Why Can't I Get Pass This Test?

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 The book of Joshua chapters 5 and 6 tell the story of a man who was  in over his head. 

Moses had died, he was in a new land, there was a wall in front of him that was big enough to race chariots on.  On top of that he had upwards of 2 million people looking to him for direction

 What do you do when you find yourself in over your head?

1 Corinthians 10:13

  No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

 The word temptation here means test, or prove
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  We read this verse and translate it in our head to say that God wont put more on us than we can handle. But, there are times when it is God's will to take us through a test or trial of our faith.   We all know there are times when we are in over our head and cannot find a way out.

 God tests us to expose weakness.  Because He wants us to learn to overcome our weaknesses that could later be used against us. He always has a purpose and a promise for us when we pass the test.

 God told Moses to lead His people out of captivity and into the promise land, notice the purpose was to make them free. Notice the promise was a land flowing with milk and honey. 

 We all have to admit the promise land is a better place than slavery in Egypt.

To graduate from slavery - to promise,  they had to pass a test, there is always a test before graduation.  In this case the test was the wilderness they had to cross to get to where God wanted them.

 It has been said the wilderness could have been crossed in as little as two weeks, but we know it took them 40 years and most of them died there. Many of them failed the test. We know God put them there and we see in 1 Cor 10:13 that He will not test us beyond what we are able, so why did so many die?

 They failed because they made the test their focus instead of the promise.

 The test is only there to get us where God wants us to be. If we want to get all that God has promised to us, we need to get our eyes off the test and onto the promise. 

Here Joshua was standing in front of a wall that was more than he could handle,  he was in over his head.  He could have spent all his time and energy studying the wall.  He could have sought council about the wall, or formed a community to discuss the wall.

But the more we focus on the problem, the more the problem becomes an obstacle that takes us out.  We have to focus on our promises from God, not on the problems we face.  

Joshua 6:1 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.

This word SEE is the key.  What are you looking at?   We need to pass every test we find ourselves in, and we will only pass the test if we are looking at the promises that God has given us instead of looking at the size of our problems.  

 What do you see? The children of Israel saw desert, and died there. God is saying SEE past the test and look to promise.

 This is what JESUS did to endure the cross, Hebrews 12:2 ... who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.. Jesus looked ahead into the future and saw you and it got Him past the test. Joshua looked past the wall and past the test and looked to the God that would break down the walls. When you look past the test and SEE the promise you also will pass the test.

Scripture  teaches that with every test there is a way out, a way of escape. That "way out" of our trials and test,  is to SEE our way out.   Look past the test and see the promises God has given, so you can pass the test.