Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4 AMPC
We all go through various trials and temptations… that’s just a given. But James (by the Unction of The Holy Spirit) says we should consider it a joyful occasion when we do. With all the evil in this world how can one do that?
Vs. 3 says that we can understand and be assured that each trial and temptation proves our faith, and brings out endurance, steadfastness, and patience. And in vs. 4 if we allow endurance, steadfastness and patience have full access (meaning we submit to them) and let them do a thorough work… we can be people who are perfectly and fully developed (with no defects) and lacking nothing.
And if we go into read vs. 5 and 6… we find that if we don’t know how to go through a trial… all we have to do is ask our Heavenly Father… and He will give us the wisdom we need to get through it. For 1 Corinthians 10:13 says He will give us the way out, or the way of escape… so that we can be capable, strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.
Where does our strength come from? It comes from having a knowledge and trust of Thee Word. And if one has not had a trust and knowledge of the Word… this is as good as time as any to immerse oneself in the Word and allow yourself to be built up by Him in the foundation of the Word. Allowing Him to be our foundation… our strength and our example of how to walk in the ways of The Word.
The Word says that any house not built up by the Lord, its labor is in vain (ps 127:1)… so how can we understand how this can apply to our lives?
Can you ever think of a time when in your best efforts to overcome a bad habit, you failed? I surely can. And what can we understand was the reason for the failure?
How much time during our time of trying to build a new and good habit… did we consult the Word, meditate on the Word, or stand firmly rested upon the Word, trusting that as we spoke it (no matter what we saw in our lives, or behaved like) and meditated upon It… that It/He would (like Roman’s 12:2) do what He said He would do?
According to Hebrews 4:12… The Word that Father speaks is Alive and Full of Power, meaning it has the power to make itself come to pass especially when spoken through a mouth and heart full of faith. Even if one has faith as small s a mustard seed… the more they meditate and speak that Word it will grow up strong and flourishing like a tree planted by the rivers of water (Matthew 17:20, ps 1:2-3, and Joshua 1:8)
Isaiah 55:11 says So shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any affect or useless… ampc]. And we know that when we made Jesus Lord of our life, we received Thee Holy Spirit as a deposit within us (2 Cor. 1:22 and Eph. 1:14). Therefore as we yield our mouth and voice to His Word.. we are His mouthpiece to bring forth what is originally spoken by Him, and will receive what ever we say… as the rest of isaiah 55:11 says… but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. This is also backed up by Matthew 12:34b-37.
So you see that a heart who will be bold enough to call those things that be not as though they were… will accomplish the victory that it set out to have.. for The LORD told Joshua that if he would do that… he would make his way prosperous, deal wisely and have good success (Joshua 1:8)
Jesus has already won the victory over sin for us (1 Cor 15:57, Colossians 2:15) and as we enter into the rest (confidence) in that finished work (Hebrews 4:4)… for that rest is by faith… we can know that as we commit any ungodly desire to Him, asking Him to help us to get rid of it… because we don’t desire to have or do anything that blocks Him or His working in our lives… as we take the first step to do right.. He will back us up, and give us the power and desire we need to keep walking according to His Word, and in His ways (philippians 2:13).
Blessings to you all for strength and willingness and victory that is yours already in Christ (The anointing of the annointed) Jesus.
