Bible Reading: Job 17; Heb. 11: 15 – 21
“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up Isaac his only begotten son…accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” – Hebrews 11:17/19 (KJV)
Faith brings the powerful move of God. Before every promotion in life we must go through test, success in such test guarantees us the promotion. Everyone in life, especially a child of God has two categories of school to attend namely:
1) School of temptation, and
2) school of test.
We know that temptation comes from the devil just to drown us in the ocean of perdition. But you should always have this in mind: “there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” – 1 Cor. 10:13 (KJV). James provides an insight further on this subject of temptation when he says: “let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” – James 1:13 (KJV). Jesus Christ, our Master was tempted but He overcame, you shall overcome in Jesus name. Whenever devil comes with his suggestive thoughts, resist him and he shall flee.
Test, on the other hand, comes from our Creator to give us promotion.
Abraham who waited for twenty-five years before the fulfilment of the promise of God came to pass in his life was still asked by God to offer his son to Him as sacrifice: “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon the mountains which I will tell thee of” – Gen. 22:1-2 (KJV). The instruction was clear to Abraham, take your son now, not later. How many times has God asked you to do something for Him and you postpone it? He was also told that he must go to the mountain that He (God) will tell him of. The reason is simple, the provision of substitution was only available on that mountain and not elsewhere. If he had been presumptuous, he would have wasted the son and accused God for nothing.
To pass the test of faith, you should listen carefully to the instruction coming from God. He believed God in all the processes and there was a good result. This effort made Abraham a reference point that even Prophets of old were able to use him to encourage their audience “look unto Abraham your father, and to Sarah that bare you…” May you pass the test before you in Jesus name
Prayer Point: Father, help me to remain connected with you to pass the test that may attend my way on my pilgrimage in Jesus name.
Rev. Julius Oluwole