Job 13:15, says. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
The setting of the atmosphere that tells us that there will come a moment in every believer’s life when our faith is not shouted, but it is tested. There will come a time when our praise will not be easy, but it is will be costly.
There will be a time when our promises to God is not emotional but it is intentional.
And this morning, I came to preach to somebody who has made a promise in the light, but now darkness is trying to cover it up.
Look at somebody and say: I promised the Lord, that I would hold out.
And this is how we arrived at Job’s house this morning.
The book of Job is one of the oldest writings in Scripture, in fact it was set in a patriarchal period, possibly around the time of Abraham.
Understand that Job was not an Israelite under the Law, but he was a man who had a relationship with God before the systems were really established.
Job was wealthy, righteous, respected, but as you already know suddenly:
He lost his wealth.
He lost his children.
He lost his health.
He lost the support of his wife.
He lost the understanding of his family and his friends.
And yet, in the middle of unbearable suffering, Job declares something radical, Job makes a bold and astonishing declaration.
Job proclaims a powerful and unexpected truth.
Job says clearly and undeniably.
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
May I tell you that, that’s is not surface faith here, nawww this is holding out faith.
Let’s me make it plain: he says though He slay me.
Job acknowledges God’s sovereignty even in his suffering. He doesn’t blame the devil alone, but he recognizes that nothing happens without God allowing it.
He says, Though He slay me.
This was a position of total surrendering.
This was faith without understanding.
Loyalty in the Face of Death. In fact, this was a refusal to curse God.
Job has a confidence in God’s character.
Though you slay is a prophetic glimpse of endurance.
He sayssssss, Though you slay me, yet will I trust him.
When Job says yet will I trust Him. This is a covenant language. Job is saying: even if I don’t understand, I will not disconnect.
The word yet is the key here means: even if things don’t change.
Wait a minute even if it gets worse.
Even if I don’t understand.
Job is saying, my situation does not determine my faith.
I will maintain mine own ways before Him.
In other words: I will not compromise my integrity just because I’m under pressure.
Can I preach it how I feel it?
Holding out is not passive, it is a decision to remain faithful even when everything in you wants to quit.
The Promise to Hold Out
Some of us promised God:
Lord, if you bring me out, I’ll serve you.
Lord, if you heal my body, I will live for you.
Lord, if you open this door, I won’t turn back.
But now that the storms has come, the test are asking me Will you hold out?
I believe what we need is a blood transfusion it’s a Spiritual Connection.
Let me take you into the natural, to reveal a spiritual truth.
A blood transfusion is a medical procedure where blood is transferred into a person’s body through an IV line.
It’s mostly done when someone has lost blood, is weak, or cannot produce enough healthy blood on their own.
Here’s what happens. First there is the testing of matching the blood type.
The donor blood must be totally compatible with the recipient, or the body will reject it.
There is the Insertion of the IV. Which is a line that is connected directly into the bloodstream.
Then there is a Gradual Flow. The blood doesn’t rush in all at once, it flows steadily.
They Monitor you. The Doctors, the nurses, and all of the technicians watch and monitor the patient closely for reactions, ensuring that the body accepts what is being given.
As the blood enters, strength returns, oxygen flows, and life is sustained.
Now watch this. In the Holy Ghost: When we are spiritually weak. When life has drained you. When we feel like giving up. God says: I will give you a divine transfusion.
His grace becomes our new blood supply.
His strength flows into our weakness.
His Spirit sustains our life.
But here it is: we have got to stay connected long enough for the transfusion to work.
Tell somebody, Don’t pull the IV out too early.
Because if we disconnect, we will miss the very thing that was sent to restore us.
When life gets hard. We must say I will hold out.
When I don’t understand. I have to hold out.
When tears fill my eyes I don’t know how you feel about it, but I’m going to hold out.
When the promise is delayed. I will hold out.
But here is the struggle of holding out.
Let’s be honest, holding out is not easy.
Because we will get tired of waiting.
We will get tired of fighting.
We get frustrated with silence.
But can I tell you something powerful? God is not ignoring you. He is sustaining you.
The fact that you’re still here.
The fact that you’re still praising.
The fact that you didn’t quit.
Means the transfusion is working.
I hear the Spirit of the Lord saying: Don’t break your promise in a temporary storm.
What you’re going through is not permanent.
What you’re facing is not final.
What you’re feeling is not fatal.
Just Hold out.
I’m reminded of a story of a man who repaired glass, and one day while he was replacing a big window, there was critically injured as the glass accidentally fell on him. He had many cuts all over his body and he had lost so much blood that doctors said if he didn’t receive a transfusion, he wasn’t going make it.
They connected him to the IV, and for a while, nothing seemed to had change.
His family got nervous.
They asked Is it working?
The doctor said, yes it is but it’s takes time. He said to them. The blood is flowing, even if you don’t see immediate results.
I heard that hours later, his color had returned to his face.
Strength came back into his body.
And eventually he stood up and walked out of that hospital.
Can I tell you what God told me to tell somebody?
Just because you don’t see it yet doesn’t mean it’s not working.
The blood is still flowing.
Grace is still moving.
Strength is still coming.
And I heard the song writer say:
The Blood Still Works
The blood still works
It will never
Never Lose its power
The blood still works
I know it works, because it raised me
I know it works because it saved me
I know it works because it filled me
I know it works because it healed me It will never lose its power
I know, the blood still works Oh yes, the blood still works I know, the blood still works Oh yes, the blood still works
I know that the blood still works, oh yes I know the blood still works
Oh yes I know the blood still work, oh yes I know that blood still work It will never
Never Never
Lose its power
The blood still works
And I don’t know about you, but I promised the Lord:
When I was crying, I promised the Lord that I would hold out.
When I didn’t have anything that I wanted. I promised the Lord that I would hold out.
When I didn’t know how I was gonna make it.
I had to make up my mind.
I’m gonna hold out.
Through the storm.
Through the rain.
Through the pain.
Through the pressure.
Though He slay me.
Yet I will trust him.
Somebody shout: I’m going to hold out.
