Faith Through Trials: Finding Strength in God

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Promises Tribulation, But He Has Overcome

Life with God does not mean a life without problems; rather, Jesus Himself told us that in this world we will have tribulation. The pressures and struggles we face are not signs of failure or abandonment, but reminders that we live in a broken world. Yet, Jesus encourages us to take heart because He has already overcome the world. Just as a spotter helps a weightlifter push through the heaviest reps, Jesus is with us in every trial, ensuring that we are never alone in our struggles. Our faith is not about avoiding hardship, but about trusting the One who has already won the victory and walks with us through every difficulty. [05:47]

John 16:33 (NKJV)
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Reflection: What is one current struggle or pressure you are facing, and how can you remind yourself today that Jesus has already overcome it?

Day 2: Because Jesus Overcame, We Can Have Peace

True peace is not the absence of problems, but the presence of Christ in the midst of them. The peace Jesus gives is not like the world’s peace, which depends on circumstances, but a supernatural calm that surpasses understanding—even when everything around us is chaotic. Just as Jesus slept peacefully on a pillow during a raging storm, we too can experience tranquility in the middle of our storms when we remain in Him. This peace is a gift that allows us to rest, trust, and move forward, knowing that God is in control no matter what we face. [10:21]

John 14:27 (NKJV)
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to receive and rest in the peace that Jesus offers, even though your circumstances haven’t changed?

Day 3: We Are More Than Conquerors Through Christ

Our strength to face life’s challenges does not come from ourselves, but from Christ who has already overcome. Because of Him, we are not just survivors—we are more than conquerors. No matter what we have or lack, or what we face, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Like the child who stood up to a bully only to realize the real power was behind him, we can face our giants with confidence, knowing that Jesus is with us and for us. Our victory is not in our own ability, but in the One who stands behind us and empowers us to overcome. [13:55]

Romans 8:37 (NKJV)
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Reflection: What is one “giant” or obstacle you are facing that you need to confront today, trusting that Christ’s strength—not your own—will see you through?

Day 4: The Holy Spirit Is Our Forever Helper

Jesus promised and delivered the Holy Spirit to be with us forever, not just for a season or a select few. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, Teacher, and Comforter, living within us and empowering us to understand God’s Word and walk in faith. No matter what changes or challenges come, the Holy Spirit remains with us, guiding, strengthening, and revealing God’s truth in every situation. Just as a “forever stamp” never loses its value, the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in our lives is unending and always available. [16:21]

John 14:16-17 (NKJV)
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

Reflection: How can you invite the Holy Spirit to help you understand and apply God’s Word to your current situation today?

Day 5: Jesus Is With Us As We Go Through

We are never alone in our trials—Jesus is with us always, even to the end of the age. Like the story of the footprints in the sand, when we feel most alone, it is often then that Jesus is carrying us. Remembering God’s past faithfulness gives us courage to face today’s challenges, knowing that the same God who delivered us before will do it again. Our faith to go through is rooted in the assurance that Jesus walks with us, strengthens us, and will never leave us, no matter what we face. [20:55]

Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”

Reflection: Recall a time when God brought you through a difficult situation—how can remembering His faithfulness give you courage for what you are facing now?

Sermon Summary

Why do we expect that coming to God means the end of all our problems? Nowhere else in life do we assume that a change means no more issues—whether it’s a new job, a new business, or a new season, challenges are always present. Yet, when it comes to our walk with God, we often expect smooth sailing. The truth is, life brings trials to everyone, but what sets us apart is how we go through them. Success isn’t the absence of struggle, but the faith to endure and overcome with God.

Looking at sports, even the greatest athletes miss more than they succeed. The best shooters, quarterbacks, and hitters all fail frequently, but they keep going. In the same way, our faith isn’t about never facing hardship, but about trusting God through it. Jesus Himself told us in John 16:33 that in this world we will have tribulation, but in Him, we can have peace because He has overcome the world. The word “tribulation” carries the image of weight pressing down, like a bench press, and Jesus is our spotter—He’s with us, helping us lift what we cannot bear alone.

Jesus faced every kind of trial—loss, betrayal, temptation—and overcame them all. Because of this, we can have peace that doesn’t make sense to the world, courage to face whatever comes, and the confidence that we are more than conquerors through Him. Our strength isn’t our own; it comes from Christ who is with us and in us. The Holy Spirit, promised and delivered by Jesus, is our Helper forever, teaching us, guiding us, and empowering us to endure.

God’s presence is not just a comfort; it’s a guarantee that we are never alone, even in our darkest moments. Like David facing Goliath, we remember how God has delivered us before and trust that He will do it again. Whether we’re in a season of peace or facing a mountain, our call is to keep moving forward, to keep “shooting,” knowing that Jesus has already made a way. Our faith is not in our own ability, but in the One who has overcome, who is with us, and who makes us more than conquerors.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith does not exempt us from life’s challenges; it equips us to face them. The expectation that following God means a trouble-free life is a misunderstanding. Instead, faith is the assurance that God is with us in every trial, shaping us through the process and giving us the strength to endure and grow. [04:06]
2. Jesus’ victory over every kind of trial means we can have true peace, even in chaos. The peace He offers is not the absence of problems, but a supernatural calm that anchors us when everything else is shaking. This peace is rooted in His presence and His finished work, not in our circumstances. [09:14]
3. Courage in adversity comes from knowing Jesus has already overcome what we face. We are called to be of good cheer, not because we are strong, but because He is. Our confidence is not self-generated; it is the result of trusting in the One who has gone before us and conquered every obstacle. [11:12]
4. The Holy Spirit is our forever Helper, promised and delivered by Jesus, empowering us daily. His presence is not temporary or conditional; He is with us always, teaching, guiding, and strengthening us to walk through whatever comes. This is a living, ongoing relationship that transforms how we experience every season of life. [16:21]
5. Remembering God’s past faithfulness fuels our faith for today’s battles. Like David recalling God’s deliverance from the lion and the bear, we are called to look back and see how God has brought us through before. This remembrance gives us the courage to face new giants, knowing that the God who was faithful yesterday will be faithful again. [20:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:55] - Why Do We Expect No More Issues?
[01:54] - Lessons from Sports: Failure and Perseverance
[03:11] - Defining “Go Through” and Life’s Challenges
[04:06] - Walking with God Through Trials
[04:55] - Jesus’ Promise: Tribulation and Peace
[05:47] - The Bench Press of Life and Jesus as Our Spotter
[06:23] - Faith to Go Through, Not Around
[07:03] - Jesus Has Already Overcome
[09:14] - Peace in the Storm: The Example of Jesus
[11:12] - Courage and Good Cheer in Christ
[13:45] - More Than Conquerors Through Christ
[16:21] - The Holy Spirit: Our Forever Helper
[18:55] - God’s Presence in Every Season
[20:45] - Remembering God’s Faithfulness
[22:30] - Responding in Worship and Trust

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 16:33 (NKJV) — > “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:37 (NKJV) — > “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

John 14:16-17 (NKJV) — > “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

Observation Questions

In John 16:33, what two things does Jesus say we will have “in Him” and “in the world”?
According to the sermon, what does the word “tribulation” mean, and what image did the pastor use to explain it? [05:47]
In Romans 8:37, what does Paul say we are “through Him who loved us”?
What promise does Jesus make about the Holy Spirit in John 14:16-17?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus tells His followers to expect tribulation, rather than promising a trouble-free life? [04:55]
The pastor compared Jesus to a “spotter” in weightlifting. What does this analogy teach us about how we face life’s pressures with God? [05:47]
How does remembering God’s past faithfulness, like David did before facing Goliath, help us face new challenges? [20:45]
What does it mean that the Holy Spirit is our “forever Helper,” and how might that change the way we approach difficult seasons? [16:21]

Application Questions

The sermon pointed out that nowhere else in life do we expect a change to mean no more problems, yet we often expect this with God. Have you ever felt disappointed when following God didn’t remove your struggles? How did you respond? [00:55]
Think about a current or recent challenge in your life. In what ways have you tried to “go around” it instead of “going through” it with faith? What would it look like to trust God in the middle of it? [06:23]
The pastor said that Jesus gives us peace “that doesn’t make sense to the world.” Can you share a time when you experienced this kind of peace? What helped you hold onto it? [09:14]
The message talked about courage coming from knowing Jesus has already overcome what we face. Is there an area in your life where you need to “be of good cheer” and trust that Jesus is with you? What’s holding you back? [11:12]
The Holy Spirit is described as our Helper who is always with us. How can you become more aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence and help in your daily life? Are there specific habits or prayers that help you remember this? [16:21]
The pastor encouraged us to remember God’s past faithfulness, like David did. Take a moment to recall a time when God brought you through something hard. How can you use that memory to encourage yourself or someone else facing a challenge now? [20:45]
The sermon used sports examples to show that even the best “miss” more than they succeed, but they keep going. Is there an area where you’ve been tempted to give up because of repeated failures? What would it look like to “keep shooting” in faith? [01:54]

Sermon Clips

What we're facing, Jesus already overcame it. What you and I are facing, Jesus already overcame it. What does it mean to overcome? It means to resoundedly win. [00:07:08] (15 seconds) #JesusAlreadyOvercame

Because Jesus overcame it, we can have peace. Because Jesus overcame it, we can have peace. Now, peace has different definitions. And when we think of peace, sometimes what we refer to or we think in our mind, peace is when there's no problem. There is peace when there's no conflict. Peace when there's no war. But in reality, peace from God is that being able to be tranquil in the midst of when it's hitting the fan. Right? It is the peace that surpasses understanding. It doesn't make sense to people that you're going through the most difficult moment in your life, but you're at peace. [00:09:41] (39 seconds) #PeaceInTheStorm

That peace you and I can have right now as we go through the storm as we go through the circumstance in him in him in me you will have peace in me last week we preached a message that was called faith to abide because jesus said apart from me you can do nothing and you and i make the choice to stay connected to him or to walk in way when it gets tough again number one because jesus overcame it we can have peace [00:11:27] (38 seconds) #FaithToAbideInChrist

Because Jesus overcame it we can be of good cheer what does it mean to be of good cheer it means to have good courage to be courageous to have confidence you and i can have the courage to go through whatever we're facing because jesus already overcame it and how are we going to respond we can have peace we can have courage [00:12:06] (26 seconds) #CourageThroughChrist

Because jesus overcame it we are more than conquerors romans chapter 8 verse 37 that's what he says he says having gone through all this in him we are more than conquerors we are more than conquerors in christ it's not on your strength it's not a mind strength is in god's strength [00:13:50] (24 seconds) #MoreThanConquerorsInChrist

The god that delivered you from the issue yesterday will deliver you from the mountain today the god that spared you from a circumstance will do it again and we need to say i have faith to go through no matter what it's important to remember what god has done in our lives [00:24:33] (24 seconds) #JesusCarriesUsThroughTrials

``I will go through it not on my strength not on my ability not on my wisdom not on my understanding but i will have faith to go through it because jesus will make a way because jesus already overcame it because jesus already paid the price because jesus has made me more than a conqueror and so i look at this giant today and i say move and get out of the way and if you don't with jesus i'm gonna go right through you because in him i can do all things [00:26:18] (35 seconds) #FaithToOvercomeMountains

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