September 17 , 2007

Is Your Faith Being Tested?

Lately it seems that there is one issue after another. Nothing really big, just stuff. When I went to church today the pastor was preaching about suffering. He let us know that all suffering is not caused by sin. Some of the suffering we experience is because God is trying to do something with us. It was crazy to hear because it was a confirmation of what God had been speaking to my spirit related to my own life. It is always amazing to me that God knows just what we need when we need it.

I had been struggling with writing this weeks article for the website. I knew the scripture, but did not have a clear direction. I did not want to talk about my little issues because they seemed so small in comparison to some of the stuff other people are going through. Then I realized the stuff I am dealing with has Kingdom potential. The scripture I wanted to use for today comes from James 1:2-6.

In James 1:2-6, the bible says, 2 Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that 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 perfect and complete, needing nothing. 5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

Why is this important? God has a Kingdom assignment for me and for you. The purpose and plan that He has for my life and yours will require us to press through when it’s not easy. To press through when the task seems impossible and nobody sees what we see.

There are things that God told me over seven years ago. They have not come to pass yet, but does that mean that they won’t? I don’t think so. I believe that God has you and me in a place of testing our faith. By doing that He is strengthening my muscles, spiritually, physically, relationally and emotionally so that I can stand up in the long haul. Many of us can stand as long as the waiting does not take that long, but can you stand for seven years? Can you stand for eight or will you just decide you must have heard God wrong and give up?

Will you stand when everyone around you is tired of hearing your dream and the vision God put in your spirit? Will you stand when all of the obvious and natural signs point in the opposite direction of the hope and direction that God has given to you? Those are the questions that God is asking. I don’t know about you, but I know I want everything that God has for me. One of my anointed and appointed sisters told me not to listen to the voices around me and to keep my ear tuned to God. If God said it that settles it and it does not matter what anyone else says.

How does that look when God says He will give you the desires of your heart and the doors all seem to be closing in your face. How does that look when the person God sent to you is walking out of your life and you love them more than life itself? What does that mean when God promised you a business or ministry and all the doors are closing on the vision? What does that mean when the house God promised you has just been sold to someone else and the bankers and the mortgage company are telling you, that you don’t qualify? I think it means that God wants us to be patient and trust Him. Don’t trust the bankers or the mortgage company. Don’t trust that one that you believe God promised you trust God to do what He said He would do.

As you trust God your spiritual muscle will grow. You will develop endurance to get through to the end of any race and that will be important for the purpose and plan God has for you. God has promised me some big stuff. Well it’s big to me. I was willing to settle for a ministry of bible study to 5 people and then God sent this ministry. When I think about the possibilities that come with it. The number of people that we have the opportunity to serve and minister to via the web, through preaching, teaching, podcast, the message board and working out with pastors I am overwhelmed. When I think about the number of people that we may never meet personally that have the opportunity to sign on to the website and learn the steps to salvation by visiting our salvation story link.

When I think about the number of people that we have the opportunity to pray for because they sent a prayer request from anywhere that the web can touch. When I think about all of the opportunity that has been afforded to us, I have a better understanding of why God is allowing the suffering that He is allowing. I understand that He is growing me and maturing me to be able to walk in all that He has purposed. The testing of my faith is growing me. The many times I felt like giving up and continued to do what He told me to do, those acts are growing me.

Even now when I see what He is doing with me I understand the importance to this time of testing. I understand this time of struggle. There was a time I hated getting up in front of people for any reason. I still am not the one that is running to grab the mic or running to get up in front of people to preach, but I will do what God has called me to do. I am watching the mentors that He has placed in my life and growing from the experience and wisdom that they share.

I do not know where you find yourself today, but I encourage you to let the testing of your faith help you to grow some spiritual muscle, so that you can run with endurance the course that God has set before you. Don’t run my race or anyone else’s run yours. Run with the endurance God has grown up in you.

It will take strong faith to move through deliverance. Is yours strong enough?

  Weekly Scripture:

James 1:2-6
 2 Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that 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 perfect and complete, needing nothing. 5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

We just worked out spiritually. If you have not worked out your physical temple get up and put your video in or go for a walk, but do something. Remember to work out at least 3 times per week (20-30 minutes per day) to experience a New Beginning physically. Work out to music, workout and pray. Just workout.

For further discussion contact angela@mynewtemple.org or write to us on the message board