Faith And Patience: Keys To Unlocking A Better You

Patience and faith are two of the most important virtues in the Bible. Patience is the ability to remain the same, no matter the circumstances. Faith is an expression of confidence in God and His Word. Patience and faith are linked together in the Bible, and they are essential for inheriting the promises of God.

- We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised (Hebrews 6:12).

- The Bible links together 'the patience and the faith of the saints' (Revelation 13:10). God's providence toward you and me and all mankind is such that we must trust God, keep his word, and wait upon him. So our patience toward God stems from our faith in him. (2 Thessalonians 1:4)

- Paul complimented the Christians in Thessalonica on their 'patience and faith.' They were going through tough times, yet Paul says to them, 'your faith is enlarged' (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4).

- The more we trust and believe in someone, the more patient we are toward them. If a tradesman promises to come as soon as possible, we will wait for him more patiently if we trust him and know that he is reliable and means what he says.

- James says, '...faith produces patience,' but I left something important out of that quote. It should read, 'the testing of your faith produces patience' (James 1:3-4).

- God strengthens our belief and trust in him by testing. Each time we pass a test we become stronger in our faith and longer in our patience toward God.

- One of the words used in the Bible to express patience is 'keeping' in the sense of holding on to and not losing our faith and obedience. We show our patience by 'keeping' God's commandments (Revelation 14:12).

- We build up our faith and show our patience by 'keeping' ourselves in the love of God (Jude 1:20-21). We 'keep' the faith (2 Timothy 4:7).

- In Revelation, Jesus blesses those who are watchful keepers. They are not (metaphorically speaking) in bed naked and asleep, but they stay awake and 'keep' themselves clothed and on watch (Revelation 16:15).

- Sometimes people keep things because they are too lazy to get rid of them. However, people also keep things patiently for years because they believe that someday those things will have great value.

- Another word used in the Bible to express patience is 'waiting.' 'Wait for the Lord. Be strong and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the Lord' (Psalms 27:14).

- James, when exhorting us to be patient, uses the illustration of the farmer who 'waits' for the rains and for the crops to grow (James 5:7-8).

- God acts on behalf of the one who waits for him' (Isaiah 64:4). When we pray to God, we wait patiently for his answer, because we know and believe that he will act for us, even though it may take a long time (1 John 5:14-15).

- Faith without patience produces people who start off good, but burnout over time. Patience without faith produces people that constantly suffer, but have no power to change their situation. These two combined will enable us to inherit the promises.

Understanding Faith: Why is Faith Important? How is Faith Developed? How is Faith Exercised?

Understanding Faith

Faith is often touted as an important virtue, with many people being advised to "just have faith" when things are not going well. But what is faith, and why is it so important? Faith is a state of mind that can be induced by auto-suggestion. It is the visualization and belief in things unseen, and it is having the knowing in your heart and mind that something is going to happen even before you know how. Faith is believing in a Higher Power and that this power will help you attain your desires. Faith is also important because it is the basis of all "miracles" and mysteries that cannot be explained by science. It is the only known antidote to failure and the only way to harness the cosmic force of Infinite Intelligence.

Faith can be developed through prayer and meditation, which provide access to the infinite intelligence that exists in the universe. This infinite intelligence is believed to be the mind of God, the Mighty Creator. One way to develop faith in oneself is through self-suggestion, which is the act of telling yourself what is going to happen repeatedly until it becomes a part of your subconscious mind. This can be done through affirmations or visualizations. Another way to develop faith is by exercising it, treating it like a muscle that needs to be worked out. The more you exercise your faith, the stronger it becomes.

Faith is exercised by putting it into action and trusting in the power of God. It involves submitting to the sovereignty of God and intentionally trusting in God's goodness. This means recognizing God's ability to intervene in situations and understanding that God's plan may include both storms and calm waters. It is about leaning on God with absolute trust and confidence, even when facing difficulties or suffering. Faith is not something that works automatically but rather requires active effort and perseverance.

Understanding Patience: What is Patience? Why is Patience Important? What does Patience produce?

Understanding Patience

Patience is the ability to wait calmly without becoming annoyed, upset, or angry. It is a virtue that involves exercising self-control, internalising emotions, and interpreting situations with a focus on the bigger picture. Patience requires mindful awareness of one's emotions, behaviour, and surroundings. It is often practised in private, away from the public eye, and is essential for navigating daily life.

Patience is important because it has a positive impact on both physical and mental health. It helps individuals regulate their emotions, reducing stress and the occurrence of negative emotions. Patience also contributes to better mental health by fostering mindfulness, gratitude, and a sense of connection to others and the world.

Practising patience can lead to improved relationships, as it encourages empathy, kindness, cooperation, and selflessness. Patient people tend to be more forgiving and tolerant of others' flaws, creating a more compassionate environment. Patience is also a key factor in effective leadership, as it involves understanding and supporting others in their learning and development.

Additionally, patience helps individuals achieve their goals by promoting persistence, resilience, and rational decision-making. It enables people to focus on long-term benefits rather than immediate gratification, leading to greater satisfaction and success in various areas of life.

Patience produces a sense of peace and well-being, both individually and in relationships. It helps individuals avoid burnout and promotes physical health by reducing stress-related complaints such as headaches, acne, and ulcers. Patience also contributes to mental clarity and emotional stability, allowing people to make rational decisions and remain focused on their long-term goals and dreams.

No Matter the Test

Faith and patience are two of the most important virtues in the Bible. Faith is an expression of confidence in God and His Word. Patience is the ability to remain the same or the force of consistency. Faith and patience are the power twins that enable us to obtain the promises of God. Here are some paragraphs on "No Matter the Test":

Patience and Faith

The Bible links together "the patience and the faith of the saints" (Revelation 13:10). God's providence toward you and me and all mankind is such that we must trust God, keep his word, and wait upon him. So our patience toward God stems from our faith in him. One of the descriptions of patience in the Bible says, "Here is the patience of the saints... those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). In faith and hope, we "by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality —eternal life" (Romans 2:7).

Faith and Patience

Patience and faith are both forces. Faith is developed by the Word of God, and patience is developed through the testing of our faith. Sometimes things are going to happen that seem like direct opposites of what we prayed for, even when we prayed in faith. We must learn that we are not being tested, but rather our faith is. Faith, when tested, develops patience. If we let patience develop in our lives, we become mature and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:3,4).

We must have what I heard a preacher call "Bulldog Tenacity" when it comes to believing God for the manifestation of His promises in our lives. While we are waiting in the space between the promise and the performance: If something bad happens, we must have the resolve to overcome it by faith; and if something good happens, we must have the self-control to be thankful for it without settling for the lesser victory.

Faith and Patience in Operation

We must live a Spirit-led, Word-rooted, and faith-empowered life! It is in this light that we now take a look at our text. Paul was saying that we must not "lose heart" when we are walking in the Spirit, in accordance with the Word, and by faith. This leads us right back to faith and patience. We must have the patience never to give up, to not lose heart, and to not grow weary; when we are attempting to live by faith, in accordance with the Word, and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

The Benefits of Faith and Patience

When you live a life of faith and patience, you live a positive, stable, peaceful, healthy, disciplined, fearless, and confident life. The person that develops patience is a stable person. The testing of our faith develops patience, and patience is the ability to remain the same or the force of consistency. It is not the will of God that we be "up" one week and "down" the next; positive in the morning and negative in the afternoon. If you discipline yourself to allow patience to develop in your life, you will live the stable and consistent life that God desires for His children.

Faith and Patience: The Space between the Promise and the Performance

Faith and patience are two of the most important virtues in the Christian life. They are the "power twins" that enable us to obtain the promises of God. Faith is an expression of confidence in God and His Word, while patience is the ability to remain the same or the force of consistency. Both faith and patience are developed through the testing of our faith. When we are faced with challenges, we must remind ourselves of the Word of God and speak faith over our situations. We must not allow our outward circumstances to change our inward disposition but instead remain steadfast and unmovable in our faith.

• Faith is important because it is impossible to please God without it.
• Faith comes by hearing and believing the Word of God.
• Patience is important because it enables us to focus on the promise while dealing with problems.
• Patience is developed through the testing of our faith.
• Faith and patience together enable us to inherit the promises of God.
• We must not give up on our dreams from God but remain faithful and consistent in our walk with Him.
• Consistent faith is the key to victorious living.
• Love is the glue that holds everything together. Without love, we cannot truly live a life of faith and patience.
• We must be imitators of faith and initiators of patience.
• We must choose to align our will with God's will and live a Spirit-led, Word-rooted, and faith-empowered life.
• Faith and patience lead to a positive, stable, peaceful, healthy, disciplined, fearless, confident, victorious, and abundant life.

Imitators of Faith and Patience

The Bible links together "the patience and the faith of the saints" (Revelation 13:10). God's providence toward you and me and all mankind is such that we must trust God, keep his word, and wait upon him. So our patience toward God stems from our faith in him.

Faith is an expression of confidence in God and His Word. Faith is developed by the Word of God, and patience is developed through the testing of our faith. Faith is important because it is impossible to please God without it.

Patience is the ability to remain the same, no matter what the circumstances may be. It is more than simply waiting on something to happen, but rather remaining the same while you wait. Patience is important because it enables us to focus on the promise while we are dealing with the problem.

The Benefits of Faith and Patience

When you live a life of faith and patience, you live a positive, stable, peaceful, healthy, disciplined, fearless, and confident life. You will also live a victorious life, an abundant life, and a life of love.

Examples of Faith and Patience in the Bible

• Elijah
• Joseph
• Daniel
• Jairus
• Peter
• Paul
• James
• The writer of Hebrews
• Abraham
• Noah
• David
• Jesus

In order to make a progress and to persevere in the Christian life, we should be careful Followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

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