Elijah – the valleys preceed the mountaintops
I Kings 17:4
Before we want to examine the tesing of Elijah, I thought it might be good to just try to give a general overview of the reasons and purposes for trials in out lives. None of us like maturing experiences but God has dertermined to use them to develop our spiritual development.
1. We may experience trials as a testimony to othersof the power of Christ in out lives. (II Cor 4:11-15)
2. We may have trials to cause us to develop sympathy in comforting others (II Cor 1:3-5)
3. We may experience trials to maintain a spirit of dependency upon the Lord (II Cor 12:7)
4. We will have trails to develop our spiritual maturity and walk with Christ (James 1:2-4)
5. We may experience trials at the hands of evil men on us, and it will reveal their evil character and the justice of God when it falls upon them (I Thess 2:14-16)
6. We may experience trials in order to broaden our ministry with others that we may have never had the opportuniuty to do so otherwise. (Phil 1:12-13; 4:5-9)