The story of Job is a wonderful story filled with action! In this story, there’s a great meeting in Heaven. There’s the Holy God, angels, a good guy (whose name is Job), and his family. Of course, every great story has to have a bad guy who does evil, causing trouble and turmoil for the good guy.
As with any great story that has great characters, there has to be a great plot! This story opens up describing Job’s bountiful and obedient life. Job’s story is jam-packed with blessings and favor from God, with riches and honor! On the other hand, this great story is also filled with great sadness, terrible sickness, agonizing pain, loneliness, loss, and even death.
In your Quiet Time, read the entire story of Job. It’s a real page turner!
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One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the LORD asked Satan. Satan answered the LORD, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless-a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the LORD, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, you may test him,” the LORD said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the LORD’s presence.” (Job 1:6-12, NLT)
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Job’s story, a true story indeed, gives the wonderful principles to the Believer. Here are some Biblical truths we can pull out from today’s passage of scripture.
1. God pours out His favor and places a hedge of protection around those who reverence (fear) Him, stay away from evil, live a life of integrity, and a life of worship. God’s favor on Job made him the richest man in Uz (Job 1:3b; Ps. 1:1-3).
2. Satan can’t penetrate God’s hedge of protection (Job 1:9-11).
3. Satan goes to and fro seeking whom he may devour (Job 1:7; 1 Pet.5:8).
4. Satan recognizes Believers who have God’s favor resting upon their lives (Job 1:8-11).
5. Satan asks permission from God to test Believers, having a desire to separate them from God (Job 1:8-11; Luke 22:31).
6. Sometimes, God test Believers and, sometimes, God allows Satan to cause havoc in a Believer’s life (Job 1:8; Ps. 11:4-5).
7. God has confidence in the Believer, just as He had confidence in Job. After the testing, God will allow the Believer to come out as pure gold (Job 23:10; Ps. 11:5; Ps. 66:10-12)!
8. God allows trouble, adversities, and hardship to fall on the just and the unjust (Job 1:1-22; Matt. 5:45).
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With all the testing that Job went through, in the end, he passed the test! As a rewarded, God gave Job double for his trouble (Job 42:10).
It’s Monday…..Already! My sister, our challenge for today is this: Live under the umbrella of God’s favor by living a life of integrity.
Reverence God, worship Him, and stay away from evil. Like Job, when trouble comes our way, may we be able to pass the test! Having faith in God, we can say, “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold!” (Job 23:10, NLT)
During your Quiet Time, MEDITATE on God’s Word, WATCH to today’s music video and keep walking in freedom!
LET’S WALK IN FREEDOM TOGETHER & IMPACT THE WORLD!
*Originally posted 2/4/13
Rhovonda L. Brown is speaker and author of two bestsellers, Walking in Freedom!: A Thirty-Day Devotional Journey for Women and At Least Say, “Thank You!”: An 8-Day Devotional Plan for a Grateful Heart.
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