Refined and Molded Lesson Two October 2017

Refined and Molded through Tests       Lesson Two                            Potter and Clay

 Jeremiah 18:1-4    1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: 2 “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. 4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.

 When a vessel is marred by stubborn stone or faulty clay, the Potter places it back on the wheel and continues to mold and work with the clay until it pleases Him.  We need to yield to God’s work in us when the tests come!

James 1:2-4     My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 

We need to allow God time to finish His work in us.  His timetable is not ours.  Jesus spent 30 years preparing for 3 years of ministry.  Moses spent 40 years in the desert before God used him to be the deliverer of the Israelites.  Although we can’t speed up the process, we can CHOOSE to yield by NOT resisting the work of the Spirit. This is easier to do when we ‘stay in love’ with Jesus!

Trouble (trials) will prepare us to face intense spiritual warfare. We learn how to be equipped to resist satan.  We discover that our greatest weapons are the POWER of the BLOOD, the NAME of JESUS, and speaking aloud the WORD of GOD.  

Luke 4:1  Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness… 

Jesus was led into the wilderness AFTER receiving the power of the Holy Spirit, and satan’s temptation was directed to His Spirit, soul and body. Jesus used the Word of God to resist the enemy.  We too must learn to rely on intercessory prayer and be skilled in speaking God’s Word.

Romans 9:21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 

We are ‘vessels’ formed from spiritual silver and gold.  To become valuable, we must be refined by fire because God has a special purpose for us.

ASK YOURSELF:  “Can I embrace this trial and let it expose any sin/weakness that God wants to change?  Can I allow the pressure of this trail to build spiritual muscles?”

Psalm 32:7    You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

PRAY:  “Open my eyes, Lord, to see YOU in this fiery trial as the three Hebrews did in the furnace.  Let my life be transformed into Your image. AMEN!”