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.