One of the great secrets of a victorious Christian life is revealed by this scripture;
James 1:2 (NKJ)
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
God does not distinguish between the nature or the severity of the trial. His instruction is clear, consider it all as joy!
Impossible?
How illogical and impossible it may seem when you are faced with a life or death situation, great financial loss or extreme danger. And yet if God says it, it must be possible and we are to force ourselves to do it if we want to see the victory.
God’s ways are not our ways the Bible reads but fortunately in this case, God gives us a clue to help us.
Nehemiah 8:10
“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Ah now we understand, the joy of the Lord somehow strengthens us against the attack and even enables us to overcome it and emerge victorious! When great difficulties arise we may also rest assured that the trial will pass.
Psalm 30:5
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
Just do it!
Replacing the stress with a stream of heartfelt joy is difficult indeed. Your carnal mind will refuse to do it. It can only be done with your spiritual resources, that is, with the power of faith and the help of the Holy Spirit. You will have to sacrifice the carnal comfort of whining, crying and of blaming God, to just do what He tells you to do. The infamous marketing phrase, “Just do it”, can find no better application that to the instructions of the Bible. We can however rest assured that the trail will only endure for a while.
In the parable Jesus tells in Mark chapter 4, He explains that the trial comes from the Devil and not from God. The trial or test comes to steal a promise of God i.e. the word of God from our hearts. The enemy pressures us through circumstances to say that the promise of healing, of protection, of deliverance, of provision and prosperity is not true. Hang in there my friend, start praising God with joy and you will see the passing of the trial and you stepping into victory!
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