From Death to Destiny Part 5
The Process of Testing
Sunday, February 2, 2020
I From Death to Destiny
A.The Process of Testing
1.(Deut. 6:23) God brought you out to bring you in!
a. (ref. Deut. 6-8) promises and principles
2.(1 Cor. 10:1-13) 5 things that caused the children of Israel to die in the wilderness.
#1 Lusted after evil things. (ref. Nu.11meat vs manna)
#2 Became idolaters. (ref. Ex.32 golden calf)
#3 Sexual immoralities. (ref. Num.25)
#4 Tempted Christ (ref. Num. 21:4-9 bronze serpent)
#5 Complaining (ref. Ex.15,16,17; Nu.11,14,16,17,21 Deut.1,6)
3. (Deut. 8:1-5 NIV) The purpose of the wilderness:
#1 To humble you (Jas. 4:6-7, 10)
#2 To test you (Pro. 17:3)
#3 To show you the true condition of your heart
#4 To see whether you would keep His word or not
#5 To show you that you cannot live by natural means alone but by the word of God.
a.(Isa. 1:19; SOS. 8:5) entering the promise land.
4. The process of testing in the wilderness:
a. Three parties involved in the test:
~God and what He doing.
~Satan and what he doing and allowed to do.
~You and how you respond.
b. The process:
#1 God gives us promises and principles.
#2 God withdraws His manifested presence or our conscious awareness of His presence.
#3 Satan comes and tempts us:
-He baits our self-life or pride
-Tempts us with sin, our fleshly weaknesses
#4 God waits to see what we will do. Will we walk by faith, stand on the word or walk by the flesh or sight? Will we do what He says or disobey?
c.(Job 23:8-12) God is there but Job doesn’t perceive His presence.
d.(2 Chron. 32:24-31) God tested Hezekiah so he would know what was really in his heart.
[Pastor Lee Stokes]