LIFE’S CHALLENGES are inevitable parts of human experience. Some Christians believe they are out of God’s will if they face a trial. Others don’t understand why they are going through trials. They think, “I’ve been following God and doing what He’s asked me to do. Why is this happening to me?”
The fact is, the devil will do everything he can to destroy anyone who claims salvation through Jesus’ blood. The Apostle Peter said, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1 Peter 4:12 NKJV).
The good news is, Christians don’t have to be overcome by troubles. Jesus’ sacrifice secured victory for us. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NKJV). The Bible also says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Cor. 2:14 NKJV).
Jesus didn’t overcome the world for Himself; He overcame it for you and me. Therefore, we can walk confidently through any trial knowing He will lead us and bring us through.
When people know and confess who they are in christ and take advantage of that fact, they cannot fail in their christian life.
Trusting God Through Stormy Trials
The story in Mark chapter 4 of Jesus calming the storm is familiar to many Christians. Jesus told His disciples to cross the lake and they immediately started doing that. Then a storm arose and threatened to sink their boat. They made it across, but not without a trial.
MARK 4:35–40 (NKJV)
35 On the same day, when evening had come, He [Jesus] said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”
36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
This story illustrates the need for us to move forward in our Christian journey. We should always be moving forward from where we are now to where God wants us to be. We can’t achieve that by being passive, sitting around and doing nothing. Next week, we shouldn’t be in the same place we are in today.
Because of Jesus, we’ve gone from being sinners to saints. Now we need to move from immaturity to maturity and religiousness to righteousness. We need to go from problems to promises, from victims to victors, and from trials to triumphs. For this to happen, we must be convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God’s Word will come to pass in our lives.
I don’t think the disciples were convinced they would reach their destination. Instead of listening to Jesus (the Word), they looked at the waves. Believers do the same today. Many problems in their lives come from their lack of faith that God’s Word will actually come to pass for them.
We must be convinced that God has already given us victory. Before we can receive anything—spiritual or natural—we must be confident that it belongs to us and that we can have it. And we must believe that we can emerge from a trial victorious.
That is why we must build a strong foundation on God’s Word. The enemy likes to attack Christians who don’t have a solid foundation in the Word because he knows they are likely to quit. Jesus’ disciples were initially obedient, but they lost faith due to a weak foundation, and Jesus had to intervene.
Many Christians build themselves up in God’s Word, but when things are going well for them, they let their guard down and stop practicing the Word. Then the devil comes along with some sort of attack. And instead of being strong in faith, they get into fear and have to build themselves back up.
Jesus is always there to intervene when we lose our way, but the best thing we can do is maintain a strong connection with the Word in every season of life. God’s Word is the solution for victory in every situation.
The Key to Victory
Too many people remain silent in the middle of their trial instead of saying what God has said. What we say will bring us victory. When problems stare us in the face, we must believe and speak! We cannot let trials silence us.
HEBREWS 10:23
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Our profession is our confession. We will possess what we confess. Even in the midst of our greatest trial, we must continue to confess what God’s Word says. Before we can see victory, we must first speak victory. Jesus provided victory for us at Calvary, but we must actively possess it. He provided the Promised Land for the children of Israel, but they still had to take possession of it.
Some people ask, “Did Jesus provide everything for us?” They should instead ask themselves, “Am I going to possess what He has provided?” Others ask, “Did Jesus really bring the victory?” But they should be asking, “Am I getting the victory and holding on to it?”
WE CAN’T JUST AGREE WITH GOD’S WORD. WE MUST BELIEVE IT. WHAT WE BELIEVE IN OUR HEARTS AND CONFESS WITH OUR LIPS WILL DETERMINE WHETHER WE MOVE FROM TRIALS TO VICTORY.
Have you ever seen a child try to take another child’s toy? The child with the toy will say, “No! It’s mine!” We must have that same attitude about what God says belongs to us. We have to tell the devil, “No! This is mine!”
What the economy says is irrelevant. What anyone else says doesn’t matter. Our safety, healing, and provision are in what we say when we say what God says. Jesus established our victory on the cross. We establish victory in our hearts when we believe, and we possess the victory when we speak. It’s up to us whether we go from trial to triumph.
Author
Kenneth W. Hagin
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