How To Maintain Grace Through Trails By Dr. Pete Norris

Today on Power In The World. We have that mindset that everything is going to be absolutely perfect when we get born again. But the reality of that is that that's not true. That we're going to have some things we're going to have to deal with. We have attachments to other people. As you get older, in your 50s and 60s, your mother and daddy starts passing away. And you're dealing with that and your children are leaving home. And you've got to deal with that. It's always something you've got to deal with. And what used to be important to you at 30 is not important anymore. And when you're going through the trials of not trying to figure out why you're going through this right now it's for your good. Welcome to Power In The Word. Have you ever had difficulties, trials, or disaster in your life? Sure you have. We all have. The question is, how do we cope with it? Well, today Dr. Norris shows us in the Word of God that trials will come. But God is there to carry us through and make us better, not bitter. You'll be encouraged, so you stay with us. And so today, I'm going to talk about something that's probably going to be a little bit unusual for me. But I'm going to talk about how to maintain, and this is a how-to message, how to maintain grace while you're going through a trial. I don't care who you are, how spiritual you are, how much revelation you've got, you're going to go through trials in your life. You're going to go through temptations in your life. You're going to go through obstacles in your life. Some of you are going through those things right now and you're trying to figure out how do I make this work? How do I line this up with the Word and go through this and learn to trust the Lord in the process? And that's what I'm going to give you the A, B's and C's of today.

And I want to help you understand, this is not going to be a deep message. It's going to be a very simple message. But it's a message that I see so many people going through trials and tribulations in their life and temptations and things. And some of that is self-inflicted, okay? I'm going to talk about the self-inflicted things, the things that just show up because it's a process you go through in life. So I want you to turn with me to Romans chapter 5 verse 1 and 2. And we're going to talk about how do I maintain grace through a trial. So go to Romans chapter 5 verse 1 and 2. Therefore, having been declared righteous by faith, now the word justified means declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now let me say something. Now let me say something. We have peace. There's difference in peace with God and the peace of God, okay? There's a totally difference in that process. How many of you know that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ? In other words, we know because of Jesus that God's not mad at us, angry with us. I think I've made that point very, very clear. Look at verse 2. Look at verse 2. Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand. How many of you know you're fixed in His grace and you have access by faith into this wonderful grace He's provided? Now when you're going through obstacles, you don't feel the grace. You're trying to figure it out. You're trying to figure out what you've done wrong, what God's done wrong, why you're mad at God, who caused you problems.

If they were out of my life, I wouldn't have that problem. And some of you even try to pray people away. They don't go away. And when you try to pray them away, God's going to send somebody else so that you've got to deal with the issue that you're going on in your life. The Israelites had a 10-day journey. It took them 40 years. We're slow learners. And rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. So I have this grace that I'm standing in, that He's placed me in, and I've got peace with God in my life. So I've settled a peace issue. The peace with God's been taken care of. Now I've got to settle a peace with me. See, how do I get into that place to where I'm not moved by what I'm going through and that I know that what I'm going through is always making me better? How many of you know that whatever you're going through is going to make you a better person? It's always going to. Because God matures us. He takes us through a process. And people don't like that. Okay? People don't like that process. But let's go to 2 Timothy 3, verse 12. And all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus, maybe, occasionally will, will suffer persecution. So you're going to go through some stuff in your life because you're trying to be godly. Just like you really believe what you believe is the truth. But there's one deciding factor called the Word of God and called the Holy Spirit that is the umpire in our life for what's not true and what is truth.

Now we've got to learn to listen to that Holy Spirit on the inside of us to tell us what's true. So it's not a matter of if we're going to suffer persecution. You're going to go through some persecution because you don't grow without persecution. Okay? So when you're going through those crises in your life, it is not to destroy you. It is to perfect you. And 90% of what you're going through is for somebody else that's not for you at all. But for you to be what you need to be, to be, you've got to go through this process to see another level of the onion. Because the sweeter the onion is, the deeper into the core you get. So if you don't get into the sweetness of God and go, see, listen to me. When you're going through situations, even with your children, when you're going through situations with your children and you don't understand what's going on, you've got to trust the Lord with them. You can't fix them. All they are is mini yous. Think about it a minute. So if we go through life and we're trying to live godly, we shall, we'll suffer some persecution. You're not going to miss it. You can't bypass it. You can't get $200 and bypass it. Like, this ain't Monopoly. Ain't no get out of jail free cards, okay? You're going to have to go through the process. Look at somebody and say, I don't like the process. But the process loves you. Go to Psalms 34 verse 19. Now stay with me. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. That means you're going to have some affliction in your life, guys. Somebody ain't going to like you. Somebody's going to be uptight with you. You're going to have opposition. You're going to go through some feelings. You're going to go through some struggles. You're going to go through some mind issues in your life. You're going to have to go through them. But God's going to bring you through each and every one of them for your perfection. I love Philippians 1 and 6. Don't you think what he started in us, he's going to bring it to completion. See, you look at people today and you say, oh man, they got, they look like things are good for them. Look at, look, you know, they got a nice house, a nice car. Looks like they're happy. Looks like everything's wonderful. Man, that is absolutely perfect. There's been pain to get there. There's been struggles to get there. There's been hardships to get there. There's been difficulties

to get there. There's been persecution to get there. I remember what Luke says, a man leaves his father and mother, his house and his lands. He's going to prosper. God's going to give a hundredfold, but then he uses two little words, with persecution. Let's go to John 16 and 33. Do I love the process? You got to learn to embrace the process. What you're dealing with. Now, we're not talking about self-inflicted things. God didn't send me to have an affair with somebody and tell me that I'd go through and be a better person. No. You got to use a little common sense here, okay, which is hard for the world today. These things I've spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you're going to have some tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. What did he say? He said, you're in the world, you're going to have some tribulation. See, how many of you thought when you got saved, according to what the church told you, that everything was going to be fantastic? At some point in life, you're going to be on the red carpet and they were going to throw it out rose buds as you walk the streets. We have that mindset that everything's going to be absolutely perfect when we get born again. But the reality of that is, is that's not true. That we're going to have some things we're going to have to deal with. We have attachments to other people. As you get older, in your 50s and 60s, your mother and daddy starts passing away and you're dealing with that and your children are leaving home and you got to deal with that. It's always something you got to deal with because life changes and life changes and life changes and life changes. And what used to be important to you at 30 is not important anymore. And when you're going through the trials of not trying to figure out why you're going through this right now, it's for your good because God's bringing you up. He can't bring you with your old mindset to another level of living because you can't live there. See, here's what I've always said. When promotion time comes, you got to be ready for the promotion or the promotion will pass you by. What is God doing in me? Ask yourself that. What's God doing in you? Let's go to Jesus' life. That's the perfect example, right? Let's go to Luke chapter 4 verse 1. Jesus had just been baptized. And then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit. What was he led to? Wonder what for? Comma. Verse 2. Being tempted for 40 days by the devil. And in those days he ate nothing. And afterwards when they had ended, he was... So what did he lead him to the willingness for? To be tempted. Right?

But if you notice, the Bible says in the book of James that God can't be tempted with evil. So anything that's... The word tempt is not of God because God can't be tempted with evil. God says that. I'm going to show that in just a minute. Well, wait a minute. Let's go back then. Being tempted for 40 days by the devil. So the translation of that actual Greek word means he was being tested. Tested for what? Life. See, what you're going through is only a test to see if you're ready for the next stage of life. See, you got to understand. Listen to me very carefully. And people aren't going to like this comment, but I'm going to say it anyway. Don't fall into the pity party of why me. There's never no... growth and why me? There's never no growth in talking about your problems all the time. There's never no growth in staying where you're intending to stay. If you don't have issues, you can't grow. If you don't have persecution, you can't grow. If you don't have obstacles, you can't grow. If you don't have situations in your life that you can't fix it immediately, you don't grow. You need to pray for the problems. Oh, that went over good. I got a bunch of amens on that one. Because listen to me, you don't find revelation without persecution. Most people don't look for answers if they don't have problems and a question that they can't answer. How many of you read your Bible more when you're going through stuff than you do when things are good? And so you're going to have those seasons of absolutely the Lord just lets you rest in that place and you go through a season of your life and everything in your life kind of falls in. You're going to have some nitpicky things. But you're going to have a time in your life and then you're going to have seasons in your life that you're going to have to deal with issues. Those are the growth processes. Jesus was 30. He went and got baptized. He was immediately led into the wilderness to be tested of what he believed about what he had just been spoken over him. If you are the Son of God, if you are the Son of God, if you are the Son of God, think about it a minute. All the enemy ever wants to take is your identity. The world's trying to prove you you're not who you say that you are. So he's always asking everybody, who do they say that I am? Who do you say that I am? He said, you're Peter. He said, upon my rock I'm going to build this church on this word that you got, this foundation of who I am. Think about it a minute. Who are you? You don't know who you are until what you are is tested against what's trying to be you. See, the world wants to consume you. That's why it gives you desires for things

of this world. The purpose of tribulations and trials is to help you mature and help you grow. Now, we don't like this process. And I know I told you it's going to be a different message than what I usually speak. But the reality is we're going through situations in our life, how do I get to the point that I can stand in the middle of a trial instead of getting into a pity party and questioning why God, why God, why God, why God. You don't ever get an answer with why God. The Bible says a king searches out a matter. James 1 verse 2. My brethren, now watch this, this is James talking. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations. Count it all joy. Do you count it all joy what you're going through right now? Or are you just wanting to get out of it? See, you can't come out of where you are being the same that you are when you went in. So, these things must happen in our life and we need to count them and embrace them. How many of you said, I can't, I'm thankful I'm right where I am right now, that where I'm going through. Not where you're at geographically, where you're at spiritually speaking. Because the place that you're at, see, listen to me. I'm going to make a statement. People always get tore up about people leaving churches and going to other churches and doing that. I believe there's seasons for that. I believe when God gets ready to take you to a different place sometimes, He'll send you to hear a different message. Isn't it amazing that most people live in a different message at home than what their preacher preaches at church? Because I feel comfortable in my church, but I go home and I listen to somebody that's deeper because I know there's more than what my preacher is preaching. I ain't talking about any preacher. It's just a reality that I've always listened to myself, to people that knew more than I knew. Why? Because I've had many obstacles, many struggles, many alone nights, many difficult nights, but I found the answer is in trusting Him. The most powerful thing in the world is on your shoulders, and it's the hardest thing in the world to tame. You hear me? Some people think they got it tamed, but it's one decision away from destruction. And some of you are on the verge of it. Go to James 1, verse 2. Stay with me now. My brethren, count all joy when you fall into various trials. Now look at verse 3. Knowing that the testing of your faith produces... Here we go! How many of you are full of patience? Mine's being tested since Monday. You say, what is all this for? Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. Now, I'm learning verse 4. Watch this.

But let patience have its perfect work, that ye may know it. you may be perfect, and complete, and lacking nothing. How many of you are letting patience have its perfect work, or you want it just like that? What am I saying to you? When you let patience have its perfect work, you'll be made perfect, complete, and lacking nothing. Go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9 and 10. Remember Paul was going through something in his life, And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly, I would rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Now look at verse 10. Therefore, I take pleasure in my infirmities. I take pleasure in my reproaches. I take pleasure in my needs. I take pleasure in persecutions. I take pleasure in distress for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Listen to me. The reason you grow during this time is because it ain't you fixing it. You can't fix it. You become weak in you and strong in Him. And that's when you're really trusting Him. When you throw... Listen to me. Those wayward children, those children that have gone astray, throw up your hands and say, Lord, I can't fix it. I'm giving them to you. That broken marriage, I can't fix it. I'm giving it to you. Now I'm going to make a comment today. And I want you to grab hold of this comment. The Word of God is absolute truth. But it may not be truth to you. Because it's truth, but it's not truth to you until you're ready to receive the truth. It's always truth. John 17, 17, the Word of God is truth. But is it truth to you? Let's go to Romans 5 and verse 3. We started with Romans 5, 1 and 2. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance.

Verse 4. And perseverance produces character. Boy, we need some character in the world, don't we? And character is going to bring hope. Now watch verse 5. And hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Listen to me a minute. The love of God's been poured into your heart by the Holy Spirit. You and I are the absolute perfection of God's wonderful grace. God is not going to let you be tempted with more than what you're able to bear, and that everything that comes your way, He's going to find a way of escape for. 1 Corinthians 10, 13. I quoted that many, many nights, time after time after time, when I was going through a crisis in my life. Listen to me. You never give birth to a new baby without a crisis. And it's amazing when a woman gives birth to a baby, immediately after she sees the baby, the pain tolerance is forgotten. I'll never forget one time, my best friend was a national champion bull rider, and he had a bunch of broken bones, and just about every bone in his body is broken. He walks really strange today, but he made over 17 million dollars riding bulls. But he could ride. And I'll never forget what he told me one time. I was about 14 years old. He said, you can do this. I said, man, I'm scared of that thing. He said, oh, this won't hurt you. A horse will kill you, but this won't hurt you. And then he told me something that triggered something inside me, and I've never forgotten it. He said, the ride is worth the pain. That got me on there. The ride is worth the pain. The pain that you're going through is going to be worth this ride, because you're going to come out victorious. You're going to come out a conqueror. You're going to come out greater. You're going to come out being able to handle what everybody else

crumbles at, because you've got somebody living through you, giving you direction, giving you guidance, leading you, giving you peace when you can't find peace. And people say, I don't understand how they're standing. They're standing because they know who's standing up in them. They're really sitting, but he's standing. And so Paul said, I've learned to deal with this thing, because when I'm going through approaches, I'm going through infirmities, I'm going through trials, I'm going through tribulations, I know when I'm weak, he's strong, because he's got me. And no matter what you're going through today, he's going to turn it out for your good, because good things come to those who love the Lord, who are called according to his purpose. And it says also in Jeremiah 29, 11, I know the plans and thoughts of you, I have their good and their evil, and they've got an expected end. But Philippians 1 and 6 is my favorite. Whatever I've started in you, I'm going to bring it to completion. You know you're going to win, guys. You've just got to walk through the process. Listen, the pain is worth the ride. Think about it. Well, Pastor, I don't understand. Well, let's go to James 1 and verse 12. Blessed, now watch this, this is where we're going to talk about when you do the things you know you ought not to do. You know, Paul said, you can do anything you want to. Some things are just not profitable. You know what, anybody know anything about that? You can do anything you want to, and you're still going to spend eternity in heaven. But they may not be profitable down here.

See, I can go off and I can have an affair with a woman, that's not going to be profitable, Junior. Uh-uh, that would not be profitable in more than one way. Right? But the Bible said a man that does that commits, has a lack of what? Understanding. Bible says, in all your getting, get understanding. So you and I got to understand that you can do anything you want to, some things just not be profitable. Now watch this, blessed, empowered to prosper, a man that endures, that endures the temptation. For when he has been approved, he will receive a crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him. He said, so when you can overcome the temptation. Now this ain't talk, this is not talking about just you, I ought not to do that. That means even after you've made a bad decision, he's still got you. That he that endures the temptation, whatever you're going through in your life, when you overcome it, you've got another level of life. But look at verse 13. Let no one say when he is tempted, I'm tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil. So we understand that God is not doing this, absolutely. What's happening is you're getting into a temptation or trial in your life, a level of growth in your life, a decision you don't know how to make in your life, that is what he's talking about. I want to make that decision for you, I want to help you to the other side. Some things we know ain't right, right? I'm tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does anyone, he himself, tempt anyone. No, but what happens in our life, the world desires us. And there's things in the world that we desire. Listen to me, listen to me. I hear people make this comment, I would never have an affair. That's absolutely the craziest remark you've ever made. Because none of us are over power or none of us are above temptation. Let me tell you something, here's the way I know I can't do it, only by the grace of God. But look what he said, when a man's tempted with evil, it's not God. But what he does when the enemy tempts us and the desires of this world tempts us, the Lord said, I got you, and I'll use that to your benefit.

Look at verse 14. But each one is tempted when he's drawn away by his own desires and enticed. See, the desires of this world, God spoke to me one time, I'll never forget it. He said, the enemy don't have nothing to come against you in, if you don't have a desire for nothing in the world. That's why Paul said, this world's growing strangely dim, because the desires of this world are the things that draws us away from truth. Discover your weakness and not just your strengths. Your strengths will never destroy you, your weaknesses will intimidate you. So if we don't understand our weakness, we will never be able to understand the strengths that we have. The strengths are not for your weakness, you don't grow by not being tested. You grow by being tested in your life. A guy bench-pressing, he starts out with 100, his desire to go to 2. If he don't work at it, the muscles will not get stronger to handle the next battle. See, what God's preparing you for the place that he's designed you to live. Now watch verse 15. And when the desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin, when it's full grown, brings forth what? There you go. When opposition comes or tribulation, we don't just take it, we resist it. Now, go to James chapter 4 verse 7. Therefore, submit to God, resist the devil, and he'll flee from you. Now, what's he saying here? Submit to God. What does that mean? God has put everything and has made a way in every situation in your life for you to be victorious in every area of your life. You just don't know how to listen. Most people know the right thing even when they're doing the wrong thing. Resisting is what is going to give you strength, going to develop in you and make you stronger. Let's go to 1 Timothy 6 and 12. Fight the good fight of faith.

Lay hold of eternal life to which you were also called and have confessed and good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Now, think about it a minute. Paul said fight the good fight. Now, when you lose the fight, that's not a good fight. Right? So, Paul knew that you'd won every battle. All you had to do was just trust the Lord through the battle, through the crosses in your life, through the situation in your life, through the struggles in your life. All he wanted you to do is to trust him to not lose. that he's going to bring you through this situation. But here's what happens. Crisis, pain, agony, struggles, hardships, all these things take our eyes off the prize and focus our eyes on us. And then we become selfish and it's all about us. Poor pitiful me. God, why are you doing this to me? Why am I living alone? Why am I going through this? You've got to find strength inside. You can't live from what you feel externally. And so what happens, we go through life and eventually, and probably all of us has happened to, we get angry at God. Now, most people won't say that because they're afraid He'll strike them down still. But David was uptight with God. David was mad with God. David was frustrated with God. Have you ever been frustrated with God? God, why ain't you done this? You could have done it quicker. But then when He takes us through something, when we overcome it, glory be to God. We'll shout all the way home. But through the process, you just got to stand. You got to believe. You got to encourage yourself in the Lord. You got to talk to yourself. You got to speak that word over and over and over and over and over until that word gets so powerful on the inside of you that what's coming against you doesn't even matter anymore. Because God don't take 90% of the things away from us. He allows us to get bigger than the problem. And the problem seems to not exist anymore. Think about it. The same thing is important to you when you were 30, not the same thing is important to you at 60. John 16, 12, and 13, and I'm through. There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. Verse 13. When the Spirit of truth comes, He'll guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own, but He'll tell you what

you've learned, you've heard, He's heard. He'll tell you about the future. Now think about it a minute. There's so much more I want to tell you right now, but I can't tell you because you know what? What He was saying is, but I'm going to send my Spirit and it's going to guide you. It's not going to push you. It's not going to shove you. It's not going to make you. It's going to guide you into truth. See, sometimes the truth of what you're going through is not the answer you want to hear. That's why you're rebelling against the issue that's going on in your life. You know, my dad told me one time, I never forget. We were playing baseball and I wanted to quit. And he said, you're going to go, you may be screaming and hollering, but you're going to go and you're going to stay and you're going to play. He said, so we're not going to discuss this issue ever again. Did we ever discuss that issue again? No. Why? Because you've got to settle it in your heart. When you want Him more than you want your next bread. When you want to know Him more than you want anything else in your life, that's when you'll find Him. That's when He'll start being real to you. Do you want to know Him? Do you want to be like Him? Well, then the pain is worth the ride. Thank you so much for joining us today at Power in the Word. All of us here at Harvest Fellowship Church want you to know that God is not mad with you, but He loves you so very much, and He has a plan for your life. Please feel free to contact us here at Harvest Fellowship Church at our website, HarvestFellowshipChurch.net. So until next week, please remember, there's Power in the Word.