The Life of Job – Part 2

To the degree that you have a clear, unclouded revelation of Who God is, your life will be built in God and the gates of hell will not prevail against you.

(James 5:10-11 NKJV) My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. (11) Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord–that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

These verses tell us to be inspired by his patience and endurance and to be inspired by the end of the Lord, not by his suffering.

Be inspired by Job’s consistency and the mercy and grace of the Lord that brought great deliverance.

(Job 1:1-12 NKJV)
(1) There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.
(2) And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
(3) Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.
(4) And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
(5) So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.
(6) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
(7) And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
(8) Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
(9) So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
(10) Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
(11) But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
(12) And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

God DOES NOT ask questions because He does not know the answer.

His questions are always rhetorical.

Job 1:7 NKJV
(7) And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

1 Peter 5:8 NKJV
(8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Job 1:8 NKJV
(8) Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”

In the margin of the NKJV there is a reference for verse 8 that reads: “Have you set your heart on Job…” This is the accurate translation.

God does not throw people under the bus as it seems that He did if you casually read this on the surface.

Satan DOES ask questions because he does not know the answer.

Job 1:9-10 NKJV
(9) So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
(10) Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

The only way that Satan can figure that Job is so prosperous is because God has a covenant hedge of protection around him. But remember, Job is not part of God’s covenant family through Abraham.

This gives us a clue as to what Satan does in his wandering in the earth – he is probing to see who has a hedge of protection and who does not AND can he get in.

Job did not have a covenant with God and therefore did not have a hedge of protection.

Supernatural protection is only afforded to those that are in covenant relationship with God.

Even in spite of this, God still placed a limitation on the devil – in that he could not destroy Job personally.

But there was still something that allowed the enemy to have access to Job and that was the Fear Factor.

Job 1:4-5 NKJV
(4) And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
(5) So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.

This seemed honorable and Job may have believed he was doing the right thing but you cannot do the right thing with the wrong motivation.

This would be equivalent to your mother going to church every Sunday because she is concerned her adult children were out partying the night before.

Proverbs 21:2-3 NLT
(2) People may be right in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their heart.
(3) The LORD is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer Him sacrifices.

Job 1:13-22 NKJV
(13) Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house;
(14) and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,
(15) when the Sabeans raided them and took them away–indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
(16) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
(17) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
(18) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
(19) and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
(20) Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
(21) And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
(22) In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Job 3:25-26 NKJV
(25) For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.
(26) I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.”

Job was in fear of those things happening to him and his household.

Fear connects you to the things that you are afraid of, just like faith attaches you to the things that you believe God for.

Faith in God’s Word will produce God’s blessing and in the same way fear will produce that which you believe.

…Same principles of faith just in reverse.

James 1:12-13 NKJV
(12) Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
(13) Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

James 1:13 CEV
(13) Don’t blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and he doesn’t use evil to tempt others.

We do not want to imply that everything bad that happens in our lives is because of fear. There may be other reasons.

The Three Storms of Life:

Matthew 7:24-27 NKJV
(24) “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
(25) and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
(26) “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
(27) and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Jesus said there would be storms that we would encounter in this life.

Three basic examples of storms in the Bible:

Storms of Disobedience

Jonah’s storm – came because of disobedience – God’s written or spoken instructions to our heart.

Only solution to this kind of storm comes through repentance.

Storms of Obedience

Jesus and the disciples got into a storm as they went to the other side – the disciples were obeying the direction of the Lord and got into a storm.

When you are doing the will of God Satan will resist what you are doing and bring storms into your life.

The solution to this kind of storm is the command of faith – “Peace be still”.

Storms of Association

Paul got into a storm because of the people he was with were in disobedience. Sometime the people we associate with can cause storms in our lives.

Caleb and Joshua suffered a 40-year delay in the wilderness because of the disobedience of the people they were with.

The solution to this kind of storm is not to use your faith as you must endure the storm but know the outcome will always be the same – the mercy and compassion of the Lord extended to you.

We must have the revelation that God is not behind the destruction and he does not use the devil to cause destruction in your life. God will always move to bring deliverance and victory and twice as much as you had before.