This Is What Causes Us To Become Discouraged So Quickly. Because As Soon As God Gives Us A Word, Satan Goes To War! God Speaks Healing, Here Comes Satan With Another Symptom; God Speaks Wealth:

Have You Ever Found Yourself Asking God: Why Would You Allow This to Happen? I Certainly Have. So, What Is Your Seemingly Impossible Situation? Let This Be the Day That No Matter What You Face, You Will Face It with The Declaration That It Is Already Alright! Even When It Gets Worse, I Know God Will Eventually Make It Well. 

The last year of life, many people have had to face one hardship after another. At many points, some wondered how I would make it through. It is hard to feel confident in the goodness of God when circumstances do not feel good at all. We are often left thinking that if we could just figure out the why, then life would make more sense. Especially in the face of pain or suffering.

Today, let us be careful not to get stuck in our whys. Let us not allow them to leave us blind to His presence, blind to His goodness, blind to His power, blind to the hope we have in Him. I know this is not easy. Trust me. I have situations where I have begged God to give me answers. But I am realizing instead of answers, He's given me Himself. A way to come straight to Him, the One who already has it all figured out. The One who reminds me I do not have to have His answers to have His comfort.

I am going to share a story in the Bible about the Shunamite woman and Elisha. I am quite sure this Shunamite woman found herself asking God and Elisha why You allowed this to happen. Now we know who Elisha is, he was a student of the great prophet Elijah who went up in a chariot of fire and who dropped his mantle for Elisha to pick up for a double anointing.

2 Kings 4:8-36, “One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a rich and influential woman lived, who insisted on his eating a meal. Afterward, whenever he passed by, he stopped there for a meal. And she said to her husband, behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God who passes by continually. Let us make a small chamber on the [housetop] and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then whenever he comes to us, he can go [up the outside stairs and rest] here. One day he came and turned into the chamber and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. When he had called her, she stood before him. And he said to Gehazi, say now to her, you have been most painstakingly and reverently concerned for us; what is to be done for you? Would you like to be spoken for by the king or to the commander of the army? She answered, I dwell among my own people [they are sufficient]. Later Elisha said, what then is to be done for her? GEHAZI ANSWERED, SHE HAS NO CHILD AND HER HUSBAND IS OLD. He said, “Call her. [Gehazi] called her, and she stood in the doorway. Elisha said, at this season when the time comes round, YOU SHALL EMBRACE A SON. She said, no, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your handmaid. BUT THE WOMAN CONCEIVED AND BORE A SON AT THAT SEASON THE FOLLOWING YEAR, AS ELISHA HAD SAID TO HER. When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father with the reapers. BUT HE SAID TO HIS FATHER, MY HEAD, MY HEAD! THE MAN SAID TO HIS SERVANT, CARRY HIM TO HIS MOTHER. AND WHEN HE WAS BROUGHT TO HIS MOTHER, HE SAT ON HER KNEES TILL NOON, AND THEN DIED. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door upon him and went out. And she called to her husband and said, send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may go quickly to the man of God and come back again. And he said, why go to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath. AND SHE SAID, IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT. Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, ride fast; do not slacken your pace for me unless I tell you. So, she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her afar off, he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite. RUN TO MEET HER AND SAY, IS IT WELL WITH YOU? WELL WITH YOUR HUSBAND? WELL WITH THE CHILD? AND SHE ANSWERED, IT IS WELL. When she came to the mountain to the man of God, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came to thrust her away, but the man of God said, let her alone, FOR HER SOUL IS BITTER AND VEXED WITHIN HER, and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me. THEN SHE SAID, DID I DESIRE A SON OF MY LORD? Did I not say, do not deceive me? Then he said to Gehazi, gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand and go lay my staff on the face of the child. If you meet any man, do not salute him. If he salutes you, do not answer him. The mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives and as my soul lives, I will not leave you. And he arose and followed her. Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the child’s face, but the boy neither spoke nor heard. So, he went back to meet Elisha and said to him, the child had not awakened. WHEN ELISHA ARRIVED IN THE HOUSE, THE CHILD WAS DEAD AND LAID UPON HIS BED. So, he went in, shut the door on the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. He went up and lay on the child, put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself on him and embraced him, THE CHILD’S FLESH BECAME WARM. Then he returned and walked in the house to and for and went up again and stretched himself upon him. AND THE CHILD SNEEZED SEVEN TIMES, AND THEN OPENED HIS EYES. Then [Elisha] called Gehazi and said, Call this Shunammite. So, he called her. AND WHEN SHE CAME, HE SAID, TAKE UP YOUR SON.” (AMPC)

Before we address the above story, listen to this.

And maybe you are in a similar situation. Be it physical, emotional, mental, financial, spiritual, you have many symptoms that you may have thought were small and unimportant and insignificant…at first. However, now a lot more time has passed, and things are not getting BETTER…but WORSE! Well, sometimes our symptoms must get so severe, so painful that we just must finally go to find out what is wrong, and to be healed by the only One who can heal us! For you, maybe it was the doctors. However, there are some things that only the Great Physician can fix, heal, make whole and well! God’s Word never dies. It is active and alive today.

But, before we get to talking about our Great Physician, let us talk about our Scripture above.

The Shunammite Woman did such a wonderful thing for Elisha the Prophet. In return, he asked his servant Gehazi what can be done for her for her kindness. Gehazi notes that she does not have a child. And then the prophecy goes forth that she would embrace a child. In time, she does, a son. I guess you would ask what is so bad about that? Well, nothing is…. until you keep reading. “…When the child had grown, he went out one day to his father with the reapers. BUT HE SAID TO HIS FATHER, MY HEAD, MY HEAD! THE MAN SAID TO HIS SERVANT, CARRY HIM TO HIS MOTHER. AND WHEN HE WAS BROUGHT TO HIS MOTHER, HE SAT ON HER KNEES TILL NOON, AND THEN DIED…” Can you imagine losing a blessing that you did not even ask for in the first place? She did not ask for a son, but she was given one. And in old age no less! She goes from having her LIVE son CARRIED to her to having her DEAD son LAID on her knees. From GOOD to BAD in one moment! How many of us can relate to that? One moment all is WELL and then in the blink of an eye, all is HELL! That’s like having a job today and standing on the unemployment line tomorrow; having a refrigerator full of food today to standing in line waiting to be next at the soup kitchen tomorrow; from having a clean bill of health to the doctor diagnosing a disease; from a happy marriage to a miserable divorce; from well-adjusted children to pregnant and drug addicted teens; from visiting your parents at home to visiting their graves in the cemetery; from having a best friend to having the worst enemy; from purchasing a house to reading the eviction notice on the front door; from starting a ministry to watching it stop; from opening a business to watching it close; from attending school to dropping out; from expecting a baby to leaving the hospital empty-handed. Truth is, we have all been there, and to tell a harder truth, many of us are STILL there. So, clearly, we can all relate to this woman’s hurt, pain and frustration.

Then, the Bible goes on to say: “…THAT I MAY GO QUICKLY TO THE MAN OF GOD and come back again. And he said, why go to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath. AND SHE SAID, IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT…” For one, I love that as painful as the situation was for her, she immediately went into action. And that action was not to her family and friends, but she went straight to her husband and did not even ask questions or hold a full conversation about what happened. Nope, she went straight to the Man of God. And one of the things we must learn to do is to go straight to God. Not even to family, friends and certainly not to social media or to host a pity party for our feelings/emotions. No, head straight to God! And do so without delay! She not only wanted to get to the Man of God, but the Scripture says: “…THAT I MAY GO QUICKLY…” Enter into prayer with God as quickly as this woman went to enter the presence of the prophet! Do not try to figure anything out, do not listen to any second-hand advice, especially from people who have never walked in the shoes your feet are in. Go straight to God…QUICKLY!

Now another thing to acknowledge is her speech, she says, “…IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT…” Now, how can this woman make such a strong declaration that “…IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT…” and the son just died! I will be the first to tell you that words of faith are not the first words that precede out of my mouth when a life struggle hits. But I am encouraged by this woman to work on changing the declaration of my lips when life hits below the belt. She already spoke a word of faith before she even left the house! She did not even get to the prophet yet, and still she spoke “…IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT…” The term ‘All Right’ is defined as: ‘satisfactory; agreeable; safe; a term of approval; beyond doubt; certainly; fine; good; and WELL,’ She spoke an IT IS WELL, while she was still in the WORST of it! Let this be your encouragement today that you too can speak words of faith that “…IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT…” it is WELL already! Ask God to increase your faith; renew your hope and deepen your trust. Call out to God quickly with everything you have within you! And speak your words of faith BEFORE anything about your situation even changes!

The Bible continues: “…Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, RIDE FAST; DO NOT SLACKEN YOUR PACE FOR ME unless I tell you. So, she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel…” Another thing you need to beware of is distractions when you are trying to get to God! Let nothing and no one hinder you from reaching your help in God. And there is a statement that people make that is not necessarily a bad statement, but one you should pay attention to. People will say, ‘I know what that’s like, I’ve been there, I’ve experienced that too.’ They are not being mean at all, and many are really and honestly trying to be of assistance and comfort and encouragement. However, when you have a situation that nobody, but God can fix, do not waste your time listening to the stories about other folks’ tools in their toolbox that they used to fix their situation. No, ignore all distractions and get to God quickly!

And what blesses my soul is not even the son being revived, but listen to the Word of God: “…RUN TO MEET HER AND SAY, IS IT WELL WITH YOU? WELL WITH YOUR HUSBAND? WELL WITH THE CHILD? AND SHE ANSWERED, IT IS WELL…” For the life of me I could not figure out why this woman could respond to the prophet like this, because in my eyes, it was not well at all! No, it was not well with her, she just loss her son; and the husband likewise loss his son as well as his wife just took off to see the prophet and left him back at the house with the dead son; and clearly if the child is dead, there is no way it is well with him! And still she responds: “…IT IS WELL…” Could you respond “…IT IS WELL…” like this even BEFORE the situation changes? Let today be the day that we all increase our words of faith, no matter what we are facing!

One of the things I think really messes us up is our lack of exposure to vulnerabilities. Listen to this: “…When she came to the mountain to the man of God, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came to thrust her away, but the man of God said, let her alone, FOR HER SOUL IS BITTER AND VEXED WITHIN HER, and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me. THEN SHE SAID, DID I DESIRE A SON OF MY LORD? Did I not say, do not deceive me?” She stayed on her feet when it first happened, but when she gets to the prophet, her vulnerability and pain are revealed. She clings to his feet. And even the prophet declares that she is bitter and vexed. Yes, we need to speak words of faith, however, do not silence your vulnerable voice either. Yes, get to God, and when you do, do not attempt to put on any airs, be honest with God about everything you are experiencing. All of it! Because there is truthfully no point to coming to God and then not being honest about all you are coming to Him with.

“…The mother of the child said, As the Lord lives and as my soul lives, I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU.” The prophet gave his servant Gehazi an assignment concerning the son, and you would think that the woman would be so happy that the servant had a plan from the prophet to help the son, and so she would cling to servant and head out with him back to the house, but nope! She says, “…I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU.” Listen, you have gone through too much to leave the presence of God now with anyone BUT God! So, what is the prophet’s response? “…And he arose and followed her...”

Now, listen to how all this ends: “…WHEN ELISHA ARRIVED IN THE HOUSE, THE CHILD WAS DEAD AND LAID UPON HIS BED. So, he went in, shut the door on the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. He went up and lay on the child, put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself on him and embraced him, THE CHILD’S FLESH BECAME WARM. Then he returned and walked in the house to and for and went up again and stretched himself upon him. AND THE CHILD SNEEZED SEVEN TIMES, AND THEN OPENED HIS EYES. Then [Elisha] called Gehazi and said, Call this Shunammite. So, he called her. AND WHEN SHE CAME, HE SAID, TAKE UP YOUR SON.” (AMPC)

Embrace the hard times in life, no matter how bad they get. You still serve a particularly good God and there is nothing so bad that He cannot make better…including YOU!

Romans 8:28, “We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” (AMPC)

We all go through tough seasons in life, just remember WHO oversees the seasons and changing them!

Let This Be the Day That No Matter What You Face, You Will Face It with the Declaration That it is Already Alright! Even When it Gets Worse, I Know God Will Eventually Make It Well...in His Time, in His Way!

The spiritual direction of an entire nation was turned back to God all because ONE MAN was not afraid to confront the enemy and ask God for a miracle! Elijah lived in the Largeness of God, and miracles were the result! He prayed, “ANSWER ME!” AND GOD DID! He prayed “ANSWER ME!” AND MANY PEOPLE WERE STEERED BACK ON COURSE! He asked for a victory-producing miracle, and the enemy was crushed!

Which should remind us of all of God’s promise: “And it shall be that BEFORE they call, I WILL ANSWER; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24 AMP) I read stories like this, and they remind me that God truly is Absolutely Amazing! He can perform miracles! He can do anything! Nothing is too big, too hard, or too complicated for Him! “But Jesus looked at them and said, with men this is impossible, BUT ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD.” (Matthew 19:26 AMP). “I am the Lord! THERE IS NOTHING TOO DIFFICULT FOR ME…” (Genesis 18:14 CEV).

In other words, HE IS THE GOD OF ALL! He Can Do Anything but Fail! He can send fire from heaven in answer to prayer. And just in case you were wondering, He can cure cancer, dry up tumors, make cysts disappear, regulate blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. He can reverse the damage of diabetes, He can heal heart disease, He can put a roof over your head, food on your table, clothes on your back and shoes on your feet. He can grant you employment and favor you with a bonus and promotion on top! He can remove the feelings of loneliness, worthlessness, low self-esteem, and depression. He can change your mind before the suicide attempt even takes place. He can mend your broken heart. He can rekindle and restore your marriage. He can take you back to school. He can carry you through the process of recovery from any addiction or habit. He can bring your wayward children back home. He can change the bloodwork and x-rays in your favor. He can undo what the disease did. He can heal your past, strengthen your present and enlarge your future. He can refresh your hope and rebuild your faith. He can protect you, provide for you and grant you joy and peace. He can restore your happiness. Trust God! How Big is He? Big Enough for Anything You are Facing!

I could tell story after story of how God worked in amazing ways as the result of desperate prayer. But you do not need to hear someone else’s story. You Need Your Own! So, What Is Your Seemingly Impossible Situation? Where Do You Need A Miracle? Why Not Tell God? Ask Him to Answer So You Can Give Him the Glory! Let today be the day you walk confidently and consistently in your Answered Prayers!  Declare Today: My Prayers Are Already Answered!

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

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Let’s Look At Some Of The Tests God Uses To Develop Us: The Test Of Small Things: The Wilderness Test: The Authority Test: The Offence Test: The Warfare Test: The Test Of Time: The Motive Test, And The Lordship Test: This Is An Important Test!

“TEST ME, O Lord…Examine my heart and my mind.” (Psalm 26:2) Let’s look at some of the TESTS God Uses to DEVELOP Us:  So, remember the following in times of TESTING: 

1…YOU’LL EXPERIENCE TESTS AT EACH STAGE OF YOUR GROWTH: Just like children in school, they don’t get to take an ELEMENTARY EXAM, pass, go to JUNIOR HIGH and say, “I took a test in 6th grade, I don’t need to take this one!” NO! AT EACH STAGE A TEST, THAT FITS THAT STAGE AND PREPARES YOU FOR THE NEXT, HAS TO BE TAKEN AND PASSED, IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE PROMOTED AND ELEVATED…DESERVINGLY! In a Nutshell: You Can’t Prepare For College, Based Off a 6th Grade Exam, Even If You Passed it at the Top of Your Class! It Still Doesn’t Count!

• 2…YOUR GOAL SHOULD ALWAYS BE TO PASS THE TEST, OTHERWISE, YOU GET TO TAKE IT REPETITIVELY UNTIL YOU DO: You Do Not Get the Opportunity to Fail Your Test and Pass On to the Next Level Anyhow… (Despite What You See In Our Public School Systems and Church Leadership Today)! Now, if You Fail It’s Alright, because if the Truth Be Told, We Have ALL Failed on One Test or Another! HOWEVER, As Soon As You Fail, At Least Be Smart Enough to HIT THE BOOKS AGAIN (the Word of God), MEET WITH YOUR TUTOR (the Holy Spirit), STUDY (2 Timothy 2:15), Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth and then Reschedule to Take Your Test AGAIN! You may Fall Down, but Each Time You Get Back Up, POINTS ARE ADDED TO YOUR GRADE! YES, YOU GET BONUS POINTS FOR GETTING BACK UP! Extra Work Earns Extra Credit! Bottom line, You Don’t Get to Go to the Next Level, Without Passing What You’ve Failed! And if you are in the UNFORTUNATE position of being under a LEADER who will pass you anyway (based on how you treat them, your attendance, your gifts, charisma, tithes and offering etc.…), HAVE ENOUGH SENSE TO NOT ALLOW IT! IN THE END, YOU WILL ONLY SET YOURSELF UP FOR A FOOLISH AND FATAL HARD FALL! Think about it: Would you allow someone to pass you to Advanced Algebra WHILE YOU’RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE TIMETABLE CHART IN THE BACK OF YOUR COMPOSITION NOTEBOOK!? NO! WHY? BECAUSE YOU’LL ONLY FAIL AND LOOK FOOLISH WHILE DOING IT! LIKEWISE, MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT GRADE, TAKING AND PASSING THE RIGHT TESTS, AT THE RIGHT TIME! DON’T BE QUICK TO MOVE UNTIL YOU’RE QUALIFIED!

3…TESTING ALWAYS PRECEDES PROMOTION: Actually, it PREPARES You for It and PROVES You’re Ready to Handle It! If You Cheat, or Try to Copy Somebody Else’s Answers, You May Temporarily Seem to Succeed. But Eventually Time and Circumstances Will Reveal You For What You Are—Which Is Someone Who Can’t Handle What They Manipulated Their Way Into Getting! Here’s Biblical Proof: “Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but Who Are You?” Then the man with the evil spirit Leaped On Them, Overpowered Them, and Attacked Them With Such Violence that They Fled From the House, Naked and Battered.” (Acts 19:14-16 NLT). People of God, Pass Your Test Before Attempting to Pass Out Ministry Cards! If Not, You’ll Quickly Find Yourself Being the “Eighth Son of Sceva!”

4…SELF-PROMOTION CAN NEVER REPLACE DIVINE PROMOTION: So, Don’t Attempt to Rush Ahead of God’s Plans; Wait and Allow Him to Open the Door In the Right Season! Look at it this way: Even after a child passes their exam, all their paperwork must be Looked Over, Graded and Accounted For! What They’ve Done Throughout the Year Has to Be Reviewed. What were All of Their Test Scores? How did they handle Their Projects? Were they Late? How many times were they Absent? How well did they work with their classmates? Likewise, God Will Examine and Evaluate Your FULL FILE, to Determine Whether or Not You’re Ready for the Next Level. And just because you passed ‘A’ Test, Don’t Mean You’re Ready to Pass the ‘GRADE’! “But God hasn’t moved to the mountains; His holy address hasn’t changed. He’s in charge, as always, his eyes taking everything in, his eyelids Unblinking, Examining Adam’s Unruly Brood Inside and Out, Not Missing a Thing. He Tests the Good and the Bad Alike; If Anyone Cheats, God’s Outraged. Fail the Test and You’re Out, Out in a Hail of Firestones, Drinking From a Canteen Filled With Hot Desert Wind.” (Psalm 11:4-6 MSG). Saints, God Will Exam You Inside and Out, Test You, Watch If You Cheat and Give You the Boot if You Fail!  You May Impress People, But God On The Other Hand Is Not Impressed At All! Therefore, Don’t Get Caught Up In the “Laying On of MAN’S Hands”! It Means Nothing Compared to the Laying On of GOD’S HANDS AND HIS COMMISSIONING!

5…A PRODUCT CANNOT BE SAFELY AND PROFITABLY USED, UNTIL IT’S BEEN THOROUGHLY TESTED, AND NEITHER CAN YOU! God’s Not a Hard-Hearted Parent Who Enjoys Seeing His Children Struggle Through Life’s Tests. If He were to visit you in person, He’d probably say: “I don’t enjoy making you go through this, but it’s the only way to prove you’re ready for what’s ahead. Before I can use you greatly—I must test you thoroughly!” Here’s a tip for your next test – Generally, God’s Tests for Elevation are Based On Your CHARACTER! And like any Good Actor in a stage play, Your Job is to “STAY IN CHARACTER!” Regardless of what anyone else does, FOLLOW GOD’S SCRIPT FOR YOUR LIFE! “…These were Asher’s sons, all of them Responsible, Excellent in CHARACTER, and Brave in Battle—Good Leaders…” (1 Chronicles 7:33-40 MSG); “Be Wary of False Preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don’t Be Impressed With Charisma; Look For CHARACTER. Who Preachers Are Is The Main Thing, Not What They Say. A Genuine Leader Will Never Exploit Your Emotions or Your Pocketbook. These Diseased Trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.” (Matthew 7:15-20 MSG); “There was a Man by the Name of Joseph, a member of the Jewish High Council, a Man of Good Heart and Good CHARACTER…” (Luke 23:50 MSG); “So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with Good CHARACTER, Spiritual Understanding, Alert Discipline, Passionate Patience, Reverent Wonder, Warm Friendliness, and Generous Love, Each Dimension Fitting Into and Developing the Others. With these Qualities Active and Growing In Your Lives, No Grass Will Grow Under Your Feet, No Day Will Pass Without Its Reward As You Mature In Your Experience of Our Master Jesus.

You Will Never Be Used Greatly, Until You’ve Been Tested Thoroughly! And Your Testing Will Be Largely On the Maintenance of Your CHARACTER! Therefore, Possess Good Character, and You Won’t Have To Pray God Grades On A Curve!

If You’re On the Verge of Elevation, then You should be Real Uncomfortable Right About Now! You should feel the Squeezing and the Pressures of Preparing for and Taking God’s Exam! Truth Is: Growth and Maturity Means there’s some Stretching and Expanding! In other words, things are Getting Bigger! Just like in the natural world your feet and hands get larger, you get taller, your body develops those things that were once hidden, and brings them to the surface. Likewise, in the Spirit, when You’re Growing and Maturing, Your Faith is Stretched, Your Humility is Increased, Your Accountability is More Severe, Your Responsibility is Expanded, Your Prayers are More Fervent, Your Fasting Becomes More Frequent, Your Studies Become More In Depth. Growth, Maturity and Elevation Are Some Great, Big Blessings, However, They Do Not Come Easily or Comfortably! So, if You’re on the Verge of Elevation and the Weight is becoming Heavier, that’s a Pretty Good Sign that You’re on your way to an A+ On Your Test! On the Other Hand, if You’re on the Verge of Elevation, and All is Smooth Sailing, I’m No Guidance Counselor, but I’d Advise You to Keep All Your Books From this Current Grade! Why? Because I Got a Feeling You’re Going to Need ’em…Again!

“TEST ME, O Lord…Examine my heart and my mind.” (Psalm 26:2) Let’s look at some of the TESTS God Uses to DEVELOP Us: 

1…THE TEST OF SMALL THINGS: This TEST comes when we’re asked to do something We Consider to be BENEATH OUR ABILITY AND POTENTIAL. It Proves how Faithful we are to Our Commitments. It also Reveals whether we’re Ready for Greater Responsibilities. Jesus said, “Whoever can be Trusted with VERY LITTLE can also be Trusted with VERY MUCH” (Luke 16:10). You Don’t get to Oversee Much Until You’re Willing to Undertake Little! In other words, if you can be an Elder and still clean the church bathroom, you can be trusted with More! If you can be the Women’s Ministry Director, and serve food at a women’s shelter, you can be trusted with More! If you can be the Chairman Deacon and still mop up a spill in the vestibule, you can be trusted with More! If you can be the Minister of Music and play no differently in front of 2 people than you would 2,000, you can be trusted with More! If you can be the Dean of the Christian Education Ministry and not get an attitude when asked to teach 3 four-year-old’s a Sunday School lesson, you can be trusted with More! Are You Starting to Get the Picture? Can You See It Clearly? You Don’t Get Anything Big Until You Can Be Faithful Over the Small You’ve Already Been Given! If your Pastor was asked if you qualify for More, based off this little summary, would he/she give you a yes or a no? An A+ or an F-?

2…THE MOTIVE TEST: This TEST comes to us when we’re doing all the right things—BUT NOT NECESSARILY FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS! For example, it’s right to Pray. YET Jesus Warned: “When you Pray, DO NOT BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES, FOR THEY LOVE…TO BE SEEN BY MEN” (Matthew 6:5) That’s why we need the mirror of God’s Word: “For the Word of God is…able to JUDGE THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTIONS OF THE HEART.” (Hebrews 4:12) When you stand before Christ to be evaluated and rewarded, the question will Not only be, ‘WHAT did you do,’ but also, ‘WHY did you do it?’ A good question that Pastors should ask of their leaders a little more often than most do.

3…THE STEWARDSHIP TEST: Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you.” (Luke 6:38). Only when your Empty Hand is Open, can you Receive More From God. The Practice of Giving on a Regular Basis Prevents You from Being Owned By What You Own! Money is called Currency because it’s supposed to Flow Through You Into the Lives of Others! Abraham Was Blessed For the Sole Purpose To Be a Blessing! So Are You! When you Withhold out of Fear or Greed, you Limit what God Wants to Give You. So become a River (one that flows), Not a Reservoir (one that withholds)!

4…THE WILDERNESS TEST: This test comes when we feel Spiritually Dry and our joy level is Low. It Reveals Our Ability to Adapt to Adversity and Change, and as a Result, Enter a New level of Growth! It Proves We’re Able to Perform Even When Life and Ministry Aren’t Fun. “He led you through the vast and dreadful desert…To…TEST You So…In the End it Might Go Well With You.” (Deuteronomy 8:15-16). Remember: Short-term pain, Long-term gain! You Don’t Get to Inherit the Wealthy Place Until You Can Endure the Wilderness!

5…THE CREDIBILITY TEST: Nothing matters more than your Confidence Before God—and Your Credibility Before People! When Lot tried to rescue his sons-in-law from the destruction of Sodom: The Bible says, “He seemed as one that mocked.” (Genesis 19:14) As a result he Lost Credibility When it Mattered Most! Make Sure You Don’t! The Last thing You want is to tell people in a Burning Building where the Exit is, But They Don’t Believe You, So They Don’t Listen to You or Follow You! When You Lose Credibility, You Lose Lives!

6…THE AUTHORITY TEST: Before Paul took the Gospel to the Gentiles he First went to Jerusalem and Submitted His Plan to the Apostles, Asking For Their Blessing. There wasn’t a “Nobody is going to tell me what to do” Attitude! When You Fail to Submit, You Forfeit Your Opportunity to Pass On to the Next Level! Look at it this way: God placed David under a Flawed Leader named Saul that wanted to Kill Him! Proving you can Learn As Much From the Mistakes of a Failure As You Can From the Achievement of a Success! Because David Submitted, He Qualified to Sit on Saul’s Throne! An Effective Follower Becomes an Effective Leader!

7…THE OFFENCE TEST: Jesus said, “Offences Will Come.” (Luke 17:1) So Be Ready! Those who Lead Always Take the Brunt of It! The Front Line is No Place for the Weak-Willed or Weak-Kneed! So, When Offences come are you going to: Get Mad and Get Nowhere; Get Even and Get in Trouble; Or Get Over It By Forgiving? “If you hold anything against anyone, Forgive Him, So…Your Father In Heaven May Forgive…Your Sins.” (Mark 11:25). If You Can’t Handle Offence, You Can’t Handle the Opportunity of More!

8…THE WARFARE TEST: This test is for those who Claim to be Strong in Faith but Prove to be Weak in Fight! “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, Though that was Shorter. For God said, ‘If They Face War, They Might Change Their Minds and Return to Egypt.’” (Exodus 13:17). Now, you Haven’t been called to be Insensitive and Abrasive, But if Your Destiny Is Worth Pursuing—It’s Worth Fighting For! So, Toughen Up! It’s a Battlefield, Not a Bed of Roses! You must Engage the Enemy Daily Using Every Spiritual Weapon at Your Disposal! If Not, He’ll Steal, Kill and Destroy You! This test Demonstrates Your Ability to Continue in Your Vision, Even While Experiencing Disappointment and Opposition! So, remember, the Level of Attack is the Best Indicator as to the Level of Blessing that Awaits You, Beyond It! Your Wealthy Place Is Just On The Other Side Of Your Warfare! Don’t Fail This Test! It Will Cost You Too Much!

9…THE TEST OF TIME: This test has Two Dimensions. One Reveals the Strength of Your Life’s Impact, the other Reveals the Length of It! Each Calls For Your Signature of Excellence On All that You Do. Listen: The electric light still burns even though Edison has left the building! The needy are still being cared for even though General Booth is in Heaven. Now, even if your Legacy Doesn’t Reach Those Heights, Your Influence Can Still Outlive You! The test of Time has a second dimension—An Eternal One. How You Live Your Life Today, Determines Your Rewards In Heaven. “Eventually there is going to be an Inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out.” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13). Therefore, Live a Life and Lifestyle that Others Will Deem Worthy of Continuing as a Legacy, Far After Your Earthly Life Is Over!

10…THE LORDSHIP TEST: Simon Peter passed this test by Obeying a Command that Seemed to Make No Sense At All: Jesus said to him, “Pull out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But Because You Say So, I Will Let Down the Nets.’ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.” (Luke 5:4-6). First, Peter tried fishing Alone and Failed. Next, He Tried it With Jesus and Succeeded. Same Fisherman. Same Fish. Same Boat. Same Nets. What changed? He Was Willing to Do it God’s Way! If You want to Succeed, Talk to God, Listen to God—and Do What God Says! 

With 10 points per test, what does your grade look like so far? Note: If you’re going to Be Helped, you must First Be Honest. So, if you haven’t made 100% yet, you still have the Opportunity to do so. Just hit the books (Your Bible), meet daily with your tutor (The Holy Spirit), study diligently (2 Timothy 2:15), Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. and retake the test! There’s a 100% Within Your Reach…. Grasp It!

Don’t just walk around with Titles that have never been Tested! Make sure you’re proven and qualified. Leadership is not an Entitlement, nor is it a Competition. Respect God’s Process of Testing, Time, and Choice. It’s not about your Platform, but His Plan. Follow it to the letter, do not deviate!

God tests people to approve them, i.e. 1) to qualify them to receive His promises, 2) to work along with Him in the establishing of His kingdom, and 3) to ultimately reign with Him. Therefore, God’s tests are not to be feared, but understood and embraced!  Anytime we receive a test from God, we should look for the way that God wants us to partner with Him in the establishing and extending of His kingdom.  Start praying, “Father, how do you want me to partner with you?”

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

Join Journey Into The Word each Sunday evening at 6:00 PM CST on The NOW Network http://www.theNOWnetwork.org 

ROKU, Cable & Online. https://www.thenownetwork.org/sunday

Jesus' Name Is So Powerful That The Devil Has Managed To Put Fear In The Hearts Of Believers. He Doesn't Want You To Say In Jesus Name. People Curse & Swear Using The Name Of The Lord. You Never Hear People Cuss Using The Name Of Buddha Or Allah.

Jesus' Name Is So Powerful That The Devil Doesn’t Want You To End Your Prayer In Jesus Name. The Devil Hates That Name.  People Curse & Swear Using The Name Of The Lord. You Never Hear People Cuss Using The Name Of Buddha Or Allah. The devil wants you to compromise. He managed many years ago to keep prayer out of schools. Non-Christians get offended when we pray in Jesus name, so, we are asked to silence our prayers so that others are not offended and the news media is sure to beep out any mention of Jesus name if mentioned on the news or talk shows.  Listen To This:

Matthew 12:17-18a, 21 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: [18] “Here is my servant whom I have chosen ... [21] In his name the nations will put their hope.” Including Islamic nations! and Hindu nations! All nations. Christ's Name is the HOPE of the nations! Including the USA! Jesus' Name is a strong tower in our midst. Acts 4:17-18 “But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name. “Then they called them in again, commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Jesus' Name Is So Powerful That The Devil And His People Will Try To Stop You From Using It.

People Curse And Swear Using The Name Of The Lord. The Devil Hates That Name. You Never Hear People Cuss Using The Name Of Buddha Or Allah. Listen To This: The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, powerfully providing safety for you. It’s the Name above all other names. Call on that name — the Lord Jesus Christ — for salvation. Call on His Name to see signs, wonders, gifts of the Spirit, healings, and demons flee. Call on God the Father in prayer in Jesus’ Name. “Ask and you will receive.” Speak Christ's Name to the nations; it is their great hope. The devil will try to stop you from calling on His Name. Don’t let him! Let that "strong tower," the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, be often on your lips.

The Name of the Lord is where strength lies. His Name has all the power to combat anything the enemy tries to raise against us. The name of the Lord is the name above every name. It is a refuge for us to run into and be safe from all the attacks that come against us. The Name of the Lord is our divine protection, and we always need Him.  The Name of the Lord contains what we need in times of stress and anxiety if we will be quick to run to Him.

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe” Proverbs 18:10

The Name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe.” When we read this verse, we seem to focus on the big strong tower that is a fortified place to hide from danger, but it is the Name of the Lord that our focus is to be centered on. The Name of the Lord is where strength lies. His Name has all the power to combat anything the enemy tries to raise against us.

If we were caught out in a storm and only had a flimsy umbrella, the wind, and force of the storm would rip it right out of our hands, but if we see a tower in the distance, we could run into it and be safe from the wind and rain or whatever might come crashing down on us. The Name of the Lord is strong against storms that would try to uproot us. The Name of the Lord is secure. We are protected from harm and harassment by the enemy.

In the early church, believers had victory in the Name of the Lord. They understood the power in His name that broke the chains of captives and set them free. Philippians 2:9-11 says everything in heaven and on earth must bow to the name of Jesus—every knee shall bow. Today we can speak His Name over the circumstances that cause us to panic. Jesus is Lord over all sickness and disease. Name the disease and say, “Jesus is Lord over all of it.” Once you have called on His Name there may be a time lapse before the victory comes and we can see it with our eyes. Are you afraid He has not heard you? That is where our confidence in the Name of Jesus must take place right when we pray.

If we believe He is Lord and every knee shall bow to His name, then that’s the way it is. Run into the strong tower. His Name.” “Let your requests be made known to God with thanksgiving and then experience His peace that surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:6, 7).

Why continue to be fearful if we have a strong refuge in His Name? You will notice that it says the righteous run into it and are safe. Getting to His protection should be primary on our mind that we would run to the Lord rather than walk as if we had all day. Jump in the strong tower of His Name and lock the doors where nothing can get to you. Stand by the promises He gives and don’t hesitate to believe it. Focus on His Name and the meaning behind that Name so powerful that every knee shall bow, and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

In Proverbs 18:10, Solomon wrote that “the name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” What exactly does that mean? How is the name of the Lord a strong tower? What is a strong tower?

To understand how the name of the Lord is a strong tower for us today, we’ll break the verse into four parts and go deeper into each.

• The name of the LORD
• A strong tower
• The righteous 
• Safety  

What Is the Name of the Lord?

A name is a powerful thing. This was more widely understood in ancient times than it is now, but it is still true, nonetheless. A name carries the identity of the person named. It is who they are.

In Proverbs 18:10, the word used for LORD is Yahweh so it can be read “the name of Yahweh is a strong tower…” This is speaking of God’s character, the entirety of who he is. Throughout the Bible, it refers to God himself as our strength, our rock, our fortress, etc. God and His name are the same.

When you hear the name of someone you know, you have an inner vision of them because the name carries all that you know about them. This means that a name carries a person’s reputation.

We can see how God’s name, or reputation, preceded him in the Book of Joshua. When God was leading Israel into the Promised Land, Joshua sent men into Jericho to spy out the land. They were discovered, and protected, by a woman named Rahab who made this declaration to them:

We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below Joshua 2:-10-11.

By faith, Rahab tapped into the name of the LORD, and she and all her family were kept safe when the city of Jericho was destroyed.

How Is the Name of the Lord a Strong Tower?

The name of the LORD is a strong tower. Some translations use terms such as fortified tower, strong fortress, mighty tower, and tower of strength, and in one translation it simply says, “great strength.”

A tower is something tall, or high. The name of the LORD is high.

Let them praise the name of the LORD because his name is high above all others. His glory is above heaven and earth Psalm 148:13.

The tower is strong. Strength is manifested in numerous ways. Words the dictionary uses to convey how strength is conveyed are: physical, mental, competence, influence, moral power, effectiveness, healthy, means to resist attack, uncompromising, well-supplied, clear, firm, and thriving.

The name of the LORD, which is a strong tower is high above your problem, providing all you need.

Who Is Righteous?

There are two things here. The righteous refers to the person, and the action “run.”

Who is the righteous this verse is talking about? Righteousness according to the Bible is being in the right standing with God. This is something no one can achieve on their own. For anyone to attain righteousness they must receive it from God.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast Ephesians 2:8-9.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Romans 5:17.

What is the significance of the action run? Running is simply faster than walking. However, the word used in the original text implies urgency. It is more accurately translated rush, or hurry how it’s written in this translation:

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; a righteous person rushes to it and is lifted above the danger (ISV).

Can We Feel Safe in the Strong Tower?

What does it mean to be safe? The verse above says, “Lifted above the danger.” Jesus is our safe place our safety net. What happens when we are told that our church is our safe place, but yet this is the place where a member trusted someone too much and was molested when we are told that this family relative and home is a safe place, but this is where someone was raped by a family member when you are admitted to a drug rehab facility and yet you still have access to get drugs, what about an alcoholic rehabilitation center and yet you are not protected, someone breaks the rule, you are admitted to the hospital, you are told this is the safest place for you and you die from misdiagnosis and the list goes on and on. Jesus is our safe place, call on His name which gives us strength. Run to Him in the time of trouble, pray to Him at all times.

The dictionary defines being safe as protected from or not exposed to danger or risk; not likely to be harmed or lost.

Other translations of the verse use words like set on high, set safely on high, be safe, is safe, shall be exalted, be strengthened, and are protected.

Looking at the word in the original language we get these phrases: inaccessibly high, too high for capture, and set on high far above evil.

In the verse that follows, Solomon identifies an “imagined” place of safety.

The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it as a wall too high to scale (Proverbs 18:11).

Imagined safety isn’t true safety. The name of the Lord is where true safety and protection are found.

The name of the LORD is a strong tower when we are scared when we are ill when we are lost, when we are confused, when we are sad when we are threatened, when we are weak, when we are overwhelmed, and even when we are struggling financially. Always.

The safety that the name of the LORD provides is multi-faceted and trustworthy. No wonder the righteous rush toward it. By faith, we can rush to the name of the LORD and find safety at any time.

We Can Call on His Name

The name of the LORD represents all that He is and has for us — love, mercy, grace, power, righteousness, and more. David called on the name of the LORD throughout his life and tasted the deliverance of God. Here are a few examples:

From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me Psalm 61:2-3.

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint to protect my life from the threat of the enemy. Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the plots of evildoers Psalm 64:1-2.

Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me. Deliver me from evildoers and save me from those who are after my blood Psalm 59:1-2.

The LORD is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe Psalm 18:2.

For in the day of trouble, he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock Psalm 27:5.

Call on the name of the Lord. Three times it is written that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13.

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

Join Journey Into The Word each Sunday evening at 6:00 PM CST on The NOW Network http://www.theNOWnetwork.org 

ROKU, Cable & Online. https://www.thenownetwork.org/sunday