Recently I went through a fiery trial. God showed me some dreams prior, warning me that I may face some problems.
I could not really do anything about the trials. Based on the word of God we don’t have a choice sometimes.
Mar 14:36 “And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.”
When it did hit, it came from all directions. My official life, my personal life and my health. These are the three main areas which can effect a man, as we see from the trials of Job. And mind you in that order also. Job’s first instance his official life was hit (that is his possessions) and then his children (that is his personal life) and then finally sickness (his health).
In my case, at the peak of the trial when I thought I could not just take it anymore, I saw in my mind Jesus coming in a white horse with a sword and destroying the spirits and it was all over. Just like that.
A trial has a purpose. it was ‘follows’ a promise and it ‘precedes’ a blessing
I just sat there and wondered why this all happened. Certainly it was not pleasant and given the choice I would have gladly avoided it. I also got so worried over it, can my body and mind handle this stress? If Jesus loves me so much why is he letting this happen to me?
These are questions which can run through anyone.
These are my learning’s;
1) Stay put
Firstly you cannot do anything about the problem you are facing!
Only God can take you through it unscathed and bring you out untouched.
Nothing you do can worsen or lessen the situation
Just pray, sometimes you may not have strength to even do that. That is okay, Jesus has already overcome, so you are an overcomer through Jesus.
Isa 43:2 “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
2) It strengthens us
II Co 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
I happened to hear something amazing about the swords built in the Scottish highlands. The art of bringing about the right flexibility (bending without breaking) which is required for a sword is amazing. The master craftsman forges the sword in fire and takes it out, he then puts the sword in liquid, sometime oil. Just as you put the sword in liquid it is vulnerable as glass. In fact, at this time a hard knock can shatter it. But he lets it cool down and again gently shapes it knocking it down, then again in the fire and again in the liquid. According to the master sword smith, this process is needed to bring in the perfect amount of flexibility, not too much to break, yet the right amount to be flexible as a fighting weapon
Isn’t that amazing! As we read in above worse God takes us through water and fire forging us.
Trials permitted by God strengthen us. Within ourselves (body, soul and spirit) , in our relationships with family and in our relationship with God
Every family which has gone through trials is much stronger, every marriage which has gone through trials are closer to each other, every relationship which has gone through trials is firmer. I have read stories where strangers caught in crisis incidents have come out with an amazing inseparable bond. I have heard of stories when families face a crisis how they forged into a strong bond. We are at the weakest in a trial or crisis. We put all our defenses down and we become helpless, it is then we seek the help of man and that is why a crisis or trial bonds men.
Same way when we go through trials our strength in Jesus is stronger “for my strength is made perfect in weakness” or in others words is strength in us is made perfect
3) Result is a blessing
Towards the end of a trial there is a blessing, a hope
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Rom 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
The original Hebrew word here for hope is el-pece’
From ἔλπω elpō which is ‘to anticipate, usually with pleasure’, expectation or confidence
End of this trial is a beautiful anticipation of something positive which happens for sure in our lives
We see this over and over again in the Bible, Josephs worst time was the last two years after he was forgotten by the two prisoners and just after that being set high as governor of Egypt. King David’s worst period was when he pretended to be a mad man and ended up at an enemy King’s territory and lived rejected, just after that he was proclaimed King. Elijah worst period was scared of Jezebel and ran into the mountains for fear of his life and next chapter he was taken away into heaven in a chariot.
In summary, all these trials results in a beautiful promise which will come into life
[Read part two of this article]
