The following are the seasons of six primary tests and temptations I have observed in my own Christian walk:
I
found that right before God wants to do something great, either in an
event or in my life and ministry, there was an extraordinary amount of
resistance against me.
In the beginning of my Christian
journey, this was at times confusing, but as I matured, I realized that
if I did not get resistance from the enemy, then that was a sign that I
was probably missing God. Hence, when there is great spiritual warfare, I
have confidence that God is ready to do something big. This gives me
the endurance and patience I need to continue on in spite of the intense
difficulty I am experiencing.
2. Tests come right after a completed assignment.
Through
the years, I also discovered that Satan attacks right after great
achievements and victories because he is desperately attempting one last
time to prevent our forward motion. Often after experiencing a major
victory, we are not on guard and are vulnerable to attacks from the
enemy.
This is similar to what happened after Elijah the
prophet reached his peak in ministry after he called down fire from
heaven and proved to the nation of Israel that Jehovah was the true God
over Baal (1 Kin. 18).
Immediately afterward, the wicked
Queen Jezebel threatened his life, he got discouraged, wanted to end
his life and ran into the wilderness (1 Kin. 19). Also, we read in the
Gospels that after Jesus had a great glimpse of the glory of His Father
on the Mount of Transfiguration, immediately after, demonic oppression
manifested so strongly that even His disciples could not deal with it or
cast it out (Matt. 17:1-20).
I learned the hard way
that after every breakthrough or victory I experience, I have to be on
high alert so I am not blindsided by an attack.
3. Tests come in between a prophetic word and its fulfillment.
Some
of the greatest tests I experience happen while waiting for a prophetic
word to be fulfilled. Often, the timing of a prophetic sense or word is
not accurately discerned and people think a word will be fulfilled soon
after they receive it. Sometimes I have had to wait years before words
spoken to my heart by God were ever fulfilled. Some words spoken decades
ago have still not come to pass. This is a great test of faith. Abraham
experienced a similar test when God told him he would have a son, and
he had to wait several decades before Isaac was born (Gen. 12-21).
Not only that, but after Isaac was born, God tested
Abraham's obedience by telling him to sacrifice his son on the altar
(Gen. 22). In light of this, after we receive a word from the Lord, we
need to ponder it in our hearts like Mary did after the word about the
birth of her son (Luke 2:19). We have to discern both the timing and
interpretation of it and rest in the Lord until it comes to pass. We
need to continue in well doing and not faint because in due season we
will reap if we do not give up (Gal. 6:9). This is perhaps the hardest
of all the tests in this article.
4. Temptation comes when you are at your weakest point.
In
studying the Gospels, we learn that the devil came to tempt Jesus after
He fasted 40 days and was hungry (Luke 4). After Jesus resisted all the
temptations successfully, the devil left Him until a more opportune
time came (Luke 4:13). I have learned that the devil doesn't have mercy
upon believers when they are weak, tired, discouraged, angry, bitter,
offended, sick or burned out. Rather, that's when he assaults them the
most. Never think that the devil feels sorry for you or will have mercy
on you when you are struggling. This is why we have to have covenant
relationships with mature Christians who will come around you when you
are weak and help pray you through in your weakest moments.
Along
these lines, I also learned never to make major decisions or
communicate sensitive information to others when I am weary, tired,
discouraged or angry since I am not in a good position emotionally to
discern the will of God.
5. Temptation comes when you are bored.
Second
Samuel 11 illustrates how King David fell into adultery and murder when
he was idle and stayed home instead of going to battle like the other
kings did. Often, because people do not have a strong sense of purpose
and or get bored, they get involved in adulterous relationships because
they yearn for excitement and stimulation. I have found that the only
thing that saves me during the mundane times is my deep intimacy with
the Lord. As long as my primary motivation for living comes from seeking
and knowing God (and not from ministry), then when I experience mundane
times, I can use the extra time I have to seek and study the ways of
God (which further prepares me for the next big thing I will face when
my schedule becomes hectic again).
6. Temptation comes when you lose your primary focus.
Along
with the last point, temptation comes when you allow distractions to
keep you away from the main things you are called to focus on in life.
Besides
our walk with the Lord and our commitment to family and church, we all
have a primary assignment we should focus on. One of the greatest
temptations I have faced in life is not necessarily sinful temptations,
but many good opportunities that can wear me out and keep me from
maximizing my time and focus on my primary assignments. The enemy of
God's best is often disguised in the form of good opportunities. We have
to continually focus so we can keep the main thing the priority in our
lives.
Finally, I thank God that He always provides a way of
escape from temptations (1 Cor. 10:13) and is always with me during my
fiery trials and tests (Is. 43:2-3).
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