THE TESTS AND TRIALS OF THE CHOSEN FEW
Ministry is not as easy as most people think. Ministers of
the word whether, Evangelists, Bishops, Pastors go through battles that are not
directly theirs but still have to face them and act strong.
People often get into ministry thinking that it will be a
smooth trail leading to greatness, fame and so much more that differs from the
main purpose as to why you are called. Very few people realize the price that
has to be paid to get into ministry.
If you go deeper into the word, you realize that everyone is
called, but not everyone is chosen for ministry. Well, I am sure you are
wondering how to know whether you are chosen or called. The typical challenges
that you go through in your life are just but that, "typical," which
confirms that you are called and not chosen. However, if your life is faced
with intense battles, it's like you live on a battlefield, then you are
undoubtedly chosen. Unfortunately, you can be disqualified from your journey to
being chosen if you fail to pass the tests that are set for you.
The main tests are:
THE TEST OF YOUR
HEART. God will pull away from you and ignore you so that He can search
your heart just like He did to Hezekiah.
THE TIME TEST.
This test only happens after God points you out to serve Him in ministry. It is
a period when God will just watch you see if you are and can remain faithful to
Him amidst adversaries. There is no specific waiting period; it could take
weeks, months, or even years. You can also call this the patience test because
here you will exercise a lot of patience.
SERVICE TEST.
During the service test, your job is to serve somewhere in a church or a
minister of the word. If you are serving a man of God, it may be challenging
along the way because you will meet the man with the cloth and the man without
the cloth. You will learn the minister's shortcomings, sometimes you may feel
like quitting, but once you pass this service test, it will mean that you are
loyal. Most people fail this test because they think that they are being bossed
around while they should be the ones giving instructions. Ask yourself why you
should instruct others while you cannot be instructed? You must be able to
submit, and if you cannot, no one will submit under your authority.
WILDERNESS TEST.
Here you will experience rejection, trials, and temptations. No one will want
to listen or even get close to you, and you will face loss. During this time
just like Job, you will lose so much that you value and the only thing that you
will have left is God's word. The only way you will push through is by entirely
leaning onto His promises. You will find yourself reading the word more,
understanding God in a better and different level.
Also, you can expect pain and suffering, but I can assure
you that once you are done, God will use you in a great and mighty way. The
hand of God will be upon you.
Before I realized that I was going through a series of
tests, I used to question God for everything. I had major health issues, but
then I asked myself, "How will I tell the sick that Jesus heals if He has
not healed me, how will I testify that God restores if I never lost
anything?"
All these tests require you to have a close relationship
with God; you have to be strong and patient. Remember that it is not to destroy
you but to qualify you.
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