April Test

Articles, Christian Living | Our Masters Voice | April 3, 2009 at 8:12 am

The God who created the heaven and earth & everything in it created you with a definite plan & purpose. His plans are to prosper you & not to harm you. He declares in Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways”. God’s purposes and promises never change. He is very watchful over you to enable you achieve the purpose for which He created you. In this process He does allow tests and trials to come your way, but He never lets you to face it all alone. Look at what He has promised:

I have made you and I will carry you I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46: 4

This is the word for you my dear friends, Tests will come but believe in Him who promises to carry you, sustain you and rescue you. Sitting for a test and passing into the next level is the simple, but basic principle of human growth. Whether it is a child’s eligibility to be admitted into Grade 1 or a person’s eligibility to obtain a visa to enter into a country, or a patient’s discharge from a hospital, certain criteria have to be met. To obtain those criteria several tests have to be taken. Only those who pass the tests become eligible. Our walk with God is also the same.

Jesus the Son of God went to Jordan and was baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness. As Jesus came out of the water after baptism, the heavens opened & the Spirit of God descended upon Him like a dove & lighting (Mathew 3: 13-17). A voice declared “This is my Son whom I love with whom I am well pleased”. God the Father who was pleased to release & declare His blessings, allowed his Son to be tested by the devil. God allowed Jesus to be taken to the desert; He permitted the tempter to go to His Son at the time when Jesus was feeling hungry after 40 days of fasting, but look! V.12 says “Jesus was led by the Spirit”. The Spirit of God enabled Jesus the man to attack the tempter with the word of God itself. Jesus passed the Test or trial or temptation. Three things happened after that test in the desert.
First Luke 4: 13 says “the devil left him until an opportune time” which means the devil would come back to test again. Second Mathew 4:11 says “then the devil left him and the angels came and attended him” which means God sends ministering spirits to attend on you after you pass a test. Third Luke 4: 14 says “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit” which means the passing of every test increases the power of the Spirit in you.

Abraham was a man of God who faced different levels & kinds of tests. The Lord told Abraham (Abram) “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you”(Genesis 12:1). It was a Test of Obedience.
Genesis 12:4 says “so Abraham (Abram) left, as the Lord told him”. Abraham passed the test of obedience.

Next Abraham faced the Test of Boldness. When Abraham reached Egypt he was afraid that the Egyptians would kill him and take away his wife Sarah. He feared for his life and lied saying that Sarah was his sister. Abraham feared man and failed the test. But God who sees the heart changed the situation into which Abraham had got himself into (Genesis 12: 13-20). Take a note of what God did! He did not punish Abraham for lying, instead allowed him to face a similar situation. (Genesis20). Once again Abraham fails, but gets bold enough to explain the half-sister relationship with Sarah and even prays for the healing of Abimelech & his household. Once again God stands with the righteous man Abraham, in spite of his failure and provides him protection & provision,

Abraham was put through the great Test of Faith. The Lord had said to Abraham, “To your offspring I will give this land” Genesis 12: 7. The Lord kept telling His plans again and again to Abraham. “I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth” Genesis 13:14-17; “A man coming from your own body will be your heir” Genesis 15: 4,5. Abraham had a tough time going through this test. Yet Hebrews 12:11 says” By faith, Abraham, even though he was past age- and Sarah herself was barren was enabled to become a father”. Abraham did pass this test of faith.

God knew that Abraham had been growing closer and closer to God and that the different tests had made them both the best pals. Yet God allowed Abraham to face the Test of Reverence or Love for God. It was the most difficult and challenging action of obedience. God wanted to see whether Abraham was holding his only son Isaac above God or whether Abraham was revering God more than anything in this world. So God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac to Him. Abraham proved his utter reverence and love for God through his outstanding obedience and passed the test

Friends what is the test that you are facing today? Are you still hesitating to obey His call? Are you afraid to face the world and speak the truth? Have you been battered with so much loss & rejections that you are finding it impossible to hold on to your faith? God never looks at the situations that you are in. He only looks at your heart. He is looking for your true & sincere love. He wants you to express it through your actions. God was with Abraham leading him, carrying him, sustaining him, rescuing him and blessing him. This God of Abraham is not a partial God. Today He will do the same for you.

Some children of God start the race well, but when they are put through tests, take short cut routes and loose their destiny for ever. Gehazi was with Elisha the great prophet of Israel. One day Gehazi had to face the Test of Money & Possessions. Naaman the leprous commander of the Syrian army, presented gifts to prophet Elisha after being healed of his leprosy upon the prophets’ instruction. (2 Kings 5: 14,15). Elisha refused to accept the gifts from Naaman, but Gehazi didn’t want to miss those gifts from Naaman.. Gehazi said, “I will run after him and get something from him” (2 Kings 5:20). The lust of the worldly possessions made him use his master Elisha’s name and take silver & cloth from Naaman and put them away in his house. When Elisha asked, “Where have you been?” Gehazi lied to his master saying “didn’t go anywhere” 2 King 5: 23. Just as how Elisha got the double portion blessing of his master Prophet. Elijah, Gehazi also could have inherited the blessing from Elisha. Instead Gehazi inherited Naaman’s leprosy upon himself and his descendants. Gehazi’s lust & greed for money and worldly possessions caused him to fail in the test. He not only lost the position, authority & blessings from God, he also earned the curse of God upon his entire generation.

Look at Samson, the man who had a great call and a unique Nazarene blessing upon him. The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, yet he couldn’t pass the Test of Self-discipline that he was put through. The wrong choices that he made were not in tune with the way of God. He lusted after a prostitute and then a woman called Delilah. She lured Samson to reveal the secret of his great strength and the way he could be subdued. Samson failed the test because of his unbridled passion and lack of self discipline. Samson failed the test and never recognized his mistake until it was too late. Judges 16: 20 says, “He did not know that the Lord had left him’. He was seized, bound with bronze shackles; his eyes were gouged and he was sent to grinding in the prison. What was the cause of Samson’s pathetic state? It was lack of self-control.

My dear friends check your life right now. Look in you, for the areas where you are weak & feeble. Serving or worshiping God the Father of Truth on the outside and following the ways of the devil the father of lies on the inside will never work. You will not only fail, but you will cause destruction to come upon you & your descendants. April Test is coming your way, how are you going to fair in the test? If you have failed in the earlier tests, then now is the time for you to repent at this very moment. Isaiah 53:5 says “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities”. He rose victorious on the third day and became the source of our salvation. Remember Lord Jesus’ sacrifice and victory on the cross, and press on to pass the test that comes your way.

David says in Psalm 18: 24 “The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight”. The reward is awaiting all those who pass the test. God’s authority, His blessed plan for you, your family & your generation are all yours. God’s angels are at your service waiting to serve you & protect you from all dangers and evil. . A higher position in your job, study or family awaits you as you pass the test. Be bold, face the TEST & pass the TEST.

Friends, fear not, for you are neither alone nor helpless. God the Father is with you, His word is there to help you. Meditate the Word of God, engrave it in your heart, live it every day. Surely & truly the Lord will hold you, lead you, counsel you, carry you, sustain you & heal you. He will clothe you with His robe of righteousness and crown you with splendor & honor.

This month is not just a month of Test, it is also a month of reward & blessing for all who choose to live His Word everyday.

Pass the test & be blessed..

With Prayers & Love
Br. Brite Sundar
www.outstandingmiracle.org