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Last week here on The Dose of Inspiration we started a 3 part series that began last week and will continue through next week Oct. 20^th.

This series is called Know this is only a test!

In part 1 we talked about trials and how we are all in seasons of testing. And just like when we were in school – we had tests to take to pass to the next school level – we also have tests to take so we can move up in our so called levels in life and in our spiritual walk.

We can pass the tests in life if we know what the word of God says. Just as we studied for a test in school, we must study the word of God in order to pass the tests we are enduring in our lives.

Testing is what proves we are ready for use the testing you endure is what proves you for God to use you!

Paul taught us in 2 Corinthians 13:5 we are to have proper fruit during trials, and that fruit is our actions and our words. Our actions and our words should be speaking properly – speaking the word of God and not lack, debt, sickness, etc. We must recognize what our fruit is showing and is it proper fruit for our test!!!

James instructed us in James 1:2-4

To Consider it wholly joyful, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort. We must understand that the trial and proving of our faith brings out endurance, steadfastness, and patience.

But we are to let endurance and steadfastness and patience do a thorough work, so that you may be perfectly and fully developed lacking in nothing.
Praise God.

I went on to explain what testing proves in us on Part 1 (so if you missed it or need a refresher just go to the BlogTalk site and listen to Part one again.
Quickly I want to list them again
here are some testing truths:

WE ALL EXPERIENCE TESTS AT EACH STAGE OF OUR GROWTH NO ONE IS EXEMPT!

TESTING ALWAYS PRECEDES PROMOTION

OUR GOAL IS TO PASS THE TEST

SELF PROMOTION AND THE PROMOTION OF OTHERS CAN NEVER REPLACE GOD’S DIVINE PROMOTION.

Today we are going to go over the first half of the types of tests, and next week I will go over the 2nd half, again Part 1 of this series listed them all for you and a brief overview of them.

I will also give you what scripture reference they each have, and what they work in us and what they work out of us!

Because just like silver or gold put over a refiners fire; it is there to draw out impurities and the Bible says in Malachi 3:3 that God sits as a refiner and purifier over our lives.

And our trials will pull things out of us- impurities out of us, in which God wants, removed.
Also clay in a fire sits at an intense heat to harden the vessel in order for it to be used properly. If it does not harden it cannot be used properly.

And our fire, our tests and trails are what prepare and harden us to be the vessel we need to be for God.

The first test we are going to talk about is:

MOTIVATION TEST (Job 1:9-11 / Matthew 6:5-6)
This test comes to the one who are doing right, to prove why they are doing it.
(Job 1:9-11)”Then Satan answered the Lord, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing? Hast thou not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth Thy hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse Thee to Thy face.’”

Job was doing right, and the devil thought he could change Jobs mind and he thought if Job lost his stuff and his family then he would curse God and turn from him.
But God knew better, he knew Job loved him and would continue to serve him, Job was not serving God for what great things he had, he served God because he loved him.

We need to realize that Jobs test was a span of 9-18 months depending on what bible scholar you take and what Job learned in the end when he had nothing left
was that he still had God and He is more than enough!

What are our motives, do we serve God because we love him or because we want something? Do you give just because we know the bible promises a return or do we do it to worship our Father?

What are our motives? God knows our motives but this test will be one which comes to prove to us and those around
just who is our God and why are we serving him?

Do we say God why me or God use me!?
Testing is difficult but the result is often a deeper relationship with God! Those who endure the testing as Job did will experience greater rewards in the end. Remember testing produces promotion!

LORDSHIP TEST (Luke 5:4-7 / Joshua 1:8)
This test occurs when you’re in a situation where it becomes difficult to obey God. It will reveal your heart response to who or what has the final authority in your life.
(Luke 5:4-7)”Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

There are several difficulties and tests here
1. Peter, Andrew, James and John had all gone fishing. Jesus meets them right where their lives are when he arrives at their place of work.

These men had been watching Jesus as he established his authority in the synagogue, and at this particular time this was their 2nd call from Jesus to follow Him. In Mark 1 16-18 we can read about the first time Jesus had called them to follow them. But here we are now at the 2nd time in Luke 5.

We may think that these men Jesus called were extraordinary people of great faith, however that is not true. They were ordinary people like we are who had to grow in their faith, just as we do.

2. Jesus asks them to let down their nets in Luke 5:4 and let down your nets
but notice Simon Peters answer: And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

Two things here, 1st Peter does not want to go back into the water because they have been fishing all night and when Jesus came they were cleaning their nets because they were done. But Jesus wanted to prove he cared about their day to day operations and their needs so He told them to let down their nets, but look at how many nets Peter let down! One!

Peter said And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net! One! Peter was tired, weary; probably hungry, ready to go home, and then may have even thought, this man is going to make me look like a fool if I put all my nets in the water, so I will only put in one.
But Praise God He blessed Simon anyway and filled the net so full it was beginning to tear! Imagine if they had put all their nets in the water!

When things seem uncomfortable to us or bothersome because things are not working we may be in a test to prove who or what has the final authority in our life.
What do we do with what God instructs us to do?

WILDERNESS TEST (Deuteronomy 8:15-16/Psalm 42:1-4)
This test comes in dryness to prove your potential to change and enter a new growth level.
(Deuteronomy 8:15-16)”He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water…In the wilderness He fed you manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you, in the end.”

Now I can tell you about the dryness test. I have lived it and praise God have obviously passed it because I am here to tell of it!

When a pot is formed on the potters wheel and molded into a piece of pottery it goes through a whole processes of mashing, and beating, and water added and even some sand added to it to form it correctly and have it hold up under the firing process.

But there is a process called the drying process where that clay pot must sit on the shelf for a proper amount of time to dry. If it was to come off the lonely drying and barren shelf too early
it was not be able to withstand it’s purpose.

A potter knows to fire a vessel without breaking; the clay must first be air-dried. Sitting on the shelf to dry properly will keep us from breaking in the refining process.

We must wait in the wilderness test, in the dryness, to prove our potential to change and enter a new growth level. This only happens while we wait!

A similar test to the wilderness test is:
TEST OF TIME (Esther 4:14/Galatians 6:9) because it involves waiting!
This test proves the quality of your work, based on both opportunity and longevity.
For the longevity part of the test we see

(Galatians 6:9) And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

Oh the times I had to stand on this scripture to keep myself from giving up. As a matter of fact I came out of a test of time just this week, in the midst of me bringing you these messages on testing. (As I have said we are all in tests, including ministers of the Gospel)

According to this scripture we win if we do not give up. In your test of waiting how long are you willing to wait?

Think of what you want to do most desperately or have the Lord do for you. How long are you willing to wait? 10 weeks, 10 months, 10 years! I have waited as long as 13 years for something to come to pass, but Praise God just this week it did!

I waited for my son to come to the Lord for 9 years and now He is in Bible College after serving the devil for so long.

I am still waiting in tests for some things, but I know God is faithful if I am faithful and do not give up!

No matter how long I have waited and seen things come to pass, I always look back and say I would do it again to get the results I have gotten!

Another part of the time test is (Esther 4:14)
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

After the decree to kill the Jews was given, Mordecai and Esther could have decided to save only themselves or just waited for God to do something, instead they saw that God had placed them in their positions for a purpose so they seized the moment and acted.

When it is within our reach to save others, to do God’s work, to intercede for someone we must do so. We are not to see how life threatening the situation is, or wait for God to do something – Remember God has done all He is going to do on this earth until He returns, we are his hands, feet, and voice – we are His body, we are to do the work,

He gives us the authority and strength but we are to get up and get going – not wait for God to do something, he is waiting on us!

We are to ask Him for His direction then ACT!

You may be like Esther and in places where you are for such as time as this! Don’t look around and say help, why me God, say God here I am send me I am willing, I will be your hands, feet, and voice as Esther was!

Join me next week for Know This Is Only a Test Part 3 where I will give you the last of the types of testing and what they mean to you!

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