Integrity, Character & Perseverance... What does it look like?

Can we be “HIGH JACKED?”

“While we can't stop a thought from knocking on the door of our imagination, we don't have to invite it in and make it our houseguest.”

(Greg Laurie)

God shows us exactly what integrity, character and perseverance looks like in the Book of JOB. Job feared the Lord. He was upright and blameless and turned away from anything evil.  Job was blessed beyond belief in his life and one day God asked Satan if he had ever considered His servant Job. Meaning that Satan could not “High Jack” him away from the Lord. Satan replied by pointing out, “the only reason you say this is because you have given Job all the good things in life and built a hedge around his life.” Satan was sure he could “High Jack” Job into rebuking and cursing God.

Job 1: 12 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

We see throughout the Book of Job  (25th book of Old Testament) the unimaginable suffering that Satan puts upon Job and never once does Job rebuke or curse the Lord.

Job, fell to his knees and worshiped the Lord and said:

Job 1:20  “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; 
 may the name of the LORD be praised.”

Worship is the Lord’s anesthetic; it numbed the pain of life for Job. Satan is NOT omni-present, all knowing or all powerful like the Lord is. Satan learns by watching and observing our movements and our desires in our lives. Satan has to receive permission to exercise his power over us.

Satan’s strategies failed because Job has his eyes fixed upon the “blesser” not the “blessings,” the “giver” not the “gifts”.

Job reminds us to ask God “WHAT” instead of “WHY”  when we are in the midst of trials.

“Lord, what are you preparing me for?”

• ·      Growth
• ·      Faith
• ·      Preparation
• ·      Dependency
• ·      Empathy and Insight
• 
  
• When we are going through extreme pain in our lives it is not the power OF us, it is the power IN us that muzzles Satan’s lies on our behalf.

Job 23:12 - Job allows God to be God and Sovereign over EVERYTHING. Nobody knows how long Job’s suffering lasted. It could have been 10 days or 10 years; but, Job lived 140 years and as a result of Job’s faithfulness he received even great blessings than he had before.

 Those who persist in trusting God will be rewarded

 Blessings,

Sian