I'm Kelly Ann Snyder. Welcome to Living Perfectly Loved, the podcast created to encourage, equip, and inspire you to live free from fear and full of joy, secure in God's perfect love. If you're longing to stand firm in Christ amidst the storms of life with a faith deeply rooted in God's perfect love, stop anxiety and fear from stealing your joy and controlling your life, shine brightly and love fearlessly, confident in who God uniquely created and called you to be, then this faith-inspiring podcast, full of practical help and spiritual tools, is for you. You're listening to Season One, Episode Nine: Prepare for Promotion: Stand Firm Through the Testing of Your Faith, brought to you by Living Perfectly Loved Ministries and my new book, Living Perfectly Loved: A Christian's 12-Step Journey to Freedom from the Grip of Anxiety and Fear. For all recommended resources, products, and freebies discussed in this episode, please see the notes for this episode. I'm happy to announce that in each episode this season, I will be sharing an excerpt from my book containing each of the 12 steps the Lord used to deliver me from the grip of anxiety and fear. In this way, you'll be getting a sneak peek into my book, Living Perfectly Loved. I'm so glad you've decided to join me. Subscribe to my email list today at kellyandsnyder.com and you will be kept in the loop with all book and ministry-related announcements I make, and be eligible to receive all free resources I create and share with my subscribers. Visit my website at kellyandsnyder.com to learn more about Living Perfectly Loved Ministries, including direct links to purchase my book and information that can help you take the next step forward in your faith journey. If you haven't yet listened to my podcast trailer, I'd like to invite you to do so after listening to this episode. All right, let's get started! The following is an excerpt from Step Eight of my book, Living Perfectly Loved, titled, Prepare for Promotion: Stand Firm Through the Testing of Your Faith: God's Word defines faith as,"confidence in what we hope for, and assurance of what we do not see," Hebrews 11 verse one. It takes faith to see Jesus when our faith is being tested. With hope-filled eyes of faith fixed on Jesus, though, we will witness God working and moving in ways that cannot yet be seen with our eyes of flesh, giving us a better understanding of who God is, what His will is, and what His plans and purposes are for our lives. In Hebrews 11, also known endearingly as the hall of faith, we can read about bold faith being lived out in the lives of ordinary people like us, chosen by God to fulfill extraordinary callings. The stories of these ancient heroes of the faith overwhelmingly demonstrate the importance of walking by faith, not by sight, while waiting for the fulfillment of all God's promises. See second Corinthians five verse seven. The following examples from this Bible passage will give you an idea of just what I mean: By faith, Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did, Hebrews 11 verse four. By faith Enoch was taken from this life so that he did not experience death, Hebrews 11, verse five. By faith, Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear, built an ark to save his family, Hebrews 11 verse seven. By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going, Hebrews 11 verse eight. By faith, even Sarah who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise, Hebrews 11 verse 11. By faith, Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned, Hebrews 11 verse 17 through 18. By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward, Hebrews 11 verse 24 through 26. Like these heroes of the faith, you may need reassurance that God really is working all things together for your good, and God is good. When you believe something in faith that seems to contradict your present reality, or when the walls appear to be closing in and there doesn't seem to be any way out of your difficult circumstances, you can fix your eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of your faith. See Hebrews 12, verse two. If at first you cannot see Him, look again. Jesus is on the move. He is at work in your life. Isaiah 26, verse three reminds us, God will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in him." If we keep our spiritual eyes on Jesus, we will be at peace, assured of God's unfailing love and kindness towards us. As we focus our minds on Him, we will neither become distracted by the chaos nor fall prey to the enemy's lies and deception. Instead, we will remain unwavering in hope, steadfast in our faith, and free from anxiety and fear. The following are a few tried and true practical ways you can fix your eyes on Jesus when your faith is being tested: Number one: In prayer. The Bible tells us to"pray continually," first Thessalonians verses 5 through 17. Pray when you get up in the morning, when you go to bed, and every moment in between. Did you know that simply saying the name of Jesus as you breathe is a prayer that will refocus your mind back on Him? There is power in the name of Jesus. Try praying in little whispers throughout your day. Intentionally pull back from the world and spend some quiet time alone with the Lord. Share with Him all that is on your heart and mind. Don't push through feelings of anxiety, fear, and stress in your own strength. Stop throughout your day to lay them at the feet of Jesus. He is there to relieve you of the weight of worry on your mind and body, and to help you better understand His heart, His plans, and His purposes. The Almighty is always with you. Number two: In fasting. Fasting in spiritual terms is giving up food or drink or both for a specific period of time for a spiritual reason. It is an expression of humility before God and of commitment to Him. Fasting helps us to keep God the focus of our affection and attention. Just as with prayer, fasting doesn't change God, it changes us. It helps us better discern God's will and become more receptive to His plans and His purpose for our lives. Fasting also has a way of revealing our true spiritual condition. Allowing us to become more aware of any deep seated sin issues. Thereby accelerating the process of moving from brokenness through repentance to transformation. If you were struggling with temptation, in need of God's divine intervention and protection, or if you're waiting for a big breakthrough, fasting can strengthen your prayers and your spirit. Number three: In the Word. Reading or listening to God's Word is one way to very literally fix your eyes on Jesus. Because we know from John one verse one that Jesus is the Word, when we meditate on and memorize the Word, breathing in His promises for us throughout the day, His peace will wash over us. Don't merely skim over the word, but take the time you need to let it soak in. Slow down and seek to fully digest it. Taste and see that the Lord is good, as it says in Psalms 34 verse eight. You can look up Bible commentary online about particular scriptures you're drawn to, study the historical context to the passages you're reading, find the meaning and origin of keywords to help you grasp the depth of what God is trying to unveil to you, look for words or phrases that are repeated throughout Scripture. What might God be trying to get you to notice? Or pick a topic of interest to study and find a reading plan in your Bible app on this topic. Use Scripture, books, podcasts, and other resources to help you better understand God's Word. Allow God's Word to transform your thoughts, renew your mind, and refocus your attention back on Him. Number four: In praise and worship. When we praise and worship God for who He is, for all He has already done for us, and for all He is still going to do, we are choosing to look beyond what can be seen in the natural to what can only be seen with eyes of faith fixed on Jesus. Praise and worship will stir up your faith and your beliefs, calm your heart and mind, and draw you closer to God. When we praise Him, God moves. Praise God for what He has done and what He will do. Praise Him for making a way for you. Worship Him for the greatness of His mercy and His love. Once we were separated from God because of our sin, but through Jesus, we were brought back into a right relationship with Him. His loving sacrifice made a way where there once was no way. So now, even when things look absolutely impossible and you can't conceive how your circumstances could ever change, remember the price Jesus paid for your freedom and complete restoration. Remember His promise to make you strong, firm, and steadfast once again, according to first Peter five verse 10. Then fix your eyes on Jesus and stand firm in your faith. When we think about Jesus' crucifixion, what the cross meant to those present appeared to be utter defeat, gross humiliation, death, and finality. Now, however, that same cross is a symbol to all the world of hope, everlasting life, and complete victory. Your victory is not only guaranteed in Christ because of Christ, your victory is Christ. Jesus is your victory. He is the joy set before you. The full expression of all you've ever dared to hope and dream. He is the answer to every unanswered question. He is the way, the truth, and the life. See John 14 verse six. Every step forward you take persevering in faith is one step closer to Him. Can you feel the surprising, unexpected joy of the Lord beginning to rise up within you now? By fixing our eyes on Jesus and standing firm through the testing of our faith, as we wait on the Lord, we will be empowered not only to persevere, but also to experience joy in the midst of our trials and suffering. For every bit of suffering we endure here on earth, we will be rewarded in heaven. See Matthew five verse 12. This is the promise set before every believer in Christ. Knowing this promise can never be taken from us, we can laugh without fear of the future. We know the one who holds our future in the palm of His hand. Go ahead, laugh in the face of the enemy. Laugh in the face of your trials and suffering. What God has prepared for you, it's far greater than any of the difficulties you may be facing right now. You can trust that God is working all things together for your good. You can trust in His perfect love for you. James one verse two through four says,"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Thank You for who You are, my faithful omnipotent God. I'm so thankful that I can trust You to work all things together for my good because You have promised to work all things for the good of those who love You, who have been called according to Your purpose, Romans eight verse 28. When I cannot see You amid my circumstances, help me to remember to fix my eyes on You. When I don't know how much longer I can be strong and hold on, please give me the faith to persevere through my trials and stand firm on Your promises. When I don't know what You're calling me to do next, help me to find peace and purpose in Your presence. I praise You, Jesus, that no matter where life takes me, You are the way, the truth, and the life. I choose to follow You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Living Perfectly Loved podcast. While it's true that God is love and we are perfectly loved by Him, we all struggle at times to live like this true. While we should strive to grow in Christ likeness, we can rest in knowing God loves us because of who He is, not because of who we are or anything we could ever do for Him. In Jesus Christ, we are enough! Remember, you don't have to be perfect to live perfectly loved. You have always been and will always be a completely forgiven, fully accepted, deeply loved, daughter the King. Beautiful friend, His grace is for you. Please subscribe to my podcast now and stay tuned for another episode of Living Perfectly Loved. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He shine His face on you and be gracious to you. May He turn His face toward you and give you peace, in Jesus' name.