People are so desperate to blame God for their circumstance they will do anything to prove their point or justify their situation. OK, maybe that is strong language but why do we insist on giving God the rap for stuff that the devil does to us? Do you know that is what Job is all about? It is not a theological dissertation on the nature of an abusive God. It is however a poetic insight into the nature of man and his desire to have it all figured out. We have to stop digging up stuff to justify what the devil is doing and blaming God for the outcome. We have to stop agreeing with the lies of the enemy.
The devil has been doing the same thing from day one. He began with a lie that implied God was holding good stuff back from us. He enticed us with something appealing, layered on a false promise and guaranteed something we already possessed. We took the bait and ate the wrong fruit. We gave the devil what God gave to us. We agreed with a lie and empowered a deceiver. We stepping out of the Kingdom of God and into the kingdom of the devil. Look at all these verses God makes it clear who is the ruler of the world:
Eph 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — (ESVST)
Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (ESV)
Jn 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (ESV)
Jn 14:30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. (ESV)
2Co 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus ‘sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (ESV)
Mat 13:19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. (ESV)
1Jo 5:19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (ESV)
Even the devil himself knows this truth. This is his statement to Jesus.
Luke 4:6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” (ESV)
Just so you know and can have certainty that God is not giving you stuff to make you suffer and He isn’t testing you, here is the verse in Job that most point to:
Job 1:12 The LORD told Satan, “Everything he has is in your power, but you must not lay a hand on him!” Then Satan left the LORD’s presence. (GWT)
Was God giving the devil permission or was He stating a condition? Based on all the other verses above, was God allowing satan to torture Job or did He explicitly direct protection for Job? Can you see that satan already had power over the stuff that Job had? Do you see that God actually told satan to not harm Job?
OK, so why does God create a world where satan has such power? Why does it seem that God is just sitting back and watching the show?
First remember that seeing is not believing. Are you really seeing what God is doing? Second look for His purpose. His plan is Christ in us. His plan is to exalt us. His plan is to make His home in us and we together defeat the works of the devil. God’s plan is for us to humiliate the one who humiliates us. God’s plan is for His kids to be empowered to kick the butt of the bully. Jesus is what it looks like for us to reign in this life. Grace is the power to see and know God is with us. God is not sitting back and watching the show. No, He died to get in us so He could work with us to defeat the one who put separation between us. The devil is a jerk. God is love. The devil is a murder. God is resurrection power. The devil breaths lies. God breaths life. The devil is a destroyer. God is a creator. That same God is our Father, our Abba, our brother and our lover. He is not trying to test us. He is drawing us to Himself.
Job had an opportunity to declare the goodness of God. Instead he searched for blame. In the end Job realizes how much he didn’t know about God. He declares how amazing God is. He is humbled and repents of his desire to figure it all out. We know what Job didn’t know. We know Jesus. Job cried for a mediator, an advocate. We have one in Jesus with our Father and one in the Holy Spirit in us. We have now what Job wanted. We have this:
1Jo 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (ESV)
Stop blaming God. Stop waiting for a rescue mission. Stop complaining about what God isn’t doing. Stop agreeing with the lies of the devil that says our circumstance is God’s expression towards us. God is good, really good. He died to prove it. We GET TO be His kids. We GET TO beat the devil out of our circumstance. Want to see a change in your situation? Declare the goodness of God. Declare the mighty works of God. Thumb you nose at the devil and watch him run. You are victorious. Jesus is King.
Yay God!
Lance
alancetotheheart 