Trusting God: Strength and Peace in Trials
Summary
### Summary
In our series "A New Life Under Construction," we are exploring how the Holy Spirit guides us into our new life in Christ. Today, we focused on the theme of trusting in the Lord, drawing from 1 Peter 1, which reminds us of the priceless inheritance and protection we have through our faith in God. Trusting God is essential, especially during trials, as it refines our faith and brings us closer to Him.
We examined the story of King Hezekiah, a powerful example of trust in God. Despite his father Ahaz's wickedness and the threat from the Assyrian army, Hezekiah chose to trust in the Lord. He undertook significant reforms, including reopening the temple and restoring authentic worship. Hezekiah's trust in God led him to take bold actions, such as fortifying Jerusalem and constructing a tunnel to secure the city's water supply, demonstrating his reliance on divine guidance.
Hezekiah's story teaches us that trust in God brings peace, freedom from fear, and strength. His faith was not just a personal conviction but a transformative force for his entire kingdom. When faced with the Assyrian siege, Hezekiah sought counsel from the prophet Isaiah, who assured him of God's protection. God's intervention led to the miraculous defeat of the Assyrian army, affirming that divine trust can lead to extraordinary outcomes.
The contrast between Hezekiah and his father and son, both of whom did not trust in God, highlights the consequences of faith versus faithlessness. Hezekiah's trust brought blessings and protection, while the lack of trust led to downfall and destruction. This narrative encourages us to place our complete trust in God, allowing Him to lead our lives and bring about His purposes.
### Key Takeaways
1. Trust in Trials: Trusting God during trials refines our faith and brings us closer to Him. Peter reminds us that our faith, tested by fire, is more precious than gold and will result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus is revealed. This trust is not just for the good times but is crucial during life's challenges. [01:30]
2. Peace Through Trust: Trusting in God brings peace, even amidst chaos. Isaiah prophesied that those who trust in the Lord will be kept in perfect peace because God is an everlasting rock. This peace is a divine gift that surpasses all understanding and is available to us when we place our trust in Him. [05:52]
3. Strength and Freedom from Fear: Trusting in God provides strength and freedom from fear. Psalm 27 and Isaiah 40 remind us that God is our light and salvation, and those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. This divine strength enables us to face life's challenges with courage and resilience. [07:04]
4. Transformative Trust: Hezekiah's trust in God led to significant reforms and blessings for his kingdom. By removing idols and restoring true worship, Hezekiah demonstrated that trust in God can transform not only our lives but also the lives of those around us. His actions show that faith can lead to societal and spiritual renewal. [14:21]
5. Divine Intervention: God's intervention in response to Hezekiah's trust led to the miraculous defeat of the Assyrian army. This story illustrates that when we trust in God, He can accomplish the impossible. Our faith invites God's power into our circumstances, leading to outcomes that surpass human understanding. [37:59]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:30] - Trust in Trials
[05:52] - Peace Through Trust
[07:04] - Strength and Freedom from Fear
[14:21] - Transformative Trust
[23:15] - Hezekiah's Bold Actions
[37:59] - Divine Intervention
[43:21] - Raise a Hallelujah
[43:55] - Blessing and Closing
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV)
> Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
2. Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV)
> You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.
3. Psalm 27:1 (NIV)
> The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
### Observation Questions
1. According to 1 Peter 1:3-9, what is the purpose of the trials we face in life? ([01:30])
2. How does Isaiah describe the peace that comes from trusting in the Lord? ([05:52])
3. What actions did Hezekiah take to demonstrate his trust in God? ([14:21])
4. What was the outcome of Hezekiah's trust in God when faced with the Assyrian siege? ([37:59])
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of faith being "tested by fire" in 1 Peter 1:7 relate to our personal experiences of trials and challenges? ([01:30])
2. In what ways does trusting in God bring peace, as described in Isaiah 26:3-4? How can this peace manifest in our daily lives? ([05:52])
3. What can we learn from Hezekiah's actions about the relationship between trust in God and taking practical steps in our lives? ([14:21])
4. How does the miraculous defeat of the Assyrian army illustrate the power of divine intervention in response to faith? ([37:59])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent trial you faced. How did you respond, and how might trusting in God have changed your response? ([01:30])
2. When you are in the midst of chaos, what practical steps can you take to remind yourself of the peace that comes from trusting in God? ([05:52])
3. Think of a situation where you felt fear. How can the message of Psalm 27:1 help you face similar situations in the future? ([07:04])
4. Hezekiah took bold actions based on his trust in God. Is there an area in your life where you need to take a bold step of faith? What might that look like? ([14:21])
5. How can you encourage others in your community to trust in God, especially during difficult times? ([37:59])
6. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's intervention in your life. How did that experience strengthen your faith? ([37:59])
7. Hezekiah's trust led to societal and spiritual renewal. How can your trust in God influence and transform your family, workplace, or community? ([14:21])
Devotional
Day 1: Trust in Trials
Trusting God during trials refines our faith and brings us closer to Him. Peter reminds us that our faith, tested by fire, is more precious than gold and will result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus is revealed. This trust is not just for the good times but is crucial during life's challenges. [01:30]
"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:6-7, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent trial you have faced. How did you respond, and how might trusting God more deeply have changed your experience?
Day 2: Peace Through Trust
Trusting in God brings peace, even amidst chaos. Isaiah prophesied that those who trust in the Lord will be kept in perfect peace because God is an everlasting rock. This peace is a divine gift that surpasses all understanding and is available to us when we place our trust in Him. [05:52]
"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." (Isaiah 26:3-4, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a situation in your life that is causing you stress or anxiety. How can you actively place your trust in God to experience His peace in this situation?
Day 3: Strength and Freedom from Fear
Trusting in God provides strength and freedom from fear. Psalm 27 and Isaiah 40 remind us that God is our light and salvation, and those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. This divine strength enables us to face life's challenges with courage and resilience. [07:04]
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1, ESV)
Reflection: What is one fear that is holding you back right now? How can you lean on God's strength to overcome this fear and move forward with confidence?
Day 4: Transformative Trust
Hezekiah's trust in God led to significant reforms and blessings for his kingdom. By removing idols and restoring true worship, Hezekiah demonstrated that trust in God can transform not only our lives but also the lives of those around us. His actions show that faith can lead to societal and spiritual renewal. [14:21]
"He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses." (2 Kings 18:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: Consider an area in your life or community that needs transformation. How can you take a step of faith to bring about positive change, trusting in God's guidance?
Day 5: Divine Intervention
God's intervention in response to Hezekiah's trust led to the miraculous defeat of the Assyrian army. This story illustrates that when we trust in God, He can accomplish the impossible. Our faith invites God's power into our circumstances, leading to outcomes that surpass human understanding. [37:59]
"And the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies." (Isaiah 37:36, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a seemingly impossible situation you are facing. How can you invite God's power into this situation through prayer and trust, believing that He can accomplish the impossible?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "When I say in the midst of chaos, in the midst of the chaos of life, you can still have peace. And it's a peace that only God can give you. We also receive freedom from fear. Psalm 27. Verse 1 begins, The point is, God is with you. We just went through the past two weeks talking about who the Holy Spirit is. That he is God and he dwells in us. And if we walk with God and we allow him to speak to us. Follow his lead. There's nothing to fear. For the God of the universe walks with you." [07:04] (58 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Do you see what happens when you trust in the Lord and when you don't? I named Hezekiah's father and son, his predecessor and his successor. So you could see the contrast. His father and son did not believe in Yahweh. And look what happened to their kingdoms. But look what happens when Hezekiah trusts in the Lord. You see that when you trust in the Lord, and you have influence over others, and you get them to trust in the Lord, all will be blessed." [41:19] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "My question to you today is do you trust in the Lord to let Him do something as simple as lead your life? And I don't mean that in a minimalistic way. I'm not trying to belittle anyone. But if God, the creator of the universe, can work all of this other stuff and make everything fit together so beautifully, I think your life isn't that big of a task. I know mine isn't. Do you trust God to handle your life? I want you to think about that today." [42:02] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "True worship is trusting in God and expressing that with joy in song. That's part of worship. And so we see that Hezekiah restores this to the nation. But beyond that, he also restores offerings. A way for people to make amends with God, to repent, and also to offer tithes back to the temple. All that's restored. So we see that Hezekiah is a reformer." [21:05] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that after him there was none like him among all the people of Israel. Nor among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept his commandments which the Lord had commanded Moses." [15:46] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "If I'm going to be honest, I think this is where all of us struggle in our faith, that we have these moments where we say, well, I trust God until whatever this line is for you. And as Christians, we should come to understand that we trust God with everything. And Peter's point is, look, you're going to have trials in this life. Nowhere in Scripture does it say, once you become a Christian, you're going to have trials in this life. Ah, it's easy. No, it's not. There are going to be significant challenges in your life. That doesn't mean there is no God. It means when you walk with God and you trust in God, that he can lead you through those great trials of life." [02:41] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Hezekiah knew that Assyria would invade the kingdom of Judah and he began making preparations for the attack. You have to understand the reality of what Hezekiah is facing. Assyria was a conquering nation and they had a track record of being victorious. They were victorious in battle. Assyria is a monster of a nation in the ancient world. They want to grow larger and so they have these campaigns and these invasions and they continue pressing upon Israel. By the time we get to the attack on Judah, Israel has already conquered 46 fortified cities and has carried away, over 200,000 people from the kingdom of Israel." [21:39] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Hezekiah had two groups, one on each end of the tunnel, to start digging. And they didn't dig a straight line. Instead, there was a natural vein that they found in the mountain. And they followed this vein. The tunnel that should be a thousand feet, if it was straight, when completed, will be over 1,700 feet in length, almost double of what it should be. Now, today, we still don't know how the tunnel was actually made. The reason why is this is the ancient world. They don't have power tools. They don't have the walls. They don't have old Milwaukee. They don't have flashlights. So when these people start digging, once they get into the mountain, there's no way to get fresh air in there. How did these workers not die of carbon monoxide poisoning?" [25:36] (67 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Do you read the Bible and say, yes, that is true? I believe what the Bible says. Or you saying, I don't really know. Oh, now that I see that, I believe it. Let me make it a little more blunt. Is your faith in the word of God or is your faith in worldly evidence? You see, I personally believe the Bible. I believe every word of it to be true and accurate. This stuff is great. I'm a history nerd. I love it. But I don't need it. I don't need it to prove my God to be true. It just already affirms. Listen to this. I'll say it this way. The world is now affirming the existence of God. That's a beautiful thing. I can affirm that all day long." [32:26] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Thus says the Lord. Do not be afraid because the words that you have heard with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land. Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, he will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there. He will not come before it with a shield or throw up a siege ramp against it. By the way he came, by the same he will return. He will not come to this city declares the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it for my own sake and my servant David's sake." [36:21] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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