Job, satan and Return on investment - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) September 21, 2021

Have you read the Book of Job? The story is about a man who's attacked by satan all because in Job 1:1 he's described as "blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil." The Bible tells us he'd make sin offerings to the Lord not just for himself, but also for his adult children just in case they'd sinned against the Lord. So, satan believed that if God took all that Job had, the man would turn from God and curse Him.

Job went through a lot. He lost all his children. He lost all his wealth, which in that time was counted as the number of animals one had. He also developed a condition where he was covered in sores. Through all that, He never cursed the Lord. He even managed to worship when word initially arrived of all his loses (Job 1:20). Yes, he complained and cried to the Lord, especially as his 'friends' accused him of having done wrong - after all, why would God punish an innocent man?

In the end, we see his story end with God speaking to him and restoring all he'd lost. Job received double blessings - children, lots of wealth and an additional 140 years of life. In fact, according to Job 42:10 - "the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before."

There is one glaring piece of information that is absent from the epilogue of Job's story contained in Job 42. There is no record of any additional testing, trials, or tribulations. In essence, Job never went through troubles again. Not because he was so righteous - I suspect he continued making sin offerings for his kids and himself as he'd done in the beginning.

Job settled into a life of God's favor because satan was forced to back off. It's return for investment from attacking him was so low, it proved unprofitable to see Job as a potential target again. Remember, how satan is described in the Bible? 1 Peter 5:8 - Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Job was no longer a candidate to be devoured.

Many of us face difficult times and wonder when we'll see the light at the end of the tunnel. We need to keep in mind that whatever we're going through, we've got to make sure satan's return on investment for harassing our lives is low. That is the prime way to get it to back off.

Now, how do we ensure this? We need to honor the Lord with praise and petitions. Don't simply grumble. Just like Job, we must worship and like Job we need to take our complaints and concerns to God. Use the word of God with Him and remember the blessings God has spoken over us. We must be adamant that God has to get us through whatever we're going through. Give Him no rest as the Bible says in Isaiah 62:7 and be determined like the Persistent Widow in Luke 18.

And we must take another cue from Job and pray for others as stated in Job 42:10 - After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. Bless other people in a way that reflects God's light. Once we enter that place of rest after our trials, we must also remember to continue to walk with God in humility. To serve Him and not backslide into a life where God is an option. God must remain the centerpiece, the driving force of our existence. May the Lord help each of us to apply the lessons of Job so we live to the glory of the King of kings, IJN, Amen.

I pray you'll join us for Praise & Pray (for others) today. It starts at 12 Noon EST and lasts an hour. It is a time for us to honor the Lord with worship, intercession for others, and focusing on how we can become better children of God. If you are reading this now, think of two-three people who need prayer in your life and come ready to seek the face of God on their behalf. God bless you.