Stand & Read - Job 19:25
"And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.?
?Triumph In Troubles?
Prayer?
Here we are again taking a look at the life of our dear friend and brother in the Lord?Job!
-He is our brother, but one that we may not understand all that well because he is known as the one who has had the most trouble in the world?
In fact, trouble that was permitted by God Himself?and imposed by satan!
Not many of us could say that as fact?
-But, then again?maybe we do know him?or at least, we can identify with him because we know troubles too!
I think that it is safe to say that we don?t know the troubles that Job knew?or at least?to the extent that he did know them.
Job?s troubles were greater than most troubles that we may know?and ever know in a lifetime?
-And thank God for that!
Job 14:1
"Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil.?
Sincere words that come from one whom does know troubles?
-Almost sounds depressing?
In fact, within this one chapter alone?chapter 14?Job asks some questions that would only be instigated by a man who has faced severely adverse situations?
-Verse 4??Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing??
-Verse 10??If a man gives up the ghost, where is he??
-Verse 14??If a man die, shall he live again??
Do you hear the hurt?rather, do you hear the deep thinking and longing within this man? A man who is looking to someone who is much stronger than he?
Job was faced with some terribly adverse situations, but yet?he was able to triumph!
Friends?God wants all us believers who are suffering and are oppressed (and that involves most of us, at one time or another). He wants us to know that there is coming a day?a day of RESURRECTION and a day of VICTORY?a day when we will be with the Lord forever!!!!
-So?to answer the questions that Job posed?yes, Yes, and YES!!!
YES! We can be made clean when we are unclean!
Heb. 10:22 tells us ?our hearts have been sprinkled clean from all evil??
YES! We will be with God when we are absent from this body!
Paul said in II Cor. 5:8 that, ?to be absent from this body, is to be present with the Lord!?
YES! We will live again, if we know Jesus as Savior!
In John 11:25, Jesus tells us?"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies??
ILLUSTRATION:
I believe that it was Billy Sunday?a great preacher/evangelist from yesteryear?who said??When you hear that I have died, don?t you believe it! For at that moment I will be the furthest from death that I have ever been. Because, at that moment, I will have never been more alive. For I will be alive in the presence of the Lord!!!?
Dear ?fellow suffers??at the time that we do experience the fullness of our salvation?what I mean is, when we are in heaven?at that time when we experience heaven first-hand?
-Then we will know the reality of Romans 8:18?
?For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.?
This kind of verse may seem like a cop-out to quote to one going through troubles?BUT?when we really do know heaven and its fullness?it will be the farthest thing from a cop-out.
IT WILL BE FACT!!!
Are you facing troubles? There is hope!
Are you in a whirlwind of chaos? There is peace!
Are you taking on huge battles? There is victory!
-All of which are found in our REDEEMER!!!
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I believe that it is safe to say that it is at THIS POINT in the letter of Job?chapter 19?
At this moment and season of his life, that Job is coming to grips with what is transpiring within his life.
This is one of the most loved and best-known portions of this book?
And it is also a point at which Job is pleading with his friends and warning his friends?and this statement (vs. 25) is ?squeezed in the middle? of these words?
Job testifies and makes an impression with these simple words!
Just read chapter 20; which is the response of one of his friends?and you will see that there can be testimonies that do break through the hard heart.
You too can have a testimony while facing many troubles?even the worst time of your life?and others can be changed!
-Changed, because you are still focused on the fact that there is a GREAT and LOVING God in heaven?
-Changed, because you are focused on the fact the God is still the most important and not yourself?
-Changed because you are able to move forward and TRIUMPH in your troubles?much like Job was able to do!
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Job was able to defeat the depression that wanted to overcome him?
-And he was victorious in the middle of viciousness because he had confidence in the Living Redeemer!
-He was able to win while in the whirlwind because of his trust in the Living God!
-And he was triumphant in troubles because of a gracious God!
Psalm 3:1-8
?O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. [2] Many are saying of my soul, "There is no deliverance for him in God." [3] But Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. [4] I was crying to the Lord with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah. [5] I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me. [6] I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about. [7] Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For Thou hast smitten all my enemies on the cheek; Thou hast shattered the teeth of the wicked. [8] Salvation belongs to the Lord; Thy blessing be upon Thy people! Selah.?
We read this Psalm and hear of David, who also knew troubles. He was able to also know some triumphs in his troubles?
-Why? Because he too knew a great God!!!
-And he ran to God for help in times of need!!!
My friends?David?and Job knew Triumph in their Troubles because they reached beyond their present plights!
-They did not allow for the enemy to have the last word in their life?
-They did not allow for their circumstances to dictate to them how they should feel?
-They would not stand for being tossed about with unruly emotions?
Instead of being driven?they drove!!!
What do I mean to say???
Take control of yourself and of your life?and make some decisions in your life to win?bring some victories and have triumphs!!!
These two men were able to get on top by practicing a couple simple things?
Job was victorious because he refused to be on the short end of the stick?
Do you feel like you are facing troubles and are loosing?
Do you sense that you are going down, and are not rising up?
Do you hope to be a winner in the face of troubles?
TRANSITIONAL STATEMENT:
Well?I believe that Job has some advice for us?both in word, and in his deeds?
And the same triumph that Job knew in his troubles
God desires for you and I to have too!
Jeremiah 29:11
?’For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ’plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.??
Deut. 28:13
"And the Lord shall make you the head and not the tail, and you only shall be above, and you shall not be underneath?? (but this is contigent on you following through on some responsibilities which are listed after this phrase?do your homework and study this.)
All through the Word we can find that God does want us to win and be triumphant!
-It is confirmed time and again?
We may not have the situation change in our lives; but our lives can change in the middle of the situation.
There is still opportunity for triumph because of what God can do in you?even while you are in the troubles?
So where do we begin? How can we start finding triumph?
First, Job knew a great?
POINT ONE: FRIEND
Verse 25 says??I know that my Redeemer lives??
We all have had friends?and hopefully?we still do have friends?
But, you know that these friends may fail you at one time or another.
-You hope that they won?t, but they might, and certainly can.
-Some already have?and you are thinking of them now.
Don?t be skeptical?and don?t hate them?it is in human nature.
Job had friends that failed him during his troubles too. It is not uncommon?
But, we can know one thing?there is ONE FRIEND who will not fail you?He is the LORD JESUS CHRIST!!!
And that is what Job focused on!
He didn?t look about and count those who failed him?but he counted on the One who couldn?t fail him!!!
HIS REDEEMER!!!
Redeemer was a certain term that meant something special to Job?because a redeemer was one who would come?save?rescue?and deliver someone out of trouble by paying a great price for their freedom?
(To catch up on the practice of a redeemer, Read Lev. 25:25-55)
-And that is what Job needed?
Being in great trouble, he needed someone to come and rescue him from his trouble?
-And you are in the same condition?in great need of a redeemer!
We too need a redeemer?and that ?Living Redeemer? is Jesus Christ!
Without Christ?we were in need of a Redeemer?
Romans 3:23-24
?for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus??
Galatians 3:13
?Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on A TREE"?
Col. 1:14
??in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.?
When we were in our greatest need?to be redeemed from our sins?Christ came! Even when we were still sinners, Christ died for us!
And if Jesus Christ had redeemed us from our sins?He did not redeems us from our sins to just leave us at that?
He will also be our Redeemer in other areas of our life as well?including our TROUBLES!!!
-The same Jesus that was able to redeem you from your sins?can deliver and keep you from loosing your mind when you are going through the toughest of times!
Do you want to make it when you are facing troubles?
Do you desire triumph?
-Go to your Friend! Go to Jesus!!!
Maybe you are an innocent sufferer like Job was?
You did nothing to bring it on, and it came out of nowhere?
Jesus warned us in John 16:31 when He said, ?in this world you shall have tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.?
-The only prerequisite for trouble in this world is to simply?be in this world!
-Troubles will find you?backaches, headache, heartaches, sorrow, disappointments, setbacks, and troubles?
So how do you overcome and become TRIUMPHANT? You must know that your Redeemer Lives!!!
Much like Job, who took comfort in knowing that his Redeemer lives?you too can take comfort in knowing the Jesus is alive, well, and on the scene in your life!
ILLUSTRATION:
Tell of how Alex prefers that he is not alone when he falls asleep?
Alex just takes comfort in the fact that he knows that we are present in the room with him?
ILLUSTRATION:
In like fashion, as we sing that song ?Because He Lives??
We find a truth in that song that gives us strength for each new day?
?Because He lives?I can face tomorrow?Because He lives?all fear is gone?Because I know, I know, He holds the future?and life is worth the living?just because He lives!!!?
So my friends?
No matter what may come your way?know that Jesus Lives!!!
No matter how severe the situation gets?know the your Redeemer Lives!!!
No matter what adversity may come?Jesus is still on the Throne!!!
And if your Redeemer lives?then know that He will outlast any and all of your troubles!!!
Lean upon Him??Cast your cares on Him?because He cares for you!?
Next, coupled with the fact that you know that you have a FRIEND that you can turn to in times of trouble?
You must turn to Him in?
POINT TWO: FAITH
And not only turn to Him in faith, but then have faith in Him throughout the trouble!
Job expressed this faith in his Redeemer when he said??I KNOW that my Redeemer lives??
-There was no doubt?no hesitation?no wavering!
-Just pure confidence!
Hebrews 11:1
?Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.?
And this is faith?faith stands in the face of doubt?where there is no evidence of what you hope for?and believe for it!!!
In your troubles?there might not be any evidence or a ?light at the end of the proverbial tunnel?, but you are believing for it anyhow!
-Isn?t this what faith in Jesus is all about anyhow?
Believing that your Redeemer can pick you up when you are down?
Believing that your Redeemer can strengthen you when you are weak?
Believing that your Redeemer will shelter you in times of the storm?
Believing that your Redeemer can deliver you from an abusive situation or from drug and alcohol abuses?
Believing that your Redeemer can heal your broken body?.
When you are facing your deepest troubles?triumph can still be yours when you apply a little faith?
-Faith that is directed towards the Living God!
But?you may say??Wait a minute?I have been worn down and am weary in well doing.?
I really don?t have the stamina to walk in faith again?I am tired and cannot do it anymore!?
Matthew 17:20
?And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there,’ and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you.?
I encourage you to ?muster? up just a little faith?and it will be enough to get through!
Job was found with faith while there was death all around him?
-But yet he KNEW!
His children were dead and yet?
-He knew his Redeemer!
He himself even was on the verge of death?
-And he still strived in his faith!
And in the same way that Job had an assuredness in this world of uncertainty?
-We can know that our Redeemer is able to bring us into Triumph while we face our troubles to!
Romans 4:21
??and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform.?
-You know that you have been promised that you would be a victor through Jesus Christ?we established that in the introduction!
-Be fully assured that God will finish just what He has begun!
Lastly, Job saw beyond the present and looked towards the?
POINT THREE: FUTURE
ILLUSTRATION:
I don?t know about you?but the anticipation of something that is going to happen is a motivation for me.
Have you ever looked so forward to something, that you were sustained in that which you wanted a respite from?just because of the hope of what was to come.
Think of vacation?It is about that time that we all will be vacationing.
We count down the days?and that is how we make it!
Well, the same can be for our ?Blessed Hope? in Jesus? return, and our eventual escape from these troubles!
Job 19:25-27
"And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. [26] "Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; [27] Whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes shall see and not another. My heart faints within me.?
-If you think about this?Job was actually prophesying of the resurrection of the saints?and our standing in the presence of God in Heaven!
But what is it that motivated Job?
-The knowledge of the fact that He will stand before God one day?
-The truth that He will see God with his very own eyes?
Talk about your motivation?
That would motivate any of us I hope!!!
So when you are faced with the troubles of this world?look to your future?and know that these troubles are only for a season of time in your life?
-And remember Rom. 8 again??it is nothing to be compared to the future glory that you will know!?
IN CONCLUSION:
Do you want TRIUMPHS in your TROUBLES?
ILLUSTRATION:
Triumph is just ?TRY? with a little ?UMPH? added to it!
I want to encourage you this morning if you are facing troubles?but yet want triumph.
Actually, the better word is WHEN you are facing troubles?.
Just TRY leaning on that special FRIEND?Jesus, your Redeemer!
TRY reinstating your FAITH in the Redeemer.
TRY looking towards the FUTURE as a motivation to endure the present.
The same friend that Job leaned upon is available to you today as well?
You can exercise the same faith?and share in the same future!
Let?s follow in the same foot steps the Job fashioned for us in the midst of some of the worst days lived by man?
If it worked for him?then certainly it will bring victory for us too!
ALTAR CALL:
Salvation?
You want some triumphs in the middle of your troubles?
You need to exercise you FAITH in a FRIEND, while looking towards your FUTURE in Him and with Him?
SONG: ?Victory In Jesus?
