Angelic Conflict part 240: The fight of the believer – Job 1-2; 1Pe 5:8; Eph 4:26-27; 6:16;

Class Outline:

Title: Angelic Conflict part 240: The fight of the believer - Job 1-2; 1PE 5:8; EPH 4:26-27; 6:16;

 

 

JOB 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord [angels], and Satan also came among them.

 

JOB 1:7 And the Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

 

1PE 5:8

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

 

He is the ruler of the earth, after Adam had lost it, and he arrogantly responds to God that he had been roaming around it, and we can infer from 1PE 5:8, that he was looking for someone to devour. God will bring up Job, knowing that satan had been looking to devour him, for we see that satan knows all about him.

 

satan can't touch Job because he can't hurt those who don't hurt themselves. The wall of fire around Job is a direct result of his divine integrity and faith.

 

EPH 4:26-27

Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.

 

He doesn't earn protection from God in some kind of mafia style contract. Job's integrity, which he learned from God, is his protection against the false doctrines from satan, which at the time centers around idol worship and the phallic cult.

 

I give one unique example of this, but one that has influenced millions of people, including Christians. The opportunity for the devil in this scheme is the inordinate desire for materialism in believers and in Christian churches and organizations.

 

Napoleon Hill(Oct 26, 1883 - Nov 8, 1970) was an American author in the area of the new thought movement who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature. He is widely considered to be one of the great writers on success. His most famous work, Think and Grow Rich (1937), is one of the best-selling books of all time (at the time of Hill's death in 1970, Think and Grow Rich had sold 20 million copies). Hill's works examined the power of personal beliefs, and the role they play in personal success. He became an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1936. "What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve" is one of Hill's hallmark expressions. How achievement actually occurs, and a formula for it that puts success in reach of the average person, were the focal points of Hill's books.

 

Hill explains in some detail that he learned the mind-power techniques contained in his books from disembodied spirit entities. Demons masquerading as Ascended Masters used Hill to deceive the millions who have adopted the “success” techniques they gave him. Hill declares:

 

[quote - Napoleon Hill] Now and again I have had evidence that unseen friends hover about me, unknowable to the ordinary senses. In my studies I discovered there is a group of strange beings who maintain a school of wisdom.... The School has Masters who can disembody them­selves and travel instantly to any place they choose.., to give knowledge directly, by voice.... Now I knew that one of these Masters had come across thousands of miles, through the night, into my study. I shall not set down every word he said.., much of what he said already has been presented to you in the chapters of this book and will follow in other chapters. “You have earned the right to reveal a Supreme Secret to others,” said the vibrant voice. “You have been under the guidance of the Great School.... Now you must give the world a blueprint. ...”

 

Napoleon Hill’s books are offered at Christian bookstores across the country and recommended by numerous Christian leaders. The prosperity gospel has taken over much of so-called Christian churches where liberal theology is taught and nothing but wealth and material success is taught. In the spirit of building empires many theological seminaries and universities and churches have turned to techniques of old world sorcery, which has become modern day marketing [mind tricks], in order to fill the seats and raise finances and influence in churches. God doesn't need gimmicks to fill the seats. The power is in the truth, yet satan's kingdom sits in the churches like a Trojan Horse.

 

Prior to WW II, “few theological schools had even bothered to teach counseling courses” involving psychology, but “by the 1950s, almost all of them did [and] over 80 percent were offering additional courses in psychology. ...”

 

If it strutted or danced down church aisles in its authentic paint and feathers as the anti-biblical religion it is, paganism would be promptly rejected by Christians. But when dressed in a business suit, clerical collar, or robe and introduced to the congregation as the latest innovation in theology, psychology, medicine, business success, and self-improvement techniques for developing human potential, seductive sorcery is warmly embraced as a true friend and supporter of Christianity.

 

In the CA virtue comes from doctrine and the ministry of God the Holy Spirit. Faith in application extinguishes satan's soul missiles.

 

EPH 6:16

in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. [poneros = evil]

 

This shows us that God can lift the restraint of evil and in this war, He does. But all things work out together for good for Job, even though both he and his friends come to an erroneous conclusion for the reason of the calamity.

 

God enters Job into the conflict as a witness. This is rightly called evidence testing.

 

JOB 1:8 And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil."

 

Evidence testing - The pressure of evil is allowed upon a mature believer who has developed divine virtue. This pressure only makes the virtue shine.

 

JOB 1:9 Then Satan answered the Lord, "Does Job fear God for nothing?

 

The answer to that is no, but not for the reasons that satan would hope. Job has a reverent fear for God for the simple reason that he has the knowledge and wisdom to know that God alone is worthy of it.

 

JOB 1:10 "Hast Thou not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

 

JOB 1:11 "But put forth Thy hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse Thee to Thy face."

 

satan = accuser or adversary. devil = slanderer. His cross examination is that the believer's virtue has an improper motivation.

 

Ironic that he would accuse another creature of having wrong motives, but entrenched arrogance blinds a person to their own faults. Arrogant accusers often project their own flaws on to others, while they self-justify.

 

satan is attacking God's character as well as Job's. God would have never allowed this if He didn't know that Job was up to the task.

 

The attack is two-fold. God is blessing Job for no reason or arbitrarily, and that Job only worships God for the blessing and not from his knowledge and of love for God.

 

satan desires to show that all creatures will curse God to His face if blessing is removed. satan's blessings were removed in his rebellion against God.

 

What Job shows, and all virtuous believers have also shown under similar circumstances, is that they freely choose to worship God despite the loss of material blessings, children, health, or any other tragedy that evil brings their way.

 

satan is the source of the evil while God is not. God is not pleased with the evil that is brought upon Job. Job's integrity was already there and God saw it. God didn't need this to see it. He didn't need others to see it. Yet God has allowed this fall and evil to enter His universe and it has positioned itself against Him and therefore against all who honor Him.

 

PSA 2:2

The kings of the earth take their stand,

And the rulers take counsel together

Against the Lord and against His

Anointed:

 

War reveals the strongest participant. The strongest was the strongest before the war, but the war removes any doubt.

 

Positive believers have the opportunity and privilege to reveal God's glory when it is put to the test.

 

The maturing, virtuous believer reveals that his virtue depends on the person of God and not the blessings of God. The person of God is eternal and immutable.

 

Again, God doesn't need evil to show virtue in His creatures who love Him, but He uses evil to open its application.

 

For instance, a battery stores chemical potential energy. If I know it is a new battery without defects or damage I know that it has so many volts to deliver under certain loads for a certain period of time by knowing the laws of electrochemistry. Do I need to put it in a circuit to prove it has energy? No. However, if someone accuses it of being dead or refuses to believe me that it is new, what is the best way to show it? I connect its positive and negative leads to a completed circuit that has a light or a motor and I reveal its power through application. This would have to be done if someone accused me, the owner, of being a liar, or of the battery itself of being deficient, or both. satan accuses God and he accuses us.

 

battery clip

 

Believers who are walking dead don't get the opportunity to show what God has given them because they are never charged up with virtue by doctrine.

 

Virtue comes by faith in the doctrines of the Bible, especially those of the NT mystery doctrine. Faith is only effective when it is placed in a real and meritorious object. It's not just wishing or wanting it bad enough or visualizing it, but virtue is either possessed in the soul or not, and it comes from one, real source, Jesus Christ.

 

Yet those, while likely under the discipline of God at often times, are always defended by their Lord. They are victorious in this war just as much as the virtuous, positive believer. All batteries go to heaven.

 

If believers can't show power, then Christ through His own scars shows power for them. They are eternally saved and perfectly righteous and justified before God the Father, the eternal Judge.

 

However, the virtuous believer has the opportunity to reveal the power of Christ himself. He is charged with virtue and power through doctrine and the Spirit. His power will only shine and so he is called to the witness stand in order to be an expert witness to the power, truth, grace, and victory of our Lord and the complete defeat of satan and his dark kingdom.

 

The virtuous believer has the privilege to reveal the power of Christ himself being charged with virtue and power that will shine in application under pressure.

 

Yet, he never calls himself to the stand. In our arrogance we would likely think we're ready before we are. In our correct desire not to be under intense affliction (no normal person should desire evil to come their way) we would never chose it. God alone knows when we are ready and when we are, His restraint of certain evils in our lives will be lifted and God will challenge satan that, like Job, we're not in this for the blessing as satan is.

 

We never enter ourselves into testing. God alone knows when we're ready and His restraint of certain evils will be lifted.

 

One can see why this is the ultimate privilege that has ever been given to mankind - to be an expert witness of the victory of our precious Lord and Savior.

 

JOB 1:12 Then the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him." So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.

 

This clearly shows that God has the power to restrain or allow evil to occur from opposition which functions in self-determination.

 

JOB 1:13 Now it happened on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

 

JOB 1:14 that a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,

 

JOB 1:15 and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

 

If it was God who did this then He has violated His own commands. That would destroy His essence. One can't claim sovereignty as some do to justify the position that God did this.

 

EXO 20:15, 13

 "You shall not steal.

"You shall not murder.

 

500 oxen and 500 female donkeys are lost as well as the servants in charge of them are murdered. satan leaves one man alive so that Job can get the bad news.

 

JOB 1:16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven [false assumption] and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

 

At roughly the same time 7000 sheep are burned with fire and more servants murdered.

 

JOB 1:17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."

 

3000 camels are taken and the rest of his many servants are murdered.

 

JOB 1:18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

 

JOB 1:19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died; and I alone have escaped to tell you."

 

PRO 6:16-17

There are six things which the Lord hates,

Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:

... And hands that shed innocent blood,

 

Finally, all ten of his beloved children are killed at once.

 

Job possesses the solution to this incredible tragedy. Bad things happen in this evil world, but God has not changed. He is good and worthy to be praised.

 

All of these tragedies are explained by natural causes with the exception of the fire from heaven, which is possibly a lightning storm with hail.

 

JOB 1:20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. [common eastern method of mourning]

 

JOB 1:21 And he said,

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

 

JOB 1:22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

 

Job realizes that these are all blessings from God. Job did not ever "own" them. If God saw fit to remove them, or allow them to be removed, then so be it.

 

However, we find later in the book that Job did not understand that God didn't remove them, but His and Job's adversary did.

 

Job's conclusion that the Lord took it away was not exactly correct, but his attitude and motivation were correct. We don't have to get every single question correct. We have to apply what we know.