Triumph over Trials
Notes
Transcript
Triumph over Trials
Triumph over Trials
Your are victor not a victim
you are a conqueror
You are already triumphant
God wants his people to triumph over their trials
Triumph
■ noun
1 a great victory or achievement.
▶ the state of being victorious or successful.
speaks of conquering
▶ joy or satisfaction resulting from a success or victory.
you are going to have the last laugh.
The enemy will not shout in triumph over you - because He delights over you - as the child of His you are.
By this I know that you delight in me:
my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.
God will let you look triumphantly upon your enemies
My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
The hand of the Lord - the Truimphant God is upon you
The hand of the Lord - the Truimphant God is upon you
Reason why Paul writes
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
Triumphal Procession
Triumphal Procession
To parade conquered enemies on a public throughfare as a sign of subjugation and humiliation
the processional entry of a victorious general into ancient Rome.
This practice of an army parading back into town after winning a battle or war.
This was an event of celebration at victory and likely included feasting and partying.
This may include a display of one's captured enemies in chains.
it was a moment of great joy
We are the beneficiaries of this truimph - a battle that He won for us
battle won at the cross
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
And declared - TETELESTAI - It is finished
Why say it is finished?
Because He triumphed
A triumph marks the end of a war
he handed us the victory
we are moving testimonies to that - people may know this truth
The truth about - Triumph over Trials
Jesus is our way to Triumph - he leads us in triumphant procession
Jesus is our way to Triumph - he leads us in triumphant procession
over trouble
over fear
over sin
over death
Draw attention to James 1:2-12
Draw attention to James 1:2-12
How to triumph over trials
How to triumph over trials
1. COUNT IT ALL JOY
1. COUNT IT ALL JOY
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
When not if
fall into - means when you meet them, encounter them
AMP - being enveloped by trials
For they will surely come - all sorts, various, manifold, many colours
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
Believers - should expect such encounters - not a rosy road
Believers - should expect such encounters - not a rosy road
Jesus did not promise that
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
in other words - do not be troubled
in other words - do not be troubled
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Why?
Why?
Because I have overcome
I have truimphed for you
therefore you are an overcomer
You are triumphant
Apostle Paul’s teaching:
Apostle Paul’s teaching:
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
taught them - the true gospel - not to expect things to always go our way
As any human beings - we will experience trials - sickness, accidents, disappointments, tragedies etc
But other trials will come because you are Christian - they will be fighting you - against your faith
that is why Paul was encouraging his converts - to continue in the faith
Apostle Peter’s teaching
Apostle Peter’s teaching
When trails come - we are not to think them as strange
Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange (unusual and alien to you and your position) were befalling you.
But insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, so that when His glory [full of radiance and splendor] is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph [exultantly].
The MSG
Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.
What is James talking about here? COUNT IT ALL JOY
What is James talking about here? COUNT IT ALL JOY
Count means - evaluate - the now and the future - when the season of trials has passed
Look at the end - the end of this matter weighs far much more than the weight of what you are experiencing right now
Look to Jesus
Look to Jesus
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Job’s perspective of his trials
Job’s perspective of his trials
But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
He looked at the end - and saw gold
in the face of his troubles - he adopted a winner’s attitude
he chose a positive outlook
outlook
speaks of the way you must look at trials and troubles
you must look at them as potential vehicles to produce something good in you
James is calling for a positive outlook toward trials - quite contrary to our normal response
Why:
Outlook determines outcome, and attitude determines action.
If you are to end with joy - you must start with joy and go through the trials with joy.
2. JAMES 1 vs 3 KNOWLEDGE - AN UNDERSTANDING MIND
2. JAMES 1 vs 3 KNOWLEDGE - AN UNDERSTANDING MIND
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
The joy comes from knowing
The joy comes from knowing
Christians MUST know that Faith is always tested
testing is always for the purpose of approving
exactly how genuine gold is determined
Apostle Peter
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Trials work for you as a believer - not against you.
Trials work for you as a believer - not against you.
Apostle Paul
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
VS 3 - 4 : Tried and tested faith - steadfastness
VS 3 - 4 : Tried and tested faith - steadfastness
Manufactured products must undergo rigourous trials and testing - before being released into supply chains
when deemed mature - tried and tested - able to endure constant use - released
Your faith has to be tested
QUOTE:
A faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted.—Warren Wiersbe
QUOTE
God does not waste suffering.… If he plows it is because he purposes as crop.—Isobel Kuhn, in Green Leaf in Drought Time
Purpose of trials is to help us mature
like a manufacturer - God wants to produce steadfastness, endurance in our lives.
the ability to keep on going - believing, in the faith - even when the going gets tough
The ability to keep sailing even in troubled waters
QUOTE
Skillful or seasoned sailors are not made from smooth seas
the ability to maintain hope - even when you cannot see light and the end of the tunnel
yet keep going - with joy
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
It is adveristy that builds Character
Patience or endurance is not about passively accepting the circumstances
It is the ability to keep on perservering with courage in the face of aderversity - in the face of difficulty and suffering
Bible is full of people who endured trouble with patience
God wants you to imitate such - they were spoken about as examples to us
Men and women who held on to hope - till the end
And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
That is how you receive the promises God has for you
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
Endurance can only be attained - through the trials that you are going through
not through reading a book
or just listening to a sermon - even in school - you don’t pass by just listening
you must be tested
3. SURRENDER TO WHAT GOD IS DOING
3. SURRENDER TO WHAT GOD IS DOING
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
let patience have its full effect
do not be quick to act
let God finish his work in you
he must work in you before he can work through you
do not rush - you might end up going ahead of him - going as a premature
half baked - not complete
when you do that you mess up
Potter’s wheel
Potter’s wheel
do not jump off the potter’s wheel
you must go through the whole process
you must go through the kiln
Illustration A customer once asked a shopkeeper, “What makes this set of china so much more expensive than that one over there? They look almost the same.” The reply was simple, “The costlier set has had more done to it. You see, it had to be put through the kiln twice because the flowers are on a yellow background. On the less expensive set, they are on a white background. The costly china had to be put through the fire once for the yellow background, and then a second time for the design on it.”
So it is in the life of a believer who desires God’s best. There will be many times we must go through the kiln with all of its fire and heat until we fully display God’s intended design in our life.
Examples of those who got off the process early:
Examples of those who got off the process early:
Abraham - went into Hagar - the product was Ishmael
God had to work on his for more years - I believe that he must have extended this period of testing
took 25 years to get Isaac
even when Isaac came - he was tested - to see whether he would sacrifice him
Moses
went before God - ended up killing a man
as a result - spent 40 years in the desert - Looking after his father in-laws flock
We need to be like Joseph
who patiently went through the trials - 13 years - to get to the palace - his dream
QUOTE:
If Joseph had not been Egypt’s prisoner, he would have never been Egypt’s governor. The iron chains about his feet ushered in the golden chains about his neck.—William Secker
God will not do this without our submission
when you don’t submit - you extend the time of testing
instead of maturing quickly
remain like children - acting childishly
people with immature attitudes - throwing tantrums like children
no wonder Paul - talks about such people - by now you ought to be teachers of other - still need elementary teachings
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
such people are still milk
God wants to wean you off milk
its time for solif food
David
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Illustration
The trials of our faith are like God’s ironing. When the heat of trials are applied to our lives the wrinkles of spiritual immaturity begin to be smoothed out
Paul
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
4. ASK FOR WISDOM
4. ASK FOR WISDOM
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Christians must seek wisdom from God to endure afflictions and difficulties which threaten to overpower us.
Asking - means - prayer
Why do we need wisdom when we are going through trials?
Why not ask for strength, or grace, or even deliverance?
For this reason:
we need wisdom so we will not waste the opportunities God is giving us to mature.
Wisdom helps us understand how to use these circumstances for our good and God’s glory.
Wisdom is the right use of knowledge
In all thy getting - get wisdom - for it is the principle thing
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Times of trouble have often been times of triumph to a believer. Suffering seasons have generally been sifting seasons in which the Christian has lost his chaff, and the hypocrite his courage.—William Secker
James brings this section to a close with:
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.
That is how you triumph over trials:
right attitude/outlook
an understanding mind - knowledge
submission to the work of God in you
wisdom