UNDERSTANDING THE SIX SEASONS OF TESTS AND TEMPTATIONS UNDERSTANDING THE SIX SEASONS OF TESTS AND TEMPTATIONS. nave been a committed Christ follower since 1978 end | have experienced many te The following are the seasons of six primary tests and temptations | have observed in my own Ch Tests come before a great assignment found that right before God wa either inan event or in my life and mini extraordinary amount of resistance against me. In the beginning of my Christion journey this was at times confusing, but as hat if did not get resistance from the enemy when there is great spiritual todo something gre matured [realize was probably missing God. Hance, farfare | have confidence that God is ready to da something big. This gives me the endurance and patience I need to continue on in spite of the intense difficulty | 2m experiencing. Tests come right after a completed assignment Through the years | also discovared that Satan attacks ngnt after great achievements and victories because he is Gesperately attemptng one last time to prevent our forward motion. Often after experiencing a malor victory we are noton guard and are vulnerable to attacks from the enemy. This s similarto what happened after Elah the prophet reached his highest peak in ministry after he called down fire from heaven and proved to the nation of israel that jenovah was the true God aver Baal (| Kings 13) immediately afterward the wicked Queen Jez ned his life, he got discouraged, wanted to enc his life to and ran into the wilderness (| Kings 19). Also, we read in the gospels that after jesushad a great glimpse ofthe glory of His father on the Mount of ‘Transfiguration, immediately after, demonic oppression man ly that even His disciples could not deal with itor cast it out (Matthew 17:1-20) learned the hard way that after every breakthrough or victory I experiance Ihave to b¢ on highalertso | am net blindsided by Tests come in between a prophetic word and its fulfillment One of the greatest tests | experianced happens while waiting for 2 prophetic word to be fulflled, Often, the timing ofa prophetic sen or word is notaccurately discerned and people think a word will be fulfilled soon after they receive it. Sometimes | have had ‘to wait years before words spoken to my heart by God were ever fulfilled. Some words spoken decades ago have stil not come to pass, This isa great test of faith. abraham experienced a similar ‘old him he would have a son and he had to walt several decades before Iseac was born (Genesis 12-21). Not only that. but after Isaec was born God tested Abrahar 22) Inlight ofthis, after ws birth of her s We need to co perhaps the hardest of allthe te bedience by ing him to sacrifice his son on the altar (Genes ‘eceive a word from the Lord we need to ponder it in our hearts like Mary did after the word ebout the 1 (Luke 2:19). We hay to discern both the timing and interpretation of it and rest in the Lord untilit com: son we will reap if we do not give up (Galatians 69), This is int because in due sin this artcl, Tomptation comes when you aro at your weakest point ‘tempt esus after He ‘that the devil laft him until a more opportune time came (Luke 4:13) have learned that the devi doesnt have mercy upon believers when they are weak, tired, discouraged, angry, bitter, n studying the Gospels we leam that the Jesus resisted all of days and was hungry (Luke 4). After he temptations successfully sick or burned out. rather that’s when he assaults them the most. Never think that the devi feels sorry for you or will have mercy upon youwhen you are struggling, This is why we have to have covenant relationships around you when you are weak and help pray you through in your weakest moment h mature Christians who will come ‘Along these lines, | also learned never to make major decisions or commun(cate sensitive Informaticn to others when | am weary, ce am not in @ good position emotionally to ciscern the will of God, ‘ured, discouraged or angry si Temptation comes when you are bored Samuel 11 ilu ates how King David fellinto adultery and mu like the other kings cid. Often, because people do not havea strong sense of purpose and or get kored, they get invoived in eyyearn und that the only ery deep intimacy wit ead of going to battle \e Lord. As long.as my prim: and knowing God (and not from ministry) then when | experience mundane times I would use the extra time I have to seek and God (which further prapares me study the ways enext bi Temptation comes when you lose your primary focus Along with the last point, temptation comes when you allow distractions to keep you away from the main things you are called to focus on in life our walk with the Lord and our commitment to family ang church, we all have 2 primary assignment we should foc fe greatest tempt jecessarily sinful temptations, but many good opportunities that can wear ‘me out and keep me from maximizing my time and focus on my primary assignments, The enemy of Goc's b In the form of good opportunities. We have to continually focus so we can keep the main thing the priority In our ives. 7 Hons | faced in life Is not soften disguised Frnally, [thank God that my fiery trials and test ‘e always provides @ way of escape from temptations (1 Corinthians10:13) ands always jth me during (isaiah 43:23) aching ibe for a free weekly t