What About Your Friends?

Are you Job?

Do you have "friends" who give you their opinions all the time and call it "advice"? Are there nosy pals that always want to know all the drama in your life? Do you have a homey that "knows it all"? There are people planted in your life who add subtract, multiply and divide. You do the arithmetic! First some felt sorry for Job, then it quickly turned into accusations that, he, Job, must have done something to deserve all this mess in his life. What "friends!"

How could they say these things to him?

(Job 1:1This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.)

The story goes on to tell the account of satan coming to God with the angels and God nominating Job to test. If you think that is unbelievable, read it yourself. God lifted His hedge of protection off Job and gave satan control over all Job's earthly possessions to do what he wanted as to prove that Job would not curse God. (Job 1:9-12)

For so long, we have been taught that Job was an innocent bystander and calamity upon disaster struck his life. We get the answer in

(Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come on me, and that which I was afraid of is come to me.)

Deut. 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE TAUGHT!
Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid.

2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

*Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.*

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real

Num. 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it?
The enemy has NO POWER in your life. He can only make suggestions. He is a liar and an accuser of the brethren. Revelation 12:10

We have to change our thinking about this situation that Job was in. The Word gives constant new revelation to those that diligently seek the truth. It has recently been revealed to me that because Job feared, he was tested directly in his area of fear and his life turned around when he began to speak to God and declare things that he knew of God because of their relationship.

¹ Then Job replied to the LORD:² “I know that you can do all things;no purpose of yours can be thwarted.³ You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;I will question you,and you shall answer me.’5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

Job 42:1-6;10

I must remember to mention that this ALONE did not turn it around! You MUST read on! JOB PRAYED FOR HIS FRIENDS!

10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.

Are you Job? When you can find no one with compassion to encourage and lift you when you need it, but you are all that to others...........you are called to pray for them! What makes you exempt from trials of life? You may be faithful and upright, but do you fear?

Seems to me, that you must be an intercessor then. I dare you to watch God open up the windows of heaven over you and your childrens' children!