There are different situations in life in which a child of God can expect the Lord to prove Himself as Jehovah-jireh. Before you can receive Holy Spirit illumination of the Lord being your provider, you must be hungry to know the meaning, the significance, and realization of God being Jehovah-jireh.
The first step to enjoying God as Jehovah-jireh is that the believer be willing to be Biblically tested. The opening Scripture to our teaching about Abraham’s faith says, “Some time later God tested Abraham….” (Genesis 22:1) God gives different dispensations – ways for mankind to show their love to Him. Obedience in these dispensations always opens spiritual eyes and hearts to the will of God and often enables the child of God to enjoy Him as Jehovah-jireh, even in practical ways. Human life stands under a divine testing which climaxes in the judgment of God. Set under the Lord’s careful watch, Christians come under twofold testing. One, will the children of God seek Him and Two, will Christians let Him reveal His provision and will to them in the midst of the testing?
The word tested (nasah) in Genesis 22:1 is a verb meaning to test, to try, to prove. This word appears nearly forty times in the Old testament, often referring to God testing the faith and faithfulness of human beings. Testing from a New Testament understanding protects Christians from compromise and enables them to grasp God’s will for them. To be tested as Abraham was tested means to be subjected to a test for qualification. Let the Holy Spirit place this truth into your minds and illuminate it into your spiritual heart, “strong faith is often exercised with strong trials and put upon in hard service.” (Matthew Henry Commentary) The Lord does not allow His children to be tested to see if they will fall. (James 1:13) The author of the trial brings on the testing so the children of God may discover His grace, empowerment, and enablement. (1 Peter 1:7)
God allowed Job to be tested by Satan so that he might be seen and known as a man who trusted in the Lord. Abraham’s particular testing time came after he had exercised faith in God through a variety of hardships and many difficulties. There is a wrong expectation found among the people of God. They think the longer they have served and have proven faithful in the storms of life, the less they will have to endure. Nothing is further from the truth. Please note, “Many former trials and testing will not supersede nor secure us from further trials and test.” (Matthew Henry Commentary)
The Lord knows just what dispensation you need to provide you the opportunity to show your love for Him. The right response in your present dispensation enables you to have a heart that causes you seek the Lord and enjoy his provision and protection in the greatest trials of your life.
What testing is God setting before you? What are you to lay on the altar so you may enjoy all the Lord as Jehovah-jireh, has in your life.
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