Food for Thoughts

Theme: THE REDEMPTIVE WORK OF CHRIST :
VICTORY OVER TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS

TEXT : “Beloved people of God, I want you to count it all joy, whenever you encounter various trials or temptations, knowing full well, that when your faith is tested, such testing of your faith helps to build perseverance and enables your endurance spirit to grow, the more”. (James 1: 2 -3)
The path of life is not always an easy path to walk. Life is filled with all kinds of trials and temptations. No wonder, Apostle James,(in James 1:2-3) admonished the brethren, saying: “Beloved people of God, I want you to count it all joy, whenever you encounter various trials or temptations, knowing full well, that when your faith is tested, such testing of your faith helps to build perseverance and enables your endurance spirit to grow, the more”. (James 1: 2 -3).
What that connotes is that, the question of whether a person will at one point or the other in life, experience some form of trials or temptations, does not arise at all. As far as the Apostle is concerned, it is not a matter of “if you fall into various trials”, but rather, “whenever you fall into various trials or temptations . . .”
God tells us to expect trials! He only advised us to always turn those Trials into victory and every temptation with its potential defeat into triumph; and by so doing, become Victors instead of victims ! He also assured us of His oversight support and protective care, in every such circumstance.
Jesus warned His disciples: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NKJV).
So, whenever God brings us into a difficult situation, it is for the purpose of growing our faith. We call this a trial. On the other hand, if it is the devil that brings us into such difficult situations, it is usually for the purpose of demolishing our faith. That’s why we call that temptation!
God allows temptations and trials for a purpose: To make us stronger, purer and much more righteous. Endurance is an absolute essential. That is why every Christian must endure, persevere, be steadfast and stand the test.
In the words of Paul, the Apostle, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord”. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV)