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Most of the times we have gone through issues and we wonder whether we are right on track with God or not. One thing, I came to realize is that once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior, there are stuff in our lives that God has to work on, so that He can effectively use us for His Kingdom Business. Nobody in the face of the earth is perfect but God’s word, provides the ultimate truth to facilitate growth .The issues we go through in life, provide the environment we need to practice Christlikeness. Our relationship with God is tested and tried through the nature of our heart because the heart represents, the source of all your motivation, it reveals the real you and not what others think of you.
Most of us love Jesus but are our hearts right with God, in regards to how we treat and relate with people, how we worship Him or how we view His creation?. In Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:’ He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and in theirhands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’
Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
Jesus Himself went through a serious test.God was testing the condition of His only Son’s heart and when He passed, God knew He had qualified. We go through different tests on a daily basis, if we are keen to observe, our character and attitudes are always being tested .God uses Authorities to test us, difficult relationships from having to love a colleague in the office, who for real is a project to work with, to an employer who has a nasty attitude, in church, at home we have Kids who act crazy and there is always a negative report from school about your child’s conduct and those who are married living with a spouse that he/she has a tendency to push the wrong buttons at the wrong time. We all have instances that God tests the nature of our hearts and we can’t escape nor ignore that process because it’s part of our spiritual growth.
There are also various ways that God still uses to tests the nature of our hearts:-
1.Test of lack :-God always has a solution when we trust Him.
2.Test praise :-how we act when people praise us Acts 14 Paul was clear that we should not let the praise of men get into us.
3.Test of Obscurity:- which is usually a season of preparation, when nothing seems to be working and many of us think God has forgotten us. Joseph, King David and John the Baptist went through a season of Obscurity
4.Test of betrayal:- when you are betrayed by a close friend or family member but God wants you to forgive Psalms 41:9 Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted,Who ate my bread,Has lifted up his heel against me.
5.Test of faithfulness and loyalty:- where God requires us to be loyal and faithful, it can be described well with David and Jonathan relationship,
6.Test of delay :– There is no delay without a purpose and we ought to know delay ain’t denial, so never look for a plan B stick to what God has told you.1 Samuel 13:8 Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
7.Test of difficult and impossible circumstances:- Matthew 17:14-18 the issue of the epileptic Son drew the father closer to Jesus and not further away, that ought to apply into our lives also.
8.Test of opportunities:- no matter how small they seem to be, we need to appreciate and be diligent in pursuing those opportunities,
9.Test of money:- no matter how painful it is to let go, we have to learn to obey. In Acts 5:1-11 Ananias and Sapphira died because they failed to be truthful and Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus because of his love of money, Luke 16:10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
10.Test of service :-John 13:1-17 Jesus washed His disciples feet, as his sign of His service to man, service does not reduce us but promotes us.
Why do we go through tests and trials??
a) To expose the nature of our hearts.
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; who can know it?
b) To test His word in our hearts
Deuteronomy 8:2
And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
c) He wants to bring us into a place of obedience and sanctification
Matthew 13:20
But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.
d) He wants to measure our inner strength and inner capacity.
Romans 5:3-4
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance, character; and character, hope
Conclusion;-
When God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt, He had an amazing plan to usher them into the promised land of flowing milk and honey. Unfortunately they stayed in the wilderness wondering for forty years, instead of eleven days because of the nature of their Hearts. They complained, they cruised the leadership structure, they panicked, and they disobeyed God’s commandments.
Champions in the making! we must purpose in our hearts to pass the tests and trials in life, in order to get into our place of destiny, which is characterized by dominion, honor, authority and promotion. See the bigger picture. nothing happens in your life is insignificant!!! God uses everything to mold you for your ministry to others and your service to Him.Constantly Decree and declare that you shall not die in your tests but you shall have an incredible come back full of testimonies.
A gem cannot be polished without friction,nor a champion perfected without trials.
A gem cannot be polished without friction,nor a champion perfected without trials.
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You Are Special In God’s Eyes
