Some of the material for these lessons comes from the book Faith and Patience: The Power Twins by Kenneth Copeland.
Hebrews 6:11-12 | NKJV And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, (12) that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 6:11-12 | TPT But we long to see you passionately advance until the end and you find your hope fulfilled. (12) So don’t allow your hearts to grow dull or lose your enthusiasm, but follow the example of those who fully received what God has promised because of their strong faith and patient endurance.
Hebrews 11:1-3 | NKJV Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2) For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. (3) By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Hope – confident expectation something will happen
- Hope is the blueprint that your faith builds from to produce the quality of your life.
- Hope is the vision that we have of our lives.
- The vision we have of our lives is extremely important because it ultimately shapes the tomorrow of our lives.
Expectation – a looking forward to, or anticipation, prospect for the future, as of advancement or prosperity
James 1:2-4 | KJV My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (3) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. (4) But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Temptation – NT:3986 peirasmos (pi-ras-mos’); from NT:3985; a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity:
James 1:12 | KJV Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Endureth = patience (same word in Greek) have fortitude, persevere
“…that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Amplified – “…so that you may be people perfectly and fully developed with no defects, lacking nothing.”
James 1:12 | CEV God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves him.
James 1:12 | TPT If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God! True happiness comes as you pass the test with faith, and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God!
The first step to overcoming adversity and passing the test is found in verse 13.
Do not say that the adversity is coming from God.
James 1:13 | NKJV Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
God does test us, but never with adversity. His tests are always tests of obedience.
Passing the test does require consistency but there is more to it.
Adversity = pressure in our lives.
The enemy is desiring to generate pressure to get you off of what you believe through the adversity.
Many people think that trials make us stronger. The trials that Satan causes make people weaker. If it were the trials and tribulations that make us strong, everyone on earth would be spiritual giants.
So, what makes stronger? What perfects us?
Ephesians 4:11-14 | KJV And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
We are to be perfected – not through tribulations but by the Word of God and through the ministry gifts.
The difference between faith development and patience development:
Matthew 7:24-27 | TPT “Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakable foundation. (25) When the rains fell and the flood came, with fierce winds beating upon his house, it stood firm because of its strong foundation. (26) “But everyone who hears my teaching and does not apply it to his life can be compared to a foolish man who built his house on sand. (27) When it rained and rained and the flood came, with wind and waves beating upon his house, it collapsed and was swept away.”
As the man dug deep and was obedient to the Word of God, that is when faith was developed.
When the storm came and the man stood on what he had heard, believed, and obeyed, is when patience was developed.
Faith is developed before the trial comes. Patience is developed in the trial or tribulation and undergirds, or keeps the door open for faith to work and overcome whatever is put before it.
Being sound in patience is to answer every doubt and fear with the firm assurance and confession that God’s Word is true, no matter what we feel or see.
Regardless of what storms may come our way, the Father’s Word cannot fail. In that kind of atmosphere, faith is free to move and overcome whatever Satan has put in our way.
How to develop endurance:
- You must train before the competition begins in order to develop the endurance necessary to win and not quit.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 | AMPC Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours. (25) Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither. (26) Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary. (27) But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 | TPT Isn’t it obvious that all runners on the racetrack keep on running to win, but only one receives the victor’s prize? Yet each one of you must run the race to be victorious. (25) A true athlete will be disciplined in every respect, practicing constant self-control in order to win a laurel wreath that quickly withers. But we run our race to win a victor’s crown that will last forever. (26) For that reason, I don’t run just for exercise or box like one throwing aimless punches, (27) but I train like a champion athlete. I subdue my body and get it under my control, so that after preaching the good news to others I myself won’t be disqualified.
- You cannot be entangled with the affairs of this life (taking the cares). If you are worried, you are contemplating how you can solve your own problems.
2 Timothy 2:3-4 | TPT Overcome every form of evil as a victorious soldier of Jesus the Anointed One. (4) For every soldier called to active duty must divorce himself from the distractions of this world so that he may fully satisfy the one who chose him.
Learn to cast your cares or worries on Him.
Mark 4:18-19 | NKJV Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, (19) and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
1 Peter 5:6-7 | AMPC Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, (7) Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. [Psa 55:22]
- You must develop a root of consecration to the Word by spending time meditating on the Word before you can stand on it.
Psalms 1:1-3 | NKJV Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. (3) He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
- If you won’t quit because of weariness, you will win.
Galatians 6:9 | NKJV And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Galatians 6:9 | MSG So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.
What is the weariness described? Discouragement.
Discouragement is a product of repeated disappointment.
Disappointment – the frustration of expectancy.
Disappointment leads to discouragement leads to despair leads to death.
Disappointment is always rooted in the past and we must forget the past.
- Count it all joy when the test shows up.
Nehemiah 8:10 | NKJV Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Know that when we choose to be joyful in the midst of the trial it will provide the supernatural strength that you need to make it to the end of the adversity.
Hebrews 12:2 | NKJV looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Steps to cultivating endurance:
- You must train before the competition begins to develop the endurance necessary to win and not quit.
- You cannot be entangled with the affairs of this life (taking the cares). If you are worried, you are contemplating how you can solve your own problems.
- Learn to cast your cares or worries on Him.
- You must develop a root of consecration to the Word before you can stand on it by spending time meditating on the Word.
- If you won’t quit because of weariness, you will win.
- Count it all joy when the test shows up.
For instance, when you receive your healing by faith, the symptoms do not always leave immediately. Faith is in operation when you do what the Word said: you believed, received and confessed.
Now you have need of patience so that you will perfect and entire wanting nothing (James 1) Through patience, you hold fast to the Word, regardless of the circumstances, knowing that patience will produce the experience of healing. Working the power of patience is the difference between success and failure in the faith walk.