Four Ways God Fortifies Our Faith Part III

"If you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" Luke 16:11

This week we are talking about faith, making our faith stronger, and four ways God fortifies our faith.

1.    By Using Our Resources 

Few people understand how God uses our material possessions as a test of character and a test of faith.  For many people, finances are the greatest test of all.  There is a direct relationship between how we handle money and the spiritual depth of our lives.  In fact, Jesus says if I’m not faithful in handling material wealth He will not trust me with spiritual wealth.  God determines how much He can bless my life by how faithful I am with what He’s put in my hands.  Consider the Parable of the Servants.

When I’m willing and ready and able to generously give to the Lord, knowing that this money could be spent for other things, it is a test.  Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the incredible faith-giving of the Macedonians:

Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.  2 Corinthians 8:1-5

These learned about Jehovah-Jireh (The Provider) God through giving.

Every time I give to God my faith grows. Every time I give as God directs it breaks the grip of materialism in my life. Every time I give I grow in love and I grow in faith.

It’s interesting that in giving God not only tests our faith, but the Bible says in Malachi that our giving tests God. "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.  Malachi 3:10

God says, I’m going to play a game with you. You give to Me and I give to you and we’ll see who wins. I dare you to put Him to the test to see that He will keep His promises.

The most sensitive nerve in the human body goes from the wallet to the heart. I have to say that personally I have grown more in faith in this single area than in any other area of my life.

Scripture to Claim:
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19