Why Did God Allow Job In The Bible To Suffer?
Many people have read the story of an extremely prosperous follower of God in the Bible named Job. He was before the time of Jesus and likely before Abraham as well. Most scholars believe that the book of Job is actually the oldest book in the Bible. Job had children, employees (servants), and herds of livestock. He was very rich. We know from Job 1:1 that he did his best to honor God. However, his kids were very blessed by his riches and would party frequently. After all the partying or ‘feasting’, as they called in those days, Job would go make sacrifices to cover the sins of his children.
The Hedge Of Protection
The enemy sees and recognizes God’s people. People who are in the darkness are no threat to hell. But those who are blessed spiritually and financially can really do some damage to the enemy. Those who are always in the light are unstoppable. The Bible tells us that satan went to the Heavenly Father to ask permission to attack Job. satan recognized that God has a hedge of protection around His people in Job 1:10. Yes, that’s right, God has a hedge around you who believe. He also surrounds you with your own angels that Psalm 91 tells us He has given charge over us.
God didn’t allow Job to suffer, Job brought it on himself. You see God’s people are told not to give the enemy a foothold in our lives according to Ephesians 4:27. A foothold is a place in our lives that the enemy can use to attack us. You can lock up your house, but if you leave just one window unlocked and open, some thief can get right in.
How Did Job Open Himself Up For Attack?
Job was fearful about his children feasting and sinning against God. It seems his children were not as dedicated to God as he was. The enemy got a foothold and that entry point was through Job’s fear. That opened up the door to evil. The enemy attacked through other people who pillaged his family’s possessions, lightning and fire that destroyed his livestock, and a collapsing house that killed his family members. Horrible tragedies.
In Job 3:25 we see what the root cause. Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and Job let loose saying,
For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me,
And what I dreaded has happened to me.
– Job 3:25 (NKJV)
Fear Vs. Faith
Job was fearful. The opposite force of faith is fear. If you are fearful, your faith is not going to work. Putting it another way, if you’re full of faith, fear can’t bother you. You have nothing to fear. You can do great things like the believers in Hebrews chapter 11 which we call the Hall of Faith.
God Allows What YOU Allow!
God allows what you allow. If you allow suffering, depression, lack, discouragement, and speak or allow idle words to affect you, you will be pulled in that direction. There is no reason for you to suffer. The Bible says, the just shall live by faith. If you are struggling in your life, it is now time to fight.
Job may have lost the battle initially, but after he got his act together and all his ‘faith shields’ up. Job was able to start over and double what he had before. God blesses us when we live by faith, the Bible says,
Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters.
– Job 42:12-13 (NKJV)
God blesses us above and beyond whatever we can ask or think, when we seek Him, His Kingdom and His ways (righteousness). Why don’t you start going deeper with God today?
Get God’s power in your life now.
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