Unshakable Faith Comes From Having Your Faith Shaken

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” —Job 13:15

In Job chapter one we read about the many calamities that came upon Job. Certainly, Job would not have considered what remained of his life as a “life.” There are some things in this world that are worse than death. Job was as a walking dead man—brokenhearted, lonely, and afflicted day-and-night. God allowed Satan to afflict Job, and he did. Job lost his health and was afflicted in much pain. Job lost all his wealth to thieves. Job lost all his children to death by a tornado. Job lost his agriculture to fire. Job lost his servants to murderous raiders. Job's own beloved wife discouraged him and suggested that he go kill himself. Job's so-called friends ridiculed and wrongfully judged him.

Please listen dear reader to this precious sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles called: “The Faith That Cannot Be Shaken Comes From Being Shaken.” 

In Job chapter one Job couldn't say: “I know that my redeemer liveth,” for his faith had not yet been shaken. Job couldn't say, before his children were suddenly taken in a deadly tornado: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him!” Job's faith had never been shaken like this before. Job had never suffered like this before. As one messenger told Job bad news, another came right behind him with more bad news! Oh, I've been there my friend! I know that horrible feeling of surmounting burdens, problems and afflictions. 

I have often heard the secular saying: “That which does not kill you makes you stronger!” The Word of God teaches the opposite: 

2nd Corinthians 12:8-10, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 

The world says weakness makes us stronger; but the Bible says Christ's strength is made perfect IN WEAKNESS! The apostle Paul didn't say that his weakness made him stronger; but rather, Christ's strength was made perfect in Paul's weakness! We are strong WHEN WE ARE WEAK! Isn't that beautiful? Are you weak right now dear friend? If so, then you are right where God wants you to be. Pastor Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) wisely said: “God had no children too weak, but a great many too strong to make use of.” Unshakable faith comes from having our faith SHAKEN!

“God stands in no need of our strength or wisdom, but of our ignorance, of our weakness; let us but give these to Him, and He can make use of us in winning souls.” —Pastor D.L. Moody

I have been to the bottom of life. I know the emotional drama and trauma of a troubled marriage, and the betrayal of being divorced by a spouse. Consequently, I lost my home, my pets, most of my possessions, half my mind, and my confidence as a man. I went into a lasting depression, which I still struggle with today. I tend to be down on myself. Since 2004 I have suffered from chronic neck pain 24/7. I underwent two major necks surgeries in 2009 and 2010, with no wife by my side, enduring inexplicable loneliness and pain. The second surgery made me much worse, leaving both of my arms feeling like they're inflated with air, and burning throughout my nervous system all the time. I know the pain of losing everything! Most of all, I know the pain of being rejected, shunned and unloved by fellow professed Christians—forsaken by the ungodly Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, and others—but God's grace that has seen me this far, will lead me home! Good is always good! 

I recently heard an encouraging sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) titled, “God Is Looking For A Bunch Of Weak Christians,” based upon this passage of Scripture:

2nd Corinthians 12:9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

We are strong when we are weak, because Christ's strength is perfected in our weakness!

I also heard another MP3 sermon by Dr. Hyles titled, “When I Am Weak, Then Am I Strong,” Contrary to what most people think, God does not want to make us strong. Rather, God the Father wants to strengthen our union with His only begotten Son, Jesus. We grow in grace, not in strength. Jesus doesn't want to make us stronger; but rather, the Lord wants to add HIS STRENGTH to our own weakness, so that God the Father gets all the glory. 

We read in Job 1:5 that Job “rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.” Job was a good father and worried about his children (as is in the nature of any good father). Job prayed to God on behalf of his children, just in case one of them perhaps had sinned against the Lord. Job loved his children dearly and didn't want anything bad to happen to them, which is exactly why Job 1:5 tells us that Job prayed and made offerings to the Lord on their behalf.

It is heartbreaking that Job's worst fears came upon him. Job's children, whom he loved dearly, were all suddenly taken away from him, torn from his life. Poor Job! At this tragic time in Job's life he couldn't proclaim as he did later in Job 19:25, “FOR I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVETH, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” By chapter 19 we see that Job's faith has been SHAKEN, and now he has UNSHAKABLE faith!!!

In Job chapter one when Job's wealth was all suddenly stripped away from him, and his health took a sudden turn for the worse, Job couldn't proclaim as he could later in Job 13:15, “THOUGH HE SLAY ME, YET WILL I TRUST IN HIM: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job couldn't have UNSHAKABLE faith until he first had his faith SHAKEN, terribly shaken!!!

The Bible teaches in James 1:2-4 that unshakable faith comes from having our faith shaken, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Faith is like film, it develops in the dark. Faith is like a muscle, it gets stronger when worked.

Before Abraham was saved in Genesis 15:6, his name was simply, “Abram.” In Genesis 12:1-3 God told Abraham to “get thee out of thy country.” This was approximately in the year 1900 BC. That's quite a big thing to ask a man to do. Abraham was wealthy, popular, religious and had a big extended family in Ur, the place where he was originally from (Iraq today). God told Abram to leave his homeland and go into a distant unknown land. Abraham had no idea where he was going. It was by complete faith that Abram obeyed the voice of the Lord. From Abraham's life we learn that understanding often doesn't come until after obedience. Oftentimes we cannot comprehend why things are happening the way they are, but we can have blessed peace in trusting God Who knows all things. I don't know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future!

Oh listen my friend, whatever your burdens may be at this moment, God loves and cares about you, and you can rest assure in the PROMISES of God. The shaking of your faith will result in an UNSHAKABLE FAITH! God will give you an UNSHAKABLE FAITH that all the hordes of Hell cannot rattle, when it's work is through. Jesus said in Mark 11:22b, “HAVE FAITH IN GOD”! 

The Bible says our burdens, problems and heartaches, which SHAKE OUR FAITH, are more valuable in God's sight than GOLD! I just checked the price of gold, which is presently at $1,484.46 per ounce. That's $23,751.36 a pound!!! The Bible says your frustrations and miseries are worth more than that!!! 

1st Peter 1:7-9, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 

I love that passage. We believe in Jesus, Whom we have NEVER SEEN. Yet, we LOVE HIM, and BELIEVE IN HIM! In so doing, we have an UNSPEAKABLE JOY!!! Oh, I do have that unspeakable joy my friend. Do you have that joy? You can for free, just by taking God at His Word, receiving Christ's sacrifice on the cross a full-payment for your sins. 

I feel so sorry for all the unsaved people in the world, who feel nothing but contempt, doubt and resentment toward the Holy Bible and Christianity. You have NO IDEA what you are missing! I am so thankful that I am a born-again Christian!!! If you have never been saved, you are really losing out dear reader. There is absolutely nothing in this world that can compare to the solid confidence that you name is written in Heaven, and you are a child of the King, bound for heaven, a possessor of eternal life. Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. 

“The strings of sin are too soft to be felt, until they are too strong to be broken.” -Pastor Danny Castle, a quote from the sermon: “BUT GOD!”