithful to rescue you, just don’t get mad if it looks different than you want it to.
3. Next, ask Holy Spirit to examine your heart with you. Are you in unforgiveness towards God or someone else? Are you trying to control the situation by focusing on you and your wisdom? Are you trusting in God’s provisions and answer for the trial? Is the problem big and impossible or is God, the great I Am, bigger! Give it all to Jesus. Abide in Him (which means to intertwine your heart with His). Wait on Him to direct you. Give Him a sacrifice of praise in the middle of the pain of the trial. In faith, look for His good to come out of this trial.
It is paramount that you spend time daily with the Lord Jesus in prayer and in His Word. Peace, joy, hope and faith all come to the believer that knows Jesus intimately (walk closely together at all times). He is the only answer to what you are facing. The world is full of “dry wells”, but He is the Living Water (John 4, Isaiah 12:3). The world’s culture, morals, ethics, normal behavior is not to be our cop-out for living a godly life. We are called to a higher level of living a life of abundance in Christ (2 Peter 1:11). It is possible! God says that it is. If it feels impossible then begin the conversation with Jesus. He is right there with you waiting to have a heart to heart with you. Don’t be scared to let go of control to Him. Renounce any lie from satan that you have agreed to and declare God’s truth over your life, over your family, over your situation. The darkness will flee when Jesus enters in for where there is light darkness cannot stay. Don’t give up on Jesus.
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