Aug. 20, 2025

What to do in a test of faith

I have good news for you!

If you are currently facing adversity and it feels like the waves are crashing around you, do not be afraid. The Lord is with you. Or perhaps you feel like the water is up to your neck and you cannot swim. The Lord knows how to carry you through.

Scripture tells us the truth the Book of Isaiah, that the Lord will always be with us.

Isaiah 43:1-2 NKJV

[1] But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. [2] When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.

If you find yourself walking through the fire and feeling the heat of adversity, here’s what you need to know:

The fire is one of the places where the Lord works best.

Not all trials are designed by the Lord. Some challenges we face originate from the enemy’s heart. He attacks us and tries to overwhelm us with problems and difficulties that we cannot handle on our own. But the good news is that the Lord knows how to take what the enemy means for our harm, and Jesus can turn it around for our good.

He consistently takes care of His children.

Maybe you are in a season where it has been hard to hear the voice of God clearly. Do not be afraid. I have found that in moments when the fire rages around me, and the heat begins to melt everything, it may seem like I cannot hear the Lord. Yet, in these moments, God has not left me. He is there, working through the fire of adversity, asking us for faith.

The verse I have quoted so many times from Hebrews 11:6 reminds us:

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

[6] But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

The Father asks us for faith in times of trouble. Faith means nothing if it does not support me during moments of trial. Why? Because faith is not just about believing in the existence of God; it is more about understanding that God is with me in the midst of my problems and will walk with me through the fire. When I cannot perceive God's face, presence, or voice, I must take up my faith and use it as a shield to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Throughout this, I must know deep in my heart that God has not abandoned me in my worst moments. Faith declares, "God is here!"

Faith is trust in the character and nature of the Lord. I appreciate the definition of faith by Pastor Bill Johnson, which states, "Faith is an inward expression of confidence in God being who He says He is and doing what He says He will do."

Please hear me on this: The Lord will always fulfill His promises. It is His nature. The Lord cannot and will not change who He is; His integrity compels Him to remain true to His nature. This means that the Lord will not leave us during our times of trial and fire. He is present.

Whether you feel Him or not, He is there. If you cannot seem to hear His voice, He is still speaking. Sometimes, the Lord speaks the loudest through the circumstances we find ourselves in!

So, if you find yourself in a season of trial or a period of trouble, what should you do? Our starting verses provide part of the answer.

Isaiah 43:1 NKJV

[1] But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.

First, we must realize that when we became born-again believers in Jesus, we became brand new creations. The Lord Himself created us anew, forming and shaping us with a purpose for life. Jesus is not a poor steward; how much more will He be a good steward of your life? He will keep your life safe in the palm of His hands because He loves you and you were created for His purposes.

This means the enemy has no right to destroy your life if you belong to Jesus. What looks like destruction to us is the Lord’s opportunity to do great exploits for you, in you, and through you. Remember Job: though he faced trials and hardships from a direct attack by the devil, the Lord was still present, using Job's challenges as a launching pad for a double blessing.

The blessings of the Lord are real. He will tangibly place His goodness in your life; in fact, this is part of His plan for you and me. When it seems as though the devil has stolen something from you, you can count on the Lord to restore it. If it feels like hell is bombarding your life, trust that the Lord will turn the attack around for your good.

Secondly, we must remember that the Lord claims us as His own. He redeemed us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, giving Him the right to call us by name. The Bible states in the Book of Revelation that we have new names given to us.

Revelation 2:17 NKJV

[17] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."'

Not only do we receive a brand new name through our redemption by Jesus, but we also have His own name written on our hearts. The very next chapter of Revelation tells us this.

Revelation 3:12 NKJV

[12] He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

We have been called by a new name, the Lord’s name, and we are even addressed with a new address. Heaven. It is clear that the Lord is establishing His ownership over our lives. What the Lord owns, He takes care of.

Now, let me offer a couple of practical steps to take when we find ourselves in the midst of the fire or going through the flood.

The Book of Hebrews provides guidance in chapter thirteen.

First, there is something we must continually declare over our lives.

Hebrews 13:5-6 NKJV

[5] Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." [6] So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

The importance of declaration cannot be overstated. Our words matter immensely. There is death and life in our words; this is the truth of God’s Word. I will again reference a quote by Pastor Bill, who states, “Each word Jesus speaks becomes spirit and life. Think of it: Words become spirit; they become presence. And that presence gives life. That’s the nature of His voice to us. It breathes life into the soul of the listener. When we partner with the Father as Jesus exemplified, we too bring life into dead situations.”

So, hear me on this. It’s not merely about us reciting positive words; that is not what makes the difference. For our words to carry authority and weight in the spiritual realm, they must align with God’s Word. If you want your words to accomplish great exploits in the spirit, directly declare what His Word says over your life. In this case, the Bible tells us what to say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

The second practical step we can take during adverse situations is to praise the Lord. The writer of Hebrews addresses this in chapter thirteen as well.

Hebrews 13:12-15 NKJV:

[12] Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. [13] Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. [14] For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. [15] Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

First, let me clarify the nature of true praise to God. Genuine praise is always a sacrifice. If we attempt to offer God praise that does not involve sacrifice, it is not ligitimate praise. The word "sacrifice" implies that something must die. Thus, to give a sacrifice of praise means that something within us must die and be offered as praise to the Lord.

Practically, this could involve letting go of our fear of man and offering it up to the Lord as praise. On the other hand, the sacrifice of praise might require us to relinquish our desire to control a situation or person, surrendering this to the Lord as an act of praise. For instance, if you are a parent, you might say, “Lord, I cannot make my children serve You. So I sacrifice my desire to control what is happening in their hearts. I give them up to You and praise You for drawing them toward salvation. I praise You that my children are in Your hands and that You know best. I declare life over them. I praise You, Lord, for Your ability to draw my children into a relationship with God the Father.”

Offering praise to God in the midst of great hardship can be an extreme sacrifice, especially when everything around you suggests that God has abandoned you. Yet, we must sacrifice our immediate feelings to praise the Lord for the truth of His word that declares, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Let me clarify what praise is by agreeing with the writer of Hebrews. Praise is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. It is not wishful thinking, positive thoughts, or simply turning on the radio in hopes of feeling better. Praise is our lips proclaiming the goodness of God and expressing gratitude to His name.

Praise does not involve thanking Him for the circumstances; it is about thanking Him in the circumstances. Praise is our declaration of the greatness of the name of Jesus, transcending all that we encounter in our trials. It is a declaration that God is faithful, true, and holy, regardless of what our trials may suggest.

It requires sacrifice to acknowledge a problem, understand its impact on our lives, and then turn around to praise the Lord for His power and goodness, even when it seems absent. Sacrificial praise is an act of obedient faith. Remember, faith believes that God rewards those who diligently seek Him.

So, what redeeming qualities are there in a trial or test of faith? I again turn to the writer of Hebrews.

Hebrews 13:20-21 NKJV

[20] Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, [21] make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Through the trials and tests we face, the Lord makes us complete. He actively works within us the ability to do His will. We learn to navigate by following the Lord rather than our feelings, and through this process, Jesus instills in us the qualities that are pleasing in His sight.

Not only do these tests shape our lives to be pleasing to the Lord by cultivating His nature within us, but what we become in the process also influences how others perceive Jesus. Paul emphasizes this in 2 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 NKJV

[14] Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. [15] For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

My wife is a great cook. When she prepares a meal for our family, it is always something that tempts me to eat a little more than I should! So, I ask you to consider how wonderful it smells when you put something delicious in the oven or on the stove.

- The aroma fills the house.

- The scent makes you hungry.

- The fragrance builds anticipation for what is to come.

In the same way that I look forward to the aroma of my wife’s amazing meals, people should look forward to being with us because our lives diffuse the fragrance of Jesus to them. When He works His nature into us, it is the aroma of the fruit of the Spirit that begins to draw people toward the difference Jesus has made in our lives.

Because of what you have experienced or are currently facing, your life has become a diffuser of the knowledge of Jesus wherever you go. In your family and among your friends, you are the aroma of what Jesus desires to accomplish in a life that is wholly dedicated to Him through every circumstance. Even to those who have yet to know Jesus, you are the sweet-smelling fragrance of God’s love for people, as you have sacrificially offered your declaration and praise to the Lord through the trials you face.

Remember friend, as you go through tests and trials, declare God’s Word over your life and make a sacrifice of praise to Him. Let Jesus work into you the things that are pleasing in His sight, and trust Him by faith for your answers.

God never disappoints and He always makes good on His promises.

Blessings,

Larry & Amanda