My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

By: Reverend Robert E. Daley, Jr.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” (James 1:2-3)

How many times when we hear this scripture, do we see ourselves in a position of defense?

The current circumstances that we find ourselves in; the trials of living in this world, the constant barrage of opposition to one who is born again - beating down upon us. But as we look up from the bottom of this overwhelming onslaught we derive a comfort from James telling us that “…the trying of your faith worketh patience.” So I just dig my heels in and prepare for a long defensive siege. Knowing that in the end I will have increased in patience. That’s the way I’ve always seen it. That’s how I have envisioned myself in days gone by.

Someone shared with me not too long ago that no matter how exciting the game might be; it is won by the offense – not the defense. Recently, the Lord gave me an illustration by His Spirit, that moved me from traditional position of defense to the offensive side of the line, where this scripture is concerned.

There are actually two pictures that I would like to verbally paint; one of which is in the accompanying illustration. Picture yourself approaching a closed door and applying your hand to the door knob, or, as in the illustration, attaching a wrench to a frozen bolt. You turn your hand to open the door but the knob doesn’t move. You apply pressure to the wrench to loosen the bolt but it does not budge. Do you give up? Do you walk away and say to yourself, ‘well, I guess I’m just not supposed to go in!’ ‘well, I guess this just won’t work!”? No!! You try the knob again; you pressure the wrench again…and again. You locate your can of lubricant and apply it to the problem. And then you try it again. You don’t give up! You continue to work at the problem until that knob opens up, until the bolt breaks free!

The same is true of James 1:3. You try your faith. You put action to that which you believe, in ANY situation, against ANY problem. But you don’t give up if you don’t SEE the results right away. You act again, and again, and again, and as you do, right in the midst of this action, your patience is being perfected, being matured. AND, take a look at the confirmation of God on what will happen in verse 4. “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may e perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” The faith that God gave you when you got saved is the same faith that He has told us to live by. This faith is not weak. It has not been designed to fail. It has been structured by God to move mountains…REAL mountains. Jesus tells us in Matthew 17:20 that “..nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

That’s quite a promise. So in everything that you do, take an offensive approach, not defensive. Use your faith, act upon that which you believe…over and over again until you receive the manifestation of YOUR faith.

Article Source: http://www.articles.narrowisthepath.com

Gifted by God to be able to explain biblical truths in his “Must Read” articles, books, eBooks, and Bible studies; Reverend Daley eliminates the religious arguments and confusion by rightly dividing the Word of God. With simple understanding, you will receive true revelation that is not commonly taught at the church pulpit. Reverend Daley was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit in 1978 and has been instructed by the greatest teacher of all - the Spirit of Truth Himself. He is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God and pastors Central Christian Church in downtown Hilo, Hawaii. To learn more about Reverend Robert E. Daley, Jr. please visit his website at www.bythebookministries.org.

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