LIVING BY FAITH - IT'S A LIFESTLYE

Times of hardness are inevitable. You need to know that.
It's true that we've been redeemed from the curse, and there's nothing Satan can do to reverse that, but he is going to challenge you on it.

So don't be surprised when things get tough!

Times will come when you have to stand strictly by faith, when you'll have to speak and act as though what God says is true even when you can't feel or see it happening around you.
There will be times when everything looks terrrible. That's when you must endure hardness as a good soldier.

2 Timothy 2:3 says: "Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

So many people hear the word of faith about healing and prosperity and they think, "Hey! I'm going to try that." Then when the hard times come, they give up and quit.
Why? Because they haven't realised that living by faith is not something you try. It's a lifestlye.
You do it whether it's hard or easy. You do it all the time because you know that faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).

Think about the life of Jesus and the way He responded to tough times.
At one point when He and His disciples were on the boat, they faced a vigorous storm. The disciples panicked but Jesus was asleep!
Now how could He be at rest in a situation like this? In the natural, anyone in that position would panic and lose all hope.

So how was Jesus totally calm and peaceful during this storm?

The reason is because He knew that He had the AUTHORITY and POWER. He didn't allow the circumstances to gain control over His life.

Instead, He used His authority and said "Peace, be still!"

Then we see Jesus rebuked His disciples and said, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

You see, the disciples could have done exactly what Jesus did, yet they allowed fear to grip them causing their faith to produce no results.

Always remember that death and life are in the power of the tongue!
You can either choose to speak what you see and feel, or you can determine to speak God's word and experience miraculous results.

Every child of God has been given power and authority (Luke 10:19). The way you use it is by speaking forth life out of your mouth instead of death.

Things may get a little rough at times, but let me assure you, you'll always come out on top if you endure hardness as a good soldier.
If you refuse to faint and fall away, you will have the victory! (You can also refer to Numbers 14:1-24.)

Remember, the only defeated Christian is the one who quits!