Trial of Faith
Today, I’m looking at, how to identify trial of your faith. I utilize two major methods: first, I’m very cognizant of what I speak about. Second, I’m very vigilant after receiving a Word from God. Since the start of this month, if you have been reading this blog, by now, you would’ve read much on trial of afflictions and faith. I have looked at what trial means, according to the Scriptures.
Very frequently, I have observed that the very things I say to people the opposite happen to me. I can recall this incident, which happened after praying with two acquaintances of mine. The three of us held hands and prayed for each other. I prayed for both persons. However, I focused on one more than the other because of an immediate need he had.
Within an hour after prayer things started to happen. The very opposite of what I prayed should happen for my friend began to happen to me. The trial of my faith had begun. The words of faith I spoke to my acquaintances were being tried. Since I spoke the words of faith, because I believed them. Immense pressure was brought to bear on me for those words that I may stop believing them because they are supposedly not working according to my speech. However, I stood my ground for I walk not by seeing but by believing. That pressure lasted for about eight weeks.
By far, this was one of the toughest times of my Christian life. As the days progressed, I documented everything happening to me. The spiritual battle was so intense automatically I did three days, three-night abstinence fast. Yes, I still went to my job.
It was the fasting and the praying which nourished my faith and kept me. Today, I’m stronger, spiritually, because I endured.
I Identify Trial of my Faith by Watching for Incidents…
It happened for the one I prayed for, exactly as I prayed. My prayer blessed him but my trial of my faith cost me almost everything I had. My faith was placed on great trials. It’s only because I cannot divulge details why you wouldn’t understand how devastating this incident could have been for me. What happened to me could have killed me and others; it could have destroyed my family and my marriage. I did nothing to deserve that, I only prayed the words of God over a brother’s life. This is an incident, although I document it in my journal, I shall never forget. I endured only by the power of the Word of God. The same Word of God that “tried” me sustained me. The Word of the Lord is tried. The Lord Jesus is a great deliver.
During the fast, I was at work in the day but in the night, I could not sleep. I walked from room to room praying and crying to God. But God heard me and helped me out of all my troubles. He promised to help you, if you just ask Him.
Therefore, I’m very cognizant of what I say to others and what I say when I pray. I’m not scare of anything but I have learnt to from experience to expect whatever I pray or say to others for myself or the opposite. I’m very specific and deliberate with my words.
A similar thing happened last summer (2011), nevertheless on a much smaller scale to the previous incident. I prayed for a Brother, of my assembly, during Prayers and Worship and the next day all that I prayed for him happened to me. However, this incident was pleasant.
Another major way I identify trial of my faith is to watch for incidents, which contradict a word I receive from the Lord. I have observed, not so much now as before, very soon after receiving illumination from the sweet Word of God trial of my faith start. For example, eight months ago, I received a very revolutionary word from God, which will fundamentally change my life forever. Immediately, I received that word I had persecutions for the very word. This word has not manifested yet, I’m still keeping the Word of God, and I’m still being persecuted for it every day.
Often times when God gives a Word to us, we don’t know the “when” or the “how” this Word will materialize but we know He spoke. There’s need for patience after the Light of the good Word of God has shun into your heart. This is the advice of Apostle James in James 1:3 – 4.
I have also found that keeping a journal is a useful tool to identify trial of my faith. Frequently, I re-read what the Lord told me concerning that word written about above, that helps me to hold on to His Word even more. I have stuff written in the back of my Bible in the “Notes” section since 1997. Now, in 2011, is when many of these things are materializing. I never let go of the Word of God and I keep re-reading and re-living the moments I received them.
Therefore, to identify trial of my faith I do the following:
- Watch carefully what I speak .
- I’m more vigilant after receiving a Word from God.
- I journalized important happenings in my life regularly. That way I can refer to my journal to confirm an entry.
- My journalizing also functions as an invaluable tool, which aids in assessing my spiritual growth. By comparing journal entries, I have information from the past to analyze, to assess and to determine how well I have done. Did I improve or decline. This is a great approximation of your spiritual health.
- When everything is low, keep your prayers up. Never falter in your prayer- life. Praying is communication with the Lord. If you never pray, you never know the Lord’s desires and instructions. Pray constantly. How? Use your spirit. You don’t need to open your mouth, pray by the Holy Ghost. As you pray, watch.
- I’m constantly watching for changes in my circumstances. I also watch for another Word from the Lord. This Word could be a confirmation of a previous Word or instruction for new direction.
- Above all, watch for the way of escape the Lord creates with all sufferings. This is not a way to escape the suffering but to prevent you from sinning. In other words, finding it ensures you DON’T experience more than you can bear. So be watchful and prayerful.
- Finally, very often to have victory, we MUST add fasting to praying. The Lord told us, fasting breaks “every yoke”, Isaiah 58:6. Fasting is the key.
In closing, I find it easier to identify trial of my faith than enduring the trials. One thing stands above all else; I have said on this topic today, I depend on the power of the Holy Ghost and not myself for instructions, direction, decision making and victory and I always emerge victorious in the name of Jesus Christ.
Friends, know the trying of your faith does not last forever. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you,” 1 Peter 5:10.
If you endure, you shall emerge from the trial of your faith as pure gold. Share with us, in the comments, how you identify trial of faith in your life. The Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen!
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I have to add somethings concerning Isaiah58. It opens with;
v1:- Cry aloud spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
I spent a long time in study and prayer, seeking to know exactly what that transgression God was referring to here. Because first of all it was a particular transgression.It had to be very relevant to our generation as all written by the prophets are. Second,IT WAS THE KEY called the chosen fast, of which when done would loose the bands of wickedness,undo heavy burdens,let the oppressed go free,break every yoke etc.
When Jeremiah 16v10:- And it shall come to pass when thou shalt shew this people all these words and they shall say unto thee. Wherefore hath the lord pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the lord our God?
v11:-Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me saith the lord and have walked after other gods, and have served them and have worshipped them,and have forsaken me and have not kept my laws.
v12:- And ye have done worse than your fathers for behold ye walk everyone after the imagination of his evil heart that THEY may not hearken to me.
For these things Jeremiah says,Jer14 v 7,8,9,10,11:-
v7:-O lord though our iniquities testify against us, do it for thy names sake, for our backslidings are many, we have sinned against thee.
v8:-O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble,why should you be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man (vagrant)that turns aside to tarry for a night?
v9:-Why should you be as a man astonied,as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O lord art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name,leave us not.
v10:- Thus saith the lord unto this people. Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet.Therefore the lord does not accept them; he will NOW REMEMBER their iniquity, and visit their sins.
V11:- Then said the lord unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
v12:-When they fast,I will not hear their cry………
When I first became a believer by the love of God he drew me to his son, it was not long after when I started to run to err by heeding various so called faith ministries.I purchased many books and tapes, I had in fact started to veer from God in doing so. To the end after having been blessed with my own wife and four children, and gotten my own business was blessed materially.I came to a time when it was all taken away,all was not in my power to stop it, the robbers and betrayers came through by broken hedge and took what they were allowed to. I had forgotten my first love.
Not all men have true faith, and gain is not godliness.
By Gods goodness I realised the facts.I repented, I burnt all of mans teachings in my possession, and shut my mouth about God until I knew otherwise.
For nine plus months I kept. I had kept one book, the kjv bible. I read Isaiah 58. And knew of the great transgression of the people in our generation,it was that thing at Assissi. I went out that day to lift up my voice like a trumpet to any church leader that I would meet in Aberdeen.
In that city when I failed to even find a church leader, that is where I met him(the lord)as Jeremiah described in ch14v8-10.
The chosen fast is a revelation of Jesus Christ, of his second coming the son of man, the same of which this site mentions much about. It is because of the transgression of his people which explains his second coming as a wayfaring man as Jeremiah describes.
To loose the bands of wickedness one has to know all Jesus words,to let the oppressed go free one has to know all the words of Jesus, to break every yoke one has to know all the words of Jesus etc. You get the picture.
Many Christians say be saved, saved, saved..but they dont even know exactly what to be saved from.If one does not belong to any particular church, one is counted as backslidden or an infidel.They preach one must know who one is in the lord,when on the contrary we must know who he is.They preach abominations for doctrines, because much of what is commonly called faith from tradition-doesnt weigh up true and balanced. God loves all men. Not all men have the gift of believing that there is a god, and are condemned as fools.It is the undoing of all these types of things, that our fathers initiated long ago, by forsaking the only saviour of man, the Lord Jesus Christ and his words.That is the only true Gospel for man,the works of God for man to do in this crooked and perverse generation that we find ourselves born into as born blind from birth(jn9)who washed his eyes in the pool called ‘sent’. Man must believe him who the father ‘sent’,and hear his words to do them. Then one will be equipped do the ‘chosen fast’.Then shall you call and the lord will answer, you shall cry and he shall say ‘here I am’.
Sean, this comment would have been very appropriate under Fasting, how we fast, why we fast etc., Nevertheleess, I thank you for your feedback.Keep on studying the WORD my brother.Blessings!!
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