Faith and PatienceSample

## Your Faith Will Be Tested > 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. > \- James 1:2-4 NKJV Your faith will be tested! This statement isn’t a negative confession; this is the Word of God. James said, “when you fall into … ” and “knowing that the testing of your faith … ” There are some trials that faith won’t prevent. #### Overcomers Overcome > “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” > \- Romans 8:37 ESV The good news is that God has already made you more than a conqueror. Dogs bark, cats purr, preachers preach, and overcomers overcome! It’s what you are designed to do, so don’t be afraid when trials show up in life. You are made to overcome trials because God designed you that way. #### “Many fights are lost on the counterpunch.” – Mark Hankins > “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” > \- 1 Timothy 6:12 ESV If you have ever watched boxing, you have seen boxers throw counterpunches. A counterpunch is when a fighter is anticipating his opponent will throw a punch at a specific time, and the boxer moves in such a way that he dodges the punch and throws his own punch at the same time. Sometimes, it’s so good that his opponent is knocked out. Tests in life feel like a punch in the face sometimes. Problems hit you, and you think “whoa, where did that come from?” When you get hit, you can hit back! Throw your counterpunch. Sometimes the test we are experiencing is the enemy throwing a counterpunch to us when we stand in faith. Our faith may be tested by our flesh, the unrenewed parts of our mind—sometimes even friends and family (Just to be clear, don’t punch your friends and family; that’s not nice.) In both instances, our faith is being tested, but in two different ways. #### Your counterpunch is SPEAKING THE WORD OF GOD! When tests come, remember that you are more than a conqueror. You are not stuck in the storm, you are going through it. Throw your counterpunch by speaking the Word. Remind yourself that you are more than a conqueror. Remind the storm that God lives in you! Remember that favor surrounds you like a shield (Psalms 5:12). You can come out of the fire without smelling like smoke, just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego (Daniel 3:27) Confession Today I know trials are going to come my way. When these trials come, they will test my faith and that is ok; patience is being produced. I am made to overcome every trial that comes my way because God made me an overcomer. I will fight the good fight of faith and I will win by speaking the Word of God. Favor surrounds me like a shield, and I will come out on the other side not even smelling like smoke.