"The Trial of Your Faith"

1 Peter 1:6-7

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

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:

Greatly rejoice: Jimmy Swaggart’s notes refers to the time when this earthly sojourn will be finished, the Trump of God sounds, & “we shall be changed” (1 Corn. 15:51-54)

Now: in this life, just now, this moment, now at this time, at this very time, this moment...

Season: little, small, few, of time/short, of degree or intensity briefly (will pass)

Heaviness: to make sorrowful, to affect with sadness, cause grief, the throw into sorrow. to grieve, offend, to make one uneasy, cause him a uneasy,

It is necessary, there is a need of, it behooves, is right & proper necessity, lying in the nature of the case, Necessity brought on by circumstances or by the conduct of others towards us. Necessity in reference to what is required to attain some end.

Though now for a season (this to will pass) A season has a beginning & and end. We know it is coming ( Think it not strange (1 Peter 4:12-13), we are not ignorant (2 Corinthians 2:11), we are not alone (1 Thessalonians 2:14 ...for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen...), seasons come & go..(Ecclesiastes 3 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...)

Trial - an experiment, attempt, trial, proving, the trial of man’s fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy...

Manifold -all sort of adversities are temptations, or trials of faith, patience, & constancy...

Just as the Law was to show us we need a Savior, so is the trying of our faith to show us we need Jesus.

They show our weakness, our shortcomings, & the areas that we have not surrendered or yielded.

The Cross of Christ must be our only focus & when it is not the trying of our faith will show it.

In our weakness He died for us... In our sin, He died for us...

Only as we place our faith in the Cross can the Holy Spirit bring us though our trials victorious.

IF NEED BE: the “if” will be when we take our eyes off of the Cross

If need be: need/ to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son...)

Sometimes it is needed... We don’t always understand why or how long... But God has a reason why He allows all things

Seasons: many types of seasons, many trials, many temptations.

That the trial of your faith (is your faith genuine?) All faith is tested(Is your faith really on and in the Cross or not? Is it on or in self? or Others? (They show our weakness, it separates the impurities..

Think is not strange

(Don’t dwell on.. Don’t meditate on... don’t even think about it... Don’t ponder, wonder... Don’t think you are the only one... Don’t be surprised & be moved from your faith...

Jesus was led to the wilderness by the Spirit.

Luke 4:1-2 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil...

God will drive us to a place to where what we have been given will be tested.

God has given us the power from the Holy Spirit to come through the wilderness. It is not in our own strength. In Christ Jesus there is no test, trial, or opposition you can’t go through.

You may be in a wilderness, BUT NOT FOR YOUR DESTRUCTION...

Don’t be afraid of the test... Remember... “IT CAME TO PASS...”

Also remember this is an OPEN BOOK test...

Reasons for testing: to show us what is in us, to show us that in us is no good thing (it is only through Him), to show us the need for a Savior, to show us our weakness, to conform us to the image of Christ...

You do not have the ability or strength to get yourself through the wilderness. You must place your faith in what Jesus did and that gives us the help of the Holy Spirit to come through it victorious. It is not about you!! It is about Him, about who He is, about what He wants to do in you...

Don’t be like Peter

Matthew 26:33-35 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

First see the “I”. I will never, I will not...

Don’t make yourself your own Savior!

Matthew 26:74-75 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

The issue is not to just prove to us that we are weak, our battle is not to be strong in our own strength, but to stay in the plan outlaid by God, “Christ and Him Crucified”. He paid the price, 1 John 3:8 ...For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

He did not bring us this far to just let us go now. Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ...

What you are going through is not for your destruction... He will, He will, He will bring you through.

Hebrews 13:5 (Amplified Bible)

...for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]

GOD SAID . . . .

If you never felt pain, then how would you know that I’m a Healer? If you never went through difficulties, How would you know that I’m a Deliverer? If you never had a trial,
How could you call yourself an overcomer? If you never felt sadness, How would you know that I’m a Comforter? If you never made a mistake, How would you know that I’m forgiving? If you knew all, How would you know that I will answer your questions? If you never were in trouble, How would you know that I will come to your rescue? If you never were broken, Then how would you know that I can make you whole? If you never had a problem, How would you know that I can solve them? If you never had any suffering, Then how would you know what Jesus went through? If you never went through the fire, Then how would you become pure? If I gave you all things, How would you appreciate them? If I never corrected you, How would you know that I love you? If you had all power, Then how would you learn to depend on Me? If your life was perfect, Then what would you need Me for?

WE NEED A SAVIOR!!! WE NEED JESUS!!! ONLY JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED!!!