When God Would Prove His Man

The Father will never use a man or woman until He proves them.  Mark it down that no trial of life can match that place of God’s divine reckoning of your soul.  It would seem unfair for any person to pass through this chasm of death were it not for the beautiful fruit produced.  Job spelled it out best when he stated, “For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me” (Job 6:4).  A perfect man is elevated to exceeding glory by the hands of the Almighty.  If only we could behold the beauty before the hammer falls upon us.  But, that is the depth of His proof that we must endure only by faith.

Even the Son of Man was subject to great tests as He trod His path toward the cross.  Apostle Paul stated, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:8-9).  It is amazing how the Son of God could lay aside the trappings of divinity so that He could experience the ultimate test of humanity.  “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).  Greatness never comes from a shrill voice or a hollow shell.  True greatness is the creation of divine hands on broken and yielded flesh.

Never has a generation needed His champions so desperately.  However, the idea of passing through the deep chastening of the Lord is soundly rejected by modern theology.  We have heard human worth expounded as if the capacity was resident in man himself.  The modern human pushes and shoves his way to the top and flexes his muscles in proud arrogance.  Yet, such giants cannot control their own unbridled lust.  The American icon of virtues was just discovered to be so obsessed with gambling that he had wasted eight million dollars at casinos— mostly profit from his bestseller, Book of Virtues.  What a heart-breaking example of human greatness!

The person that will cast himself or herself upon our God and invite His creative Rod of Greatness can yet arise to inspire others for Him.  Be they man or woman, the path of the prophet or prophetess is never easy.  No wonder the Spirit said that even the servant deacon must be “Not a novice (young and undisciplined), lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil” (I Timothy 3:6).  Passing through that valley where the Spirit leads every true disciple changes the character as no other experience.  Undisciplined habits give way to strength and self-control as our loving Father applies His rod.  Deep convictions that create undaunting character are the sure result of His supernatural graces of correction.

From those Spirit-led trips into the wilderness return transformed men and women that our God then uses to change the world.  Neither self-glory nor self-insecurity can rule the saint that passes behind the veil of Christ’s inner presence.  From our journey into His realm of suffering and brokenness come the great saints to soon rule the world in His millennium.