The Key to Overcoming Trials
The Bible tells us that as Christians we have already been given the victory. Jesus has conquered death, and therefore, has already defeated the ultimate battle anybody could face. Since that is the case, anything smaller than death has also already been defeated. No matter how big or small your trial may be, God cares about you SO much that He took care of it on the cross. This stands true, so why is it that we don’t see every Christian receiving and walking in the victory that God has purchased for them? I have come to the conclusion that there are two reasons why Christians aren’t walking in their victory:
1. Lack of Knowledge
The Bible talks about how God’s people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge (New King James Translation, Hosea 4.6). This tells us that Jesus purchasing our victory doesn’t immediately make it ours. We have to know about it and receive it. In the same way, Jesus dying on the cross did not automatically save us. We had to gain the knowledge about what He did and then receive it. Apply the same concept to your trial. Gain knowledge on the topic, whether it be healing, lack, etc., and also gain knowledge about your victory by getting in the Word and finding scriptures that pertain directly to your situation. God created the Bible with YOU in mind. He knew exactly what you would be going through and He provided an answer for it all in His Word.
The second point is not only the other reason as to why Christians aren’t walking in their victory (once they have knowledge) but it is also the key to overcoming your trials. The second reason Christians aren’t walking in their victory is this:
2. Lack of Obedience
That’s it. That is the key to overcoming your trials. OBEDIENCE. As human beings, our tendency is to want to fight trials in the flesh. The Bible so clearly tells us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the dark ness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6.12). As Christians, our call is to fight the spiritual, not the natural. This means that in every trail and situation that we face there is a spiritual force behind it, and the only way to overcome it is through obedience.
Let’s look at Joshua and the Wall of Jericho. God told Joshua and his men of war to march around the city once for seven days. Seven priests were to bear trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark and on the seventh day they would conclude by marching seven times ending the last one with a giant shout and the wall would fall (Josh. 6.1-5). During this trial, Joshua was commanded by God to simply walk around it (in faith) and believe that on the seventh day the wall would fall. In other words, his obedience would cause his trial to be overcome.
When you are facing a trial, God will ask you to do something in the physical to represent where your faith is, and it will then have an affect spiritually. Your obedience will lead to your victory. What God is going to ask you to do is most likely not going to make sense and be hinged solely on your faith in Him.
Joshua could have so easily been tempted to try and knock down the wall physically; after all, he had men of war with him. Instead, these armored men were called to march around the wall, every step representing their faith in God.
How have you been tempted to fight your battle physically knowing it is spiritual? What is God asking you to do that you are neglecting? Therein lies the key to your victory. Let HIM fight the battle for you through your obedience and faith in Him.
Bible translations used in this article:
New King James Version (NKJV)
The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.