“My dear brothers and sisters, what good is it if someone claims to have faith but demonstrates no good works to prove it? How could this kind of faith save anyone?” — James 2:14 (TPT)

First, understand that God is more eager to help you than you are to receive His help.

In John 6:1-14, before the crowd following Jesus even reached the mountain, He asked Philip where they would find enough food to feed everyone. This shows us that God plans ahead; nothing catches Him by surprise.

God didn’t start searching for a way to redeem humanity after the fall. He had already prepared a plan, anticipating that man will fall. This reveals that the solution to our problems is older than the problems themselves.

Our faith is elastic in nature. That’s why Jesus asked Philip about feeding the crowd—to stretch his faith. Sometimes, God allows us to face challenges beyond our abilities to stretch our faith.

There was once a couple who had been married for over 16 years without a child. The church prayed, fasted, anointed the couple, and did everything they could, but nothing happened. 

However, just before their 17th year of marriage, they finally had a child. When a pastor asked the husband how he felt after waiting on God for almost 17 years, he said that if nothing else, God had used those years to revive the church’s prayer altar. 

Not all challenges are demonic; sometimes, God is working in us to prepare us for the next level.

Prayer.

“Father, strengthen my faith by fire in Jesus’ name. Every good prophecy hanging over my destiny, manifest by fire in Jesus’ name.”