Why do so many people have faith and they trust God but still have setbacks and troubles? What should you do when it seems like living by faith doesn’t work?
Have you heard critics of the Word of Faith message say that preachers like me ignore the reality of troubles and give false hope? I wonder if they have actually ever listened to one of my messages.
The Word of Faith message has never been one that says you won’t encounter “time of trouble and hardship.” The Apostle Paul clearly states, “This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come” (2 Timothy 3:1). The Amplified translates it, “Times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bare].”
Even though Paul is telling us that these times are sure to come, he continues, in the same chapter, to tell us that we are not to allow fear to paralyze us or cause us to lose hope. He says God had delivered him out of all persecution (2 Timothy 3:11) and that if we continue in what we’ve been taught (2 Timothy 3:14) we will be fully equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17).
The people of God should never lose heart, nor are they to ever turn back!
Don’t be so quick to let go of the basic principles of the life of faith. Reject the idea that you need some new message. The messages that you have heard and have been taught will still bring victory today.
Recently, I heard the Lord say to me, “There are so many new people coming into the Kingdom that have never heard the Basic Principles of the Life of Faith; go back and emphasize them again.” The Lord went on to say to me, “There are also many who have let go of these Basic Principles, so stir them up again by continually teaching them.”
That’s why I started a Podcast called Back To The Basics, that can be seen on our Facebook page, and YouTube channel. It will help build a strong foundation and strengthen your faith.
Hebrews 2:1 instructs us saying, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”
If Satan can steal the Word out of your heart, he can stop it from producing the fruit it’s designed to produce. Satan can’t stop you if you hold onto the Word!
Never let go of the basic principles of faith. They were true when you first heard them, and they are still true today. Paul says, “You must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true…”2 Timothy 3:14 NLT
True means it can be depended upon. True also implies that it is unchanging.
What is the most secure, reliable, and unchanging defense against the trouble that is taking place today throughout the world? Paul is telling Timothy to continue to rely on that which is the God-breathed, inspired Word of God.
Once again, you never let go of the basics; you build upon them.
So, what inspires you today? Is it what the world says, or is it what the Word says?
Some of the earliest teaching that I heard when I first came to the Lord in 1969 was Oral Roberts saying, “God is a good God” and “Something good is going to happen to you.” At about that same time, I heard Kenneth Copeland teaching on “Our Covenant with God.” And then I heard Kenneth Hagin’s teaching on “Have Faith in God” and “Right and Wrong Thinking.”
I’m still living by these Biblical faith principles today! Over 53 years later, they’re still working for me. Am I looking for a new message? No, not at all, I’m sticking with what got me here and what will take me to where I’m going.
Personally, I don’t know how people will make it without knowing these Basic Principles of Faith during these perilous times.
Again, you see, the Word of Faith message is not that you will avoid problems. The Word of Faith message is that no problem can stop God’s blessing if you continue in faith.
The Spirit of God revealed to me that 2022 will be the year of the open hand of God. He went on to say, “In the midst of more and more chaos and disorder, God will open His hand and freely give to those who refuse to be shaken.”
God’s open hand produces supernatural, unusual, and extraordinary provision. Even in a time of lack and insufficiency, God’s open hand will bring abundance to His people.
If you refuse to be shaken by the trouble around you, God’s open hand will bring prosperity and victory in your life, even while others experience chaos and disorder.
How do you stay strong in faith during troubled times?
According to Deuteronomy 11:8 NIV you must, “Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess…”
Here again, keeping God’s Word makes you strong in faith so that you aren’t shaken in troubled times. Building your life on God’s Word is like a house built on the rock which can withstand the fiercest storms of life (Matthew 7:24-25).
Paul’s instruction to the believers in Colosse is also his instruction to you. He wrote to them saying, “…continue in the faith, grounded and settled…” (Colossians 1:23). I like the Amplified translation which states, “Stay with and in the faith…not shifting or moving away…”
What is God’s promise to you if you’ll stay in faith? Joshua 1:7 reveals that you must “…turn not from [The Word of God]…that thou mayest prosper…” Do you want to prosper?
This is how you prosper even when others are living in despair and lack. You can never go wrong by sticking with the Word and holding on to your faith.
Let me encourage you to keep your faith strong, continue in what you’ve been taught, and hold tightly to the Word of God. If you do, you can experience God’s goodness and favor while everyone else is experiencing failure and defeat.
I recently preached a message that will open your eyes to the importance and power of living in faith titled, Staying Strong in Faith During Perilous Times.
As you give this month, I will send you this message as my thank you. You NEED to hear this message. It will inspire you and set you on a path to stronger faith.
Thank you for believing in this ministry and the call of God on my life. We are in this together! I’m linking my faith with yours that God’s open hand produces supernatural provision in your life.
You can give securely and conveniently online at www.jsmiaustralia.org/offering or by calling +61 7 5576 5534 and be sure to check the relevant box to receive your CD or MP3.
I’ll say it again, “Faith in God’s Word got me where I am today, and it’s going to take me where He wants me to go.” I know faith in God’s Word will do the same for you and that’s why I’m here to share with you what God has shown me.
I’m so grateful that God has joined us together! Especially in times like these.
Don’t ever let times of chaos and disorder weaken your faith. Hold on to God’s Word, continue in what you’ve been taught, and stay strong in your faith.
I’m praying for you and expecting to hear a good report from you soon.
In Him,
Jerry Savelle
P.S. Don’t ever forget, God’s Word is true and can be trusted. Isaiah 40:8 NIV declares, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” You can be sure that everything God promises in His Word will come to pass. Stay in faith and I hope to hear from you soon.
