Speaker: Sis. Techie Rodriguez, Elder, The Lord's Flock Catholic Charismatic Community

" Test of Preparation for Ministry"

Prepare Ourselves for Trials!

When we come to minister for God, we should be ready for tests. “My son, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity. Cling to him, forsake him not; there will your future be great. Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient, for in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation.” (Sirach 2:1-5).

The Lord tests our character and our motives especially when He intends to use us in his ministry. God reminds us of our weaknesses in order that we turn to the Lord for help. He proves us so we can grow and be firm. He gives us our final test of preparation for ministry.

“Moreover, they should be tested first.” (1 Timothy 3:10). To be tested is to be proven and to be investigated. We are proven of our faithfulness and motivation. We are investigated if we truly love God.

The Tests of Jesus

Before Jesus started his ministry, He prepared and was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert where He ate nothing for forty days . (Luke 4:1-2). He was to be tested.

When the devil tempted Jesus to command the stone to become bread, He answered “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone'”. (vv 3-4). When tempted with all the kingdoms of the world and asked to worship the devil, Jesus replied, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him alone shall you serve.'” (vv 5-8). When dared to throw himself from the parapet on the temple, Jesus said “It also says, ‘you shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'” (vv 9-12).

When Jesus was tested, He was filled with the Holy Spirit . (Luke 4:1). His faithfulness was proven before He began his Galilean Ministry.

Welcome Our Tests!

Tests will happen to us like they happened to Jesus. When they do, we should be filled with the Holy Spirit who gives us love, patience, faithfulness and strength.

Most of the biblical character were tested before they served the Lord. Joseph, the Dreamer, and Moses underwent severe testing before they were greatly blessed. When we are beginning to serve the Lord, and even though we are already many years in God's ministry, we should welcome the tests in our lives. “Trust God and He will help you.” ( Sirach 2:6) God will never forsake us. (Hebrew 13:5)

Test of Preparation for Ministry

There are many tests of preparation for ministry for God. These include time test, word, character, motivation, servant, wilderness, misunderstanding, patience, discouragement, frustration, discouragement, warfare, self-will, vision, usage, and promotion test.

Time Test of Preparation for Ministry

We shall encounter time test as we prepare for our ministry for the Lord. Time test will involve our use of time, our consciousness of time, and our patience.

Time is given free by God; it cannot be bought nor saved. We should be conscious of time. It should be used wisely. A time test may be about our wise use of time.

“There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). A time test may be about our realization that it is already our time to do a particular “affair” – e.g. a time to stop our foolishness, a time to surrender ourselves to the Lord, a time to step out from sin.

A time test may also be about our patience. We might be thinking that God is not fulfilling his promise that we are already claiming. Such a delay may just be a time test that is meant to develop our trust in the Lord and our patience.

Purposes of Time Test

1. Time Test provides us an opportunity for our faith to grow. All of us, especially the leaders, must have more faith from trials and tests in order to strengthen others. “… you may have to suffer through various trials so that the genuineness of your faith… may prove to be for praise , glory and honor, at the revelation of Jesus.” (1 Peter 1:6-7).

2. Time test purifies motives and attitudes. Especially during times of delays, our patience is tested. We should be able to control our anger, fear, and anxiety; and to develop attitude and character similar to those of Jesus.

3. Time test shows God's faithfulness and miracle –working power. When we undergo time test, we see God's faithfulness and miracles.

We should learn to be patient and to trust in the Lord in order to pass his time test.

The story of Abraham showed how he trusted the Lord and waited for the fulfillment of God's promise that he would become the father of a host of nations. (Genesis 17:5). His wife, Sarah, at ninety, gave birth to his son as he passed the time test of the Lord.

The story of Joseph, the Dreamer, also demonstrated how he did not complain serving his time as a slave and a prisoner. He waited until God's purpose for his life was clear – saving other lives. (Genesis 46:5).

When the Lord Delays His Promise

What should we do if the promise of the Lord is not immediately fulfilled? When God's promise or answer to our prayer is delayed, we should consider the following pointers:

1. Avoid playing God. Sometimes, we have the tendency to take matters in our ways. We try to immediately change the situation instead of asking first what God wants us to do in delaying his answer to us. We become impatient and we accept to compromise.

2. Guard against making quick decision and snap judgment whenever possible. Important decisions that have to be made require time for us to think and to pray. We should not hurry in making quick decisions and snap judgment; very few major issues require expediency in decision-making.

We should know how to wait for God's decision. Some of us try to expedite God's program. Some suffer dire consequences for this impatience.

Of course, we should not procrastinate. When the Lord asks us to do something, we should do it without delay. We should not postpone, for example, our prayers, our reading of the Bible, and our facing of problems.

Guarding against making a quick decision does not mean procrastinating. It only means spending ample time for studying, discerning, and praying; and then making the decision without a moment of procrastination.

3. Be careful of individuals close to you who can lead you astray. We should discern other people's advice to check that they are consistent with God's plan and word. Beware of people who do not tell the truth and who compromise. We should choose whom we ask for counsel. [Please read Sirach 37:7-12].

4. When seeking God's will, be careful of the subtle influence of your former lifestyle. We should be alone with God when we pray. We should be calm and still. We should not panic no matter how severe the test is. It is when we panic that we commit mistakes. When seeking God's will, wait upon the Lord until He makes his ways known and his motive clear.