Job was a blameless man, feared God and shunned evil. Everything he did was to glorify God. He recognised who God was, he knew his wealth, his family, his wife, everything he owned was from God. He never took for granted the blessings that came from Him. He would offer burnt offerings to the Lord on behalf of his children in case they sinned within their hearts against the Lord, Job was a faithful man.
As we read in Job 1:6 we see the sons of God (angels) were before God and Satan presents himself before God too. Job 1:7-12 “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.” 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?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 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. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” 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.”
We see that Satan has gone to the Lord for permission to attack Job, he doesn’t show his intentions initially, but the Lord knew who Satan was after. Satan isn’t going to attack those that belong to him because they are already in sin, his intention is to make one of God’s faithful children turn their backs on God and fall into sin. Highlight their weaknesses and make them feel like they cannot overcome in the Lord.
The Lord allows for Satan to attack or tempt us, this is to see if we will lean on God during our weakness or will we succumb. Will we show the Lord that we trust Him, or is it merely lip service; I guess we will only know once we are faced with a situation.
James 1:2-3 says we should count it all joy when we are in our trials, as this will lead to patience. Further down the chapter James continues in 1:12-15 “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. 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. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
Trials, temptations, spiritual attacks happens in our walk with God, and it is important to recognise when you are in the trial, temptation, or attack that you know what to do when you are dealing with the enemy. In some cases temptations happen to those who have a weakness, for example - anger; the question is, will you rise to the situation that is causing you to be angry and sin or are you going to be angry but rise above it. For the record, anger is a normal reaction to have, that isn’t the sin, it’s about what you do with that emotion which could lead you into sin, Ephesians 4:26 says “Be angry, and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”
In Job’s case he was under attack, not because he had a weakness that he needed to overcome, but because he was obedient to the Lord, and Satan wanted to attack the very thing that God had blessed Job with, to see if he would curse and leave the Lord. We see in the rest of Job 1, he loses his children, his livestock and property. Job doesn’t sin, he tears his clothes and worships the Lord. So, Satan tries again in chapter 2, he appears before the Lord again, and asks God for permission to attack His health, and Job is later struck down with boils all over his body. At this point, Job has lost his children, his livelihood, his property, his health, and now his wife is rebuking him for not cursing God, because Job still refuses to sin. What he says in response is amazing Job 2:10 “But he said to her, “you speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”
Many of us are in a season of attack or temptation, what is important is that you understand why you are being attacked.
I had recently published a blog “What are your idols; what are you holding on to.” I hadn’t intended to publish anything for Easter, but like each post that has been published, none of these topics are ever planned, I move when the Lord tells me to move, I write when he tells me to write. This has never been of my own accord.
It was the night before Good Friday, and I had the desire to write something about Christ, and as always, the words flowed as I started typing.
By the time Saturday evening arrived, I felt the urgency to finish the piece. As I picked up from where I left off, I realise the Holy Spirit was leading me into an area that I started to feel nervous about. I began to feel unsure and question if I should even write this post. However, I pushed past it and carried on. Once I hit the publish button, I had so many negative thoughts that ran through my head, although, I knew everything that was said was facts - it’s the word of God; yet the enemy was trying to make me doubt what was said. I went before the Lord that evening as I couldn’t shake the thoughts, and whilst I was praying I was reminded about Job, that he was attacked for being obedient.
Waking up on Resurrection Day, I still had the negative thoughts and this time I had a sore throat - I knew I was under attack. I went to church and what a glorious day it was in the Lord. As the day progressed, so did my symptoms - I had a fever, the cough I had was worsening and my voice became hoarse. I recall saying to my husband that I didn’t know where this cold came from, no one in our household had anything. That evening, I had another message that was on my heart to write (will release soon), which I quickly typed on my phone.
Easter Monday arrives and I’m battered! I went before the Lord as I would normally in prayer and reading my bible; the negative thoughts were no longer there however, I’m trying to deal with this illness. The cold has now gone onto my chest, and anyone who has asthma, you know the last thing you need is for the cold to go on your chest. Nevertheless, it did, at this point I’m lethargic - don’t have the energy for anything and just want to sleep. Monday night into this morning my sleep is interrupted by this horrific cough, I’m taking my inhalers more than usual and my sleep is interrupted. I recall praying in the middle of the night, ironically not for me to get well.
By mid morning this morning, my breathing is getting worse, I can’t speak for long periods of time without being out of breath; at this point I’m waiting for my doctors appointment and my inhalers are now running out.
I remembered praying to the Lord, and during my time of prayer there was a part of me that thought this was spiritual, but it was not fully registering, because I was feeling vulnerable. I had a conversation with my mum, and whilst we were speaking I’m becoming short of breath, a slight fear came over me - my mum confirmed that I was under spiritual attack and it stemmed from me posting “Jesus Christ, our redeemer, our saviour and Friend.” The last time I was short of breath was in 2022 when I had Covid - I couldn’t breath, I started to panic which is the worst thing you can do, an ambulance came for me, it was a whole thing. Thankfully, this wasn’t the case - nonetheless, I knew I needed to be in prayer, I started to call on every promise, every scripture that the Lord has told me in His word, Deuteronomy 28:13 “And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.” And Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” and so on.
In that moment of praying, I realised the enemy was trying to use my asthma against me, to get me to panic about how laboured my breathing was becoming, to doubt the Lord, and to stop me from going about the Lord’s business. I kept on praying, and the more I kept on going, the more angry I was becoming. My breathing was no longer laboured, and I said to the Lord ‘I know you are using me to do your will, but continue to use me Lord, because I want to go after the enemy, I’m coming after him.’ I was mad! I don’t know what going after the enemy will look like, but I know I’ve had enough of him!! I’m reminded of the song from Cece Winans “waging war.”
As I write this, I sound and feel better than I did earlier (course of antibiotics will not start until tomorrow - all praises be to God because the Lord is restoring my health)! I knew why I was being attacked, because of my obedience to the Lord, I was not listening to the enemy’s lies and I trust in the Lord. Now, I’m not saying there is not going to be another attack on my life in some shape or form, as we read throughout the bible the enemy is constantly after those the Lord uses to do His will. As Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” I know as long as I remain in my Father and He remains in me, I will overcome!
And so did Job, after a devastating time on his life, as well as a gruelling time of being berated by “friends,” we see that Job prays for them, and the Lord blesses him with twice as much than he had initially.
God never said our road would be easy Matthew 7:13-14, but as long as we hold on, we will have the gift of eternal life. Amen! x