The Lord expects us to tough it out and fight like soldiers in the army of God, refusing to be defeated because we know we have already won. Each battle is not merely an obstacle to deal with but an opportunity to demonstrate our victory in Christ. We simply need to convince ourselves that there is greater power in the Word than there ever could be in the problem.

Overcome every form of evil as a victorious soldier of Jesus the Anointed One.  For every soldier called to active duty must divorce himself from the distractions of this world so that he may fully satisfy the one who chose him. II Timothy 2:3-4 (The Passion Translation, TPT)

Yesterday, we saw that tribulation is an opportunity for God to be glorified instead of an obstacle for us to get over. Today we are going look at trouble as an opportunity for us to grow.

Everytime we get victory over a situation or an area of personal weakness, we grow in strength and faith. We gain experience with God and we learn we can trust Him in that particular area. The reality of victory seals the truth of God’s Word in our hearts. A person who has already seen God provide for their finances is certain that God is the Provider. That person will not easily be convinced that God is not the Provider.

That is what happens every time we face something and stand in faith until the victory manifests. We gain more and more experience with God, and that experience is evidence that God’s Word is true. We can then use that evidence to fight the next battle that comes up- we draw strength from the fact that God came through in the past and we know He will do it again.

In each situation where we use the Word to wage war against the enemy, we build our faith muscles, gaining strength and ability for future battles. This is why it is important to stand in faith even in minor situations, because it is an opportunity to build faith for bigger problems that may come along. For example, if we use the Word to believe for healing from a headache, we are building our faith up to believe for healing from something more serious that could come up like Parkinsons, Congestive Heart Failure, Cancer, or Multiple Schlerosis. As a matter of fact, building our faith and speaking the Word can even help prevent such serious issues from coming our way.

But grow in grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and recognition and knowledge and  understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him [be] glory (honor, majesty, and splendor) both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (so be it)! II Peter 3:18 (Amplified Bible Classic Edition, AMPC)

So, as troubles come, use them as an opportunity to grow leaps and bounds in faith, patience, and endurance, preparing you for anything that could lie ahead- even preventing troubles that the enemy may have in mind for you. When we see tribulation as a stepping stone instead of a stone wall, we are guaranteed the victory.