The answer to this question is truth – and – difficult to apply amidst the troubles of life yet in reality trials are there for our character/fruit development.
James 2:19-20 NKJV. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
God requires to believe in Jesus. I believe this means believing in the sufficiency of Jesus Christ even though at the time it is seldom comprehended at the time of accepting Him as Saviour. It means PUTTING ENTIRE TRUST in Jesus Christ (the only human who was completely Divine). It is actively placing full confidence in God’s plan of salvation as the ONLY WAY to be saved. Many believers agree with these statemen but fall short in the application. If someone truly believes Jesus Christ IS truly GOD, then they would obey His Word. Obeying God’s Word means choosing to daily putting to death personal desires and emotions that contradict God’s Word AND choosing TO DO what God’s Word says.
The good news is when we fail to be completely obedient, we have the Son of God – the Godman who paid in advance by atoning with the sacrifice of His life for our failure. This however is not the place to camp – “I am only human” and “I’m covered by the grace of God”. Both points are true.
Rather than live in a place of perpetual defeat we need to: (1) ask our loving Saviour to strengthen us in our inner being through His Holy Spirit; and, (2) then repent (stop what we are doing plus starting obeying our LORD).
Sanctification is a “this life” journey and it is hard work… Christ in us is “eternal life” and He is all sufficient to accomplish the purposes of our lives. Like Paul says… “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead”, Philippians 3:12-13 NKJV
So how can I be obedient to daily trust the Lord when testings, trials, emotions, and cares press hard against me in my humanity?
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
II Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV
Jas 1:2-8, 12, 17-18 NKJV – My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 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. 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. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. … Blessed [is] the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. … Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
The word of God is truly transformative. Heb 4:12 NKJV – For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
DesiringFruitfulness 