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Warrior Up-Lesson 4 from Bobi Ann Allen on Vimeo.
Discussion Question 1:
Why do you think God allowed Satan to attack Job’s life?
(click reply to post your thoughts)
God allowed satan to test Job to prove Job’s faith was in God alone – not in possessions and other blessing from his loving God, but that Job truly loved God.
I believe God allowed the testing in Job’s life to perfect him even more. In James 1:3 we are told that the testing of faith produces patience and that patience having it’s perfect work makes us complete and lacking in nothing.
I’m going with “better late than never”… though I’m pushing it this time. I jumped on this study believe it or not. I just took an extremely long time joining the discussion.
I think he knew Job’s response better than Job, himself, knew what it would be. He knew that Job would suffer and it would be hard, but that he would glorify God. He knew that Satan would not win out. He knew that this would serve much further than that immediate situation. This would serve as encouragement for many years, many people! And I think it’s important to remember that while He allowed, permitted Satan to do this, He didn’t do it to Job. There’s definitely a difference. (BTW, totally agree with the thoughts from you, Joy and Michelle! Thankful for your perspectives!)
The story of Job has fascinated me for years. I read Chapter 1 and noted a few things that surprised me. BA mentioned the first one: In verse eight THE LORD brings Job to Satan’s attention! We often think of God as protector “hide me in the shadow of your wings” the Psalm says, but here the Lord brings Job into the light. Satan seems to yawn at this, like he’s been at Job for years and he never caved!
The second thing I noted was that in verse 10 Satan says that all Job has in from the Lord “You have blessed the work of his hands…” This surprised me because we often look at what we have, what others have as hard work of their hands, maybe good fortune, “good business sense” but even SATAN says it comes from God’s blessing! How often we forget what we have is from God and therefore is God’s and we are stewards of it.
Job immediately recognizes this when wind, fire and armies take everything and it says he “tears his clothes in worship” Wow. To me this is why God allowed the attack b/c even when his life went upside down verse 22 says “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” How quickly I charge God when ever a little thing in my life goes not according to plan.
I’m fascinated with Job as well…truly good to know that no matter what we can trust God even when we don’t understand Him
Discussion Question 2:
If you could have a conversation with God about this account of spiritual warfare in the Bible, what would you ask Him?
I would ask God about Job’s life before the “test.” What made Job so different than any other man on earth? Had he already battled sin’s temptations, endured difficult times and hardships? Satan made it appear that God had provided an easy life for Job, but we know he is a liar and deceiver…
Joy, I was thinking along the same lines as you… I would love to know more of the story. The “prequel” and the “afterword”, so to speak. To see more of Job before the great testing, and then after the restoration.
This a good question. I am not sure. I’ve been trying to think on the questions and maybe start forming an answer before reading any comments. I saw Joy’s though before really thinking about it though. That’s a great question (and you too, Kari). Who Job was before, what made him this upright man, like no one else? Had he faced difficulties? Hmm, those are really some great questions (and worded well). What did the other side of this look like? At the same time, I trust that it was not as important and edifying for us as what God gave us. He’s quite intentional (I’m kind of laughing under my breath at myself right now. It’s hard to make any statement about our amazing God without making such huge understatements).
Discussion Question 3:
Have you ever felt that you were under direct spiritual attack- not because of sin in your life, but just because you belong to God?
Yes, and as Bobi Ann pointed out in the video I didn’t know to call it “spiritual warfare” but especially as a new Christian there were struggles with selfishness and sin. Many times my struggles were custom-made to match my insecurities and weaknesses. Thank God that He has always provided forgiveness and strength to carry on for His glory – not in my own flesh but in His power and because of His great love for me.
Absolutely, this has happened many times trying to be about the Lord’s business. I had satan attempt to foil mission work through power outages, people not returning calls, sickness, vehicles breaking down, important things come up missing, etc. During times like that I have actually stopped what I was doing and said out loud “Get behind thee satan, you’re not going to mess this up!!” And you know what? It worked.
I do that too! And God does cause Him to flee. He runs at the name of our strong Savior! It helps, acknowledging the attack and addressing it instead of the other options, such as trying to fight through it as though it’s not there or worrying over it, stressing out, giving satan more power than he holds.
I love that these questions are really making me pause and think. I have felt this as an ambassador of God. I think we also downplay it, just as Bobi Ann mentioned. We chock it all up to something less, or feel there’s nothing we can do about it, so we don’t acknowledge or address it. I’ve felt this a few times. I don’t know if I’ve always handled it well, but knowing it exists and is quite real, has made me more deliberate in handling it more recently… like right now.
Discussion Question 4: (follow up to question 3)
How can we tell the difference between what is spiritual attack and what is just life in a fallen world, or natural consequences of past choices? Is it possible to discern between them?
Do you think it’s when the struggles are directly aimed at our weaknesses? (i.e custom-made – as satan attacked Job)
I don’t assume to know the answer to this one. All my life I have hear that “sometimes we give satan credit for our own desires and bad choices.”
What does God’s word say?
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12 ESV)
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:22-26 ESV)
I almost used your words in my answer… from question two or three “custom-made to match my insecurities and weaknesses”. And then I read your answer! Absolutely! Good points. Maybe it’s some of both? We sometimes have direct attacks on us based on our past or weaknesses, etc, but we also need to remember that there are consequences to our sins… sometimes they come back to bite much later. You’ve hit the nail on the head though with 1 Peter 4:12! In that fiery trial we shouldn’t be surprised! I also love that you shared also 2 Timothy 2:22-26 because there’s a long list of what the Lord’s servant must be able to do, and in my life experiences, through some of the fiery trials, He’s giving me some of these things.
This may be the hardest question for me of lesson 4. It may be also the reason I’ve drug my feet joining the discussion. I think there is a difference and we can probably discern between them, but do I have any insight on that… I don’t think I do. I feel like during this study especially in the last couple of weeks, we’ve gone through all of these. It may be that discerning between spiritual attack and consequences is easier than life in a fallen world. We probably give too much credit to life in a fallen world and not enough to spiritual attacks. Do you think that sometimes life in a fallen world or natural consequences of past choices can be used for spiritual attacks?
Discussion Question 5:
How does the sin struggle in your own life make you more aware of spiritual warfare?
Yes, my struggle with sin in my life and the pain/devastation of those I love makes me more aware of spiritual warfare. Claiming the truth, thankful for God’s love and His power over satan as declared in this verse:
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4 ESV)
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