It Won't Beat You pt.1

Text

James 1:2–8 NASB95

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

It Won't Beat You

Introduction

James writes to a group of scattered Christians of Jewish background at an early time in the church (maybe 62AD)

The reason for the scattering may have been Acts 11:19 “So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.”

Caution!

Be careful how we assess the value of the Book of James

There is a focus on practical living, but the book is still the revealed mind of God and should be treated with high regard. It assumes the listeners have a theological foundation from which they will make the necessary application.

The book is not just a book of good advice, or possible options. There are 60 IMPERATIVE verbs in the book, James wants the Christian to act on these things.

James begins to address the issue of trials

I want to develop in the kingdom but life and its hardships keep showing up

I want to draw closer to God but difficulties keep me away

What we need to realize is God allows these things to come our way.

It might be bad but it will make you better

It might cause some pain but it will bring some progress

It won’t destroy you it will develop you

It will challenge you but it will change you

Whatever the ‘it’ is: It Won’t Beat You

There are two adjustments we need to make so we can conquer the trials and have joy

#1 Adjust Your Perspective

Whatever ‘it’ is, it won’t beat you if you ADJUST YOUR PERSPECTIVE

James 1:2 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,”

James makes it clear that trials are inevitable

However, James is saying that there is something you need to do when in the trials

“Count it all joy” - adjust your perspective (adjust your plans)

To consider means to assess all the data and come to a conclusion

To decide to do something based on how I regard it

Some think of trials as:

Punishment

Evidence of an unjust or uncaring God

Evidence of no God

James is saying trials are an opportunity to have joy

Be joyful about it (This is how we know the bible didn’t come from man)

Joy doesn’t mean deny it’s happening

Joy doesn’t mean fake it til you make it

Joy doesn’t mean complain about it

Joy doesn’t mean self-pity

Joy is a state that accepts the challenges of life with a comfort and peace, and contentment knowing that God is not out of reach

Joy is an inner disposition not just an emotional response

Joy is the decision to leave it to God and let God work

Joy does not focus on the external circumstances but it sees the end of the road

Joy sees the the product not the process

Joy sees the end not the means

Joy sees the end of the tunnel, not the tunnel

Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Joy says, “I see what this can lead to so I’ll hold out and be glad”

[Matthew 5:11–12 ““Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” ]

“When you encounter various trials”

Trials are things that “put you to the test” more specifically, to put something to the test to assess value.

Consider it from the Jew’s perspective which is shaped from an understanding of God from the OT.

Your test will tell. . .

God something about you

You something about you

The world something about you

[Genesis 22:1 “Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”” ]

Deuteronomy 8:2 ““You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led [God walked with them] you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, [to train in order to gain some experience] to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.”

“knowing that the testing of your faith”

James links the encountering of the trials to the testing of your faith

When I face a trial remember it’s testing you faith

“Test” = dokimion (dokimos) “Your faith is under testing”

The dokimaste performed test on coins to determine it’s legitimacy

There was an eye test, a hand test, a drop test

It needed to look right, it needed to feel right and it needed to sound right

There was sure way to find out the legitimacy of the coin, they would strike it with a metal object, this would expose the center of the coin.

The experience of going through a test is PATIENCE

This is the ability to endure

God uses a situation to teach you how to have patience

Appl. God will sometimes carry you through something/allow you to stay in something becasue He has something to teach you.

Appl. Many times you trial is preparing you for greater things

How important is endurance?

It’s needed to bear fruit Luke 8:15.

It’s need to face persecution 2 Thes 1:4.

It’s needed to keep the commandments of God Rev 14:12.

It’s needed to hold on to the hope of glory Rom 8:25.

James is saying when your faith is tested, there’s an opportunity for patience to be produced.

Patience is what keeps you going when you feel like stopping. It sees the end and holds on.

That’s why. . .

I need to let endurance have it’s perfect work

Let it run it’s course

Let it grow

Let it cook (let it do what it is supposed to do)

If I stop the process I won’t get the product

For patience to be patience, patience needs to be patient

You need to “Remain in Place” if there’s something trying to move you

The product is you standing complete in Christ

Having a character that can stand worthy in the last day

1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Galatians 4:19 “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—”

Ephesians 4:13 “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”

James knows that this only comes when you hold on

If God is doing this in my trials, THEN I KNOW IT WON’T BEAT YOU.