Today’s devotion is from James 1:2-4 

‘My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience [endurance and perseverance]. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.’

The Passion Translation says, ‘My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things. And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.’ 

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There are times when it may feel like your faith is not working… the Bible calls that the testing of your faith. It may it seem as though you are facing nothing but difficulties. No matter how much you pray, seek the Lord or how much you speak the Word over your situation, in the natural, things just keep getting worse. Whether it is a desperate financial situation, a health issue, a relational challenge or some kind of attack from the enemy, there are times when it FEELS LIKE you are alone and that your faith is not working. Again, the Bible calls that the testing of your faith. 

In times like these, do not pull away from the Lord, do not get angry at God, do not blame yourself, or go digging around in the mud to try and find the problem and do not start randomly talking to people about what you are facing. Do not receive any condemnation and do not start listening to all kinds of problem solving advice.

James 1:2-4 talks about faith, Joy and endurance [patience] as the answer. These are all fruit of the Spirit. The answer to the question of what to do when it seems like your faith is not working is… Keep feeding your spirit man the Word so that you can keep walking in the Spirit and keep bearing the fruit of the Spirit. As you walk in the Spirit, stir up your faith, stir up your joy and stir up patient endurance and perseverance. Allow the faith test to take you to another level.

In the natural, tests come before graduations. It is the same in the Kingdom of God; a spiritual test indicates that you are about to graduate and go to another level. When it comes, get excited, and then walk it through with the Word on the inside of you and pass this test. Know that God would not even allow for you to be tested if He did not know that you are fully equipped to pass the test.

Some people give up on God, abandon their faith, get angry, take on condemnation, allow discouragement in, and allow themselves to be defeated when it feels like their faith is not working. Do not do that, instead, boldly run to the throne of grace and find grace and mercy in your time of need, and then walk things through by faith, walk in the Spirit, keep your confession, stir up your faith, stir up your joy and stir up your patient endurance and be led by the Spirit. Do not lose heart, your faith is working, no matter how it seems… breakthrough is immanent, and promotion is knocking at your door!