Faith That Stands

In his April 4th daily devotional, “Solid Joy”, John Piper wrote, “Whenever God encourages your heart with the promise that in Satan’s sifting, your faith will not fail, then take that encouragement and double your joy by using it to strengthen your brothers and sisters”. What an awesome truth! We can trust that our faith, when truly placed in Jesus Christ, will be able to stand even if Satan is allowed to try us.
When we see that God guards our faith, and come to know that our faith does not fail, we then go to our brothers and sisters in Christ and strengthen them. What a privilege we have to help others when their faith is weak, when they are discouraged and beaten down. We can be God’s help for them and lift them up when they need it most.
I have found it true in my own life. I have needed others to lean on when my hope was gone. When I had failed so completely that I felt unwanted by God and by others. It was in those times that God brought someone to speak truth into my life, and that truth gave me life. God’s truth gave me the courage to believe again, to hope again, to pray again.
You see Satan was making me see my sin as greater than my God. I needed to repent of the sin which I had done. Even greater, I needed to trust my God, which I was not doing.
So when your faith has been tested and has not failed, go then and find others to strengthen. Always remember to use faith to help build up others.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)