Triumph Through Trials part 1 Our Faith Tested

Well take your Bible and turn with me to the book of James. To the book of James. Now, last week we started our series on Sunday mornings and the title of the series is "Good Works Flow From Good Faith." I think that helps us grasp what's being communicated in the book of James. And like I said, we started off last week. We looked at the who of the book of James and we stayed right there in verse 1 and we learned a lot that will help get us started in this book. Now, as you're turning to the book of James, I want to ask you a question.

This is not one that I want you to answer, but to ponder why the need for the series, "Good works flow from good faith." Why do we need to spend this much time in this book called James? Personally, I believe that the real world outside of the church is in desperate need of good works that flow from good faith. Now, at the end of the message last week I gave you a quote by a famous English evangelist. He's long since dead. His name was Leonard Ravenhill. And he said, "The world is not looking for a new definition of Christianity, but a new demonstration of Christianity." We need to let that sink in our minds.

All of our theological definitions will not reach the lost. All of our church methods won't reach the lost. Is when we step out of the four walls of the church and be and become the Christians that God wants us to be. That is what will reach the lost. As I was studying and preparing this week and pondering over that quote, I thought about something that I heard my old home church pastor say years ago. I got saved in 1989 and I just sat at the feet of my old pastor, Brother Dennis Sewell. In the early 90s he was talking about some of the struggles of pastoral ministry.

And he was relating to some of the tragedies and the lives of some famous so-called Christians and how it affected him. He talked about how in the late 80s when Jim Baker, the famous televangelist, fell from grace. And Jimmy Swagger, the church of God or assemblies of God, I'm not sure which one. He was a famous TV preacher when he fell from grace. He talked about the tremendous scandal that was out there in the culture. And he said it made it hard for him as a minister because people looked at him with a more skeptical eye. Now what am I trying to say to you? This reminds me of something.

This reminds me or helps me grasp the fact that the lost world desperately needs to see real Christian works, good works that flow out of real good Christian faith. We desperately need this today and I believe God is going to challenge us and prepare us for the days that are before us. Now in introducing the message that we're going to look at this morning, I want to introduce you to what I have kind of pinned it this way, the law of spiritual antagonism. The law of spiritual antagonism. Now most of you probably know what an antagonist is.

Now don't look to your wife or your husband, but an antagonist is one or a group or an institution which opposes. I thought about a great example. You know, when you have one political party that is in office, you have an opposite political party that opposes them and they are the antagonists. Aren't they not? I know that we have what's kind of popular out there today, the Tea Party. You know, they're antagonists to those who are in office today. I think you understand that. An antagonist can be an individual or a group or an institution and they oppose. What I want us to see is in the Christian life, there is the law of spiritual antagonism.

Now you don't have to turn there, but I'm going to show this to you from a few scriptures. First of all, I want you to listen to John chapter 16, looking at verse 31. Jesus answered them. These are the disciples. He says, do you now believe? Behold, an hour is coming and has already come for you to be scattered each to his own home and to leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the father is in me. Now notice what he says. These things I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace. Now in the world you have tribulation, but take courage. I have overcome the world. What is he talking about? He's saying you will have tribulation.

This is spiritual antagonism. Let me give you another example. You can jot this verse down and study it later. Acts chapter 14 starting in verse 19 all the way to verse 22. This is talking about Paul and some of his missionary exploits. He says, but the Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and having won over the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he arose and entered the city. And the next day he went away with Barnabas to Durb or Derby.

Verse 21, "And after they had preached the gospel to the city or that city and had made many disciples, they returned the Lystra to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, saying, 'Through many trials we must enter the kingdom of God.'" What do we see? This is the law of spiritual antagonism. Now notice Paul was the one who was stoned, but Paul was the one who strengthened the disciples. This is spiritual antagonism. And this week, as we get into the second message of the book of James, we are going to learn of spiritual antagonism, and James just caused them trials.

And look, this is a part of our walk with Christ. Now let me pause right here for a minute. I am not talking about cultural Christianity. I've already said this to you before when we dealt with baptism. I want to take this erroneous idea of Christianity and throw it out the window. It's not in the Scriptures. Real Bible Christians are in Christ. They walk with Christ. They are in Christ, and Christ is in them. And I'm not talking about this cultural belief. Those of us who are in Christ, as we walk with Christ, we will have trials. You can call it the law of spiritual antagonism.

Now the title of the message this morning is "Triumph Through Trials." "Triumph Through Trials." It is part one, and part one is "Our Faith Is Tested." So you can jot this down, and I like titles because titles help us get our mind around what the Lord is trying to teach us. "Triumph Through Trials," part one, "Our Faith Is Tested." Now let's look over to the book of James. I'll read verse one for the sake of review, but we're going to be in verses two through four. James, a bondservant or a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To the twelve tribes, those are the Jewish Christians who are dispersed or scattered abroad. Greetings.

Now he dives right into some of the things he needs to teach them. He says, "Consider it all joy, my brethren. When you encounter various trials, some translations might say temptations. Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance or a steadfastness. And let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." Like I said, the title of the message is "Triumph Through Trials," part one, "Our Faith Is Tested." Now if you're taking notes, and I trust that you do, we're going to have three main points, and everything's going to be built around these points. So you can jot them down.

First are number one, or Roman numeral one, "Joy In Trials." "Joy In Trials." Second are number two, or Roman numeral two, "Understanding In Trials." "Understanding In Trials." Number three are Roman numeral number three, "Submission In Trials." "Submission In Trials." So let's dive into the text and let's see what the Lord would teach us through these few verses that are so deep. So point number one, or Roman numeral one, "With Joy In Trials," I want to see, excuse me, "As we walk with Christ, we must have joy in trials." Let me repeat that. Number one, we must have joy in trials. Go back to the verse.

He says, "Consider it all joy, my brethren." These are Christians, real Bible Christ followers, when you encounter various trials. So number one, we must have joy in trials. Now I want to ask you a question. What are trials? What are trials? Now a simplistic definition is, "Testing or proving by experience." Now this word "trial" right here in the verse, it is neutral, meaning that it can be positive and it can be negative. In its context, it depends whether it's positive or negative.

It is sometimes translated "temptation." The King James translates it "temptation." Now one writer, or one definition that I ran across years ago, and I had it written in my Bible, said it like this, "A trial is something which breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy, or happiness." In the verb form, it is to put someone to the test with the purpose of discovering that person's nature or quality. It goes on to say, "Every trial is a test. If it is failed, then it becomes a temptation." So I wanted you to get in your mind a good, accurate definition and understanding of what a trial is.

A trial is a testing, it is a proving, and it is a testing and proving by experience. It can be positive and it can be negative. We always think of a trial primarily being negative, but it can be positive. It is something that breaks the pattern of peace in our life, comfort in our life, joy and happiness in our life. And in the verb form, as this trial comes, it puts us to the test to prove our nature or our quality. And if we fail the test, then it becomes a temptation. Now, with that definition in our minds and in our hearts, I want us to just dive a little bit into the verse.

I want us to look at verse 2, and I want us to look at verse 2 by asking two questions. So the first question is, how do we face trials? How do we face trials? Go back to verse 2. He says, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials." The answer is right there in the text. We must face trials with joy. We must face trials with joy. Now, let me dispel some misconception about joy. Joy is not an emotion. That's happiness. Happiness comes, happiness goes, but joy is altogether different. Joy is not an emotion, but joy is an act of the will. But for us as Christians, it is coupled with the inward work of God.

Now, emotions come and go, happiness comes and goes, but joy is coupled with an inward work of God. Now, how can we attain this joy? It is only by the Spirit's help. This is not happiness. Happiness many times depends on physical circumstances. And this can only be achieved as we walk with God, and the Spirit of God works in us. So, as we face trials, we must determine that biblically, we must face trials with joy. Now, the second question is, how many trials must we face? Go back to the verse. What does he say?

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials." So, the answer to that question is, yes, we're going to encounter many trials. Now, this word "various" can be translated "diverse," but notice there is a translation that is out there, that it can be translated "many-colored." What are we trying to see here? Our trials that we must face are various. They are diverse in nature, and they can be many-colored. What we're learning is, each trial looks different, smells different, feels different, and acts different, because they are many.

For some of you, that might be a little bit of a letdown, because we have bought into, in many ways and in many places, the lie that if we just come to Christ, everything will be good. That's not the case. So, the first question, how do we face trials? We face them with joy. And how many trials must we face? We must face many. And they all look different. They are diverse and they are many-colored. Now, let me ask you another question. How do we, now listen, approach what we've just looked at. How do we approach this?

I mean, is it a "take it or leave it?" Or some of you sitting there saying, "Well, preacher, that's just not the kind of Christianity I have, and I was taught." What does the Scripture say? Let me go back to the verse. Verse 2, the first word is, he says, "Consider." He says, "Consider it all joy." Now, this word "consider" is an imperative. What that means is, it is a command. This is not a suggestion. So, the way we approach trials, the way we approach this subject is, we understand that James is saying, "I command you to approach trials with joy." You must approach this. We must approach this properly.

Because it's not "take it or leave it." I have talked to Christians before, and I've described trials. I've described things like this, and I've literally had Christians say, "Well, God doesn't work that way in my life." They're in for a rude awakening, are they not? What he says is, "You consider it." This is a command. This is an imperative. Now, I want to say this to you. This is completely opposite to our flesh. This is completely opposite to what our flesh wants. Because look, we want in our flesh, we want to escape difficult circumstances, all difficult circumstances. We want to escape bad weather. We want to escape crime.

We want to escape sickness. We want to escape loneliness and rejection and poverty and persecution and insecurity and personal injury. And the list goes on and on and on and on, because why? We want our comfort. We want to live life in ease. We don't want anything to come along and just rock that boat, do we not? That is our flesh screaming out. That is our selfish nature screaming out. But what does the word says? It says, "I command you to approach trials with joy," because many are coming. I'll give you a biblical example, the life of Moses. I don't know if you know how Moses got his beginnings.

Moses was a Hebrew little boy who was born, and in that day it was a dangerous thing to be a Hebrew little boy, because Pharaoh had commanded that all of the boys be killed. His mother and father trusted God, and they made a little basket, and they put him in the river. And the long story short, what happened was Pharaoh's daughter saw the little boy, and Pharaoh's daughter rescued Moses, and Moses grew up in the household of Pharaoh, an adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter. He was literally in the family.

But what Exodus chapter 2 says, "There came a day in time when Moses decided to reject that life, to reject Pharaoh, to reject all of his privileges, all of his future, and to be identified with the people of God, his people, God's people." I will read you a portion of Scripture. You don't have to turn there from Hebrews chapter 11 that helps us get our mind around this. Hebrews 11, the great hall of faith there, of the great Christians, men and women of God. Verse 24, notice what it says.

It says, "My faith, Moses, when he had grown up," here's the turning point, "refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ," or the Messiah, "greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking for or to the reward." What do we have there? What is the writer of Hebrews saying? "There came a day when Moses faced a trial." Now get this. It is positive on one side, and it is negative on the other. This is the positive side.

If he were to remain in Pharaoh's house, if he were to remain Pharaoh's daughter, he would have had a life of luxury, he would have had a life of riches, he would have had a life of power and prestige, he would have wanted for nothing. But there came a day when he rejected that life and he turned what? To be identified with the people of God. And what does the writer of Hebrews say? This is the negative, because when he chose to identify with his people, God's people, there he encountered reproach and rejection and hardship. And if you follow the story of Moses, what is it?

It is a life of trial after trial after trial after trial and each time a trial came, he had to fight with his flesh and embrace it with joy. Many times he would be on the mountain with God and God would say, "I am sick of these people, Moses. "I'm going to kill them and I'm going to fulfill my covenant through you." And with great joy, he would say, "God, you cannot do it. "These are your people." What am I trying to show you? Moses gladly, willingly, with joy, because of the work of God that God had done in him. It was not because of his emotions. He had joy in trials.

And look, it started the very day he turned his back on Pharaoh and Pharaoh's household and it was trial after trial. They were many colored and many faceted, were they not? But Moses is our great example. And let me tell you, there are two kind of people here this morning. There are those of you who have faced trials and there are those of you who will face trials. If you're born again, let me tell you, if you're born again, there are those of you who have faced trials and there are those of you who will face trials. I'll never forget, I was talking with my friend, Ray.

You've heard me talk about, we prayed for our brother in Christ, Ray Spence. He's a pastor friend. His wife is battling cancer. For the third time, and unless there is a miracle, it does not look good. Ray is facing losing his wife and finishing raising or really finishing up with his third child, his youngest, the daughter. But I told Ray this one day. I said, "Ray, you show me a Christian who's never faced trials and I'll show you an imitate Christian." And he said, "Amen, brother." But you know, I'll add to that and listen close.

You show me a Christian who has endured trials improperly and I'll show you a bitter Christian, an angry Christian, a fleshly Christian, one who is out of step and out of joint with God and one that nobody wants to be around and those do exist. And you know, as I was finishing up this message, now listen, I could not help but write down in my notes the names of the people that I know that when they have faced trials, they failed.

And when they failed in the trial, there it turned into temptation and they went the way of flesh, they went the way of selfishness, they went the way of their own ideas, they went the way of bitterness and anger and all they do is ooze with flesh and they are no good to Christ, no good to Christianity, no good to the church and no good to reach the lost. I know people like that. So what am I showing you? As we walk with Christ, we must, it is a command, we must have joy in trial. Let's move on, I want us to see number two, or Roman numeral two, as we walk with Christ, we must have understanding in trials. We must have understanding in trial.

Let's look at verse three. James says, "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Now, the King James says, "Because you know," excuse me, "the new international," let me clarify myself, "the new international version that some of you use says because you know." Now, the new American that I'm reading from just uses the word knowing. The English standard version says, "For you know." So in all three of these popular translations, the word know. What is he doing? He's talking about an understanding.

The word knowing here, it carries the idea, fully understanding something that is more than factual information but it relates to experience. It relates to hands-on experience. And look, we should know and understand trials for personal experiences and from the word of God, both. And that's what he's saying. He's saying, knowing, knowing personally that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Now, let's get into a couple more questions under this knowing or understanding trials. First of all, the first question is, what is testing? Notice it's a different word here. Verse 2, the previous verse was trials. Now it's the word testing.

What's the difference? Now, the word testing is an entirely different word in the original but it really has the same meaning. It's really communicated as the same meaning. It means to test, it means to prove something, and it means to prove the quality of that object. So it's a different word but yet the same meaning. Now, the second question, what does this testing accomplish? What does it accomplish? Now, go back to the verse. The verse answers our questions for us. Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. It can't be translated steadfastness. This is what is produced by this testing.

Now, the King James Version uses the word patience here, and that's good because this word endurance is sometimes translated patience. And here in this verse, endurance comes, now get this, from patiently going through the testing that is mentioned. You get that? The endurance is brought about when one patiently accepts and goes through the testing and the trial. So what does the testing accomplish? The testing brings about endurance, steadfastness, while patience has been exhibited through the trial. And all that goes together. I ran across a quote as I was doing some reading this week by John MacArthur.

He's a good Bible commentator and a good preacher of the word. He says it like this, "Patiently enduring trials while trusting in the Lord develops endurance, which has a lasting quality." He goes on to say, "Endurance," now get this, "is a permanent inner quality of strength, which increases each time a trial is patiently and trustingly endured." You get that? You see what's being communicated? We must look, understand trial. We know what they mean. We know that they come because the word teaches us, but we have experienced those trials. We know them from experience. I'll give you another biblical example.

I hope you know the story of Abraham. He's the great father of the faith. He's the great father of our faith. That's another sermon for another day. But Abraham was a man of God that God used greatly. We also see a lot of faults in Abraham's life where he blew it, where he was tested and he failed. But in many ways he was tested and he succeeded. But there came a day in Genesis chapter 22 when God called Abraham to sacrifice his one and his one and only son.

If you know the story, Abraham and Sarah could not have children, and God came and God said, "Abraham, you're going to have a son by your own flesh." They were well beyond childbearing years. They had to live with that promise, live with that word for many years before it came true. And I'm not going to tell you what happened, but Abraham did try to take matters in his own hands and he blew it greatly. But God did bless them with a son and his name was Isaac. He was the child of the promise. He was in God's eyes Abraham's only son. But there came a day when God came to Abraham and God said, "Abraham, I want you to take your son.

You're one and only son and I want you to sacrifice him for me." Now imagine, his only son, and God called him to sacrifice that son. Again, I will flip over to the book of Hebrews, Hebrews 11, starting in verse 17. You don't have to turn there, but listen, because the writer of Hebrews helps us understand Abraham's understanding. Notice what it says, "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, he offered up Isaac and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son.

It was he to whom was said, 'In Isaac your descendants shall be called.'" Verse 19, "He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type." What is he saying? Abraham believed and counted Isaac as dead. Now if you go back and you read the story, let me give you a little more truth. God came to Abraham, he said, "Son, I want you to sacrifice your son." Abraham himself cut the wood for the sacrifice. Abraham had two of his young servants to go with him. And the Bible says in Genesis that Abraham took the wood that he cut for the sacrifice and he laid it on Isaac's back to carry.

And the Bible says that they traveled in the wilderness to Mount Moriah, listen, for three days. And on the third day Abraham built an altar, he set the wood on the altar, he had the fire for the altar, and he had the knife for the sacrifice. He bound his son, he put his son on the altar, he raised the knife, and right before he plunged the knife into a son's body, God said, "Wait." Now let me show you some other nuts and bolts. According to Hebrews, Abraham had already counted him dead. When God said, "Do it Abraham," he did it in his mind, he did it in his heart, and when he looked at his son, he looked at a dead little boy.

Because it says in Hebrews that he reckoned that God could raise him from the dead. Let me show you just how dead he was. They journeyed three days. For three days Abraham reckoned his son dead. And let me tell you, this is another sermon for another day. That is a picture of Christ. Isaac is a picture of Jesus. Jesus bore the cross, Isaac bore the wood. Abraham is a picture of God the Father, but yet we know that God the Father did slay his son, Jesus. But what am I trying to show you? Abraham for three days counted his son dead. Now that's a test. He didn't just get to the altar and say, "Well God, here I am." He bound him up hand and foot.

He laid him on the altar, and when Isaac said, "Daddy, he's seen him sacrificed many times." Where's the sacrifice? He said, "Sir, God will provide the sacrifice." And he raised a knife. What am I trying to show you? When Abraham got through this trial, when he passed the test, he knew by experience. He understood what a trial was because he had lived it, he had breathed it, he had walked it, and look, it had changed him. And that endurance had done a work in him. He had to patiently count his son dead. God did a work in him, and God changed him. And you can study the life of Abraham, and he was never the same after Genesis chapter 22.

He became a greater man of faith. Why? Because he did pass the test. Now let me throw a little tidbit at you. Did God test Abraham and see what Abraham was going to do? God knew what Abraham was going to do. God's all-knowing. He didn't say, "Well, let me just see what Abraham's going to do today." He knew. But, oh, look, Abraham didn't know what Abraham was going to do. Abraham had a great test. And see, it's not about God seeing what Abraham was going to do. It's about God doing a work in Abraham. And God changed Abraham. God worked in Abraham. He patiently took the trial, and it created endurance in him.

Now with that story told, and the explanation that I've given you, listen to the MacArthur quote again, and it'll ring a little deeper. "Patiently enduring trials while trusting in the Lord develops endurance, which has a lasting quality." Endurance is a permanent inner quality of strength, which increases each time a trial is patiently and trustingly endured. That's what Abraham knew, and it changed who he was. Now let me ask you a question. Do you know and understand what trials are in life as a Christian? What have trials produced in your life as a Christian?

If trials have not come your way, look, you must understand that they are right around the corner. If you are a recent convert, you better mark it down. You better put it on the calendar. It will come one day when you least expect it, and you better understand it first by what the word says. And then when you get through the trial, if you pass the test, then you will know like Abraham through experience. And it is meant to do a work, look, in you. And that's what went on in Abraham. And like I said earlier, I jotted the names of some people that I know, some friends and old friends and acquaintances who failed the test.

And let me tell you, see, with Abraham, it brought about patient endurance, it brought about an inner strength that he carried on with him the rest of his life, but those who have failed the test, what does it bring about? When they fail the test, they yield a temptation, and it always brings about selfishness and bitterness and failure and defeat. And it is repulsive because of failure. And it always brings about defeat, and it will rob Christians of days and years and months of being used by God. So we must understand trials. And then number three, let's move on. As we walk with Christ, we must have submission in trials.

We must have submission in trials. Look at verse four with me. "And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, not lacking anything." Now, the King James says, "But let," the English standard, the New American standard, they both say, "Let." So go back to that word at the beginning, verse four. "And let," or the King James, "but let." What is he trying to communicate? This is submission. He's saying, "Let, submit to this." This is submission to the Lord and a willingness to endure trials until God's work is done, and this work is a necessity. I heard someone say it like this. I jotted it down.

The only way out of a trial is through it, and I agree. This requires submission. And look, going back to what we learned earlier, not only does it require submission, but it requires joy in that submission because it is an imperative and it is commanded. So what we're seeing here is that we must have submission in trials. Now, two questions. What does endurance, this endurance that is this inner work because of patience, what does this accomplish? Go back to the verse. "And let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect and complete, not lacking anything." I jotted a word down that's not right here in the verse, but it is.

"Endurance accomplishes maturity." Endurance accomplishes maturity. Now, the use of the word "perfect" does not mean perfection. None of us will ever attain perfection on this side of glory. So he does not mean perfection, but what is he talking about? A perfecting work, bringing about maturity. It refers to that which is fully developed. Maturity is being fully developed in this person. You see? So when we submit to trials, this endurance comes along and it brings us down the road. It brings us to a newer level of maturity. That's what's accomplished. But the second question, what does maturity accomplish? What does maturity accomplish?

Simply, it means completeness or being made whole. Go back to the verse and I want you to see that James kind of stacks up some words here. And verse 4, "Let patience, let endurance have its perfect result." Notice what he says, "That you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." What is he saying? That you may be more mature, more complete, and lacking nothing. So what does this maturity bring about? What does this accomplish? This maturity, it simply means completeness. He wants to bring us to a new level of maturity and then complete a work in us. He wants us to be not lacking in anything.

He wants to bring about a deeper work and a deeper work, look, of change to bring us to a new level of maturity, but a new level, now look, of completeness. Because he's completing a work in us to do a work through us. We see that example in Abraham, excuse me. After he passes the test in Genesis 22, he does not revert back to some of the immaturity that had plagued him in the past. Go back and look. After Genesis 22, there is a new completeness, a new level of maturity in him. He does not make some of the same mistakes because God did the work in him, and he did submit to the trial with joy, and he understood the work.

But let me give you another example. I'll go back to the example of Paul. I read this earlier in Acts 14. You don't have to turn there. With all that looked at in mind, notice what it says. But the Jews, they came from Antioch and from Iconium, and having won over the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he arose and entered the city, and the next day he went away with Barnabas to Derby.

And after they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith by saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." What do we see? We see Paul submitting to trial. What does it say? He stoned, dragged out of the city, left for dead. And this work, this trial, this stoning, he submits to it. And what does it do? It brings about a new level of maturity, a new level of completeness. And now notice the platform for which he stands.

He now turns around, and later on in verse 22, if they travel some more, he looks at the other disciples and say, "You're going to face tribulation." And they're looking around, they're going, "This guy was almost killed. Look at the work that God's done in him. Look at the new level of maturity. He is more complete, and he is able to turn around and look to the other disciples and say, 'Tribulation is coming.'" This is what happens when we submit to trials with all joy, and we let the work of God take its full course. God brings us to a new level of maturity. God completes us as a Christian.

We are more whole, and we are not like we used to be. Previously, I've written down names of people I knew. I wrote down one name right here, my friend Ray. Now, I'm not going to sit here and say, "He's a saint. He's just a man of God." He's been walking with God and doing the work of ministry for years. His wife was diagnosed with cancer. They fought it. She came back. She was diagnosed with cancer again. She fought it. They came back. The third time, it is a long, slow, agonizing death little by little. She is still hanging on, and the trial that they have been facing is cancer.

The trial that he has been facing is losing his wife, and they're in their upper 40s, very young in my eyes, and they have been facing and embracing this trial year after year, doctor visit after doctor visit, losing her hair, losing parts of her body when she can't get up, when she can't eat, when tomorrow holds so many questions. They have just endured, and they have submitted to the trial, and because I know the man and I hear his voice and I know how he lives, I can spot endurance that has been patiently accepted, and I can see maturity that he never could have before. Let me give you an example.

One day he and I were talking, and he told me this. He said, "You know, Amanda said this to me. She said, 'If my cancer and my early death will bring about a work in the body of Christ, I accept it.'" That's maturity. That's more completeness in Christ. You see? That is embracing and submitting to the trial and letting God do the work and bring you to a new level of depth in Christ that you never could have.

And little things Ray will say, "Sometimes he'll call me on the phone, and he'll cry, and he'll weep, and he'll lament for 45 minutes, and then for two minutes it is nothing but maturity and completeness and the work of God." That's what submission to the trial does. It does something that you cannot articulate with words, but you can see it, and it works. Now, as I begin to conclude, I want to give you some extremely important information, and I need you to get this. I want you to get this, all right?

And I don't want to belabor us or lengthen us with time, but you need to get this because this really helps wrap the bow, put the bow around the package this morning. So if you're writing things down, I encourage you to write this down. First of all, number one, the misunderstandings about trials. The misunderstanding about trials. There is one misunderstanding that most people make in the life of the church. Let me explain what I mean. There is a difference between a trial which God allows and ramifications of one's own decisions. Listen close.

There is a difference between what God brings as a trial and the ramifications of your own decisions. If I go out in life and I make bad choice after bad choice after bad choice there are consequences. It's kind of like the little boy that walks outside and he throws a rock up in the air and he looks up to see how high it goes and it falls and hits him in the eye.

And he cries and cries and cries and he looks at his daddy and his daddy said, "Well, son, don't throw the rock up in the air." A lot of people have gone out in life and they've thrown rock after rock after rock after rock up in the air, and one by one they start falling and hitting them on their head, and then they come in the life of the church and they go, "Oh, trials. Oh, tribulations." And I'm not trying to humanize God, but if they look up to God, God shrugs his shoulders and said, "You did that to yourself." There is a difference. And I've known people who have gotten so confused here. That's not what I'm talking about.

That's another subject for another day. The second thing I want you to see is the source of trials. The source of trials. We must understand that we as Bible Christians, this is extremely important. Now listen. We must understand that as Bible believing Christians, we are under the sovereign providential hand of God. God's over our life. There's no such thing as a coincidence. God has ordained everything in our life. He knows it. But yet in the sovereign providential work of God in our life, God allows trials and look, many times they are by the very hand of the enemy. We see that in the life of Job. Go back and study the life of Job.

The Scripture said that Satan paraded himself before God, and God looked at Satan and said, "Have you considered my servant Job?" And in the life of Job, God allowed the trial, but it was by the hand of the enemy. See, for some that's confusing. But see what happens is, some on the charismatic side, they look at that and they misinterpret it. Oh, it's the enemy. Oh, they start casting out demons. But yet they don't see that it might be the very hand of God using evil for his purposes. You might say, "How could God use evil?" Go back to what I just read. Listen, don't turn there.

"But the Jews, they came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the multitudes, they stole Paul." Who in the world do you think did that? The vacuum cleaner salesman didn't. It was the enemy. It was by the hand of the enemy, but God allowed it. I heard the old Southern Baptist of Angeles, Manly Beasley said, he said it like this, "The devil is right in the economy of God. And what we must do is, we see its source, yes. But that's not the big issue. If we're born-again Christians, we know that God is sovereign over that. It does not matter what comes our way.

If we are born again, it is allowed by the very sovereign, providential hand of God." Now, however you were, it doesn't matter. You just better understand it. Job had to understand that. Paul, he had to understand it. Abraham had to understand it. Trials come, maybe from the enemy. Maybe you don't ever know where he comes from. But that's not the issue. The issue is who allows it and who is in it. Manly Beasley said it like this, "The devil is nothing more than God's little messenger boy." Isn't that right in the life of Job? "The devil was nothing more than God's messenger boy to do a work in Job." We see that all through the Scripture.

What about the story of Joseph? Remember, Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery. He ended up in Egypt. And if you follow the whole story, there was a great famine and his people, the Israelites, God's chosen people, had to go down to Egypt. And they went before Joseph, the one they had sold in his slavery. They didn't even know who he was. Joseph knew who he was and he revealed himself. And what did he say? What you meant for bad, God meant for good. See, Joseph saw the whole thing. God did it. And he might have used or allowed evil means. So there is a misunderstanding about trials. We must also see the source of trials.

And then number three, I want you to see the purpose of trials. The purpose of trials. The purpose of trials, they are always twofold. Number one, it is to bring about a new level of godliness. Haven't we learned this in the book of James? It is about completion. It is about maturity. It is about an instilling and inner strength in you that you could not have. It is about a work of God that will grow you to a place where you never could get without the trial. That is a work of godliness. That is a work in you. Now on the surface, some people might not ever see it. But if they know you and they watch you, they will see it.

It is always about a work of godliness. But the second purpose is usefulness. It is for the purpose of usefulness. Paul is our example. We see it over and over and over. I am going to show you another example in the book of Corinthians. The book of Corinthians. Chapter two. Excuse me. Second Corinthians. Chapter twelve. You don't have to turn there. Jot it down. In second Corinthians chapter twelve. Now listen close. From verses one through six. Paul is kind of bragging about the vision of heaven that he had. But I want you to listen to what he says. And because of the surprising greatness of the revelations.

For this reason, to keep me from exalting myself. Now listen to this. Paul has seen this great view of heaven. And what does it say? To keep me from exalting myself. There was given me a thorn in the flesh. A messenger of Satan. To buffet me. To keep me from exalting myself. Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times. And it might depart from me. And he has said to me. My grace is sufficient for you. For power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly. Therefore I will rather boast about my weakness. That the power of Christ may dwell in me. Notice what he says. Therefore verse ten. I am well content with weakness. With insults.

With distresses. With persecutions. With difficulties. For Christ's sake. What do we see? This is the twofold work. God didn't work in him. You know what God was doing? He was humbling him. He was humbling Paul. Now get this. Maybe God in an all knowing way. Saw that when he revealed to Paul the great vision. He knew that he had to take him down a peg or two. So what he is doing is an inward work of humility. And that always transpires into usefulness. He was more usable. Just think for a minute. What if Paul would have puffed up with pride. Just a little bit. He would have shipwrecked God's work for him. He would have shipwrecked God's plan.

But let me tell you. Lost people can't get this. This will never come about in a lost person's life. If you got somebody in the life of the church and they're lost. And they experience what looks like a trial. It will never produce godliness and usefulness. It can't. Because they don't belong to God. So let me repeat and then I'm going to close. There are misunderstandings about trial. There is a difference in the consequences and God bringing trials. The source of trials they come from God. Although God allows the enemy to work under his control. And then the purpose of trials. Godliness and usefulness. Now you can close your Bible.

And I want to tell you. I've been through a few trials. And let me tell you what God showed me. This is the singular key to the lock. Now listen. When trials come. This is the only way you'll make it. This is the only way you'll make it. You look up. You look. Now listen. For him. You look for God personally. You look for the living Christ. No matter if it's cancer. No matter if it's desertion. No matter if it's a weird form of sickness. No matter what. No matter if it's poverty. No matter if it's losing everything you own. If you lose every friend. If you lose your job. No matter what trial may come. No matter what how dark the cloud is.

You look for him in the tragedy. You look for him in the trial. Because when you find him. That is all you need. Because look if you don't find him. You know what you'll find. Self. And you'll never pass. So the key. Is finding him. Let me tell you something. Only boarding and Christian people can do that. These cultural Christianity's that are faith. They can't do it. That's why listen. Time will always tell off on who they are. So the title of the message this morning is. Try up through trials part one. Our faith is tested. Let's pray. Father I thank you for the word. I thank you for how richly it has blessed me this week.

Just in my own study. I thank you for blessing me like you have. Working in my life. Reminding me of things.