Daily Bible Study

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Day 13 – Justification Job 11 What do you do and how do you feel when nobody believes you? Your life is an open book, they see your accomplishments, your awards are plain to see, but instead of recognizing what you’ve done, they call you a liar as though all your achievements never happened. Zophar literally called Job a liar to his face. He told him his sin was plain to see because of the condition he was in. Satan asked God to allow him to test Job and prove he wasn’t as innocent as God would have people believe. In doing so notice the tactics Satan uses against Job. 1. He uses the truth about God to make a liar out of Job – Job 11:6b Know therefore that God exacts of thee less than thine iniquity deserves. 7 Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than hell; what canst thou know? 9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. 10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? 11 For he knows vain men: he sees wickedness also; will he not then consider it? 12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt. (KJV) 2. Then Satan mixes in his brand of truth to try to prove Job is no better than the worst of men. When Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, he used truth mixed with lies to get her to disobey God. His tactics are always the same. Truth mixed with lies equals lies. He does the same with us. Our problem with Satan and his lies is that they are concealed so well, we fall for them if we do not seek God first in everything. What happens when we forget to seek God but listen to what others say about us? Anger is often the first result. Anger leads to other problems, usually fighting. As soon as you get angry, Satan has won. He can then go before God and tell him ‘I told you so.’ It’s hard to do, but we must hold our peace. We must seek God in prayer, and allow our quietness to make Satan angry, and he will be angry because we hold our tongue and will not answer him. Satan used that tactic against Jesus during the crucifixion. Jesus held his peace, and Satan did everything he could to discredit Jesus, but it didn’t work. As soon as Jesus said, ‘It is finished,’ Satan lost and our salvation was secure. John 19:1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. 2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him with their hands. 4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and said unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. 5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate said unto them, Behold the man! 6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. 7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 9 And went again into the judgment hall, and said unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. (KJV) John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (KJV) Man will mock us because we are Christians. They will do whatever they can to cause us to bring shame on us, but when we stand still before God, God will bring victory in our lives, even if it looks like we lost, we have won. No matter what Pilate did to persuade the people that Jesus was innocent, the people called out for his blood. He had no choice but to crucify him, which was God’s will, though Satan didn’t understand that until the moment Jesus said it was finished. Then the veil of the temple tore in two from top to bottom and there was an earthquake. Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; (KJV) As soon as Jesus died, and the ground quaked, Satan lost because Jesus had descended into Hell and set the prisoners free. Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. (KJV) Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he said, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) (KJV) Knowing Satan was defeated on the cross, and our salvation was guaranteed through Jesus’ resurrection, Satan shouldn’t be able to do or say anything to us. Job knew he had done nothing wrong. His life was a testimony of his faith in God, even though his friends failed to notice the evidence. Next time someone says something to you that would steal your joy, remember Satan’s purpose is to do everything he can to cause you to sin. Hold your peace. Let’s pray: Father, there are many times when I fail to hold my peace, allowing Satan a small victory over me. Help me remember Satan’s tactics have never changed, and Jesus defeated him on the cross. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 2 March 2016 by Valerie Jean Routhieaux All scripture is King James Version, edited by me into common English. Image courtesy of Pixabay