August 18, 2021
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Abraham
A Man of Great Faith
My child, Abraham lived a life of faith and that’s what I have called you to do. One day God put Abraham’s character and prophetic destiny to the test. (Genesis 22:1) Abraham told Sarah the boy and I will travel a little farther and we will worship there and come right back. (Genesis 22:4-5) By faith he declared they were going to worship and come right back! So, Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked together, Isaac turned to his dad, and said, ‘father?’ Yes son, he replied. Isaac said, ‘we have fire and wood, but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son.’ And they both walked together. (Genesis 22:6-8) Now that’s faith!
When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go, he built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. Then Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son of Promise as a sacrifice. At that very moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, ‘Abraham! Abraham!’ ‘Yes, he replied!’ ‘Here I am!’ ‘Don’t lay a hand on the boy,’ the angel said. ‘Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from Me even your son, your only son.’ Then Abraham looked up in his worship and saw a ram caught by its horns in the bush. (Genesis 22:9-12) So, he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in the place of his son. This was a powerful act of faith and obedience as part of Abraham’s worship unto God. Abraham named that place Yahweh-Jireh which means ‘the Lord will provide.’ (Genesis 22:13-14) He is Jehovah Jireh and will provide everything you need from His vast riches in heaven. (Philippians 4:19)
Has God ever put your character and prophetic destiny to the test? The word of the Lord is tried; and the promises of God are sure, they have been tested, and tried as by fire, and will never fail. He is a Buckler to all those that trust in him. (Psalms 18:30) When you are called and anointed for a specific assignment your character will be tested. You will go through unexplainable fiery trials. (1 Peter 4:12) He will try you by the Word and test you by the promise. (Psalms 105:19) These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold; so, if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return. (1 Peter 1:7-9)
The Lord tests your character to see if you can handle the promotion, He has planned for you. Though your prophetic destiny is delayed, wait for it for it shall surely come to pass. (Habakkuk 2:2-3) Abraham was tested and tried on more than one occasion and he passed the tests. He and Sarah had a child after she was ninety and he was ninety-nine. (Genesis 21:2) Abraham believed God and he was counted as righteous, (Genesis 15:6, Hebrews 11:8-10) and he became the father of many nations! (Genesis 17:4) Perhaps your character is being tested because of the prophetic promise God has waiting on you. Don’t complain and wait for it! (Philippians 2:14) It will happen in God’s perfect timing! Time does not affect God. He is timeless. A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. (2 Peter 3:8) When you were born God put a plan, a purpose, a vision in you and He will bring it to pass.
