Faith On Trial: Gaining Understanding, Passing Tests and Progressing Through the Open Doors

By Debbie Eberly

Be strengthened and established in your faith today by reading Rev. Debbie Eberly's, "The Trial of Your Faith!" Be blessed by this powerful, inspiring and comprehensive study of how to develop in the different arenas of your faith-life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jun 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9780996248914

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Introduction

The chapters in this book are a combination of 32 years of study and teaching-preaching on the subject of faith. In particular, these are systematic, life-giving and faith-filled teachings that will help believers of all levels of spiritual maturity to better understand how to consecrate themselves to God and His ways of righteousness and therefore take them on to the progressive doors of God’s best.

Each reader will be challenged to grow in a thriving relationship of trust with the Father in receiving from His hand of mercy and grace. In turn, they will be challenged to take these truths and faithfully apply them in their homes, local churches and in the world around them.

Furthermore, readers are taught to be faithful to a strong pastor and local church family that God can use to help them grow in the understanding of God’s Word and the leading and flow of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, they will be easy targets for the enemy’s soliciting deceptions and be pulled away by the dictates of their carnal flesh nature and the wrong affections of their souls.

This book is a comprehensive study on several different key topics that include faith, in which believers need to gain an awareness of God’s Word, in order to renew their minds and develop their human spirits. As they gain faith’s understanding and apply these truths, they will be well on their way to receiving from their all-inclusive package of salvation through Christ.

As we read the truths in this study, we will be challenged to attend to and gain a hunger and trust for God’s Word and therefore grow in a reliance on the Father. As a result, we will grow in the light of the knowledge of God’s Word and learn how to appropriate His Word in order to walk in the wisdom of God. This is a wisdom that is full of faith and based on the rock of hearing and doing God’s Word and will help us to pass through the vigorous tests and trials of this life.

We will be inspired and empowered to walk in the commandment of love and believing in Christ which will affect our assurance of faith and serve to take us on to all the next levels of God’s provision with confidence (1 John 3:18–23). We will learn how to develop our love walk and then how to grow in all the fruit of the human spirit in order to put character first and profit all. For when we learn to put His character first, then we will better flow in the boldness of His power!

Furthermore, we will learn the different aspects of our faith and how to use the knowledge of God’s Word in order to flourish in the kingdom of God in our walk of authority in Christ. As we gain a knowledge of who we are in Christ and what we have because of the atoning blood of Jesus, then we are encouraged to move forward in our delegated rights and privileges in Him!

So, be challenged by the teaching of God’s Word and how to appropriate all the promises He has already provided in Christ. Enjoy and be blessed by the study of this book and all the understanding and wisdom that is shared. Lastly, remember the words of Paul to Timothy, his son in the faith: Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

Let’s move forward in our faith, passing the tests of this evil age by gaining an understanding and confidence that will advance us on into the doors of all the blessings of God!

When we get to know the Author of the Book,

then we will learn to trust Him

and wholeheartedly use our faith

to access all the promises of His Word.

When we get to know the One who forgives—

we will more quickly receive His mercy

and compassion. When we get to know

the Provider— we will more easily

receive His provision. And, when we get

to know the Healer—

we will more readily act on

His healing power within!

Our faith is a belief system based on the

knowledge of God’s Word—it is the assurance

of proof that our answer is coming to pass,

even though we do not see or feel anything

in the natural sense realm.

Faith’s understanding only rises when we look to

God’s Word from every angle. Only then

can we have a vibrant faith that will

move the power of God through any obstacle

that interferes with our passage.

Chapter One

Faith on Trial

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.

—1 Peter 1:3–8 NKJV

God’s power is working throughout the earth today because Christians are walking in the light of God’s Word and using their faith to appropriate the promises of God. They are being taught how to be "strong in the Lord and the power of His might" (Eph. 6:10), which only comes by standing up and accessing their rights and privileges in Christ.

Many believers today boldly proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ—a gospel that must be received and appropriated through faith in the name of Jesus. In the midst of great persecutions, Christians around the world preach and share the Good News of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection; and thus, they affect multitudes who are receiving salvation in Christ’s name.

As a result of bold faith, believers of every country are seeing signs, wonders and miracles on the earth today like never seen before. We are in the end times spoken of in Matthew chapter 24, and God is moving in revival throughout the earth!

Then again, there are many Christians around the world and in local churches who are more discouraged than ever before, walking in doubt and unbelief, yielding to the devil’s deceptive lies and becoming disillusioned with their faith. Their faith is being stripped, and their lives are being taken advantage of because of a lack of the knowledge of God’s Word. Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge."

The tests and trials of this life may hinder or strengthen one’s faith—it is a choice. However, the choice to stand strong and be steadfast in faith only comes from hearing, meditating, thinking on and then applying the Word of God. This truth is seen in Romans 10:17 which says, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

If a Christian is not taught God’s Word on how to be strong and access their victory in Christ, then they will, no doubt, yield to the opposite of faith which is fear. If they don’t know how to access joy, then they will consistently yield to sadness. If they don’t know about the love of God within, then they will be controlled by offense. If they have not been taught about using the fruit of self-control, then they will allow the flesh to rule.

Believers simply need to be taught the uncompromising Word of God until faith or an understanding rises from within, and they see (in their heart) how to apply the specific truths therein.

Paul taught the Galatians to "walk in the Spirit [use the grace of God in your human spirit], and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16). In other words, the Holy Spirit deposits His fruit-bearing grace inside the believer’s heart or spirit man. Galatians 5:22,23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit [human spirit] is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness [faith], gentleness, self-control."

All this fruit, which is deposited in the believer’s heart by the Holy Spirit, must be accessed by faith (trust, assurance) in God. However, if a Christian does not hear God’s Word about how to walk in this grace or fruit, then he will more easily yield to the flesh or carnal nature and become discouraged in his faith.

We see this principle in Luke 10:2,3. Jesus said,

²The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. ³Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

The Lord sent the disciples out in the midst of unbelievers and demonic opposition in order to counteract the enemy’s deception through teaching. They taught the people what Jesus taught them—the anointing breaks the yoke of bondage (Luke 4:18, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me).

All bondage of the enemy must be curtailed by the teaching and preaching of God’s Word. To overcome, believers must receive revelation of God’s Word that shows them who they are in Christ, and the anointing or grace they possess within. Moreover, they must learn how to access this grace by faith in the name of Jesus.

Jesus answered sickness and mankind’s lack of the knowledge of the healing power of God. He counteracted their ignorance and unbelief by teaching, preaching and healing the sick.

Matthew 9:35 says,

³⁵Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, TEACHING in their synagogues, PREACHING the gospel of the kingdom, and HEALING every sickness and every disease among the people.

Therefore, we must follow the example of Jesus and go share the message of faith and healing. We must oppose the works of darkness by teaching, preaching and healing. If we want people to rise above sickness and disease, then we must teach them how to access their healing covenant by faith in the redemptive work of Christ.

In Luke 4:16–19, we see that Jesus had a custom or habit of going into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Jesus had a habit of good church attendance, and He taught about the anointing on His life to set free the sick, oppressed and poverty-stricken. He was a representation of the living and anointed Word of God, and He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah as He proclaimed,

¹⁸THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; ¹⁹to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

We must answer Satan’s bondage and negate doubt, unbelief, discouragement and all deceptive doctrines. This only comes by establishing strong local churches which have pastors who will boldly teach and preach faith in God’s Word and, by example, will flow in the anointing of the Spirit.

Otherwise, we will have Christians and local church congregations at baby stages of Christianity, dangerously lacking the truth that will set them free. These young Christians will be easy targets for the devil’s ploy of destructive devices that serve to strip them of their faith and destroy their lives.

Without the teaching of what we have in our three-fold redemption in Christ—freedom from: (1) Spiritual Death, (2) Sickness and Disease and (3) Poverty and Lack—many in the body of Christ will be weak and sickly. They will never grow up spiritually in order to fulfill God’s perfect will for their lives.

Paul taught the Corinthian church the importance of discerning or recognizing what they had in their redemptive rights by honoring the remembrance of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. He did not just address the dishonorable way they took communion, but he, in essence, said they needed to acknowledge what they had in Christ.

Paul warned them to remember or recognize this grace and use their faith in Jesus’ broken body and shed blood; otherwise, an open door to the enemy could bring weakness, sickness and even lead to physical death.

First Corinthians 11:28–30 says,

²⁸But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy [dishonorable] manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning [recognizing, considering] the Lord’s body. ³⁰ FOR THIS REASON MANY ARE WEAK AND SICK AMONG YOU, AND MANY SLEEP.

This is not the time to open the door to weakness, sickness and the burden of lack and disease. It is not the time to be discouraged, condemned or even offended because of the enemy’s deception in this evil age.

Jesus exhorted in John 14:1, Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. We also read in John 14:16, And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. This is the promise of the Father—the Holy Spirit came to live in the believer—and through faith in Jesus’ name, we access the grace of God within for every need in our lives (John 14:1; 16:23, Say or Pray in Jesus’ name).

However, individuals can open the door and allow the enemy an entrance to wreak havoc in their lives if they walk in sin (yield to their old sin nature) or when they do not recognize and use the inward grace to help (Rom. 8:13, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live).

If they do yield to sin, then they can get back up, look to grace and, by faith, apply the atoning blood of Jesus that purifies the believer from all unrighteousness.

First John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We look to God’s Word, yield to righteousness rather than condemnation and choose to see ourselves the way God sees us—through the eyes of faith, cleansed by Jesus’ blood.

This is how we overcome and grow strong in the midst of the evil perpetrated all around us. We either choose to rejoice that we are overcomers in Christ, or we give in to the deceptions of Satan and his demonic messengers who try to bring attacks and discouragements to our minds.

The enemy daily seeks to thwart Christians by moving them out of faith through trials and tribulations. However, the born-again believer can become skilled in not taking the bait that is solicited to them.

We read in 1 John 5:18,19:

¹⁸We know that whoever is born of God does not sin [does not yield to sin]; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. ¹⁹We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

Each born-again believer has become a new creation in Christ; therefore, they look to their new in Christ nature (2 Cor. 5:17, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new). Only when the believer looks away from the old sinful nature will they have strength to look to the new righteous nature of love and yield to the God-kind of life within!

As we joyfully forge ahead in faith and refuse to shrink back into sin and the ways of this world, then we will indeed progress forward. We will fulfill the plan and purpose of God and affect this earth for the kingdom of righteousness.

Yes, this is an amazing age to live in—the age of grace through faith in Christ. As we stand up for the cause of Christ and take this most incredible message and gift to our world, we will see amazing results for the kingdom of God. Nevertheless, we will also see the ungodly in the world and the kingdom of darkness stand up and take notice and try to defeat the church and undermine its faith in God.

The world is watching and the enemy is seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Our faith is on trial. We are tested daily by the forces of wickedness and the evildoers of these end times.

Therefore, we must stand up in faith and walk in the light of knowledge, understanding and wisdom—answering all opposition and deception with the Word of God. We must renew (renovate) our minds and develop our spirits. We become skilled by applying the knowledge of God’s Word and boldly proclaiming our trust and confidence in the Greater One who lives within.

When we received the Spirit of Christ into our hearts, we received the grace to do everything God called us to do in this life. We were given a new nature of love, which is the very force that moves our faith and causes God’s grace to flow freely on our behalf (Gal. 5:6, but faith working through love). We stir ourselves up in love and use our faith to access all the arsenal of the fruit of the human spirit in our heart.

Our position of authority has changed and according to Ephesians 2:6, God has raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We were given delegated authority to walk out His plans and purposes and to overcome all the opposing forces of the kingdom of darkness that the devil would send to thwart us.

We must actively engage this authority by speaking or acting on our faith in Him. Using our faith in the name of Jesus for daily provision is how we grow in spiritual maturity and walk in the wisdom of God. We daily walk in our rights and privileges in Christ because of the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) of Jesus’ blood.

Yes, there are demonic forces—there are trials—there are pressures and adversaries on every turn of the narrow road. But, we must keep our eyes on the One who lives inside and follow the instruction He gives through His Word and Spirit. For we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 4:13).

So, let us strengthen our resolve as the mighty group of believers we are in Him, and let us rise up and take the baton of His grace and victory that was won through redemption in Christ. For in Him we have already won the victory!

In order to walk out this victory, we must strengthen our belief systems by attending to, believing in and acting on God’s Word. When we appropriate the promises of His Word, then we grow in faith, gain more light and wisdom and progress on to the next levels of God’s best. It is imperative that we strengthen ourselves daily and increase in the measure of faith that has been imparted into our hearts (Rom. 12:3).

Where is Your Faith?

We read in Romans 10:17, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We must daily renew our minds with God’s Word and build a confident faith which grows within our hearts as a result of hearing and doing. When we act on faith’s understanding of the Word, and we believe we receive His promises, then God’s power will be released on our behalf (Mark 11:22–24). We will have what we say and act on in faith. It will all come to pass!

In Luke 18:8, Jesus taught His disciples a parable about prayer and perseverance. He made the statement, Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? In other words, will Jesus find us walking, talking and praising God daily with our faith? Or, will our lack of consecration, preparation and readiness show our spiritual neglect?

In another passage, out of fear for their lives, the disciples awoke Jesus because they were facing a destructive wind storm as their boat crossed to the other side of the lake. In response, Jesus arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water and proceeded to ask His disciples, Where is your faith? In essence, Jesus said, Why did you wake Me up? Why didn’t you use your own faith—the faith I have taught you about?

Jesus asks each Christian today, Where is your faith? Or, as the Lord posed the question to one minister, Where is what you believe? Will the Father find faith on the earth? Will He find faith actively working in and through us because we are hearers and doers of His Word?

Will we pass the faith test which determines whether we will overcome in the midst of any opposition that comes our way? Or, will our spiritual ship face shipwreck or abandonment of the plan of God for our lives? (1 Tim. 1:19, "having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck [abandonment])."

Paul exhorts believers in 2 Corinthians 13:5,6:

⁵Examine [prove, try, make trial of] yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. ⁶But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

Disqualified in the Greek means to be unapproved, i.e. rejected; by implication, worthless (literally or morally):—castaway, rejected, reprobate; and not standing the test.

The Message paraphrase of this same passage reads,

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it.

We are in a faith fight! We can pass or fail the test of faithfully hearing and acting on the promises of God’s Word. We joyfully obtain the prize of God’s promises, or we sadly suffer the consequences of our deceptive defeat.

The enemy has already been defeated, so he works night and day to keep the truth of his demise from the church. Satan knows that if we will walk out our victory in Christ by faith, we will be well on our way to fulfilling God’s progressive plan.

Matthew 7:14 says, "Because narrow is the gate [door, entrance] and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." We can disqualify ourselves and, in doing so, we will fail the tests that ensure our passage onto the next levels of God’s best. We can go through the open doors of more or be held back by the opposing forces of solicitation!

Living a life of faith will ensure us the most exciting life that we could ever imagine possible. However, this life only comes from a consecration to do God’s will to the fullest, which takes a thriving faith that actively hears and appropriates God’s promises daily.

The believer must take a strong stand that failing is not an option! If he falls, then he must get back up, wipe off the discouragement of doubt and unbelief and strengthen his faith. He must know that failing a test will only come if he gives up, grows cold and complacent and stops getting back up and strengthening himself in God’s Word and Spirit.

What’s the Verdict: Are We

Passing the Tests and Trials?

How would we respond if we were in the courtroom on trial today? What would we say if the judge explained to us that according to Matthew 7:24, we are being tried whether or not our spiritual house is built on the sand of doubt and unbelief, or on the rock of hearing and doing?

We would proceed to the stand, put our hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth and then be seated in the courtroom of faith. The lawyer would ask, Are you walking by faith and progressing, or are you guilty of allowing the winds and storms of adversity to blow your house down?

What would be our line of defense? Could we prove that we were strong in the Lord and the power of His might, joyfully overcoming in the midst of the storms and opposition? Would we have the evidence to show our spiritual progress?

Would people see the outcome of our faith and testify that we had truly built on the right foundation and endured even through hardship? What would heaven’s videos show when no one else could see our actions? Would they show faith or doubt in our hearts?

While deliberating with our team of attorneys, would we have someone they could call to testify on our behalf? Or, would we fail to produce evidence and fail to convince the jury that we had put God first and were trusting Him, exhibiting faithfulness and hearing and doing His Word?

What would be the outcome or the assessment of our walk of faith? Would we be given passage to move on to the next levels of God’s open doors, or would we be sentenced to pay the consequences of neglecting our faith and being shipwrecked on the sand?

Everyone will be tested and tried in this life. Christians