James 1:2-4
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Temptation isn’t referring to evil influence. It’s simply pressure that is put on the flesh.
Faith will aways be tested.
Mark 4:14
The sower soweth the word.
John 8:30
As he spake these words, many believed on him.
James 1:5-8
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
How do you ask in faith, without wavering? Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). So to ask God in faith means that you are praying based on the promises in His Word. Double-minded people will waver because they haven’t committed to the decision to believe His promises. When you ask in faith, commit to believing what the Word says.
Luke 21:19
In your patience possess ye your souls.
Patience will cause you to gain control of your thoughts.
Faith has to be treated like seed.
Luke 17:5
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
Mark 4:26-27
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
The sower doesn’t know how the seed springs up and grows, but when he is faithful to the process, the seed will spring up in due time.
Ecclesiastes 11:1,4-6
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
If you are “observing” and factoring in what you can see naturally, you wont ever sow. You can’t let whats happening in the natural dictate your faith.
We have to get to a place where we sow in faith and expect the Word to come to pass in our lives– no matter what it looks like naturally.
Psalms 105:19
Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.
Joseph had gotten a word from God and then it was tested.
There is a day when the Word of God you have sown will manifest in your life. Until that time, the Word will try you.
If you wait right, you wont wait long.
Psalms 104:27
These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
Psalms 130:5
I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
People should be able to look at our life and tell what we are waiting on by what we’ve prepared for.
Exodus 12
On their last night in bondage , God told the children of Israel to have their shoes on and tied, to have their coats and to bake bread without leaven (which takes time to rise). He was getting ready to bring them out. You could tell by looking at them that they were expecting to get delivered.
In the parable of the 10 virgins, only 5 of them were ready to go when they were called to the marriage supper. They were prepared with their garments on and oil in their lamps. The other 5 weren’t expecting because they prepared.
When Peter was stuck in prison, God gave him two simple commands: tie your shoes and get your coat. It wasn’t much, but God needed a simple act of faith to use. It also communicated to those around him that he was getting ready, and expecting something to happen. Peter expected God to get him out.
How are you showing God that you are waiting on Him? Are you preparing for what you expect?
Lamentations 3:25-26
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
Let God know that you are waiting on your due season. Be ready because you never know when it is coming!