“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which will be greatly rewarded. For you need patience so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive the promise” (Heb. 10:35-36).

These Scriptures come just before the long list of heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11, which illustrates confidence and endurance. I am always encouraged when I read about these great women and men of faith. They endured, and they received the promise!

These testimonies are written and given to us to build hope and encourage us in times of trials in this world. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3, NKJV). This Scripture mentions “various trials” and a testing of your faith. Trials of this world can be found in relationships, finances, sickness and disease, and world events.

A testing of your faith is a spiritual issue, and faith is a spiritual force. As long as we are in this world, there will be trials and tribulations. Jesus told us this in John 16:33 (MEV), “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.'”

Living in this world requires enduring faith. If you can have faith in God’s love to save your soul from hell, why do you stop there? He sent His Word to heal you and deliver you from all destruction (Ps. 107:20).

God is interested in your day-to-day life. If His power is enough to defeat sin and raise His Son from the dead, surely, He can help deliver you from the thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy. You had enough faith to place your life in His hands; trust Him as you walk the runway of life!

We are not saved because we endured the trials of life. We endure because we had enough confidence in God to ask Him for help! Endurance is evidence of genuine faith.

One day, I was meditating on the Scripture above, Hebrews 10:36 (NKJV), “… for you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise,” when God asked me a question, “Joyce, do you know the will of God?” As I thought about this, rather amazed that He asked this question, I said, “What is the will of God?” He immediately dropped in my heart, “Ask.”

Ask, I thought, that’s it? Immediately the Holy Spirit brought to my remembrance, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). In John 15:7 (NKJV, author’s emphasis), He tells us, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

The secret to “asking” is abiding! “If you abide.” When you are abiding, and trials arise in this world, the first thing you do is ask for His help in your time of need. Scripture says, “you will ask.” It is an automatic response to those who are abiding.

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15, NKJV, author’s emphasis).

Sometimes, our biggest problem is just not asking! We think God is just going to take care of this, but He said, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24b). When you know and have confidence in God’s love for you and you know the promises of God, asking is an automatic response from the child of God.

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” If you are stumbling around in this world, then turn the light up!

These last few weeks of mandatory separation from others have been a time of reflection on myself, my attitudes and my thoughts. Like many others, I never thought I would see anything like this in my country.

I have had the privilege of traveling to many nations of the world and seeing the devastation of wars, sickness and disease, socialism and communism, and suddenly I am seeing fear like I have never seen in the United States.

I believe this will go down in history as a time the church stood strong and saw the salvation of the Lord! I believe God can part the sea of destruction and disease that the enemy has tried to bring to destroy our nation. Let us stand fast, together in unity, where God’s blessings flow!