TEST OF OBEDIENCE

1 NOW it came to pass after these things that GOD TESTED ABRAHAM, AND said to him, “Abraham!” AND HE SAID, “HERE I AM.”
2 THEN He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, AND OFFER him there as a BURNT OFFERING on one of the mountains of WHICH I SHALL TELL YOU.”
Genesis 22:1,2 (NKJV)

• Some Believers would not want to believe or agree that God usually tests whoever is following Him.

• The Lord wants me to tell you that your Obedience would be tested. The day of Test is coming and it is a Day which would not be announced to you or made known to you ahead of time.
• Tests are not usually prepared for. And for you to pass a test, you would have been a Believer who walks in the biblical Principles—someone who lives the Bible.
• That is, you had cultivated the habits of living in line with the Word of God. You are not hypocritical.
• A Believer who is living practically in line with the Word of God would not be afraid of any tests that may be brought on his or her way. Since he or she does not have any skeleton in their cupboards.
• In order to pass whatever test brought your way by God, you must be a Believer who is circumspect; who is sensitive, has a Right heart, and passionate about God and His Kingdom.
  Someone who is moved, or triggered, or turned on, by the things of the Kingdom.

• When you are bidden by God to do a particular thing; either spoken to you directly, through the Holy Spirit on the inside of you, or through a servant of His, do not hesitate to Obey.

• Do not pretend not to have heard, or saying you do not have the time, or giving excuses or reasons why you could not or would not be able to do it.
• Whatever you are called to do for God, and His Kingdom At this time of the year, could be a TEST. And, It is my prayer that you will not fail Jesus' name.
• As the year progresses, God may want to interrupt your plans and programmes. You would do well to allow Him. Do not tell Him you had already planned what to do.
• It is good to plan, that you might have a focus and direction for the year. However, you would have to be flexible in the hand of God and allow Him to interrupt your plans.
• Subject every plan and programme of yours to God's approval: “HE WILL PROTECT HIS FAITHFUL ONES, BUT the wicked will disappear in darkness. NO ONE WILL SUCCEED BY STRENGTH ALONE" (1 Samuel 2:9 NLT).

• It could be a test of Obedience.

• Do not miss God, in the day that He comes for the tests.
• Some have missed God's visitations, when He came to test their Obedience and Faithfulness that He might reward them or give answers to their Prayers—grant the requests which they had brought before Him.
• In spite the fact that God had promised to give a son to Abraham, He still wanted to know his heart before He could finally grant his Desire—the promise of a child.
• God came, was passing by, as a stranger, in the company of other Angels, and Abraham without knowing that they were Angels (Hebrews 13:2), invited them to have a meal, and after the meals, they told him Sarah would conceive and have a baby in a couple of months:
  1 THEN THE LORD APPEARED TO HIM [Abraham] BY THE TEREBINTH TREES OF MAMRE, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, “MY LORD, IF I HAVE NOW FOUND FAVOUR IN YOUR SIGHT, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 PLEASE LET A LITTLE WATER BE BROUGHT, AND WASH YOUR FEET, AND REST YOURSELVES UNDER THE TREE. 5 AND I WILL BRING A MORSEL OF BREAD, THAT YOU MAY REFRESH YOUR HEARTS. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “DO AS YOU HAVE SAID.” 8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
  9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.” 10 AND HE SAID, “I WILL CERTAINLY RETURN TO YOU ACCORDING TO THE TIME OF LIFE, AND BEHOLD, SARAH YOUR WIFE SHALL HAVE A SON.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)" (Genesis 18:1-5,8-10 (NKJV).

• In above Bible passage, God appeared to Abraham, in the company of other Angels (Genesis 18:1,2).

• It was a test for Abraham, God wanted to know what he would do. You know, the Angels did not come straight to his house, they were just passing by, and Abraham ran to them, asking them to come in and have a meal and be refreshed (Genesis 18:1-5).
• It was in the course of having the meals they asked after Sarah and announced to him that Sarah would CONCEIVE and have a baby (Genesis 18:8-10).
• God wanted to bring to the Fulfilment what He had promised Abraham over the years, yet, He still wanted to know his heart before He finally gave it to him: "DO NOT FORGET TO ENTERTAIN STRANGERS, FOR BY SO DOING SOME HAVE UNWITTINGLY [unknowingly] ENTERTAINED ANGELS" (Hebrews 13:2 (NKJV).

• Many have missed God's visitation, because their priorities are wrong.

• At this season of the year, your main priority should be God and His Kingdom.
  a. In your finances it should be God and His Kingdom first.
  b. In the usage of your Time, It should be God and His Kingdom First: "BUT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU" (Matthew 6:33 NKJV).
• God would make a demand on your Time, Money, talents, or vocational giftedness, or whatever you have (Genesis 22:1-3). Thus, you should be sensitive enough to know that God has come to test your Obedience.
• If you had made God and His Kingdom your first priority, you would not Miss it, and would not fail the test.

• Abraham was flexible in God's hand, and he had given all to Him, nothing was too big to give to God and whatever is of Him.

• Abraham was ready and willing all the time to obey God, whenever he was prompted to do, or give, anything to God, His Kingdom, the Needy, or the Poor, and whoever.
• In his Heart, he always says God I am at your service, If you needed anyone, I am available (Isaiah 6:8,9).
• If you needed anything God the Father, All I have are yours, they are available, that should be your response or prayer.
• Abraham did not argue with God when He demanded from him to Sacrifice his son (Genesis 22:1-3).
• He did not argue or struggle with the intuition, when he intuitively perceived that he should ENTERTAIN those who were passing by (Genesis 18:1-5).
• God would inspire some Believers to do something; either to give to the work of God, a Minister, a fellow Believer, or whatever. They would struggle with the Holy Spirit until they have missed the opportunity—the visitation of God.
• Meanwhile, what God prompted them to do was just a test to know their Obedience, that He might honour them, and grant what they had been asking for over the years.

• It is my prayer that you will not fail the test when God comes around to test your Obedience and Faithfulness in Jesus' name.

• If you are having an ailment in your body, receive your healing now in Jesus' name.
• Whatever is not planted in your body that is working against your health is completely uprooted now in Jesus' name.
  Peace!

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!