The Truth of God’s Word vs Your Test or Trial

One of areas that may take continual “hits” if you’ve been in a test or trial for any period of time, is your attitude. It can be very easy to develop a negative attitude towards life, the people around you… and even God. Maybe you’re wondering, “Why is this happening to me?” It’s no coincidence that Luke 18:1 says what it does. Mentally speaking, you can find yourself in a place where you’re ready to leave the field of play and go sit on the sidelines for the rest of the game.

Tests and trials come to people who’ve dedicated their lives to God as well as people who could care less. Look at the lives of Jesus and all the Apostles. A first, they drew crowds. But then, the world ended up hating them. The Apostle Paul describes all the tests and trials he went through in his letters to the church. In other words, if you’re living on the earth, you will be challenged either directly or indirectly.

If you’ve made the choice to follow God, your choice and commitment will be put to the test by the evil that dwells in this world. The Bible says there are seasons in life and times of testing. But those times won’t last forever and you can come out on the other side better than you went in.

1 Peter 1:3-6 AKJV (American King James Version)
(3)  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
(4)  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you,
(5)  Who are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
(6)  Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

The sixth verse of the English Standard version reads like this –

1 Peter 1:6 ESV (English Standard Version)
(6)  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

One translation says “for a little while” while the other one says – “for a season.” Either way, these situations are subject to change.

In the Gospel of Mark, the fourth chapter, Jesus put it like this;

Mark 4:14-20 AKJV
(14)  The sower sows the word.
(15)  And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
(16)  And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
(17)  And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution rises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
(18)  And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
(19)  And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
(20)  And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty times, some sixty, and some an hundred.

The Gospel of Luke words it this way –

Luke 8:15 AKJV
(15)  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

The word patience can be translated as – “cheerful, hopeful endurance.”

You can see many examples of people suffering tests and trials throughout the Bible. Sometimes, people forgot God and Satan or evil spirits established a stronghold in their lives. Sometimes, they became filled with greed and envy and just didn’t care until they lost everything. Some people fell into doubt and fear and forgot God’s promises when confronted by enemies. As it was then, I guess it’s really no different today.

Then, we have examples of those who chose to believe and trust God – looking beyond what they could see with their natural eyes. Those who had the kind of heart God was looking for. That’s the person you can become if it’s something you truly want for yourself in your life.

Everyone has a choice, don’t they? God sets before them a choice. You can choose to follow His Word or do something else.

If your choices had led you to the tough spot you’re in, forgiveness and restoration is still God’s perfect will for you because mercy triumphs over judgement (James 2:13).

2 Corinthians 5:21 AKJV
(21)  For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

God offers freedom from all of that through the cross. The Bible says that the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. It’s a stumbling block for others. But for those who believe, it’s the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV (King James Version)
(18)  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Under the New Covenant, the Bible says we have a better covenant established upon better promises.

Hebrews 8:6 AKJV
(6)  But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

So, with all of these truths, why are you personally struggling to overcome your circumstances? Let me give you a personal example. I once had an ugly looking growth that started on my scalp. It was about size of a nickel. After praying in Jesus’ name and trusting God with all my heart, it disappear completely leaving no trace whatsoever after about a week. At the same time, I had a small cyst on my wrist for about two years!

I approached the one on my head with life or death fervency. I only prayed and talked to the Lord about it for about five to ten minutes… but I was as serious as I’ve ever been in my life. I wasn’t that way about my wrist, because I didn’t feel threatened by it in the same way I did the other one.

I’ve discovered over time that you can become comfortable with certain types of problems. Sure, you wish they weren’t there, but you learn how to co-exist with these problems or issues. Does that make sense? Certain problems leave no room for error. When faced with them, it’s amazing how fervent your praying and believing can become.

It’s only when you’ve had enough of something that everything things can finally change. Two things are needed. Faith and some fervency of heart.

Another thing to remember is how the Israelites of old drove out the inhabitants of the land God gave to them.

Exodus 23:22-30 AKJV
(22)  But if you shall indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries.
(23)  For my Angel shall go before you, and bring you in to the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
(24)  You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but you shall utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
(25)  And you shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless your bread, and your water; and I will take sickness away from the middle of you.
(26)  There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in your land: the number of your days I will fulfill.
(27)  I will send my fear before you, and will destroy all the people to whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.
(28)  And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before you.
(29)  I will not drive them out from before you in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against you.
(30)  By little and little I will drive them out from before you, until you be increased, and inherit the land.

 

Some circumstances God changes little by little. Other times, nothing seems to change at all until all of a sudden – it does!

The point is, God is faithful. Jesus isn’t forsaking you. He’s the reason you haven’t given up completely if you can receive that?

So that’s about all I have to say on the subject today. Just realize that the Bible tells you not to lean on your own understanding for a reason. If figuring things out was the key to you getting the victory, then you would have had it long ago. Because like most people in a test or trial, you look the situation up and down every which way you can. You deliberate about it, you talk to people about it, you read books about it, etc. But really, the only thing that you really need to do is to – pray, trust God and just do what you can do. Ultimately, what you can do may not be enough. But that’s okay because we have faith in a God who, as the Bible says, is more than enough. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

So begin to talk like that. Begin to remind yourself about that. Remind yourself, even if you have to self-talk yourself out of discouragement and into encouragement and out of doubt or fear and into faith (Proverbs 18:21).

These are the practical things you can do in everyday life as you go from one hour to the next, and one day of the week to the next day of the week.

If your victory doesn’t appear immediately or all of a sudden, that’s okay. Little by little the enemies of your life will be driven out from before you if you keep with it. You will be increased and you will inherit your own land that God has designed for you in your individual life.