The Test of Faith Part 1
God’s Way Bible Study
The Test of Faith Part 1
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
The Test of Faith Part 1
James 1:2-3 (NKJV)
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
We know God tests our faith, but the scriptures also encourage us to self-test.
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)
Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.
It is necessary from time to time to test ourselves and confirm if we are still standing in the true faith once-for-all delivered unto us.
Everybody claims to have faith but what does God say about us?
We don’t want to find out like those Jesus mentioned in Matthew 6, who waited until the day of judgment to discover that their faith was not recognized by Jesus.
Students usually do not like test, but they know they're unavoidable. So wise students test themselves before they are tested.
We will ask several questions in today’s study. These are the types of questions we must ask ourselves from time to time.
Faith is confidence in the character of God, not just in His power.
Psalms 103:7 (NLT) He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel.
Is your confidence in God as strong as the character of God?
Time is needed to learn God’s character.
Are you investing the necessary time to learn about God’s character?
Learning the character of God is a lesson we each need to learn for ourselves, and not merely rely on what others have told us.
Faith requires trust. How much do you trust God?
By God’s design, we must trust in three people in order to have faith.
Trust God, the Father.
John 14:1 (NLT) “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.
2. Trust Jesus the Son.
John 1:18 (NKJV) No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared [Him.]
John 3:16
3. Trust those whom He sends.
We trust eye witnesses and our lives are based on their testimonies.
John 17:20 (NLT) “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.
2 Chronicles 20:20 (NLT) Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
1 John 1:1-2 NLT — We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.
2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.
The journey of faith…
2 types of patterns… God’s Ordained Sequence and Divine Sovereign Fiat.
Pattern 1: God’s Ordained Sequence…
God’s preferred method.
Faith precedes performance.
John 11:40 (NKJV) Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”
Luke 1:45 (NKJV) “Blessed [is] she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
We start by learning about God from others.
Romans 10:13-15 (NLT)
13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
Next we learn of Him for ourselves.
What we are told the Bible says about Him, must be confirmed by our own private studies.
Acts 17:11 (NKJV) These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily [to find out] whether these things were so.
What the Bible says about Him, must be confirmed by our own experience.
John 4:39-42 (NLT)
39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!”
40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days,
41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe.
42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Pattern 2: Divine Fiat.
Sometimes performance may precede understanding.
In His personal dealings with people, God would occasionally reveal first and let scriptures confirm.
“This is that,” moments.
Acts 2:16 (KJV) But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Acts 8:26-39 (NLT)
30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
Saul’s conversion, mirrored by several Muslims in the Middle East.
Acts 9:1-6
God MAY sometimes respond to a request for a special sign, but that is His prerogative.
Gideon’s Fleece
Judges 6:36-40 (NLT) 36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, 37 prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” 38 And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” 40 So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.
