Rejoicing in Trials

Trials are a part of the Christian life that none of us look forward to. But it is through trials that God demonstrates His grace and faithfulness. It is also through trials that we receive the rewards of an overcomer as outlined in Revelation in the letters to the churches. A trial or testing will always proceed a promotion in the spirit. Before we step into a new level of authority there will be a time of proving. A lot of times these trials or testings will take the form of spiritual attacks.

I have gotten to the point in my spiritual journey when I view a trial or attack as merely a prerequisite to breakthrough. When the opposition grows fierce I start to ask the Lord what He is bringing me into. One example of this is in the life of Christ. Jesus went into the desert and prayed for forty days. At the end of this fast Satan came to Him to tempt Him. Satan was trying to destroy Christ so that He would not achieve His destiny. Our enemy seeks to destroy us so that we will not live out what God has for us. He will often try to tempt us with what is to be our eventual destiny and dominion.

Christ's destiny was to go to the cross, be resurrected after three days, and break the curse of sin. Through Christ's death, the authority over the kingdoms of this world were restored back to God. Satan had temporary dominion because of the sin of Adam. What did Satan do but tempt Christ with the kingdoms of this world if He would just bow down. Christ was offered a short cut to His destiny. Christ was destined to rule over all the kingdoms of the earth. Satan was offering Him a different throne than His promised one and would have deprived the world of its atoning sacrifice. Christ proved Himself worthy by passing this final test. When Jesus left the desert He was launched into His public ministry. 

In the same way we will be tested and given the chance to prove ourselves before God launches us into our ministry. God will allow the enemy to come in and attempt to destroy us for He desires to see us victorious. I love the story of Job. Satan came before God to accuse the brethren and God asked him if he had considered Job. God knew how righteous Job was and it was a point of pleasure for Him. God allowed Satan to test Job because He knew that Job would remain faithful through all of the testing. God was delighted in Job and God was glorified in it.

In the same way when we go through trials and testing God is looking upon us with delight. His name is glorified and His grace and mercy is demonstrated when we go through the testing victorious. Christ sits upon the throne and intercedes on our behalf and the Holy Spirit intercedes through us with the words that our mind can not express. I can see God filled with pleasure when we emerge victorious. I can see Him looking upon our accuser and saying "have you seen her?" "Have you seen my servant?" "You tried to destroy him and cut off his destiny but he remained faithful." 

Take joy in your trials for God is glorified in them. Much of them are used to cultivate us and to mold and shape us. Even if they have no benefit to us in this life we can rejoice for they allow us to enter into the fellowship of Christ's sufferings. Take joy, my brothers and sisters! We have the victory in Jesus who is calling us into the rewards of an overcomer.