Date: Sunday, June 08, 2014
Today's Chapters: Job 38-42
Message Title: Stop Living A Defeated Life

As Christians, we all come to points in our lives when life seems to overwhelm us so much that we wonder if anything we do for God has any impact at all. You see so many people being blessed, and yet, nothing seems to change for you. It can certainly be heartbreaking to keep living for God while you are struggling to even get though another day. We do not have to live in defeat, in fact, God does not want us to live in defeat, in fact, we are not defeated at all, we are merely running a race that has a longer track than we want, but we must keep running if we want to win. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” - 1 Corinthians 9:24.

Job had everything he ever wanted and more, within a day he lost everything he had, and for several weeks, all he got from the four men that talked to him was criticism and false accusations. As Elihu was speaking, a storm was brewing, in fact, a tornado appears out of the blue, but it was no ordinary tornado, a voice spoke through it, and it was the voice of God. He speaks directly to Job. “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great? Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?” - Job 38:2-4,21-23.

God demands Job to stop feeling sorry for himself, and be ready to do something about his situation. He reminds Job, and all of us, that He has made everything, knows everything, and knows exactly what He is going on. The culprit behind all of our undeserved affliction is the devil, and while he is the one who orchestrates it, we are the ones who keep adding fuel to the fire. As long as we continue to wallow in our sorrows, get depressed, and stop enjoying life because of our situation, the devil is going to keep putting more doubt and fear in our heads. There does come a time when God has had enough of our defeated attitude and will demand that we do something about it. I know this to be true because He did it to me, and He will do it with all of His children, He allows affliction to strengthen us so we can be victorious. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57,58.

God continues asking Job more questions, questions He knows he cannot possibly answer, but this time He gives some amazing insight into His creation. “Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth? They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows. Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them. Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.” - Job 39:1-4,26-30.

God has given all creatures the ability to survive in their environment, they do not know what is coming, but they do not fear because they know that God takes care of them. If God can take care of His creatures of the wild He can certainly take cake of His creatures made in His image. “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” - Luke 12:6,7.

Job responds to God, he is speechless and really does not know how to answer Him. “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further. Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.” - Job 40:4-8,11-14.
God was trying to get Job to realize just how little all of us know about the things we already accept just by faith. We are children of God because we put our faith and trust in His Son, yet, we are quick to question Him when we are losing things. Sooner or later, God will confront us, and make us answer some tough questions about Him. We cannot please God without faith nor can we expect His blessings. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:3,6.

No one, through human reasoning, is able to understand why we suffer unnecessary, but we can come to the understanding the Job did. He was not meant to know all the answers to life's problems, he just had to trust God, and keep living by faith. “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” - Job 42:2-8,10.

God blessed Job with twice as much as he had before he was afflicted. We too must come to the place where we realize that we do not need to know all the answers, but we do need to trust God. God knows what He is doing, every trial, every circumstance, every situation we get into, is not by chance, it is all to get us to realize that we have a bigger God than our situation. When we trust God, and pray for those who afflict us, that is when we will win the race. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:” - Hebrews 12:1-3,28.

Today's Prayer: God, I admit that I do live a defeated life, I catch myself reminiscing of the things I once had, forgetting that You have much more to give me. You have chosen the track for my race, as much as I hate running, I will keep going by faith, and trusting You to get me to the finished line. I will not be defeated because I know that You are my coach, who will lead me to victory. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's Price
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
©2014 I'm Following Jesus