From Dream to Destiny 2- Pit Test

**Fenny West** Wed 22 Jul 2009, 2:18 pm

The Pit Test

Next was the Pit Test.

We all need the Pit Test and pass this test before we climb the mountain of success, achievement, acclaim or promotion. This is when we face unexpected betrayal or sett-back after God has shown us a glimpse of the Promised Land. Event contrary to the dream overtake us and may be even overwhelm us, causing us to almost doubt the dream we had. Satan comes to taunt us: ‘Yea, had God said? ‘

So Joseph was thrown into the pit, stripped of his coat of many colours by those who were closest to him who should be celebrating him. Just like David’s elder brother was the first to criticize him for being bold and the Elder brother in the story of the prodigal son was the one to accuse him of his misdemeanour. Jesus said a man’s enemies are often members of his household. When you are not only disdained by the members of your household or by fellow Christians but who actively oppose your dream, take courage that God is putting you through this Pit test. Besides the scripture is being fulfilled in your life- made flesh. After all it was Judas, one of the disciples of Jesus who betrayed him and sold him to his enemies. Joseph went to check on his brother’s welfare but it landed him into the pit. And Joseph was also sold like Jesus was.

Remember, they nearly killed him but for the brothers who spoke up for him. God will raise some one amongst your adversaries to speak for you too. Your dream will not die in the pit of life! David found himself in the pit of Adullam, and had to cross Brook Kidron with his face covered in shame when his son, Absolom dethroned him, after he allowed him (Absolom) to see his face and after pardoning him for murder.

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

¹² Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, ¹³ and Israel said to Joseph, "As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them."
"Very well," he replied.
¹⁴ So he said to him, "Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me." Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.
When Joseph arrived at Shechem, ¹⁵ a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?"
¹⁶ He replied, "I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?"
¹⁷ "They have moved on from here," the man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.' "
So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. ¹⁸ But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.
¹⁹ "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. ²⁰ "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams."
²¹ When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said. ²² "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
²³ So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing- ²⁴ and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
²⁵ As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
²⁶ Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? ²⁷ Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed.
²⁸ So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt

So Joseph was sold into slavery after that golden dream about a future filled with hope -a golden fleece, being a governor over his brothers and even parents. It was as if God was now mocking him or the dream had now turned into a nightmare and taunting him. It was as if evil had prevailed and those who said, ‘let us sell/kill him and see what would become of his dream’ had prevailed. But God was not taken aback. He declared the end from the beginning. He was in the refining, preparatory and processing stage of His grand plan. He would not be hurried or derailed so long as you and I, keep trusting Him. He would not also allow us to get by with less than we need for that position of trust ordained for us however we want to get out before time.

Regardless of the pit you face today, stand to see the salvation of the Lord. Say to yourself,’ yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil, for thou art with me… hard pressed but not crushed… persecuted but not abandoned, knocked down but not knocked out. In the pursuance of my dream I may face tribulation but I will be of good cheer because my Saviour has overcome the world. Greater is He in me than he that is in the world. Whoever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world- even my faith. Nay in all these things, I am more than a conqueror. Therefore neither death nor life, nor principalities nor powers nor things present, nor things to come nor height nor depth nor anything in all creation shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.’

Often we’re responsible for the pit we’re in. Decisions determine destiny. Causes of action carry consequences. We need to examine ourselves to find out what contributory omissions or commissions led to the pit we face just like Elisha had to find out where the borrowed axe fell in order to lift it up. Unless we face up to our errors we would keep making them and sealing our doom in the pit- even getting deeper in the mire rather than getting out. It is often said it is the height of lunacy to keep doing one thing and expecting a different result. He would covers his sins cannot prosper but whoso confess and forsakes it will have mercy.

Going back on the story of that man who was told to leave or face deportation who sought refuge in a neighbouring country, he had the favour of the Lord before leaving for that strange neighbouring country. God raise a man who offered to sponsor him in his studies and provide for his upkeep (he was a student all along). This angel of the Lord had taken care of him for over six months when he was caught working without a work permit for the second time at which point he decide to stop working and trust God but it was too late. He had to leave.

The neighbouring country became his pit test. He was sponsored for almost a year before the brook dried up. So he had to depend on God on a daily basis. Though he was told to leave the country immediately on arrival and seeking permit to stay, he appealed through solicitors and was advised not to work. He decided to abide by the Law of the Land and God open various doors through which his needs were met. One of these doors was preaching and singing at a fellowship once every month for about four years.

And for eight years he lived one day at a time when the word of the Lord tried him as it tried Joseph. He had to hold on to the word of prophecy he had received from the Lord. God was still waking him up morning by morning and giving him songs in the pit and in the night. He had to sing these songs at the fellowship and other places he was invited to minister.

The immigration authorities some how forgot he was still in the land, under God’s canopy. It was like Daniel in the lion’s den. The lions could not harm him. The Assyrians were blinded as he went about ministering in the pit. He learn how to hear from God daily during his quiet time and to trust Him to fulfil His word. In the night of the night His light shone brighter. In the valley of the valley His power became more real. These were line of one of the songs the Lord gave him. There were other titles such as: Stand up to face your Goliath,

the Just Shall live by Faith,

Summon Your Power,

Heaven hear my Voice etc etc.

These were also a confirmation of the prophecy: ‘I will give you the treasures of darkness…’ 100s of songs were written in this pit.

Every pit has lessons to teach that may not be learnt in any other way. So we may need to thank God for certain pits of life. Without them we would not be where we are today, because they helped to shape us, refine us and prune us to reflect the glory of God.