Let me begin by speaking to you about building up your muscles. When a weight lifter wants to build muscles and become stronger, he begins to lift more weight by resistance. By doing so he will become stronger and bigger. When we are growing up spiritually our faith muscle is tried by going through trials. How many of you have been tried since you became a christian? Everyone of us have been tried. Have you ever been one to wonder why? The word teaches us tribulation works patience in us. What is patience? The dictionary tells us patience is being the same at all times. For you and I it is learning to trust God in every situation and not given in to fear when we are being tried. It is the trying of our faith muscle. The more we are tried the stronger we become in God. Opposition brings strength. When as a christian we are tried, our patience brings forth an experience with God. You are being changed into God’s likeness. You become stronger in God when you resist Satan. Remember in the book of Job, God let us see how proud he was of Job, He said to Satan have you considered my servant Job. God had faith in Job just like he has faith in us to be able to overcome Satan. We have God’s word to stand on and we have His power in us to pull down every stronghold. God will not allow more on us than we can bear, but will always make a way of escape. God will always be faithful to us. God is proud of you and He is making you stronger in Him by the trying of your faith. Just like a weight lifter builds muscle by working out, our faith muscle needs resistance to build and become stronger. So God allows us to be tried so that we also can become stronger in Him. God is so proud of you He loves you so very dearly He is right there with you in the middle of every battle to help you and give you the strength to come through victoriously…..