"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy."   1 Peter 4:12-13

      
Tip: Click "Last time" in each devotional to read the previous one.
 

I hesitated to read 1 Peter 4 because it is about fiery trials.  I would pray to be an over comer but didn't really want more trials to overcome.  Why would the Bible say trials aren't "strange" but to rejoice to the extent we are allowed to partake of Christ's sufferings?   How in the world can more trials be a key to experiencing exceeding joy?

When I prayed to be a demonstration of God's love and power, I didn't really expect anything huge to happen -- but it did.  I have prayed to be a demo of fruitfulness in Christ but didn't realize what I was asking for.  Soon I began to figure out that when these big challenges came, God was only answering  my prayers. True humility before GOD does not resist being humble during fiery trials with MEN - being seen as nothing - because humility knows we are nothing except for Christ inside.

When God brings the unlovely and asks me to love them, He is giving me a trial that will surely produce carnality (fleshly reactions) or His Spirit-filled fruit through me.  He has set a stage designed to motivate me to ask Him to demonstrate the fruit of His Spirit through me.  God will answer my prayer by "fixing a fix" that will motivate me to humble myself before Him, to trust Him to deal with the fiery trial through me because I cannot do it in my own power and strength. 

Whether God "fixes a fix" that challenges me to speak the unthinkable, to believe for the unbelievable, to do the impossible, to forgive the unforgiveable or to pray for the incurable, He is answering my prayer to make me into a demo of His supernatural love, fruit of the Spirit and His power.  As I receive His plan and release His all-powerful ability, my prayers have been answered!

We are like plain beige melamine cups. We are just RECEIVERS and RELEASERS, receiving Jesus Christ, walking in Christ, and helpless to do anything at all but to release Him to overcome in fiery trials through us. He alone is our source of everything.

Last time, we read that God has chosen us to represent Him, to be His temples or containers and expressers of Him. Even as His chosen people are called and empowered to represent Him, not all will receive the message.

'In that day,' says the LORD of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says the LORD,' and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,' says the LORD of hosts." 
Hag 2:23   NKJV

Don't be surprised when hostile neighbors resist the Holy Spirit and what He would manifest through you, as you receive and release Him in His Glory.  Obey God and let your priorities be a challenge to everyone to make experiencing God's presence and Glory their top priority.  We love the people and receive the trials that conform us to His image and express His power.  Trials reveal everything in us that does not want to be humble before God and before men ... or might want to look humble before God but does not want to be humble before men.

My dear alumni in Germany added a Rhema Word, "BE STILL FOR I'M THE LORD!"  When trials come, we are to search the "eye" of the hurricane to find peace in sitting on our Father's lap while everything else is stripped and turned upside down in these end-times.  We must discern the right Jesus from false ones even in the Christian environment. 

She continued, "Not everything is a sabotage from the enemy ... as God shakes us and reveals the hidden false/mixed up teachings/prophecies how do we know we received the right one?  How do we go about checking them in a practical way? Even the Christian TV and bookstores have all kinds for sale.  As prophecies about the end-times are being fulfilled, we all need more discernment and the courage to let go of our comfort zones ... :)  Amen?

Ask God to strengthen you and He will.  Ask Father to fill you and He will.  Ask God to enable you to do all things in Christ and He will.  Be ready though, for Father to "fix a fix" or to set a stage for you, that will stretch your faith muscles to a new point of growth and strength in Him.  When we are called to be strong warriors, God will allow fiery trials that will surely conform us to warrior strengths and overcomers in HIM!
 

"This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel:
'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,'
Says the LORD of hosts.  Zech. 4:6  NKJV

Copy and print me. I will be replaced by more living water.

Thanks for helping us share the gospel with the nations!