Introduction
It is usual for people to claim that they have faith in God and that they would do anything to please him. Some express their faith out of the fear of God, some out of love, or religious conviction, or in hope for some unfulfilled desires. But God does not just take our words and conduct, including our religious practices or acts of kindness to justify our faith. He will therefore test and prove our faith.
This series on “Precious Trials of faith”, should help you to understand the nature of faith trials and the purposes of God in trying our faith, the ways in which He may test faith may be tested and how we might sustain or overcome trials and invariably enhance our spiritual growth.
The purposes of faith trials the series aim to addresses include: trials for Christ’s ministry and discipleship, trials for righteousness sake, trials for salvation to establish a faith relationship, and trials for correction. Ultimately it shows that as challenging as trials may be, they are precious audits that ensure a more perfect spiritual relationship with God.
This first part explains the concept of faith the importance of the heart in expressing faith and dealing with trials. It also examines the nature of faith trials including the essence of fiery trials, related blessings and the role of the ‘Spirit of Faith’ in it.
1. FAITH AS ‘BELIEVING’ AND ‘DILIGENT SEEKING’
