Faith Tested and Tried James 1:2-4

Faith will always bring patience because we ask and believe, and sometimes we also have to wait for it. And sometimes when you’re doing all that you know to do and you come under attack, then your faith in God is being tested. Satan wants to destroy your faith in God. God wants us to believe, no matter what the adversity.

1 Peter 1:6-7

Just believing in Jesus Christ will mean a lifetime of testing. Satan also wants to discourage us in our faith so that you will put your faith in yourself or in something else.

Job 23:2-10

Here we see Job in the trial of his life and he can’t find God. He can’t hear God. He knows that God knows exactly where he is and that he will come forward as gold tried by fire. Sometimes we don’t understand the trials we face, but God does. We need the faith of Job to know that we will come forth as well as gold.

Daniel 3:10-30

Here we see another great test of faith. Nebuchadnezzar built himself an idol of gold for his people to come and worship. One of his men came telling him of the 3 hebrews who had not bowed to worship the image. You know the story. In v.17-18 they let the king know even if our God didn’t free them, they still would not worship the image of gold. If you don’t get what you want will you still believe and have faith in God? They had faith with no doubt, God used them to produce faith in the king.

Hebrews 11:6

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Hebrews 11:7

(Read in Genesis 6-9, the story of Noah) This is another great test of faith. For 120 years no rain and still everyday building a huge boat. You know Satan was lying to Noah and his family. But still he did not waver in his faith. Then after the rain and the flood waters were high it was 150 days until the waters were gone. (5 months) After seeing and hearing such death and devastation and being confined to the boat, I am sure there were fears and concerns, but still no wavering, just waiting on God. He had a plan, all God needed was someone with faith that He was in control and that He could be trusted, even when it is not visible.

Luke 22:39-44

Most importantly Jesus our Lord was greatly tested. His plan needed to be completed.

1st – He that knew no sin had to become sin for all of the human race. Here you can see how Satan must have enjoyed this, watching the suffering of deity under the agony of sin and sickness.

2nd – He had to come under the control of Satan his enemy to be shamed and persecuted. To be rejected and defeated by all that he loved. This was the ultimate test of faith. This faith was surely tried by fire. And proven tom be real and trustworthy.

Philippians 4:8

This scripture is for those who are fretting in their trials. This peace belongs to those who have fully put their trust in God. They know that He will provide. The just shall live by faith.

The Foundation Of Faith Faith is based on knowledge.

No word – No knowledge – No faith.

Our faith is based on who and what we know.

John 6:29

Faith starts by believing that Jesus was sent by God.

Isaiah 33:6

It is not enough to just believe he was sent. Our faith will grow through wisdom and knowledge of him.

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord. We will not have wisdom if we don’t have the fear of the Lord. And how will we have fear of someone we don’t know? So, how can we have faith in something or someone we don’t know? We can’t, you cannot grow in your faith without knowledge of Him.

2 Timothy 3:14-16

You need a foundation of truth to produce faith.

John 1:1-14

This is the basis of our salvation. That God is the word and everything was made by him, all of creation. He sent himself as the son and his creation did not receive him. But he was the light of the world. We can also sit in church and never know him or grow in faith.

Numbers 23:19

If God is not a man that he should lie, and God is the word, then this means that God’s word is not a lie. Every word is true.

Psalm 19:7

There are 2 terms used to describe the bible: 1.) Inerrant: Which means perfect init’s accuracy and sure in it’s dependability. 2.) Infallible: means it is unfailing and is absolutely a trustworthy guide for our faith.

Psalm 119:89

God’s word is settled in heaven forever. It is perfect, no need for correction of any kind. It should comfort us to know that the word of an almighty God is what we are basing our faith on. It’s not just a whim, doctrine or a lie. It’s truth.

In life there are many things and people we put our faith in. 1.) Someone you work for: Would you work for someone who wouldn’t pay you or not treat you right? Or would you hire someone who would not work? 2.) Someone you lend to: Would you loan to someone who would not pay it back? 3.) Someone you buy from: You wouldn’t buy something from a crook or someone shady. You wouldn’t eat where you knew the food might poison you. Etc.

We will work and lend and buy from people we know we can trust. Why? Because we have knowledge of their reputations. So we trust and put our faith in them that what they say and commit to they will do. When they don’t we have knowledge that they can’t be trusted.

Knowing that God cannot lie and that He is the word, do we not see that we need to know him and his ways for our faith to grow.

Romans 10:17

Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God. God has to reveal his word to us. But we have to seek him through his word to find Him. Finding him is finding faith.

Matthew 4:4

This is the food of our faith. So, faith is based on knowledge. The knowledge of him. He is the foundation of our faith.