RCCG – The House of Prayer » The Trial of Your Faith

Title: The Trial of Your Faith

Text: 1 Pet. 1:3-9

[1Pe 1:3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

[1Pe 1:4] To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

[1Pe 1:5] Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

[1Pe 1:6] Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

[1Pe 1:7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

[1Pe 1:8] Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

[1Pe 1:9] Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Introduction

The trial of your faith is more precious than gold that perishes
Your faith will be tried by fire
Your faith will be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ
Even though you have not seen him, you love Him, you believe Him, you rejoice with joy unspeakable
As a child of God, a time is coming that you will be tested or tried.
To check whether your faith is in God

Main Topic

Your Faith

Your faith is your trust in God
Do you fully trust God or is the trust partial?
Shadrach, Meschah, and Abednego put all their trust in God – Daniel 3:16-18
- [Dan 3:16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
- [Dan 3:17] If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
- [Dan 3:18] But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
They did not waver or doubt in the face of danger
They were ready to die for the sake of their unwavering trust in God
There are people willing to blow themselves up because they were told, and they believed, that 70 virgins are waiting for them on the other side. They are willing to die for their faith, which of course is a lie.
Your trust in God must be unwavering to overcome the trial of your faith.

The Trial

The trial may or may not be from God.
If the trial is a temptation to commit sin, it is not from God – Jam. 1:13
- [Jas 1:13] Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
If the trail is a test of your trust in God, it may be from God
For example,
- Abraham’s trust in God was tested when he was told to sacrifice his only son Isaac to God. The test was from God. – Gen. 22:1-2, Heb. 11:17-19
  - [Gen 22:1] And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
  - [Gen 22:2] And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
  - [Heb 11:17] By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
  - [Heb 11:18] Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
  - [Heb 11:19] Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
- Samson was tempted with strange women and he fell. The temptation was not from God.
- God may permit us to be tempted, but He is not the one tempting us – Jam. 1:13
- The Lord boasted about Job, and permitted him to be tested by FIRE – Job 1:6-12
  - [Job 1:6] Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
  - [Job 1:7] And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
  - [Job 1:8] And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, thatthere is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
  - [Job 1:9] Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
  - [Job 1:10] Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
  - [Job 1:11] But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
  - [Job 1:12] And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
- God may permit the enemy to tempt us, because He wants to prove the devil wrong
- God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can handle – 1 Cor. 10:13
  - [1Co 10:13] There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
- Joseph was tempted in Potiphar’s house – Gen. 39:7-9
  - [Gen 39:7] And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
  - [Gen 39:8] But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
  - [Gen 39:9] There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
  - Joseph recognized immediately that it was temptation from the pit of hell
  - Joseph recognized that if he sinned against God it was over for him
  - The only thing Joseph had with him was God

Purpose of Test and Trial

The purpose of a test is to confirm the genuineness of your faith, your trust in God
The purpose of a temptation is to derail one’s destiny away from the plans of God

Conclusion

Regardless of what the test or trial may be, your end shall be alright.
1 Pet. 4:12-14
- [1Pe 4:12] Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
- [1Pe 4:13] But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
- [1Pe 4:14] If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
May the glory of Jesus Christ be revealed in your trials in Jesus name
At the end of the trial, you shall rejoice with exceeding joy in the name of Jesus
May you become an overcomer of all the trials and temptations in the name of Jesus
May you be found unto praise and honour at the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Jesus name

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Sermon

The Trial of Your Faith