THE ULTIMATE TEST
by Tony Alamo
In the days of Daniel the prophet, it became a law to not pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the living God.1 King Darius (king of the Medes and Persians –today’s Iraq) signed it into unbreakable law.2 If the law was broken, the lawbreaker would be thrown into the den of lions.
Daniel knew of this law. Nevertheless, he continued praying to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. “His windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime” (Dan. 6:10).
The men who were jealous of Daniel, the ones who influenced the king to sign this new law into effect, found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. (These men included 120 princes and 3 presidents, who were set above the princes. They were set over the whole kingdom.) What made all of them jealous was that Daniel, a Hebrew captive, was set above them all by King Darius.3
These men reported Daniel to the king, saying, “Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree [law] that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day” (Dan. 6:13).
The king was not glad that he had signed such a thing into law. He was displeased with himself, and tried to think of some plan to deliver Daniel. Verse 14B states that King Darius labored “till the going down of the sun” to deliver Daniel. Verse 15 shows that all these men came before the king and reminded him that no law of the Medes and Persians could be changed.
“Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee” (Dan. 6:16). They put a stone “upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel” (Dan. 6:17). The king spent the night fasting: he wasn’t able to sleep.4 Verse 19 tells us the king rose very early in the morning and went quickly to the den of lions to check on Daniel.
How many people today who call themselves servants of God have this kind of faith in God, trusting Him to deliver them from the multitude of lions’ dens or fiery furnaces that God permits His people to be tried with and be victorious over? What would it profit a man to gain his life and lose his eternal soul?5 Jesus said this truth many times in all four Gospels. This truth is so very important that many people, such as Daniel and the Hebrew children, never gave dying or losing anything a second thought. Listen to Jesus in these following verses: “He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me [eternal life]. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it” (Matt. 10:37-39). “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it” (Matt. 16:24-25). “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:35-38). “And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:23-26). “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it” (Luke 17:33). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour” (John 12:24-26).
The Apostle Paul states in Philippians 3:7-8, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
After King Darius went in haste to the lions’ den, “He cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for He is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (Dan. 6:20-28).
We (my church, my congregation) are being tested. Wicked men in government have taken our children and say their parents can never have them back unless they give up Christ and my church, which won them to Christ. They say they must give up the homes that were built and bought for them and sever all ties with the church and myself, their pastor, or else they will sell their children for adoption. This is the fiery furnace, the lions’ den. We shall see who passes the ultimate test.
Daniel, the Hebrew children, the apostles, and all who made the grade had the high attitude of “casting ALL [their] your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (I Pet. 5:7). You will only be able to cast all your cares on Jesus if you are continuously living and swimming in the Holy Spirit. You must do this. If you do not, you will sell out to save your temporal life and you will lose your soul.6 Devote your life here that you may have eternal life in Heaven. If your will is such, you have begun to pass the ultimate test. Now pray to God that you may receive Christ, eternal Life. Say this prayer to God for your salvation:
Prayer
My Lord and my God, have mercy upon my soul, a sinner. 1 I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God. 2 I believe that He died on the cross and shed His precious blood for the forgiveness of all my sins. 3 I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit 4 and that He sits on the right hand of God at this moment, hearing my confession of sin and this prayer. 5 I open up the door of my heart and I invite You into my heart, Lord Jesus. 6 Wash all of my filthy sins away in the precious blood that You shed in my place on the cross at Calvary. 7 You will not turn me away, Lord Jesus, You will forgive my sins and save my soul. I know because Your Word, the Bible says so. 8 Your Word says that You will turn no one away, and that includes me. 9 Therefore, I know that You have heard me, and I know that You have answered me, and I know that I am saved. 10 And I thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving my soul, and I will show my thankfulness by doing as You command and sin no more. 11
You've just completed the first step in a series of five steps which are necessary to receive salvation. Your second step is to deny yourself and take up the cross daily for the purpose of mortifying yourself, that is, for putting to death your own will, your soulful self, and the world with all of its lusts. All these must be baptized into the death of Christ.
Step three is your resurrection from the satanic life of Adam unto the sinless life of Christ. Step four is your ascension into a position of authority to reign for God on earth, and the fifth step is to reign for God on earth to the end for the purpose of bringing about the kingdom of Heaven on earth. You must learn the Word of God, then submit yourself and do what the Word says, so that the Church and the world may see evidence of your submission to God's Word, His order, and His authority in and by you.
Praise the Lord. May God reward you abundantly.
Pastor Tony Alamo
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The Ultimate Test footnotes:
5. Matt. 16:26, Mark 8:36, Luke 9:25, 12:19-22 return
6. Matt. 10:39, 16:25, Luke 17:33, John 12:25 return
Prayer footnotes:
1. Psa. 51:5, Rom. 3:10-12, 23 return
2. Matt. 26:63-64, 27:54, Luke 1:30-33, John 9:35-37, Rom. 1:3-4 return
3. Acts 4:12, 20:28, Rom. 3:25, I John 1:7, Rev. 5:9 return
4. Psa. 16:9-10, Matt. 28:5-7, Mark 16:9, 12, 14, John 2:19, 21, 10:17-18, 11:25, Acts 2:24, 3:15, Rom. 8:11, I Cor. 15:3-7 return
5. Luke 22:69, Acts 2:25-36, Heb. 10:12-13 return
6. I Cor. 3:16, Rev. 3:20 return
7. Eph. 2:13-22, Heb. 9:22, 13:12, 20-21, I John 1:7, Rev. 1:5, 7:14 return
8. Matt. 26:28, Acts 2:21, 4:12, Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14 return
9. Matt. 21:22, John 6:35, 37-40, Rom. 10:13 return
10. Heb. 11:6 return
11. John 5:14, 8:11, Rom. 6:4, I Cor. 15:10, Rev. 7:14, 22:14 return