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!
A. Prayer reflects in his character:
Job 1:1-3 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.
This is the fruit of prayer, a turnaround, and a change of heart. You start thinking differently, talking differently and your entire outlook of life changes. Your old life should vanish and new light should shine through you!
B. My servant
Job 42:8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.”
God said, “My servant Job will pray for you and I will accept his prayer.” This was Job’s standing and status before God.
Job 1:8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.
God loves righteousness: 2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Proverbs 21:3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry
Psalm 11:7 For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.
C. I will accept his prayer
“I will accept the prayer of my servant Job” is an awesome statement that gave me gave me goosebumps. All of us should crave and desire for this standing with God and not be far away from Him. God should accept your prayers so work on that…
What kind of prayer will be accepted by God and whose prayer will be accepted by God are important.
The Bible says, James 5:16-17 King James Version (KJV) Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Isaiah 1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!
16 Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
17 Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.[a]
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
What we should do?
18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land;
20 but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
D. FORGIVENESS: The final chapter of the book of Job is filled with gold like:
• Job realized the power of God: I know that you can do all things;
• Job’s spiritual eyes being opened
• God rebuked the 3 friends of Job but gave an awesome testimony of Job: you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has
• After Job prayed for his 3 friends, God healed Job
• the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.
Having come to the end of 2024, let us extend forgiveness to all those who would have hurt us and pray for them.
"If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive." - Mother Teresa
"Forgiveness isn't approving what happened. It's choosing to rise above it." - Robin Sharma
God bless you!
