Strengthening Faith Through Life's Challenges and Trials

Oct 05, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: Faith Is Perfected Through Testing and Steadfastness

God allows us to face multiple tests, sometimes all at once, not to overwhelm us but to deepen and perfect our faith. Each trial is an opportunity to grow in steadfastness, learning to speak confidently to our circumstances and trust that God is working alongside us. Rather than being discouraged by the number or intensity of our challenges, we are called to see them as part of the same season—a process by which God is making us strong, complete, and lacking nothing. When we count it all joy, even in the midst of difficulty, we participate in the maturing work God is doing in us. [45:51]

James 1:2-4 (ESV)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Reflection: What is one current challenge you’re facing that you can choose to see as an opportunity for God to perfect your faith, rather than as a reason to be discouraged?

Day 2: Faith Requires Action—Trusting God Enough to Step In

God often calls us to step into situations that seem uncrossable or impossible, just as He told the priests to stand in the flooding Jordan River. The true test of faith is not just believing God can do something, but acting on His word even when the outcome is uncertain. When we obey God’s command, even with minimal instructions, we position ourselves for His miraculous intervention. The willingness to put your foot in the water—whether that’s a new job, a difficult relationship, or a daunting task—is the kind of faith that God honors and uses to display His glory. [49:09]

Joshua 3:7-8, 15-17 (ESV)
The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” ... and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

Reflection: Where is God asking you to “put your foot in the water” right now, and what is one step of obedience you can take today even if you don’t see the whole path ahead?

Day 3: Remembering God’s Past Faithfulness Fuels Present Trust

When God calls us into new challenges, He wants us to remember how He has delivered us and our families before. Just as the Israelites were to recall God’s deliverance at the Red Sea, we are called to let the stories of God’s faithfulness in our own lives and in the lives of those who came before us awaken faith for today’s battles. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever; if He did it before, He can do it again. Reflecting on the winds God sent in previous generations gives us courage to move forward, trusting that His power and provision have not changed. [59:56]

Exodus 14:13-16, 21-22 (ESV)
And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.” ... Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Reflection: Think of a time when God came through for you or your family in the past—how can remembering that story help you trust Him with what you’re facing today?

Day 4: Complaining Blocks the Wind—Listening Unlocks God’s Presence

When we are overwhelmed by tests and challenges, it’s easy to fall into complaining and murmuring, but God calls us to stop the chatter and listen for His word. The Israelites had both a history of witnessing God’s wonders and a habit of complaining, and Joshua had to call them to listen to the Lord instead of focusing on their fears. Complaining keeps us stuck, but listening positions us to recognize God’s presence and power among us. In seasons of testing, talk less and listen more—God is ready to drive out the obstacles before you if you will tune your heart to His voice. [01:04:05]

Philippians 2:14-16 (ESV)
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Reflection: What is one area where you’ve been complaining or focusing on the negative—how can you intentionally pause today to listen for what God is saying instead?

Day 5: Move Forward on Minimal Instructions—God Fights for You

God rarely gives us the full picture before asking us to move; He often gives minimal instructions and expects us to trust Him with the rest. Like the Israelites at the Jordan, we may feel overwhelmed by the unknowns, but God’s promise is that as we move forward in obedience, He will fight for us and provide what we need along the way. The key is not to wait for perfect clarity or resources, but to start walking in faith, believing that God’s wind will meet us as we go. Even when you feel unqualified or under-resourced, God is with you—just keep moving forward. [57:51]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Reflection: What is one area where you’ve been waiting for more information or resources before acting—how can you take a step of faith today, trusting God to provide as you move?

Sermon Summary

Life often brings us into seasons where challenges seem to pile up—where it feels like we’re being tested on every side, not just in one area, but in many. These moments are not random; they are opportunities for our faith to mature and deepen. God is not simply interested in us surviving one test at a time, but in developing a faith that can stand strong and speak confidently to multiple circumstances at once. The trials we face are not meant to overwhelm us, but to perfect us, to make us steadfast, and to prepare us for the weight of God’s presence and blessing.

When God calls us to step into what seems impossible—like asking the priests to put their feet in a flooding Jordan River—He is inviting us to trust Him based on what He’s already done, not just what we see in the moment. The command to “go and stand in the river” is a call to remember God’s faithfulness in the past, both in our own lives and in the lives of those who came before us. God’s track record is flawless; He parted the Red Sea for Moses, and He can do it again for us. Our job is not to demand the full plan, but to move forward on minimal instructions, trusting that God will meet us as we step out in faith.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the number of battles we face—family, finances, work, the future. But God’s promise is not that we will have no battles, but that He will be with us in every one. The enemy wants to stop us before we realize that the same wind of God that moved in our parents’ and grandparents’ lives is available to us. Our response should not be to complain about the test, but to listen for the wind—to quiet the noise and remember the word God has already spoken. When we do, we find the courage to move forward, even when we don’t have all the answers, knowing that God is perfecting our faith and preparing us for greater things.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith Must Mature Beyond the Elementary God allows multiple tests to come not to break us, but to build a faith that can speak confidently to several challenges at once. The goal is not to remain at a basic level of trust, but to develop a faith that is steadfast and unshaken, even when life feels overwhelming. Each new test is an invitation to deeper maturity and greater spiritual authority. [40:26]
2. God’s Presence Requires Preparedness When God’s glory enters a situation, everything that is not aligned with Him is exposed and removed. Blessings can become overwhelming if we are not spiritually prepared; holiness and readiness are essential. The same God who brings blessing also brings a refining wind, and we must be able to stand when He comes. [44:31]
3. Remembering God’s Past Faithfulness Fuels Present Obedience When God asks us to step into the uncrossable, He expects us to recall how He has delivered before—both in Scripture and in our own family history. Our obedience is strengthened when we remember that God is consistent and faithful across generations. The miracles of the past are not just stories; they are reminders that God will do it again. [52:45]
4. Minimal Instructions, Maximum Trust God often gives us just enough direction to take the next step, not the whole plan. He is looking for people who will move forward on minimal instructions, trusting that He will provide and fight for them as they go. This kind of trust is what positions us for God’s intervention and glory. [57:51]
5. Battles Are Many, But God’s Wind Is Sufficient Life will present us with multiple, simultaneous challenges—family, work, finances, and more. The presence of many enemies or obstacles is not a sign of God’s absence, but of His intent to show Himself strong in our lives. As we move forward, remembering God’s word and past faithfulness, we can trust that His wind will make a way where there seems to be none.

** [65:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[39:07] - The Purpose of Repeated Tests
[40:26] - Speaking to Multiple Circumstances
[41:17] - Seeing the Season Differently
[42:06] - Overwhelm and God’s Confidence in You
[43:32] - The Weight of God’s Presence
[44:31] - Holiness and the Wind of God
[45:29] - Joy in Trials and Steadfastness
[47:11] - Faith and Deeds: Abraham’s Example
[48:31] - Ready for the Wind: Joshua’s Test
[49:37] - Stepping Into the Uncrossable
[51:35] - Does God’s Command Awaken His Word in You?
[52:45] - Remembering God’s Past Miracles
[55:38] - Moving Forward on Minimal Instructions
[57:51] - Trusting God With Minimal Details
[59:56] - God’s Faithfulness Across Generations
[63:39] - Listening Over Complaining
[65:58] - Facing Multiple Battles
[68:59] - Moving Forward When Overwhelmed
[71:29] - Real Talk: Obedience and Sacrifice
[73:28] - Serving Through the Struggle

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading

Joshua 3:7-17 (ESV)
7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” ... 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away... 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

James 1:2-4, 12 (ESV)
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. ... 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Exodus 14:13-16, 21-22 (ESV)
13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. ... 15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. ... 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Observation Questions

In Joshua 3, what specific instructions did God give to Joshua and the priests regarding the Jordan River? What was the condition of the river at that time?

[[49:09]]

According to James 1:2-4, what is the intended result of facing various trials and tests in our lives?
In Exodus 14, what did God tell Moses and the Israelites to do when they were trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea? How did God respond to Moses’ prayer?

[[52:45]]

The sermon mentions that God’s presence exposes and removes what is not aligned with Him. What biblical examples or images were used to illustrate this?

[[44:31]]

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says that God allows multiple tests to come not to break us, but to build a faith that can speak confidently to several challenges at once. Why might God want us to face more than one challenge at a time?

[[40:26]]

In both the Joshua and Exodus stories, God asks His people to move forward before they see the miracle. What does this reveal about the kind of faith God is looking for?

[[49:37]] [[55:38]]

The sermon talks about remembering God’s past faithfulness—both in Scripture and in our own family history. How does recalling what God has done before help us obey Him in the present?

[[59:56]]

The sermon says, “Don’t waste time complaining about the test when you can be listening for the wind.” What does it mean to “listen for the wind” in the context of facing trials?

[[01:03:39]]

Application Questions

The priests had to step into a flooding river before God parted the waters. Is there a situation in your life right now where you feel God is asking you to “step in” before you see the outcome? What would it look like to take that first step?

[[49:37]]

The sermon challenges us to move forward on “minimal instructions” from God, not waiting for the full plan. Are you someone who needs all the details before you act, or are you willing to trust God with just the next step? What is one area where you can practice this kind of trust this week?

[[57:51]]

When you face multiple challenges at once—family, work, finances, health—do you tend to get overwhelmed, or do you see these as opportunities for your faith to mature? How can you shift your perspective to see these as invitations to deeper faith?

[[42:06]]

The sermon says God’s blessings can be overwhelming if we are not spiritually prepared. What does spiritual preparedness look like for you? Are there areas in your life that need to be brought into alignment with God before you can handle more of His presence or blessing?

[[44:31]]

Think about a time when God was faithful to someone in your family or church history. How can remembering their story encourage you to trust God in your current situation?

[[59:56]]

The sermon encourages us to “listen for the wind” instead of complaining. What are some practical ways you can quiet the noise in your life and listen for God’s direction this week?

[[01:03:39]]

The message says, “God is perfecting our faith and preparing us for greater things.” What is one area where you sense God is stretching or maturing your faith right now? How can your small group support you in this?

[[45:29]]

End of Guide

Sermon Clips

57s

#FaithThroughTrials

“A lot of us are trying to. God is saying, no, I'm trying to get you to talk to a circumstance. So the blessings is not just to. Then God will work alongside of you. That's why our faith needs faith. That's why it seems like tests keep coming to us. You won't believe how many people start to cave when they find themselves in more than one test. The reason why they keep coming is that there are levels to your faith. Maybe they are really levels to the same test. And so you may be seeing three or four things and saying these things are all separated. Everything is heaping down to me at one time. God said, no, look again. Look at this barrier differently. It's all a part of the same season that you're in. And that's because your faith needs perfecting faith.”

27s

#SpeakToAllCircumstances

“Perhaps God wants to get you to the place where you can speak to three or four things at the same time. That really needs to kind of sink in because we okay speaking to just one thing. I'm okay speaking to my health, but don't make me speak to my health and my finances now. Don't include my health and my finances and my crazy family at the same time. Now you're doing too much because I'm having to speak to too many things at the same time.”

62s

#ProvenFaithStrength

“Proven faith really is the only. When God sends a wind or when. When he sends test when he comes in, he doesn't want you to find yourself on the wrong side of his blessing. What we see in scripture is that every time God came on the scene, everything had to be holy. If it was not holy, the glory of the Lord would break out on his very own people. So part of the whole idea of deepening their faith is you've got to be able to handle this so that when the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings come in, he's got somebody strong on assignment, and he does not destroy you with everybody else.”

26s

#CountJoyInTrials

“So when he comes in, whatever is not right is blown away. Think about it. God says, the wheat and the chaff, they are going to grow together. So when I show up coming to blow away the chaff, right? But what do you do when you think you're wheat, but you're really the chaff? Well, then the reality is you get blown away with something you was never supposed to be a part of.”

37s

#FaithCompletedByAction

“You have to work it in reverse, though, in order to be lacking nothing, you have to first count it. Joy. When you face trials and temptations, there is no lacking nothing without being able to count it. Joy. When I face something, there is no lacking nothing when I don't have steadfastness, there is no lacking nothing when I cannot press my way through. And so people love to shout about what I'm not supposed to lack. Pastor 1 I'm perfect. He makes me complete. But the Bible says you must first count some things joyful. You must first learn what he's doing in your life.”

45s

#ListenMoreComplainLess

“The only way that God will say that is if God has previously given you a word that you are going to have victory. So when the storm comes, Moses himself is supposed to remember what God told him. Well, what did God tell him in verse number four, Back up. He says, look Moses, I'm going to harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue the Israelites, but I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and his army. And the Egyptians will then know that I am the Lord. God is telling Moses, I'm going to do something that's so amazing that everybody's going to know who I am. So all I need you to do is follow what I tell you.”

65s

#FaithRequiresAction

“All I want to know is, did you connect with my word when I told you, put your foot in the water? See, a lot of people say, I'll put my foot in the water. If I've personally seen the miracle myself, I'll sow. If he gives me something, I'll do what you call me to do. If you work something out, we have these. If, then I'm a computer science teacher, right? And we write programs that say, if this, then this. And a lot of us, we're computer science Christians, we say, God, if this, then this. God says, no, I sent a wind to your mama. I sent a wind to your grandparents. I sent the wind of God to your great grandparents. And I'm the same God. I change not right. He's the same what, yesterday, today, and forevermore. So if I did it Before, I'll do it again.”

70s

“I never knew that I was. I'm not a pk, but I am a church planner. And so church planting has been in my family before I even realized it. And God blessed my people, you know, the best that they could be blessed with their limited knowledge of the word of God. He was very good. He blessed them. But it's been in my family for a long time, and I tell y' all a lot. I was always so attracted to my grandfather's witness, and he's really the one that I pattern myself behind, and I really think he was really the one that God used to get me to where I am today because I coveted him when he went to serve, I wanted to go and serve. When I watched him, I wanted to be like Pop. Pop was my Superman. I didn't know that God was training me for a win by having me watch my grandfather, right?”

73s

“So you going to take me on. Do you believe I'm with you because Joshua can command them all day long? Joshua ain't put his foot in that water first. You do understand the scripture, right? It's a real scripture. So now you telling me, man of God, that God spoke to you, but I got to put my foot in the water? So you telling me that God told you that I'm called to a Business. But I gotta quit my job. I ain't scared of y'. You telling me, God, you prophesying in the. Let's real talk. Let's real talk today. God, you. God prophesying to me through you. And you're laying hands on me. You're praying for me and God send all this stuff to you, but I gotta do the work.”

Ask a question about this sermon

PURSUE CHURCH AUSTIN This sermon · AI assistant

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?

Strengthening Faith Through Life's Challenges and Trials

Devotional

Day 1: Faith Is Perfected Through Testing and Steadfastness

Day 2: Faith Requires Action—Trusting God Enough to Step In

Day 3: Remembering God’s Past Faithfulness Fuels Present Trust

Day 4: Complaining Blocks the Wind—Listening Unlocks God’s Presence

Day 5: Move Forward on Minimal Instructions—God Fights for You

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Strengthening Faith Through Life's Challenges and Trials

Share