Sometimes Promotion Looks like Demotion

I have a question for you. Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice Issac only to stop him when he had done all that God asked of him concerning this & was in the very act of plunging the knife into his son? The Lord knew before he asked Abraham to sacrifice his son that he would do it. Why then did he make Abraham carry it out...all but the actual death itself? For what purpose would God ask Abraham to put to death the actual promise the He Himself gave to Abraham? This act was asked of Abraham by God not only for Abraham to prove himself to the lord, but also for God to promote Abraham through his obedience. Abraham had to walk out the obedience of the Lord's request of him in order that he himself would know that there was nothing that he loved more than God...not even God's promise. 

Look at what the angel said to Abraham as he stopped him from plunging the knife into Issac in Gen 22: 12. "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." Abraham could have feared  losing what he loved more than fearing God enough to obey him, but he didn't. Verses 15-18 shows us how an angel speaks this powerful blessing over Abraham after he had walked out his obedience to God, "...for because thou hast done this thing, and thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all of the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice." 

Abraham proved by his actions that he loved God more than what he wanted to keep...his son. Since God is all-knowing, He will always know ahead of time what decisions we will make, however, there is something about making us walk it out anyway. It is really for us. If we love God enough to give up that thing that we love,... even the very promises that He has given us,... He will cause us to walk in a great blessing. In a hard time of my life and in a valley of decision, the Holy Spirit said to me, "What you are willing to walk away from, I will give back to you." 

It is hard to walk away from what you love, but if God asks it of you, He has already made provision for you. He cannot return to you what you refuse to give Him. It may feel like God is demoting us at times, but God will never demote those who love Him enough to be obedient, but rather promote them. God had a plan to increase Abraham's life through this act of obedience and sacrifice. God sees the big picture of our lives, even when we are confused by His seemingly odd requests.