There is greatness deposited in every Child of God; God only makes masterpieces and He puts in the best of creativity and care to achieve this.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Ephesians 2:10 NLT

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.“
Psalms 139:14 NKJV

A fearfully and wonderfully made person is made for greatness. You are made for greatness. Halleluyah!

There are tests on the way to greatness. God tests us. By test here we mean a life situation or circumstance set up to assess or evaluate someone’s values, character or obedience to God.

From the scriptures, we find that God tests man but He does not tempt man. We see this in Jeremiah 17:10 and James 1:13 ….

“I, the Lord search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
Jeremiah 17:10 NKJV

“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.“
James 1:13 NKJV

In the context of this study, a temptation relates to trials designed to lead someone to wrongdoing or to make someone fall from grace.

If temptations don’t come from God, then who do they come from? Luke 4:2 identifies the devil as a tempter….

“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.”
Luke 4:1‭-‬2 NKJV

In Luke 22:40, Jesus asked His disciples to pray so that they do not enter into temptation…..

“When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Luke 22:40 NKJV

So prayer is one way to avoid being tempted. Being led by the Spirit is surely another. But what if we are unable to avoid temptations, what if we ignorantly walk headlong into them? 1 Corinthians 10:13, tells us God still makes a way of escape for us.

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
I Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

Halleluyah! We are not to be overcome by temptations.

So God tests, but the devil tempts. And the devil’s temptations are never intended for good.

Why does God test man?

God tests the heart and mind to determine the thoughts and intents of man, to assess the extent of mind renewal, as well as to ascertain man’s level of maturity by the Word (Exodus 20:20; Psalms 7:9; I Thessalonians 2:4; Jeremiah 11:20; Deuteronomy 8:2).

From the foregoing, God is unlikely to be testing the minds and hearts of unbelievers, but of supposedly mature believers whose minds have been exposed to a renewal process by the Word.

God doesn’t test as man does, His tests are not traps, they are not incriminating but rather they aim to make someone better (Psalms 78:56; Psalms 78:18; Mark 12:13‭-‬15).

His tests serve a refining purpose (Ecclesiastes 3:18; Proverbs 17:3, Zechariah 13:9; Psalms 66:10; James 1:3‭-‬4).

“I will bring the one –third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
Zechariah 13:9 NKJV

Below we see 5 kinds of tests that can come from God to man…

1. Test of Obedience to God and to His Word

“And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
Deuteronomy 8:2 NKJV

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.”
Exodus 16:4 NKJV

“so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the Lord , to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not.”
Judges 2:22 NKJV

2. Test of Integrity

“I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You.
I Chronicles 29:17 NKJV

3. Test of love for God

“you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.”
Deuteronomy 13:3‭-‬4 NKJV

In John 21, after His resurrection, Jesus asked Peter what he loved more; Him or his lucrative fishing job? An always enthusiastic and passionate Peter was convinced he loved Jesus more.

After the death of Jesus, Peter abandoned the work of ministry Jesus entrusted him with and went back to his fishing job. Fishing for men wasn’t something Peter understood, he couldn’t appreciate its ramifications at the time. Fishing was a comfort zone for Peter. Thank God that eventually Peter trusted and followed the Lord. He left his comfort zone. He showed he loved God more.

I know of a young lady, one committed to God and diligent in her job. She had a promising career but something else was also pulling her; She had a deep and unusual desire to serve God in a different dimension. This lady committed her time, energy and talents to doing this.

However with each day it was becoming more and more difficult to focus on her job. She realized she actually spent more time serving God with her talent than doing anything else. Her work hours seemed to be taking from her ministry time. She became uncomfortable and unsettled. It wasn’t long before she realized that God had a different plan and purpose for her outside her career.

With this realization, she made a decision to give full attention to this Godly pull. She gave herself one year to tidy up work-related things before exiting the system. About 2 months to her proposed exit date, before she had an opportunity to communicate her decision to top management, a trusted and reliable senior colleague informed her of a director level opening/position/opportunity at work. She is being considered for the role. Wow!! Temptations don’t come any closer than this. This was good news, but not entirely. It seemed more like a test.

As exciting as the job opening seemed, it was a total distraction. About a week later she summoned up enough courage to communicate to the senior colleague who trusted her with the information her decision to follow a different path and so will not be following up on her nomination. She let it pass. It was a difficult conversation, but the decision wasn’t difficult to make. She chose God.

There will always be something to give up on your way to greatness. God will test for it. Moses chose Jehovah and His ways against the pleasures of Egypt..

“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.“
Hebrews 11:24‭-‬27 NKJV

4. Tests of character

I. Test of humility

Humility is so important in attaining greatness. God will both teach on as well as test for humility.

“And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.”
Deuteronomy 8:2 NKJV

II. Test for temperance

“The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.”
Psalms 11:5 NKJV

So essentially, tests of Christian character will mean tests for manifestation of the fruit of the spirit as we find in Galatians 5:22…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.“
Galatians 5:22‭-‬24 NKJV

Have you ever caught yourself reacting to a situation in an ungodly manner, like losing your temper, talking too much, attempting to keep malice or walk in unforgiveness? Happens. We know we are on the path to growth and maturity the more we resist these urges or show true repentance.

One day I raised my voice on one of my staff in an open office. Awww! This was the first time this was happening with this staff. This was a reliable staff who was surprisingly putting up a funny attitude.

As I walked away from the general office to my office, the Holy Spirit engaged my spirit in a discussion. You can only imagine how that went. I had to walk back to the general office and apologise to this staff in the presence of everyone. That was the last time that kind of incident occurred. Even though my other staff said they respect my sense of humility in apologising to a subordinate openly (bless their souls), who wants to go back apologising in an open general office again? Not me! 🙂

Christians who comfortably harbour hatred, anger, unforgiveness, malice over days, weeks, months are not listening to the Holy Spirit (selah).

We must commit to growing up in the Lord. Some hard decisions or steps can stand as deterrents and overtime we find that we’re gaining more control. Crucifying the flesh is not a day’s job.

5. Test of faith

Jesus tested Philip’s faith in the area of provision..

“Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.”
John 6:5‭-‬6 NKJV

You may read more on this from ….”When Fragments Surpasses The Whole“.

Jesus tested the disciples’ faith in taking authority over a raging storm..

“But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”
Matthew 8:26 NKJV

Jesus tested Peter’s faith to do the seemingly impossible…. to walk on water…

“And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Matthew 14:31 NKJV

Hebrews chapter 11 is full of listing of faith champions, people who passed their faith test.

If you believe God has called you to greatness in any area of life, watch out for these tests. Your progress depends on them.

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Blessings & Love Always

So Jesus is saying to us to regularly announce, tell, declare, to make a show of, to lift up the banner of victory He purchased with His blood, to raise it high, to wave it high, to not be silent about it…… Since partaking of the communion is obviously not a loud event (physically), this proclamation/declaration is  something like a silent noise

What we do with the promises of God is to claim them. So the next time you sing this song, carefully make it into a confession, that Jehovah is the God who heals you, He sent His Word and healed all your diseases. That is the right Spirit with which to sing that song.

Christians have authority over the 3 worlds in the name of Jesus….in heaven, on earth, under the earth. And if we have the authority, we should also have the victory. Halleluyah!

[Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler.
Psalm 91:4 AMPC

If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

The abbreviation, CEO (Chief ExecutiveOfficer), tells of someone at the top of an organization’s chart or an organogram. Someone responsible for making major decisions, managing operations and resources. Someone who is the key reference for dealings of the organisation.

Jesus is the Head of the Church. Can you see Him at the top of the Church chart?

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said I will build My Church….

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.“
Matthew 16:18 NKJV

“My Church” here refers to a company of the Redeemed in Christ, the body of Christians, Christ followers.

Ephesians 1: summarises how Jesus gained His headship…

“….and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Ephesians 1:19‭-‬23 NKJV

Christ is the Head of the Church which is His Body.

Can you see Jesus at the head of the Church?

A Church marching towards unity of faith, a Church without walls or borders, a Church that is not confined to a place, space or location.

Can you see Jesus at the head of the Church?

There are no denominations, no Pentecostals, nor Presbyterians, nor Catholics and all such names (John 4:23). It’s one Body, headed by Christ (I Corinthians 12:20, John 17:22). The local assemblies are important to Jesus’s vision, but yet, your local Church is a small unit, a contributing cluster of the whole. The ministry gifts (Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Evangelists, Pastors) all work towards actualization of this unified Church (I Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:12, Acts 20:28).

Can you see Jesus at the head of the Church?

The Body of Christ is made up of members (individuals), you and I, with specific preordained roles and contributions to the whole (1 Corinthians chapter 12).

Have you found your place in this company? Where do you fit in? What are you doing about your part/role? We are ultimately answerable to Jesus. Do you have a report to share with Him?

Can you see Jesus at the Head?

He is building His Church, He is watching over His Church. He is the Vine, His Body constitutes the branches (John 15:5). He is High Priest (Hebrews 5: 1-1, Hebrews 4:14). He is Advocate for His Church (I John 2:1). He is busy building His Church and the gates of hell cannot stop it.

When you see Jesus at the Head of the Church, your perspective and attitude to Kingdom business will change. When you see Jesus at the Head, your ministry and service will have a new meaning, focus and drive.

“Jesus asked them, Have you never read in the Scriptures: The very Stone which the builders rejected and threw away has become the Cornerstone; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? [Ps. 118:22, 23.] I tell you, for this reason the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this Stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom It falls will be crushed to powder [and It will winnow him, scattering him like dust]. [Isa. 8:14; Dan. 2:34, 35.] And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables (comparisons, stories used to illustrate and explain), they perceived that He was talking about them.“
Matthew 21:42‭-‬45 AMPC

Happy New Year Everyone!

To experience significant and lasting success this new season, walk in-step with the Holy Spirit.

Go only where the Spirit leads.
Speak only what the Spirit permits.
Respond to only what the Spirit allows.
Ignore what the Spirit ignores.

Love unconditionally. Easily forgive and embrace. Never lose hope. Hold tight to your shield of faith.

Step-up to where the Spirit rules.

Love Always,

Grace

Creating from the beginning means starting fresh, starting from the beginning. It means initiating something that never existed before. It implies the onset of an adventure, first steps towards actualization of a dream, a purpose or an ambition.

ONE is a number, the lowest cardinal number.

ONE is also used to refer to or identify a person.

And ONE also describes something of same quality and make-up, something that is identical. This is the meaning of ONE this write-up is about.

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 2:11, that those that are sanctified (the Body of Christ) are ONE with Him who sanctifies (Jesus Christ)

“For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren”
Hebrews 2:11 NKJV

We are one with Him in quality and substance. As He is, so are we in this life (I John 4:17).

Imagine if I came to you saying and insisting that; ‘I want only your head to follow me’, you’ll probably look at me in confusion and probably quietly wondering if all is well with me… It is impossible for a head to be active, move on it’s own while seperate from the body.

Colossians 1:18 identifies Jesus Christ as the….head of the Church, the beginning and firstborn from the dead..

“And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”
Colossians 1:18 NKJV

“Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body and [individually] you are members of it, each part severally and distinct [each with his own place and function].”
1 Corinthians 12:27 AMPC

He is the Head of the Body (the Church; His Body, the Body of Christ). The Church constitutes other parts of the Body. But all are one and of the same make-up, the same person.

“so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”
Romans 12:5 NKJV

The Body of Christ is Christ. You are Christ! Jesus relies on His body to continue to function on earth. He is dependent on the Church even as the Church is dependent on Him.

I hope you think on this for a bit…

He died, was buried and resurrected, and we were in Him.

He conquered principalities and powers, we were in Him. We conquered them as well.

He overcame sin, sickness and death, and so did we.

He is seated at the right of the Father in Heaven, a position of authority, and we are seated with Him.

You are Christ!

“But the person who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.“
1 Corinthians 6:17 AMPC

This is good knowledge, however it is not a knowledge to get us puffed up, rather it should enable us walk in victory..

Jesus remained humble despite His God status, and so should we..

“He was like God in every way, but he did not think that his being equal with God was something to use for his own benefit. Instead, he gave up everything, even his place with God. He accepted the role of a servant, appearing in human form. During his life as a man, he humbled himself by being fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death—death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:6‭-‬8 ERV