Faith Series, Part 2
“Why Does God Test our Faith?”
Matthew 14:22-33
- Six part series on our faith
- Wed night: “Faith is our understanding that through the Law we must die to ourselves in order to live for God.”
- Believers often wonder why God would test our faith
- If we are really honest with one another, it is asked more than not
- God often brings situations into our lives to test us
- As a master jeweler inspects diamonds, so God tests us as well
- Tested for one purpose: to reveal and strengthen our character
- Today we will examine 5 reasons why the Lord tests our faith
- Using a very familiar story, we see all of man’s responses
- Stand and Read Matthew 14:22 / Pray
Point 1 – To examine the nature/basis of our faith (25-26)
- When God demonstrates who He is, it is to reveal to us who we are
- Who we are in Him tells much about our realization of our faith
- Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.”
- Once we realize who we are in Him, we then can be real with ourselves
- 2 Cor 13:5-6, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.”
- However, we must ensure that we are producing from the faith we have
- The fruit that we produce strengthen not only us; but others around us
Point 2 - To strengthen us (27)
- James 1:3, “… because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
- When our faith is tested, our response is very telling
- Consider the men in the boat – the troubles happened, and the faith left
-- Right out the window went strength, honor, and dignity
-- How we respond (even when God promises to never leave) …
- APP: If Jesus calls us to get out of the boat, it’s to strengthen us
- But, we have to respond to His calling before we are strengthened
Point 3 - To mature us in Christ (28)
- James 1:4, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
- The faith we’ve been given produces in us maturity in Christ
- However, what happens when we take that first step is very telling
- It shows how much we trust in Jesus versus trusting ourselves
- God calls us to a life of complete surrender; not partial
- However, most will curse God and rebel when tested
- Sad part is, most will blame God for the condition they are in
-- This must lead to a time of repentance; else we’ll never grow
Point 4 - To display His supernatural power and glory (29)
- God wants to reveal Himself to us in all parts of our lives
- It has always been His desire to show us how awesome He is!
- Job 42:1-6, “Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
- Paul even wrote to encourage us and demonstrate how God works
- Rom 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
- Remember, being called to His purpose means doing His work
- It means living a life for Him, fully focused on the work He has done
-- The cross, the sacrifice, the blood of Christ supernaturally forgives
-- APP: When we forget what God has done (31), it is then we fail
Point 5 - To identify areas of sin and/or worldliness in us (31)
- We talked a bit about this on Wed night, when we examine faith:
-- "When we examine our faith we recognize our sin, we realize our own failures, and we see our need for a Savior!"
- Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
- It is in this confession and honesty that we must come before God
- APP: The self-righteous, hard-heart, flesh controlled attitude prevents us from seeing who we really are, and doesn’t allow us to see Him
- We must be willing to lay down our lives and preferences for Him
- Christ calls us to a life of repentance, to a life of submission
- To a life of looking at Him as we go through it
- But what happens? We get caught in the legalism and miss Him
Conclusion
- It is in these times of testing church we must turn fully to God
- We must devote ourselves to living life that exalts Jesus, not ourselves
- This is why God calls us to show mercy, to devote ourselves to Him
- We’ve talked about 5 ways of why God tests our faith
- But, these 5 ways all boil down to ONE main focal point
- Main APP of the message: God already knows our response, but wants to reveal to us how we feel about Him in the situations we face
- This is why we have our faith tested:
-- To examine the nature/basis of our faith
-- To strengthen us
-- To mature us in Christ
-- To display His supernatural power and glory
-- To identify areas of sin and/or worldliness in us
- Pray
