Ministerial test
As you prepare for ministry, before God chooses you or promotes you- God will take you through different kind of tests to see if they will bring you closer to Him or away from Him. Below are the ten tests you will experience.
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Time tests- God will put you on shelf and ignores you to see your motives, He will start purifying the motives. He will build and grow you in faith. You can wait a longer time-Abraham waited 25 years, Gen 12:4, Gen 16:1-34. He almost gave up in Gen 17
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Trials and difficulties- you will be tested on the knowledge of scriptures, to see if you rely on His promises. What will you do if neglected by parents and persecuted by family or falsely accused? Will you turn to the bible and remember His promises? God wants to know whether you will go closer to Him or away from Him (Psalm 105: 17-). Women have the greatest weapon of influence, influence for the ministry or against the ministry. Find your call before a wife, then find a wife who fits in the call or who can support. Greatest preachers have wives who are ready to support, who are ready to pay the price with them-who support the kids when they are out preaching. As a wife, use influence to support the gospel and your husband's office.
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The servant test- ability to serve, you must be willing to serve another pastor or another minister of God. The price you need to pay is that the call must come first instead of your wife. Serve a man of God instead of a wife. Men of God are unpredictable, they will pull away from you sometimes due to pressure and you need to support them.
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The wilderness test- Most difficult period of your life, God wants to get the world out of you-to get you out of Egypt. He wants you to rely on Him in prayer and to cut off some of the things you were doing. Prov. 24:27
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Patience- It is time for the man of God you are serving not yours. As long as it is his ministry, then it is his time not yours.
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Frustration time- to re-examine your priorities, you have done everything and your body seem to ache. God will watch you to see how you handle the situation.
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Discouragement test- better to stop messages will flood your mind, If you are called then you will……this will help you to refocus on the call
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The war test- before you are chosen, the devil will attack you. God wants you to develop spiritual weapons.
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The vision test- Nehemiah 1:1-11, Nehemiah 2. God wants to know how you plan your life time commitment to Him. Habakkuk 2:1-3, what you will do with vision. Re-write your vision, rehearse it yourself that is not vague-go after it.
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Promotion test- God wants to know if you can handle it when people clap hands, are you going to be humble, arrogant or feel you are the only one? Don't take the mantle before it is your time.