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The Trial Of Your Faith
“According to your faith and trust and reliance on the power invested in Me be it done to you.” Matthew 9:29 Am
For the most part, we tend to get what we expect out of life. We tend to see what we expect to see, and hear what we want to hear. Inevitably, we accomplish what we expect we are going to accomplish. God tells us, “according to your faith, it will be done.”
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 ESV
We are pleased when our children trust us as parents, God is the same. Even the Disciples asked the Lord to increase their faith. How do we grow in faith? God builds our faith by testing it
Read: James 1:2-4
I. God Tests Our Faith Through Difficulties
Job 7:17,18 God is testing every moment of your life
* through trials, problems, pressures, tough circumstances
* remember filling a balloon with water or/ air ‘til it breaks ?
* remember, nothing comes into your life without God’s permission
Jonah 2:7,8 Jonah had to get swallowed by a large fish
* God has to use unusual circumstances to get our attention
Isaiah 48:10 even the furnace of affliction
* if you want to learn to live by faith, you must continually rejoice
II. God Tests Our Faith Through Demands
* sometimes He asks us to do things that seem impossible
* like, “don’t worry, do good to your enemies & those who hurt you, forgive other people, or, be thankful in everything- even sickness
Exodus 16:4 God’s way of proving obedience
* God put many demands upon the people of Israel as they journeyed out of slavery in Egypt to the promised land
Hebrews 11:8-10 by faith Abraham obeyed and went
* where am I going, God says, “I’ll tell you when you get there”
* Noah: “build me an ark” - in the desert! by faith, Noah built an ark
* God tests our faith through difficulties and demands
* the result: Faith tested is Faith grown
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