The Testing Of Your Faith Builds Character Perseverance And Hope

Hello and welcome to Social Media Ministries where our mission is to use social media to spread the living Word of God with as many people as possible and to help them understand and interpret the Scriptures in the Bible.

My name is Spencer Coffman, and, if this is your first time tuning in with us, please consider hitting the subscribe button below the video. Also, there’s a bell icon down there that you can click on to be alerted when we post new content.

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Today we are going to be talking about how trials build endurance.

So, oftentimes in your life or through your walk with Christ you may notice that you undergo a lot of hardships or trials. Things just don’t always work out, and that can be tough. It can be very tough. You may be trying to do something, whether it’s at home, maybe in your marriage, with your kids, at work, getting a new job – whatever the case may be – and nothing seems to be working.

Take heart. Don’t worry because God is still on your side. He’s always on your side. Now, when you undergo trials before we dive into this, there could be a couple of reasons: number one, you are undergoing a trial because it’s not what you are supposed to be doing. God doesn’t want you to do that, so he is stopping you. Okay, if that’s it, you got to talk to God and figure that out.

Number two, it could be because it’s what you are supposed to be doing, and it’s the Devil who is trying to stop you, but you need to develop the persistence and endurance to get through it.

So, it could be one end or the other, and I know that sounds pretty vague, but today’s message is going to help you dive into it and figure out a little bit more about why you may be going through the trials and what these trials will do for you.

So, long ago there was a great leader, and I’m going to read a quote from him. It’s an awesome quote that has been in my mind for many, many years, and I hope it sticks with you and hits you like it did me, “Do not lament misfortune. Instead, rejoice that you are the sort of man…” – or woman, back then that’s what he said – “you are the sort of man who can undergo misfortune without letting it upset you.”

One more time, “Do not lament misfortune. Instead, rejoice that you are the sort of man who can undergo misfortune without letting it upset you.” That leader was Marcus Aurelius. Now, many people know of him. They’ve heard about him in the gladiator times, Roman Empire, etc. But, do not lament misfortune, but you should rejoice that you can undergo misfortune and be okay with it. It’s very, it’s a very cool thing.

But now, what’s even cooler is longer ago a man by the name of James wrote a book in the Bible, obviously. Okay, this is James 1:2 and 3, so Chapter 1, Verses 2 and 3. If you have your Bibles, turn there with me now. It says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

Okay, consider it pure joy, so when you undergo these trials, you apply for a job, you don’t get it. You apply for a job, you go to the interview, something goes wrong – you spill your coffee on your shirt, you’re late, you’re stuck in traffic, whatever the case may be. Something went wrong and kept you from advancing.

Maybe you have a project you’re working on at home, and you go to use whatever tool, and all of a sudden the tool conks out on you. It doesn’t work. Okay, you go buy a new one. Now, the tool doesn’t do the job. You need something else, or you ran out of material, it started raining, or – I mean it could be one of a million things that could just keep going wrong, and it doesn’t work. What are you supposed to do? Complain and get upset? No, consider it pure joy.

Trials of many kinds, that means whether it’s your parenting, your relationships, your marriage, your work, your home life, projects, whatever it is – pure joy, done! Why is this? Why are we supposed to consider it joy? We consider it joy because the testing of our faith develops perseverance. When you are in trials you need to have faith that God will deliver you through this trial. That’s what it is. Your faith is being tested.

Are you going to get upset and have a man’s reaction, man as in humankind’s reaction, mankind? Are you going to behave like we always behave? Humans complain, they grumble, they’re always upset about something.

Or, are you going to take a deep breath and have a higher reaction, a spiritual reaction, and understand that there’s more going on here, that it’s the testing of your faith, and that you are building perseverance? So, that’s what it means, and you always must consider it pure joy.

We’re going to turn to another Verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. So, turn with me there. If you’re not able to turn there if you’re driving or something, don’t worry. You can listen in. I’m going to read it for you. So, 5:16-18, this Verse is very important in this, in this context. You ready, “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

So, that’s a three-part Verse right there. Three things are very important.

Number one, it says, “Be joyful always.” Alright, that’s just like what James said, “Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds.” So, James is saying specifically to trials, but in 1 Thessalonians here, it says, “Be joyful always.” This is any circumstance.

Pray continually, so if you go through trials, what are you supposed to do? Complain about it? No, you should be praying about it. Ask God to help you. You have to rejoice when things go wrong.

If you’re sick, praise the Lord. Maybe you are supposed to take a day off. If you’re having problems with technology, thank God that something is going on. Maybe your computer is not supposed to work right now because you are supposed to spend time with your kids. Or, whatever the case may be, always look for the so-called silver lining, because it’s there. How do you find it? Pray continually.

Give thanks in all circumstances, just like this, give thanks. So, seek the Lord during these times of trouble and these hardships because He will see you through them. Remember that the Devil is testing your faith. Just like here, “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James is right on.

Let’s turn to another Verse. This is in Luke. So, if you can go there, Luke 22:31. This is the story of Peter. Now it’s in all the Gospels, as well. So, you may read it in the different books, whether it’s Matthew or wherever, but we’re going to go to Luke 22:31.

And, in this instance, Peter is about to be tested by the Devil, and this is very interesting. Let me read it for you, here, 22:31. It says, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you Simon, that your faith may not fail, and when you have turned back strengthen your brothers.”

Okay, so this can be kind of confusing, and we don’t really know what it means because it says, “Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.” So, what does that mean? Well, if you turn back to the original translation this doesn’t just mean he asked – and who did he ask? Well we know he asked God.

Remember the story of Job where Job is being tested or put under trials by Satan, but Satan had to ask for God’s permission. So, Satan goes to God and says, “I want to test that Peter and put him under trials, sift him like wheat.”

And, this version of “the ask” in the original Greek translation it means “asked and received permission to do so.” So, it’s not simply asking. Satan didn’t just ask. Jesus is telling Peter, “Hey, Satan has asked and already received permission to sift you like wheat.” You are going to be put under the furnace here, pal.

“I have prayed for you,” so Jesus has interceded or prayed to His father for Peter – for Simon Peter, Simon, saying, “I have prayed for you. And, when you come back…” – so, Jesus is telling Peter, “You’re going to get through this. When you come back, strengthen those around you.”

Go through endurance, go through the trial, persevere, and then come back and – what? – help others. Strengthen them, prepare them. Why? Why can’t he just strengthen them now? He has to prepare others, and he can’t do it now because he hasn’t gone through it yet himself. He’s going to go through this, go through the wringer, then he’s going to come back and be able to prepare others.

The Devil is always, always trying to test your faith and break you. Remember Job. Job was this great guy. He had tons of stuff. He was very wealthy, he had livestock, cattle, land, family – big family. Satan says to God, “Hey, the only reason this guy is so devout is because you bless him so much.” God says, “Very well, don’t hurt him, but otherwise he’s free game.”

And, in one day – or, we don’t know, but in the story of Job in the book of the Bible, all of a sudden messengers come from all around, saying, “Hey, raiding parties came. They killed everybody. I’m the only one that came back to get you. Hey, there was a big collapse of the building. Everybody’s dead. I’m the only one that survived to come and tell you.”

All these people come. Before he knows it, all his stuff is gone, all his family is dead, everybody is gone, his land, everything has been taken and seized. He’s – all of a sudden his whole world literally went upside down. Huge trial, and what did Job do? Prayed. He talked to God, just like 1Thessalonians says. He prayed. Pray continually. He continued praying, talking to God, and asking for strength.

That’s what you can do. Seek God and allow Him to fight for you. God will fight your battles for you. All you need to do is trust Him. If you stay in there and endure the hardships, your faith will be increased. That means don’t bail out. Don’t give up, take heart. Remember, the Lord Jesus has overcome the world.

That means that whatever you’re going on – whatever you’re going through in this world, you need to take heart because Christ has overcome the world. Remember, your Kingdom is not here. You are subjects of another Kingdom. We are simply here temporarily. We’re in this world. We’re on this earth. This is the enemy’s territory.

We’re living here with one goal, the great commission: bring more people to Christ. Remember, you got to be hot. We’ve talked about this before in another video, another message. You got to be hot. Nonbelievers are cold. If you’re lukewarm, you’re not doing anything. Don’t be lukewarm.

Moving on here, if you endure the hardship, your faith will be increased. So, you got to stick it out. You got to endure. How do you do that? Pray continually, seek God, you need to rely on God, and through hardships, you learn to rely on God. So remember, consider it pure joy because the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Now, why does this matter? Why’s it important? Well, as a Christian you are going to be tested a lot. Right there, you’re going to be. This isn’t the easy path. This is the narrow path. This is the tiny little deer trail through the forest with thorns and briars all around it that you got to get your way through. It’s not the wide path, the open road here. This is the narrow path. This is the tough path.

You’re going to be tested because Satan is going to continue attacking and attacking and attacking. How do you overcome? How do you get it to stop? You persevere and you learn to rely on God. Then, as future times come, as future trials happen, what do you do?

You become more – you’re not going to, like, enjoy it, you’re going to become more comfortable, you’re going to become more okay, you’re going to become resilient because the testing of your faith produces endurance. So, you’ll become more resilient. You will be better equipped to handle these situations should they occur.

We’re going to go to another Verse. This is Romans 5:3-5. So, let’s turn there. This is our final Verse, final Scripture passage. If, again, if you have your Bible I would really encourage you to do so, turn here, if not listen up because I am going to read it for you. This kind of ties everything together, and it brings home a very popular saying that parents use on their children all the time.

Here we go, 5:3-5, “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us.”

Did you catch it all? Remember James says, “testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Right here we have Romans, saying right now, “Not only so…” – number one, “…rejoice in our sufferings,” just like James says, “consider it pure joy” So, rejoice in your suffering because suffering produces perseverance, just like the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Okay, perseverance, what does that create? Perseverance creates character. So, these sufferings, these trials, what do they do? They build character. Very popular saying, I know I was told it. “Why do I have to do this?” Because it builds character. You never knew why it builds character, but now you do. The testing of your faith, sufferings, trials of many kinds, be happy, rejoice because – guess what? – you’re building character. That’s a great thing.

Now, what does character mean? Why do you build character? Character gives you hope. Hope for what? Hope that when you go through it the next time, it won’t be as hard, you’ll have someone in your corner. Who? God. Because – guess what? – when you went through it you prayed continually, you trusted God, and you learned that you can do this. You know you can do it. You’ve been through it before. It’s not so bad. You have gone through it; you can do it again.

And, you know what? You don’t have to do it alone because Jesus is with you. How cool is that? God has poured out His love into our hearts – into our hearts! His love is in your heart, my heart, it’s in our hearts through the Holy Spirit that God gave us. That means you can talk to God anytime. You can connect with Him at any time. When you are going through these trials especially you need to connect with God because these trials build endurance.

Let’s pray:

Lord Jesus, we thank you so much for the great words that you have given us through the Bible, through all the people that contributed to it, and through the interpretations of the messages and the Scripture.

Lord, thank you so much for the trials and the sufferings that You give each and every one of us. We do, we consider it pure joy, and whether people are laughing at us or think we’re nuts, we know inwardly it is pure joy because the testing of our faith builds perseverance, and we build more character and hope because of it.

So, Lord, I ask that every single person out there that’s listening or watching this, that they would be able to seek you through these trials of many kinds and through their sufferings, that you would build up perseverance and endurance, build them stronger and stronger and stronger and help them seek you more.

God, please give us endurance, give us strength, and give us hope because one day we know we won’t be here. You have overcome this world, and we live in another Kingdom. Please, Lord Jesus, help us, see us through these trials, these sufferings of many kinds, allow us to have your heart and your mind when we go through them.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Well, thank you so much for tuning in today, and if you sincerely followed along with that prayer and mean it, I pray for you, and I really want to encourage you because you are probably going to continue going through more and more trials to build this endurance and build this character and build this hope. Don’t waste it. Use your experiences to help others, inspire them as well.

Thanks again for tuning in. If you have any comments I’d love to hear them below. Please, once again, hit that subscribe button, click the bell icon and the like button as well, and if you’d like to support us through any financial means we can continue with that as well.

Thank you so much for tuning in. God bless you.