What you believe is the key to your victory

God Almighty is the God of hope who fills us with joy and peace because we believe (Romans 15:13). But what do you believe? And how do you experience joy and peace in the midst of trial? The answers to these questions are important because your joy and peace, and your victory in trial, depends upon it.

It is probably not your choice to experience a trial, but in the midst of one, something extraordinary can happen, but it is totally dependent upon what you believe. The foundation of your belief must be the Word of God. You must be certain about it, standing firmly, fighting the good fight of faith. During this battle of standing, firmly planted on what God says, your faith is tested, becoming strong like a well exercised muscle. You have the measure of faith, a mustard seed of faith, which is more than adequate (Matthew 17:20-21). Your faith is a seed of life that you need to start the process of a firm stand. You water it and bring forth life from it because you believe. It is enough to stabilize your stand, no matter the problem or what your senses perceive. The excitement is that God has already provided everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). So, you should be confident being established upon His Word; only good can result and the outcome you desire according to His promise. It is critical that you know God’s truth, however, so you can know the promise upon which you are firmly planted. You do this in hope, but hope must also have a foundation; its foundation is the Word of God. The Word paints a picture of God’s provision for every area of life.

While faith is tested it causes patience that is present within your spirit (part of the Fruit of the Spirit), to be drawn out, put to work. Your Christian character, that is your born-again nature, is being brought forth to the forefront. (Romans 5:1-5) You utilize the divine fullness within you to take your stand of faith upon the Word, and to bring God’s workmanship out to be experienced by you and to shine a light upon it for others to witness.

You know that you are standing based His Word because you have peace; a confident expectation in God based on truth. You are well balanced, immovable and the enemy cannot affect your steadfastness by his temptation (1 Peter 5:8). God will help you to know His character and nature by His Word. His truth makes you are a force to be reckoned with! Raising from the dead power is anchoring you (Ephesians 1:19)! The Word constantly renews your mind to His way of thinking and knowing (Romans 12:2). You become stronger and stronger in the fight of faith. And all the while something excellent is happening. Faith is being developed and your expectation is soaring. God said it! It’s true! It’s yours! You experience the inheritance that God has prepared for you.

You do not create peace. It is a supernatural sense of confidence in the Lord. It is Him leading you to rest and still waters. It is Him leading and guiding you. It is Him providing for you in the midst of the enemy’s attack, but God’s abundance is on full display despite the tactics, lies and temptation. This battle highlights God as your Shepherd; He is your invincible army, your personal bravery, your strength and your soundness (Psalm 23; Habakkuk 3:19).

As faith is exercised and strengthened, as patience is put to work from your spirit, and your Christian character is shining through more boldly, you discover that you are lacking nothing. You experience joy in the trial which is not an emotion, but a stance of victory, a positive expectation based on hope, hope finding its foundation on the Word of God that you believe (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:1-5). You inherit the promises of God by faith and patience (Hebrews 6:12). You go through trials with purpose, with expectancy of strong faith that is able to receive the blessings of God which He has provided by grace. You are equipped in your nature to live victoriously, participating in God’s promises. To exercise your faith, to live from patience and your new nature, is actually to live from the Lord Himself! There is no inadequacy or failure there, only possibility if you continue to believe. This will allow you to “receive and enjoy to the full what God has promised” (Hebrews 10:36). You should have fearless confidence in God because His Word is the foundation of your hope (Hebrews 10:35). By His equipping you have steadfast patience and endurance (Hebrews 10:36) to receive your inheritance as His child.

So, how does all this work? I am going through a trial right now myself. I have identified the promise of God from His Word that deals with the problem; I am fully persuaded that the Word is true. Certain that what He has promised is true, and knowing that each Word He speaks has purpose which shall be accomplished, I take a stand (Isaiah 55:11). The trial is experienced in the natural and revealed to my senses, but I know that God’s Word is true; once He has blessed it cannot be reversed (Numbers 23:20); all of His promises are yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20). I do not allow the natural circumstance to distract me from the promise, even though the battle continues. I judge according to the Word and not what I see or feel. My faith is being tested by this experience. Tested faith is strong faith. My faith is becoming stronger and stronger as I exercise it by being established on God’s Word. I confirm the promise out loud frequently throughout the day: “My faith is stronger and stronger every second as it is tested! What joy! I have strong exercised faith and I receive what God has promised!” I know that I have patience residing in my spirit, so that is being utilized during the trial. Patience keeps me standing on God’s Word. And God has promised that by faith and patience I will inherit His promise (Hebrews 6:12)! And God says that by going through this trial by faith and patience I will experience that I am lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4) (Romans 5:1-5)! WOW! Hope in God, in His Word, does not disappoint!

Be encouraged by the promises of God, recognizing how essential His Word is for your life. Seek the Word as your treasure and your vital necessity. By faith you have access to everything that God has provided by grace (Romans 5:2)!