When You're Suffering It's Helpful To Remember This

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.
 
Job 2:4-6
Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. "However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face." So the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life."  NASU 

• Some Suffering Comes From Satan 

The Hebrew word "satan" means "adversary".  We can see God's adversary stating the only reason Job loves, honors, obeys and serves God is God has built a hedge around him and in so doing protects Job.
 
Job 1:8-11 - 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." Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about 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. But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face." 
 
At different stages of our life, we can be sure God's adversary (satan) will want to inflict some type of suffering into our lives. In the case of Job, we can see his sufferings were financial, family, religious, marital and health. They all came upon him immediately and without any warning signs.
 
I studied the book of Job a few years back and arrived at numerous conclusions but the one that sticks with me the most is this:
 
Job suffered because the LORD had faith in him.
 
The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job?..." 

• God Has Faith In Us 

When was the last time you were suffering and your first thought was "Okay, I am going to have to endure a little suffering because the LORD has faith in me."
 
Yeah, I didn't think so. It isn't generally my first thought either.
 
BUT, it is true. The LORD has faith in us. He has given us His Word which is able to strengthen us to endure any temptation. Here is how the apostle Paul penned it down:
 
1 Corinthians 10:13 - No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 
 
God has faith in us. Any temptation we face has been faced by others before us.
 
God also makes us two promises, the first promise is He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and the second promise is He will provide us a way of escape in order for us to endure the temptation.
 
Therefore, when you find yourself suffering or being tempted, keep looking for the way to escape.
 
It is there.
 
You must remain calm and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you God's plan of escape for you.
 
Think About This:
 
A person falls into temptation because he is unwilling to stand up against it.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word
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