Blessed Is She Who Believe - Resilient Faith (Pastor Marvelous)
IntroToday’s word comes from Luke 1:45:“Blessed is she who believes, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”To believe something you have never seen, and to hold onto it even when you don’t fully understand it — that takes courage. And that’s what I want to speak about today: Resilient Faith.What is Resilient Faith?Resilient faith is the kind of faith that withstands trials, storms, and challenges without breaking.• It is faith that bends but does not break under pressure.• It is the determination to hold onto Jesus no matter how difficult life becomes.• It is unwavering trust in God that keeps you standing in faith, hope, and obedience, even when everything around you says otherwise.The Bible says: “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:17)Even demons believe that God exists — but resilient faith goes a step further. It acts. It stands. It refuses to bow.Examples of FaithWe see resilient faith throughout Scripture:• Job said: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15)• Paul and Silas, beaten and imprisoned, prayed and worshipped God at midnight (Acts 16:25).• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to the king’s image, even if it meant being thrown into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:16–28).Faith in Difficult SituationsWe are called to believe God not only when life is good, but especially when life is hard. That’s when faith is most needed.Think of Mary. She lived a life of purity before God, yet she carried the stigma of being an unmarried pregnant woman. Still, she chose to believe the word of the Lord.In the same way, you may be facing difficult decrees in your life:• A decree of failure• A decree of unemployment• A decree of broken relationships• A decree of unfinished studies or teenage pregnancyBut the question is: Are you going to bow?Like the three Hebrew boys, let it be known — you will not bow to fear, sin, or hopelessness.Standing Your GroundDaniel 3:16–18That is the heart of true faith — trust in God’s goodness regardless of the outcome.And here’s the truth: when you stand your ground, God will honor your faith. He never leaves you alone in the fire.The furnace may be turned seven times hotter (Daniel 3:19), but the bigger the trial, the greater the testimony.God’s DeliveranceIn Daniel 3:25, the king saw a fourth man in the fire — the Son of God. That is what resilient faith reveals: Jesus walking with you in the flames.Notice this:• The fire didn’t kill them.• The fire didn’t even touch them.• The only thing that burned were the ropes that had them bound.What is tying you up today? Fear? Addiction? Worry? The very fire that was meant to destroy you can be the fire that sets you free.And when God defends you, you don’t even have to lift a finger. The fire that was set against you will consume your enemies instead.Testimony and PromotionWhen you refuse to bow, your faith becomes a testimony. In Daniel 3:28–29, even King Nebuchadnezzar declared: “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.”Your resilient faith can cause people around you to repent and turn to God. What was meant to destroy you can become the very platform God uses to promote you.Pressed But Not CrushedPaul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:8–9:“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not abandoned. Struck down, but not destroyed.”And James 1:12Psalm 125:1 That is resilient faith.ConclusionResilient faith is not the absence of trials, but the refusal to let trials define your trust in God.How do you build this kind of faith? 1. Keep your trust in God, not in temporary situations. 2. Remember His past faithfulness. 3. Stay prayerful and keep a song of praise on your lips. 4. Stay rooted in His Word. 5. Surround yourself with people of faith.Final WordLuke 1:45 — “Blessed is she who believes.”