The Great Battle

Another thing on my mind today...I've been doing a study on the names of God. It's one of the greatest studies I've ever gone through. Anyways, the most recent part I've been going through talks about the sovereignty of God, El Elyon - God Most High. And the study went through a few chapters in Job. In these chapters is seen something that I've never considered, and it's POWERFUL. It's changed my perspective and understanding of the enemy's place in my life. I'll post the verses and give my "insights" to follow:

Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-10
1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." 8 And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" 9 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face." 12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD...

2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." 3 And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason." 4 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face." 6 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life." 7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he(Job) took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die." 10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Okay folks. These passages are POWERFUL and full of Truth! Here are a few things I noticed:

• The enemy had to enter into the presence of the Lord each time.
• God spoke to satan first in each meeting...he was not able to speak to God unless spoken to first.
• GOD was the one who suggested Job to satan, as one whom he might "consider", or pay some attention to.
• Satan had tried to attack Job before - but it says Job "turned away from evil". Even the enemy noticed and realized the hedge of protection the Lord placed around Job and all that he had and all those in his family. The enemy had never been able to penetrate God's protection!
• Have I already said this? God is the one who put the idea of Job into the enemy's plans...
• God is the one who gives permission - He gives permission - to the enemy to attack Job and all that he has. But Job's life is never at stake...God still has ownership of his life.
• When the enemy returns to the presense of the Lord, he is not able to pose an arguement or to boast or to get angry with God - he must realize God won the first battle!
• Satan's reply in chapter 2 is pretty much that Job is just trying to save his own life - he wants Job to feel the physical, personal pain - surely THEN, in all his heartbreak and pain, he will turn against the Lord.
• And again, GOD GIVES PERMISSION to the enemy to inflict pain upon Job's body. But his life is still in God's hands...God is ruling of Job's life and death.
• His wife was acting as a foolish woman. Even the one person, most close and intimate to Job, the one he probably loves and trusts more than any other person, incites him to turn his back on God.
• His response is amazing - "shall we receive good but not evil?"

WOW people!!! This passage is POWER! The enemy has to ask permission from God to do ANYTHING. All things are controlled by God, even the schemes, tricks, deceptions, horrific, terrible, and aweful things that the enemy performs. God is the one that speaks our name to the enemy - the one who suggests who the enemy pay attention to. Is it to test our faith? Is it to display to the enemy God's power? And we must see the bigger picture - there was great PURPOSE in God's allowance of these things. In the end, Job revered God in a greater way than he had in chapter 1; the enemy walks away as defeated, once again; the list goes on and on.

In my own life, I get so discouraged and run-down when I feel "attacked". I have never had something tragic or horrific happen very close to me or in my own life like Job faced, but I am exactly like Job - I have a choice to make. When faced with pain, trials, suffering, and hardship, do I give credit to the enemy and cry "Woe is me! Why me? Why this? Why now? What is happening? What did I do wrong?" and etc. Or, do I instead seek God and say "You have chosen this to happen to me, Lord. Teach me to stand strong; teach me to seek your will and to wait on you for the outcome. What would you have me learn? Display your healing and your love in my time of weakness and suffering. Show me HOW GREAT you are."

I am having a hard time expressing in words how huge this passage is to me. Basically, I have a new perspective on God's power, and a new perspective on the enemy's ultimate weakness. I see God's control, and I see the enemy's great lengths he will go to just so we turn our backs against God. And I see that in Christ - there is ALWAYS victory in the end, and always a certain defeat of the enemy. So much so that he has no way of fighting back - no way of convincing God for another chance. He must move on and try something new.

In every war, there is life and death. Some die fighting; some are casualties-innocent people who've done no wrong. There is victory and there is defeat. There are wounds. There are life-long scars and memories that never fade. And there are lessons learned. Many soldiers walk away stronger than when they first set foot on the battlefield. In this battle - in the battle between eternal Life and eternal death - I must see that God always, always, always gets the victory. And no matter the things I see, the pain I feel, the ways I suffer or the loss of life around me, I must choose to see God has a greater plan than any I can imagine.