I think James had terrific insight about coming through battles and storms. He said, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials" (James 1:2).
What do you think that means?
It means, "Get joyful when you encounter various trials, difficulties and temptations." If you read this with natural eyes rather than with spiritual eyes, you'll really miss the point.
Nehemiah 8:10 says, "...for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
What happens when you lose your joy? You lose your strength. Without strength, you can't overcome the adversity. So what did James say? When you encounter a storm, then start rejoicing, not for the storm, but rejoice that God is with you.
Paul said, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4).
He wrote this word from prison! Imagine someone in chains encouraging others to rejoice. Paul had learned the secret of Victory—joy.
Faith is joyful—so Rejoice!
The Testing of Your Faith
"Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:3-4).
What is the end result of being steadfast? You come through the storm. Then the end result of not giving up is that you get to the other side! James is saying, Let patience have its completed work or end result.
In other words, let your steadfast attitude work its way all the way to the end so you'll be perfect or complete, entire, lacking nothing. Perfect means, "complete, matured, or entire."
You'll grow up in the fullness of Jesus Christ and you'll lack nothing. The end of the storm is in this verse: perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
David said, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Ps. 27:13). He was saying, "If I hadn't had a vision of the end of this thing, I'd have given up and quit."
That's how important adding faith to your vision can be.
Becoming a Doer of the Word
Another principle of overcoming the storms of life is to not just listen to the word, but to act on it.
James 1:22 says, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." Actually, this is Matthew 7:24 repeated in a little different form. Once again James says, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
Someone who just hears the teaching of the Word, but doesn't apply it to their circumstances is self-deceived, because they think since they've heard the message it's going to work.
It doesn't work because you've heard it.
It works because you apply it! It's like Windex. It doesn't clean the windows in the bottle. You have to spray it on, and then you have to rub the window until it's spotless.
Just because you've got God's Word inside of you doesn't mean it's going to do the work. You have to apply it to each situation. Don't just be a hearer. Be a doer of God's Word.
James 1:23-24 says, "For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; For he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was."
This kind of man looks in the mirror and sees the mirror of God's Word. The Bible is referred to as a mirror. It gives the image of God inside of us. When we look into the Word, we see who we really are in Him. We see the new creation God has made us to be in Christ Jesus.
Whoever looks into the Word and is just a hearer and not a doer, forgets who he really is. On Sunday in your church, you say, "I'm more than a conqueror." On Monday, the storm comes. You'd better look in the mirror again! Say it out loud, "I'm more than a conqueror."
Storms in life are sure to come, but don't let the storms perpetuate fear, unbelief, or inaction on your part. Instead, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, allow patience to run its perfect work in your life, and be sure to act on the Word—not just hear it.
These three principles (among others) will help ensure your success in handling any situation the enemy tries to bring your way. Remember, you have the victory in Christ Jesus!
Excerpt permission granted by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publishers