Radical Trust in an Unpredictable World

Pastor Phil Derstine 7-27-25

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

 

TRUST requires 4 Things:

  • Love
  • Communication
  • Experience
  • Surrender

 

  1. Love – You can LOVE without Trust, but you can’t TRUST without love.  
  • Example: A wayward child… you love that child but don’t trust them (use guardrails).  TRUST GOD!
  • Love is not a feeling… it is a decision, followed by actions.
  • “Trust in the LORD with all your heart” – Because we know HIS LOVE is genuine… He laid down his life for us.  He loved us before we loved him.  While we were yet sinners.  
  • Our Problem: We are trusting in the wrong things… Money, Job, Doctors (practicing), Lawyers (practicing), Marriage Contract (can be broken).

 

  1. Communication – Trust requires you to really KNOW someone, which comes thru communication.
  • Prayer – Communicating with God (talking and listening)
  • Bible says: God cannot lie… He will not fail on His Promises.
  • For me to believe God’s Word, I need to have Fellowship (Koinonia – Communication) with God.
  • Relationship without Fellowship is simply RELIGION – God wants a FAMILY and FELLOWSHIP.
  • To KNOW God (or anyone) takes Communication.

 

  1. Experience – Time and experience (good & bad) increases your TRUST in GOD!
  • Experience in the storms brings testimony of God’s power to save, deliver, provide.
  • Testimony (from experience) increases your Trust in God!
  • Some of you are creating testimonies right now for the BOOK you will later be writing! 
  • “7 Steps to Unconventional Soulwinning” – full of supernatural stories from my life.
  • No Testimony without a TEST, No Promotion without a TEST, No Victory without a BATTLE!

 

  1. Surrender – Trust in God comes thru SURRENDER.  
  • “Lean NOT on your own understanding” – which is limited, biased, self-serving.
  • Trust is an active choice, not passive resignation – “God, Your way is better!”
  • Trust brings REST – Knowing that the One who holds the Universe also holds your Life!
  • Stop blaming God!  Rest in the LORD!  Rest in His Promises (The Word).  
  • Job 13:15 “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” – Job received Double-portion of wealth, children, and years (70+140 yrs = lived to 210 yrs old).

 

Reflect: "Which of these four areas – Love, Communication, Experience, or Surrender – does God want you to focus on this week to deepen your trust in Him?"

  • Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”