Faith In The Midst Of Trials
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Faith In The Midst Of Trials - James 1:6-10
Faith In The Midst Of Trials - James 1:6-10
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
May God bless the reading, hearing, and understanding of His precious Word.
Let's have a word of prayer.
Let Us Pray Confession of Faith: I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe. I believe the WORD of God! The victory is mine! I have it now! I can see it through the eyes of my faith! In Jesus' Name!
Intro: Have you ever watched a professional athlete in the middle of a high-stakes game? The pressure is immense, the stakes are high, and every move they make is scrutinized by millions. Yet, amidst all the chaos, the best athletes display an unwavering focus and determination. They trust in their training, their preparation, and their ability to perform under pressure.
Now, imagine if that same athlete doubted their abilities every time they stepped onto the field. Imagine if they second-guessed every move and were paralyzed by fear of failure. They would be like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind, unable to find their footing or achieve their goals.
In the text for today, James talks about being focused and determined in the same way, but this time in terms of our faith. In James 1:6–10, he talks about the power of strong faith, the kind of faith that can hold us up even when life gets hard. James tells us to ask with faith, not doubt, because doubt makes us shaky, like an athlete who can't do well when they're under a lot of stress.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
Asking in Faith:
The verse begins with a command to "ask in faith." This implies that our prayers and requests to God should be made with confidence and trust in His ability to answer.
Faith here is not just a mental assent but a deep-seated trust in God’s character, promises, and timing. It’s about believing that God hears us and will respond according to His will and wisdom.
When I talk about mental assent - I’m talking about you and me having a form of agreement or acknowledgment that is purely intellectual, without genuine belief or heartfelt conviction.
It means accepting something as true on a intellectual or cognitive level, but not allowing that truth to change our actions, to change our attitudes, or to change our life choices.
Here’s what I mean:
Belief in Healthy Eating:
Someone might agree that eating vegetables and exercising regularly is important for good health. However, if they continue to eat junk food and live a couch potato lifestyle, So their agreement about eating better and exercising is based on intellect, but has nothing to do with a heartfelt commitment to healthy living.
Now Lean In:
this is this part that gets many of us in trouble. This is the part that many don’t want to admit to and then we feel some kind of way when we see others operation in the truth at an entirely different level.
You might or you acknowledge that the Bible teaches the truth! You acknowledge God, you acknowledge Jesus , you acknowledge! the Holy Spirit
You know the bible teaches forgiveness, you’ve read it , it has been preached on, you have studied it.
You know the bible talks about sin, you’ve read it, you’ve heard it preached on, you have studied it! You know it intellectually.
But in the case of forgiveness - you still continue to hold grudges and you still refuse to forgive others,! That’s what i mean by mental assent or intellectual acknowledgement ! We know it in our head, we assent to the concept of what the bible says, but we never let the word transform our hearts.
So here is the result - we go to God and we ask in this intellectual faith, that has not changed us, we ask with this faith that is head knowledge , but not heartfelt! So James recognized it in the early church so he said
Ask In Faith , then he said this with No Doubting!
No Doubting:
The phrase "with no doubting" is crucial. Doubt, in this context, refers to a divided mind or wavering between two opinions.
That’s what doubt does, it makes you waver, it divides your mind! It makes you feel unsure, it questions everything about what your doing and who you are!
Here is what happens when I only have an intellectual agreement regarding the word of God!
You and I may mentally agree with the Word of God, but we are not holding a deep, personal conviction about the word of God. It means your heart and your actions are not lined up with what you intellectually agree to!
As Christ followers , when we operate like this , and I know, many don’t want to hear this, but when You and I demonstrate when we live like this is a lack of confidence in God's power! When you and I live like this we then are unwilling to act on what the Word of God says, and our intellect produces doubt. Doubting shows up and undermines our faith, doubt shows up and hinders our prayers. Doubt shows up and takes over our worship! Doubt shows up and creates this space of confusion!
Even the Apostle Paul was dealing with a similar issue
15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.
17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.
19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
22 I love God’s law with all my heart.
23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Then James reminds us that - when we go to God, dealing with the crazyness of Doubt, Sin, Selfishness, Fear,
We come to God, and this is what we look like
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
We are like the sea, driven back and forth by the wind! That’s how many of us live our lives as Christ followers, as Christians, as Believers - Tossed back and forth, by any new doctrine, tossed back in forth , by social media, tossed back in forth , by other strong personalities - who are just as losT
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
Now get closer
The "man" referred to in the text is the person who asks God but does so with doubt in their heart. There are Consequence of Doubt:
The text tells us that a doubting person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Doubt is like this barrier to receiving from God. This is important - don’t blow this off with your intellect! We are talking about this spirit of doubt impacting the importance of having faith in our Walk with God! It is important to have faith when you pray! It is important to trust in God’s word! . Faith is the channel through which God's blessings and answers flow.
Man, let me tell you - there are many of us living in doubt! Doubt reflects a deep instability in your trust in God. When I operate and live in doubt it reflects how weak my trust is in God! Listen, doubt indicates a lack of confidence in God's character, a lack of confidence in God’s promises, and and a lack of confidence in God’s ability to act , move and change in your situation!
Look at the imagery James uses
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
He who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind
there is nothing stable about a Christ follower who is being tossed around, by people, by life, by themselves! back and Forth, back and forth, Up and Down, Down and up! There is no direction in their walk! They go to the four walls at a church, they get on and listen to sermon after sermon, but have no DIRECTION!
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
That person, cannot expect to receive anything from the LORD!
Lord, I need a word from you - Let go of the doubt and trust me!
Lord, heal my body - let go of the doubt and trust me
Lord , pay my bills - let go of the doubt and trust me
Lord save my family member - let go og the doubt and trust me
Without faith , our prayers have been hindered, Without trusting in God - our connection to God’s provisions are disrupted
Ya’ll faith is crucial in the life of a Christ Follower
When we operate in doubt - we miss receiving God’s blessings, and we struggle
When we operate in doubt - we miss receiving God’s guidance, so we don’t know what to do
When we operate in doubt - we miss receiving God’s wisdom and we end up following people and things that seem right, but are not right at all
When we operate in doubt - we miss receiving answers to our prayers!
Now get closer ! Of all the things we need to work on we must work on
1. Strengthening our Faith:
We need to make sure that we are in a position to receive from God! We need strong faith! It doesn’t matter , what other people think or feel as a Christ follower, we must trust the Jesus, we must have faith in all that is God!,
Christ followers, must quit playing with our faith! We need to immerse ourselves in God's Word, we need to spend time in prayer, andw e need to surrounding ourselves with supportive people who trust God ! mmunity. God's past faithfulness and His promises can help solidify our trust in Him.
2. You and I must Identify and Address Doubt:
It's important to recognize areas where we struggle with doubt. Bringing these doubts to God in prayer and seeking His help can lead to growth and stronger faith.Discussing doubts with trusted mentors or spiritual leaders can provide new perspectives and encouragement.
3. Know that real Faith leads to Action:
If you really believe in God, When you really trust Jesus , you should act on it. I’m saying show your trust in God by following His Word, show your trust in God by helping others, and show your trust in God by telling others about your faith. Faith isn't something we do; it affects every part of our lives and every choice we make.
4. Know that you faith will be tested ! We must Trust God's Timing:
Here’s what i mean Sometimes, our faith is tested by delays or circumstances that don't align with our expectations. Trusting God's timing and His wisdom is part of having faith.Believing that God knows what is best for us and will answer in the right way and at the right time helps maintain our faith even in challenging times.
We must have faith in the midst of trials! Doubt in God’s word. Doubt in Jesus Christ, Doubt in God himself must be checked! You cannot go to God, with Doubt and expect that he will answer you!
Ok - I’m gonna close out here for this week
Be honest with yourself! Intellectually knowing the truth is different from allowing the truth to change you! Begin today to allow the truth of God to change you!
May God Bless you and keep you is my prayer
