Sermon Central
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Heaven's Wager
Contributed by Larry Brincefield on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: The story of Job continues today. We are all Job. Satan is trying to afflict us, to tempt us, to lure us away from God. We must remain faithful in the face of trials. We must fall to the ground in worship, expressing love to God. But, if we have faile
• He will go after the strong ones…
• He will go after the devout Christian…
• The one that is faithful…
• The one that is praying…
• The one that is in church every week…
• Like Job.
D. In this world there is a struggle going on…
• And it is much more than the struggle to make ends meet…
• It is much more than the struggle of dealing with illness…
• Or death…
• Or pain…
• Or family difficulties…
• There is a spiritual struggle…
• Scripture says, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph 6:12 (KJV)
• I’ve never been one to spiritualize every tiny detail of my life…
• Sometimes you just stub your toe…
• It’s not because satan was trying to trip you up…
• But, in my desire not to over-spiritualize things…
• Perhaps I swung too far the other way…
• And I under-spiritualized things…
3. The story of Job continues…
A. I am convinced that the story of Job is continuing today…
• I am convinced that satan is alive and well…
• And he is still roaming this earth…
• Looking to bring us down…
B. On the other side of the aisle, is God…
• God loves us…
• God deeply and wildly loves us…
• For God, it would be so easy just to shower us with blessing upon blessing…
• To put a hedge around us…
• So that satan couldn’t get his hooks into us…
• But, like it or not, satan makes a good point…
• “Does Job serve God for nothing? You have blessed him in every way”
• If the secret to financial wealth…and health…and booming prosperity were simply a matter of becoming a Christian…
• I’m sure that everyone would do it…
• And God would have to wonder if we were a Christian because we really loved Him and wanted to serve Him…
• Or were we only a Christian for the blessings that God can give us?
C. So heaven’s wager continues…
• God allows satan to test us…
• To afflict us…
• To tempt us…
• In the process, satan is successful in tearing some people away from God…
• Because it is hard…it is difficult…
• following Christ has been called a narrow road…
• because few people can withstand the temptations and trials that satan lays on us.
• But, the benefits from God’s perspective are great…
• Because then He knows…
• He knows that we really love Him for Him…
• And not for what He can give us.
Conclusion
1. Have you ever felt your world crashing down around you?
• Have you ever identified with Job?
• I know I have.
• Maybe you feel that way today…
• Maybe you are here today…
• Wondering if you have the strength to go on…
• Maybe you feel like that wildebeest on the edge of the pack…
• With the lion nipping at your heels…
2. My message for you today isn’t to discourage you with the reality of the spiritual battle that’s going on…
• My hope is to encourage you…
• My desire is to peel away the skin of this world a little bit…
• And give you a glimpse of the spiritual world beneath…
• And by viewing that glimpse…
• It will give you the courage to stand firm…
• To not give in to satan’s schemes…
• To remain faithful to God…
