Callistus Ike
TESTING OUR RESOLVE
# Testing matures us.
# God’s test is an open test.
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
# In 2021, God’s going to test you at six different levels using Noah, Abraham and Moses as His yardsticks.
1. NOAH:
The test of the IMPOSSIBLE TASK. Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
# God asked Noah to do what nobody has ever done before in life.
He was asked to build an ARK. It didn’t make sense because no one had ever seen an ark before nor seen where one was ever built. Moreover, the ark was built in anticipation of a heavy downpour yet no one had ever seen rain. Noah’s children must have been a subject of ridicule and mockery at school yet he held on to God’s mandate.
# You’ve got to do something that nobody has ever done before.
# Faith is believing God even when I have never done or seen it before.
# Will you embrace the challenge or run away?
2. ABRAHAM
# You will face the test of a MAJOR CHALLENGE.
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
# This is a test of going somewhere you’ve never been before just like Abraham. Jerked out of the familiar into uncharted courses. Will you agree to follow through?
3. TEST OF DELAYED PROMISE
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
# The excitement of a wonderful promise can be crushed in the crucible of delay.
#. Some of the things that God is leading you to start now might be perfected/completed by your children. Abraham was called to inherit a land but by faith he sojourned in the land of promise as a stranger.
4. The test of an UNSOLVABLE PROBLEM.
Hebrews 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
# God’s going to pass you through the test of unsolvable problem so that we can depend on Him ONLY to pull us through.
5. The test of SENSELESS TRAGEDY.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
# This is a test to help us demonstrate that we love the gift-giver more than the gift itself.
6. The test of PROLONGED PAIN!
Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
# The miracle is in being stretched by God irrespective of the pain, worries, difficulties or even fear of breaking. As a believer, how we respond when we’ve been stretched to our point of elasticity i.e our breaking point is very important.
# When you are stretched, you get to a level you’ve never been before and you can’t remain the same afterward.
# a. What uniqueness do we have as a church?
# b. How can we be socially relevant?
# c. How can we make church exciting again?
#. How can we create value in the lives of people?
# d. For every idea or suggestion, we need to ask ourselves: Is this idea a vitamin or painkiller? How does it fit into our core purpose? As a vitamin, does it bring nourishment to the body or as painkiller, does it bring healing. What value does it bring?
# e. Why are we not leveraging the tools of technology to reach a global audience?
# People wants to hear from other voices apart from the ones they are used to!
