The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise, preemptive military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States (a neutral country at the time) against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, just before 08:00, on Sunday morning, December 7, 1941.
Ninety minutes after it began, the attack was over. 2,008 sailors were killed, and 710 others wounded; 218 soldiers and airmen (who were part of the Army prior to the independent United States Air Force in 1947) were killed and 364 wounded; 109 marines were killed and 69 wounded; and 68 civilians were killed and 35 wounded. In total, 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,143 were wounded.[91] Eighteen ships were sunk or run aground, including five battleships.[10][92] All of the Americans killed or wounded during the attack were non-combatants, given the fact there was no state of war when the attack occurred.
There are attacks from hell that will shock you and leave you paralyzed, breathless and lifeless. Leaving you with questions and if not careful will absolutely await your surrender. Listen to me tonight God never said the weapons wouldn’t form He said that the weapons wouldn’t prosper.
What I am about to preach tonight is a transparent heartfelt broken burdened sermon, my life, my heart, my thoughts are in this sermon because without it, it would be just a good message, see God allows things in life to help the Christian grow, trust and hold on to Him, and tonight their might be someone here that is either going through a really rough time in their lives and you need to hear this. God is going to help you, He is faithful, just and true, and also a good Father.
1st Point “They came out of left field, just like Pearl Harbor”
Job 1:8-21
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you [a]considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and [b]shuns evil?”
9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not [c]made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse[d] You to Your face!”
12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your [e]power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; 14 and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the [f]Sabeans [g]raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and [h]consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from [i]across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Here is a very troubling situation, all is lost, attacks are coming from every angle, life has taken its toll, the stress, agony, the despair, pain beyond measure, no one can understand the immense turmoil that is going on in Job’s mind and his family, to some of us this is foreign, we have no idea in our western minds what it means to lose everything like this. Attack after attack, when will it stop, this is too much, what in the world is going on here? I found out first-hand, listen to me, everyone at one time or another is going to feel like Job, I know I have.
My family and I moved to Bridgeport in May of 2018, on a street called Pearl Harbor, and we literally had an attack that left us stunned. As some of you know our son was not with us for a while, that was the beginning of the horrible trail of attacks, while we were fighting for our son, in less than 6 months Ean our youngest son broke 2 bones and according to CT Hospital law if a child breaks 2 bones in less than 6 months they have to call Children services, following that episode he had a terrible case of impetigo which is an air born bacteria that eats away at your skin, he was admitted for 3 days in a New York hospital, while we were trying to recover from that my wife is almost killed walking to our van after dropping our kids to school and gets pinned in between 2 vehicles, this event almost takes her life, then our oldest was facing an event that cost us another $5000 while trying to buy a house, we lost a family member, in the process of that there were multiple issues with work, other legal issues and we were so worn out. Outreaches were a fight, fellowship was a fight, everything was a fight because of value. I could just see it now Satan he is asking about the saints of God.
Satan does consider the saints of God; yet what does the devil see when he considers the saints?
- He sees us and is amazed at the difference between himself and God's people; he sees us and knows that though he has fallen, these earthen creatures you and I, we stand.
- He sees us and is amazed at our happiness; he knows too well the misery of his own soul, but he admires and hates the peace in the soul of the believer.
- He sees us and looks for some fault, so that he may find some small comfort to his own black soul and hypocrisy.
- He sees us - especially great hearts among the saints - and sees those who block and hinder his foul work.
- He sees us and looks for opportunity to do us harm.
1 John 4:4
because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
God would let down the hedge without completely removing it.
Satan had the power and the desire to afflict Job all along; what he lacked was the allowance from God. When God allowed it, Satan was more than happy to attack Job up to the limit of the allowance.
Though Satan was now able to attack Job in a much greater way than before, his power was not unlimited. God only allowed Satan to do what he wanted to do to ultimately serve His purpose.
"But we must know, that God's end in this large grant was not to gratify the devil, but to glorify himself, by making Satan an instrument of his own shame and infamy."
Sometimes we are so confounded and confused why things happen but know this that God’s end is to glorify Himself as He is building you as a true and solid believer. Listen to me the enemy is attacking you because your valuable, thieves don’t break into empty houses. You are so important.
2nd “He began to worship while broken”
In the midst of his mourning, Job also decided to worship God despite his circumstances and feelings. This was sincere and desperate praying, while others may seem to blame God and lose hope in God Job found himself glorifying God even when all things seemed lost.
“The devil, was hoping to hear Job blaspheme God, he heard him blessing God's name in his circumstance.”
It is important to remember that a man's first reaction is often very telling and reveals what really dominates his heart. Worship was Job's first reaction to his crisis.
This is where I began to realize how much more I needed God, and I pray this blesses you, this helps you. I would call your Pastor, of course I also would call my headship, when all this mess was happening, but deep inside I was very upset, I was battling the old me that wanted to resurrect himself, all of sudden I began to think of ways to get rid of those involved with children services, it was crazy, the crazy things we would do to protect our families was mind blowing, instead of always pleasing and believing God for miracles I became fearful and scared of the future. Worship was jobs first reaction, revenge was mine. I had to battle this for a little bit, did I love God absolutely, did I believe God absolutely, did I fully trust God I said I did but my actions told me I really didn’t. See beloved instead of my first reaction worshipping God through this ordeal I began to think of how I could handle this and ask God to help me. I would battle with wanting to please God with wanting to protect my family my way.
There is something marvelous about a broken and contrite heart.
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
I’m sure that Job’s heart was broken, his soul was perplexed and grieved, hurting and in need of healing, I could only imagine what this man and his wife were dealing with, I would often tell folks of the craziness that God brought us out of before salvation but church listen to me this one had me and my wife and I needed to see God for who I know He always was. We were broken, but I was full of revenge, nothing but God was able to persuade me off my task and back into His.
God was really near to me, because the more I’d pray the more He’d deliver.
- We came into this world with nothing, so everything he had was indeed a blessing from the bounty of God. If he now had less, it was still more than he came into this world with and more than he would take with him to the world beyond.
- God was in control of his life as He is ours, and no matter what the immediate source of adversity or tragedy was and might be today, it had to pass through the loving and wise hands of God before it could touch him and this is true for you as well.
- God was worthy to be blessed and praised in any and all circumstances of life. Consider with me for a moment and ask yourself this real question, does God get the glory when things are a disaster.
This is exactly what Job did and a wonderful example of what we need to do. God knows best and His plans cover and bless our lives, time and time again. No matter what things may seem like it doesn’t dictate what God has for our future.
Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
3rd Point “From Pearl Harbor to Post”
After moving to Pearl Harbor St, there were some questions that flared, questions about our destiny, wondering if we were in the will of God, we have been through some things but never anything like this in such in lined format it was very heart wrenching, but something happened, God had spoke to my wife about the street we were looking at buying our house on and at the same time God was speaking to my heart about the stirring of the heart:
She called me and told me exactly what God spoke to her about the meaning of Post.
Post: a long, sturdy piece of timber or metal set upright in the ground and used to support something or as a marker. Display in a public place, announce or publish.
So God had been preparing us through this trial to be strong, a seasoned couple to be set upright on the foundation of the gospel to be set in place and to be a support for others, we are a display of Gods grace for all to see and beloved so are you.
God did not save us to see us fail, to see us stumble. I know that as we make decisions to serve God things are not as easy as they seem, I understand that it doesn’t all make sense at times but the reality is that 2 plus 2 doesn’t always equal 4 with God, He is a good father. These trials are set in place to build your faith, without them how will know you have faith?
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
I began to do just that seek Him diligently, more than ever before,
Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Beloved there is a truth that I have learned about God and that is that He is majestic in every way, and He cares more for my family than I do, and every thing the enemy meant for bad God meant it for good.
Genesis 50:20
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
How many people will be able to see the glory of God and believe because you stood your post, think with me for a moment your life matters if it didn’t you wouldn’t be fighting, there are people looking to see you fight through and gain the hope they are missing, you are the prize of God’s glory for those that are lost and are in need of new life.
Listen to me whenever you don’t understand what’s happening in your life just trust that it is all in Gods plan and He will give you the strength to go through it.
Where you are at today is no accident, God is using the situation you are in right now to shape you and mold you and prepare you for where He wants to bring you tomorrow, trust Him with His plans even if you don’t understand them. And be a Post for the ones who will look to you later.
