VICTORY IN TRIALS
MESSAGE NOTES
WHY DOES GOD ALLOW US TO GO THROUGH TRIALS?
(James 1:2-4) Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, (temptations) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
(1 Peter 4:12) Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
(John 16:33) "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
(James 1:5-18) But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away. Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
(verses 13-18) DUING OUR TRIALS WE ARE TEMPTED, NOT BY GOD, BUT BY THAT WHICH IS IN OUR HEARTS. THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIALS IS TO EXPOSE AND CHANGE OUR HEARTS. THE PRIMARY TEMPTATION WE ENCOUNTER IS THE TEMPTATION TO ACCUSE GOD. “GOD DOESN’T ANSWER MY PRAYERS.” “GOD DOESN’T CARE ABOUT ME.” EXAMPLE: JOB’S WIFE (Job 2:9) Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!" (NAS95)
(Verse 4) TELLS US THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROCESS IS TO MAKE US “PERFECT and COMPLETE, LACKING IN NOTHING”.
(1Pet 5:10) After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself PERFECT, CONFIRM, STRENGTHEN AND ESTABLISH YOU.
(verse 5) ASK FOR WISDOM.
(verses 6-8) ASK WITHOUT DOUBTING. (WE ARE TEMPTED TO DOUBT)
(verses 9-11) MONEY ( WE ARE TEMPTED TO BLAME GOD OR IGNORE HIM)
(verse 12) REWARD FOR PERSERVERING UNDER TRIAL – CROWN OF LIFE
(Romans 5:17) For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
HOW SHOULD WE BE PRAYING?
(James 5:16) …..The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (NKJV)
THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE SAYS “HEART FELT , CONTINUAL” PRAYER
EACH CHRISTIAN IS FULLY RIGTHTEOUS. (2 Corinthians 5:21) He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (NAS95)
WE MUST ASK WITH THE RIGHT MOTIVES. (James 4:3) You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. (NAS95) GOD WANTS US TO SHARE HIS MOTIVES FOR US.
(1 John 5:14-15) This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. (NAS95)
GOD WANTS TO EXPRESS HIMSELF THROUGH EACH OF US. HE WANTS OUR FEELINGS TO BE HIS FEELINGS, THOUGHTS, MOTIVES AND CHOICES TO BE HIS FEELINGS, THOUGHTS, MOTIVES AND CHOICES. (Galatians 2:20) "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave Himself up for me. (NAS95)
SO HOW SHOULD WE PRAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD’S MOTIVES? ONE PRAYER WHICH I SUGGEST IS AS FOLLOWS: “OH LORD, PLEASE BRING INTO MY LIFE TODAY EVERYTHING WHICH IS NEEDED TO CAUSE ME TO WALK FULLY IN THE CALLING TO WHICH I AM CALLED.” OR “OH LORD, CHANGE MY HEART. MAKE IT A SUITABLE HABITATION FOR YOUR PRESENCE.” OR “LORD, USE TODAY TO HAVE YOUR WAY WITH ME. BUILD YOUR KINGDOM MORE FULLY IN MY LIFE TODAY.”
(Philippians 4:4-7) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NAS95)
REJOICE ALWAYS - RELEASE ANXIETY TO HIM - BE THANKFUL - RECEIVE HIS PEACE.
ENDURANCE IN PRAYER.
(Luke 11:1-13) It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples." And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 'Give us each day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" Then He said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.
(Luke 18:1-8) Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'" And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (NAS95)
REMEMBER THAT IN TRIALS WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE CHANGED IN A GOOD WAY. WE ARE BEING EQUIPPED TO FULFILL OUR CALLINGS. WE ARE BEING CHANGED FROM GLORY TO GLORY IN TO HIS IMAGE. TRUST HIM AND SEE WHAT HE WILL DO.