Our office at David McCracken Ministries is situated in a lovely, semi-rural area here in Melbourne, Australia. A few days ago, I went on my regular walk past a vineyard during my lunch break. I was amazed to see fresh green shoots springing from the harshly pruned vines.
What seemed so barren and dead for months is now a picture of resurrection life.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (John 15:1-2)
In the same way that a plant is pruned in order to blossom and bear more fruit, seasons of testing are crucial to the development of our spiritual gifts.
During these times, the best that we have produced seems to have been stripped away from us. God is allowing fruitful areas of our lives and ministries to be cut back, in order that we can focus in a significant way and be even more fruitful for His Kingdom.
11 Signs that you are in a Testing Season
Some signs that you may be experiencing a testing season in relation to your spiritual gifts include:
- Feeling that you have been shut down in your God-given abilities
- You might have voluntarily or involuntarily released ministry responsibility and feel displaced as a result
- You long for the honeymoon period when you first discovered your spiritual gift
- You might have made mistakes and wonder whether you will ever recover
- You experience doubts about your ability and wonder if God really called you
- You find yourself going through character-testing circumstances and coming up short on the character side
- You wonder whether the prophecies once made about you will ever be fulfilled
- You feel as though you are being criticised, blocked or resisted
- You feel battle-worn and weary
- You feel displaced, separated or hidden in relation to your gift and ministry
- The opposite of God’s call and the destiny you believed for seems to be happening to you.
A testing season can be specific to a single gift. I have often heard prophetic people relate, mystified, that their prophetic ministry feels as though it has been blocked and yet they are experiencing fruitfulness in other areas of service.
The Season of Trial: What is God Doing?
1. Developing Skills you will need in the Future
Joseph knew that his destiny was one of rulership, but it seemed that his life was taking the opposite course. However, during the time of slavery and unjust imprisonment he developed skills that would be invaluable to his future. He learned the Egyptian language and customs, along with principles of stewardship, leadership and resource management.
During the season of trial, God may be working gifts and skills into your life that you need to fulfil His destiny in the long run.
2. Refining Your Character
During wilderness times, the people and circumstances that try us are instruments that God uses to develop our character and point us towards our destiny. Joseph understood this. He later said to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen 50:20).
3. Repositioning You
During a testing time, God may actually be repositioning us for a new season of fruitfulness.
Elijah went on the run from Jezebel, overnight going from success to mess. (1 Kings 19) He sat under a tree in the desert and actually prayed that he would die. The Lord visited Him and gave him directions for a new season of his ministry. He was to call Elisha as his successor and anoint a new king who would bring Jezebel’s reign to an end.
Elijah had an appointment with God in the wilderness and so do we. During the times of difficulty or separation, allow Him to speak to you about the next season He has for your life.
4. Calling You to Intimacy with Him
Testing times are seasons when we have the opportunity to get closer to God than any other time. Perhaps there are fewer distractions. Perhaps need or barrenness causes us to draw nearer to Him. It is on God’s heart to reveal His love to you in fresh ways during a desert time.
5. Awaiting the Right Timing
While we feel as though we are fighting to survive, God is moving to change the scenery on the stage of our lives—positioning circumstances, others and us for what is to come. [1]
David went on the run from Saul in the wilderness. He was destined to become a king, but he became an outlaw first. He stayed in the desert while God worked things out on his behalf. Saul died and eventually the people called for David to be their new king.
6. Strengthening Your Faith
Abraham is known as the ‘father of faith.’ It was twenty-five barren years before Isaac was born in fulfilment of God’s promise to make him a great nation; God waited until it was physically impossible. Paul later said of Abraham:
Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God. (Rom 4:19-20)
In the Father’s Hands
It is important to recognize that God is at work during the testing season. He is refining both your character and your gift.
How you respond in this season is very important. No matter what you have done, no matter what people have done to you, and no matter what the enemy has done against you, God is sovereignly working ‘all things together for good.’
If you can relate to this today, I pray that you will perceive the hand of God on your life. During pruning, the vine-grower’s hands are closer to the vine than at any other time.
May you sense the Father’s loving touch on your life and receive a revelation of His goodness that will empower you and cause your heart to flow with gratitude and praise.
This post contains an excerpt from my e-book, ‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts.’
The six phases of spiritual gift development are beginning, desiring, emerging, developing, testing and maturing.
‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts’ is a high-value e-book specifically written to help you grow in your gifts of prophecy, intercession, healing, discernment and more – at whatever stage or season you are on the journey.
Check out my e-books page for more e-books related to prophetic and prayer ministry.
Related Posts:
4 Signs You are in Transition in Your Gift or Ministry
© Helen Calder – Enliven Blog
On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church
Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in prophetic ministry and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog (est. 2009), an online resource that reaches thousands of people globally.
This have helped me. All sounds like me. Knowing it going to take God to guide me out and only God can heal me. I feel God will sometimes allows our bodies to be attacked for us to be still. Thank you for the message.
Helen,
I identify with many things in this blog post.
I want to bless God for your life. I can clearly confirm this wilderness season will be for my good.
Thank you again.
Hi Kiki, I’m glad to hear you have been encouraged by this message. :-)
Thank you for your blog. I’m in the wilderness and feel everything you just described. Your blog helps me to understand. I have dreams and visions that come to pass, some messages. I get signs and see the works. I am able to discern spirits and have been in spiritual warfare if not for the Bible and your blog probably would have gone crazy or thought I was. My relationship with God is awesome and He’s teaching me but at the moment I’m in the wilderness so thank you again.
Hi Lori, thank you for leaving the note… praying you will experience the Presence and peace of the Holy Spirit today and in increasing measure.
Good day,
My heart is full of gratitude, to have learnt that indeed forgiveness is of imperative importance in the process of being a prophetess.I have learnt have been falsely accused but in the text above I have learnt to let go and let God. I have also learnt to respect my leader irrespective and trust and obey their leadership skills. and to serve faithfully until God says otherwise.
thank you sooo much for your teachings, hoping to learn more from you.
regards,
Maakopi
Hello Maakapi, I’m glad to hear the article has been a blessing to you – may the experience of God’s grace be abundant on your life and gift! :-)
Bless you Helen, its been 9 years now that the Lord has revealed my true identity as one anointed for the prophetic ministry. Having a deep sense of spiritual connection to God allowed me over the years to be “nudged” into different seasons of stewardship of service unto the Lord. This opened my understanding to a silent or secret training for the edification of the Body of Christ at Evangelic level, healing, intercession, prophetic through dreams/visions, preaching the Gospel, hospital ministry, teaching including foundational; if just to mention a few. Through it all, the journey has of shortly through Gods intervention of having by revelation given me the key officially to go deeper to another level and represent Him on the alter. This has finally given me the peace and encouragement of knowledge to reflect back on past ministerial challenges and owing it all to what God is doing at work through me and in my life presently. I would appreciate your prophetic advise on the above, thanks.
Hi Hazel, thank you for your note. My best advice for release into your calling is to be a part of a local church and serving leadership. The outworking of our secret life with God is found in our public service for His church, loving His people.
Bless you Helen and thank you so much for the reply. I thank God for answering my prayer as I waited on Him to usher me into His Will for service, and He directed me and opened a door at a local church. The Lord is good all the time. Amen.
Wow Helen Calder!
I never thought I would ever be so appreciative of an article written that so clearly defines my last season of being LOST and my current season of being NOT FOUND! At least now I can truly SEE that I am indeed not suffering from acute blindness, or eternal deafness, but that GOD does see me in this place, and he has not forsaken me here!
It all happened somewhere in a mountainous region where I squatted down on the side of the mountain, completely exhausted from trying not to give birth in the wilderness! Especially since a mountain leopard darted before me and licking his chops, he began to pace back and forth in front of me with great anticipation. I know what He was planning. He was planning on eating my child once it was born. However, it was precisely at that moment, when I was overshadowed by a great lion who I sensed prowled up the side of the mountain in back of me, and HE leaped right overtop of my head and sent the leopard running. He quickly scurried away! For, I know that Jesus, from the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, will not forsake me in any wilderness and He is truly KING of this forest!
Oh, but I just wish it wasn’t sooo….long in this place! There is no one in sight, and I am constantly on the lookout for other intruders here. I must keep focused and maintain a watchful eye for I have a long journey up ahead, and in my condition. At least I know that the LION is somewhere close by and I sense that HE will appear again just at the right time when I find myself in dire-straits! He is my friend and my ever present help in times of great need.
Yes, I could answer each statement in the “Testing Season” quiz and place an “affirmative” check-mark beside each line, but at least now I do know that I am not a failure. No, God has not abandoned me sitting in this place of bewilderment and complete isolation. No – God still sits on the throne, even in the wilderness season! Even if I can’t quite see my way out of here, at least now I know why I am here!
Thank You for the illumination, and counsel. Your article helps ALOT!
Signed:
“Hopeful”
Hello Wendy, when I read your story of where you have been and that you have signed ‘Hopeful’, this scripture comes to mind and I pray that it will bless and empower you:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 15:13)
I’m glad this article has been an encouragement for you – yes, Jesus is ever Present, despite the way things may seem.
I receive that scripture !
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 15:13)
A few years back, I was seated in the pews of an out-of-town conference, awaiting the Sunday morning service to begin. I did not know the pastors of the house, nor, had they been introduced to me since I was just visiting. As I was sitting there, I began to pray to the Lord quietly to myself and I asked Him specifically, on the spot, to increase my faith. I had been going through some trials and difficulty and my vision was beginning to grow faint, so I had asked the Lord to give me some direction or a supernatural message of some kind. I thought I would put out a “fleece” to see if the Lord would humor me, and respond in kind! I did require His answer!
I know that the Lord is not to be tested, but quite frankly, I thought it not completely out of line to ask Him in reference to my request, and he could decide whatever He will answer me or not. I thought that was fair but in all honesty, perhaps, I was asking Him for a “sign and a wonder.”
Then something amazing happened. The Lord deposited this scripture into my spirit, Romans 15:13….
Immediately, the pastor entered the room to begin his sermon, but first he made a comment. He said, “Before I get started on today’s message, first, the Lord gave me a message for someone here and you know who you are.”
He continued on to say, “The Lord says to you, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 15:13)
My eyes hazed over with some tears. My jaw hung open and I sat in utter amazement! This was for me! It sent my heart aglow and a new fire was ignited into my very soul. It was just the right thing. It was the “Hope” that I needed to know that God heard my prayer and I know He is listening even when I feel far from Him.
“I think today, is another one of those treasured moments!”
Amazing! I receive it!