Photo by Kelly Sikkema
It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac.
Hebrews 11:17 NLT
In Genesis 22:1 It says After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” God tested Abraham concerning Isaac (the promise he had waited a long time for). Was Abraham going to hold tightly to the promise or put it in the hands of the One who had given him the promise?
Abraham had full faith and trust in God. He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. Hebrews 11:19
We are told that Abraham’s response was faith, not doubt or unbelief. He responded and obeyed God by faith.
God will test us, to see what is in us. He will put us to the test to prove whether we actually believe what we say or not. God will require us to put our money where our mouth is where our faith in Him is concerned.
Ways in which God tests us:
God tests our faith.
God tested Abraham’s faith. God will test our faith. God isn’t testing you in the trial, He is testing your faith through the trial. We will show up differently in circumstances when we shift our minds from, “Why is God putting me through this?, to “God is proving my faith through this”. Our faith has to be proven to reveal whether it’s genuine or not.
He tests our faith through trials. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold- though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 peter 1:7 NLT trials are for proving the genuineness and the weight of our faith.
God tests our faith to mature us. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:3-4 NLT
Some translations say so that you will be mature… God putting us to the test is for our maturing in faith and character.
God tests our hearts.
God tests our hearts to humble us and see whether we will obey his commandments or not.
And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Deuteronomy 8:2
…In this way, I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. Exodus 16:4 b
There are things God will do for the testing of our obedience.
God will test our hearts to reveal our motives.
But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Jeremiah 17:10
People don’t judge our motives, God does. God looks beyond the way things appear to be to what they really are and rewards us accordingly. Don’t put on a show for men, be authentic before God and people so that God can reward you accordingly. Don’t serve, give or do anything to be seen by men, they don’t have a reward for you.
God tests us with His word.
Until what he had said came to pass; the word of the Lord tested him. Psalm 105:19 This verse is talking about Joseph. When God gave him dreams concerning the future, God then put Joseph to the test, and we are told that Joseph was tested by the word of the Lord.
God’s promises over our lives have to test us and prove us. We cannot be partakers of His blessings and promises without going through the test.
The word of the Lord tests us until it can produce fruit. But the seed in the good ground- these are the ones who. Having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit. Luke 8:15 CSB
Something is required of us when we receive a word from God. Our hearts have to be good ground for the Word. We also have to cling to it and endure the testing until that word produces fruit in our lives.
As God tested Abraham, He will also test us to prove our faith in Him. May we pass the test and grow strong in faith and be pleasing to Him.
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