Job’s Prayer

JOB’S PRAYER

Job1:4 His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

Job 42:8 Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”

Intro: The Book of Job begins with Job interceding for his children and it ends with him interceding for his 3 friends. Glory to Jesus! His intimate relationship with God is spread all over the 42 chapters, interwoven with passionate pleas, complaints, worship, heart-breaking questions and finally ends stating, Job 42:5”… but now my eyes have seen you.” Glory to Jesus!

THREE FRIENDS OF JOB:

Between the beginning and the end, Job endured intense suffering at the hands of Satan and unjust accusations from his 3 friends. Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, have historically been known for offering lengthy speeches that was actually disliked by God. (Job 42:7–9). At one point Job, weary of their unhelpful rhetoric, told them, “You are miserable comforters, all of you!” (Job 16:2). The three friends of Job were not remembered in the Bible like the godly friends of Daniel Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego because of their wrong approach. Job 2:13” Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.”

TONGUE OF THE FOOLISH: They sat on the ground for 7 days and said not a word but then after that opened their mouth too wide and spoke wrong words to an already shattered and battered person.

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Ephesians 4:29”Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Proverbs 15: 4 The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

Illustration: Since that evening Christmas carols team from church were visiting their house, I asked the young lady, “ so what are the arrangements being made and are you excited ?” (she is a single, young lady staying with her mom) She said, “ actually I am scared when the carols come home because year after year for almost 3 years now, the pastor would pray the same prayer in front of the entire team and say” Lord, sister is alone for many years with her mother, kindly comfort them be with them and give them joy.’ In fact, after the prayer the joy left her and she felt humiliated in front of others and the whole Christmas joy was squashed. Very sad. People who visit hospitals, sick people and people in tremendous pain should have godly wisdom to say the right words.

I was just wondering why did God allow the 3 friends to visit Job? Because they actually needed an encounter with God and be prayed over by Job. Wow!

Did you notice during the entire conversations of the 3 friends, they spoke about God but Job spoke directly to God. Amen. Is your prayer life such that God can trust you enough to send people in need of prayer your way? Isn’t this wonderful!

Job 42:8 Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”

God recognized Job as a man of prayer. It doesn’t matter if the church is small or big, the person is a famous pastor or not but God measures a person through his prayer life.

Pastor Yesanna of Guntur was demonically possessed for 7 years, vomiting blood and living by the road side. One day God wonderfully leads him to a small church house meeting where Ps Yesanna joins the worship and heard the sermon. On his way back from church a bright light from heaven touched and delivered him. Immediately he runs to the church that he visited and shares the good news, the pastor leads him to Christ. God specially directed Ps Yesanna to that church pastor because of his wonderful prayer life. Praise God!