Lessons On How To Turn Setbacks into Comebacks
Job 13.15
September 19, 2004 Chester FBC, Chester, IL Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
A During the loss of first baby, Kaylea, a well-intentioned deacon named Brother Allen came to the house for a visit. (Scan picture of Kaylea from my shelf.)
a He was trying his best to minister, comfort, & support us. He used Job as a biblical point of reference to encourage us.
b Job, one of the oldest manuscripts in the Bible, probably written before Exodus!
B Jobs story: He had everything, he lost everything, and he got everything (plus interest) back.
a During his setback, he had three friends telling him how he must have done something wrong or God wouldn’t have punished him by taking away everything.
*Job’s buddy, Zophar calls him a phoney/hypocrite . . .
11 "For He knows false men, And He sees iniquity without investigating.
Job 11:11 (NASB) Curse God and die!!!
b In my self-centeredness, I was wanting to compare myself to Job, but I wasn’t like Job whatsoever. I was like his friends! His wife! His enemies!
*It wasn’t as much as why do bad things happen to good people as it is about religious people misunderstanding the way of the Lord with His kids.
2 Job placed his unwavering trust in God during the most difficult setbacks of his life. (ETS)
A "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. Job 13:15 (NASB) (Put text over picture of Kaylea as a background)
a We must cling to God even when we can not find comfort from Him. (ESS)
b I hope you will commit to putting these lessons on how to turn setbacks into comebacks into practice. (Objective)
B What lesson is most lacking in your setback experience? (Probing Question)
a Let’s look at two lessons from Job 13.15 can help us turn our greatest setbacks into our greatest comebacks. (Transitional Sentence)
b Pray
I The first lesson from Job 13.15 that can help us turn our setbacks into comebacks is . . . ALWAYS TRUST GOD! Job 13.15a Though He may slay me, I will hope in Him.
1 Job proclaimed that regardless what God would do (or allow happen) to him, he would never lose faith.
A Job had suffered tremendous loss at God’s permissible hand.
a He had lost the three things which are considered signs of a man’s well-bing.
1 He lost his wealth. (1.14-17) (Ox, camels, donkeys, sheep, servants)
2 He lost his children. (1.18-19) Sons, daughters, grandbabies
3 He lost his good health. (2.1-8) Boils from top of head to feet
b He lost his wealth & kids on the same day! Bankrupted emotionally & financially in one afternoon.
B Men have cursed God when any of these three things had happened to them.
a Job didn’t turn from God when all three happened to him!
b v.15, Job says , "God, you can kill me, but I’m not leaving you. Trusting you God is more important than living is to me."
2 Job’s ancient statement (Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.) to this day strikes dread into the heart of nominal Christians everywhere.
A That statement strikes my heart dreadful.
a Regardless of my setback, I’ve got to keep trusting God!
b No matter what you take, God . . . I’m gonna trust you.
No matter what I suffer, God . . . I’m gonna trust you.
No matter what you do to me, God . . . I’m gonna trust you.
No matter what the diagnosis is , God . . . I’m gonna trust you.
B That statement also strikes dread into the heart of the enemy! (The gates of hell will not prevail when we say/live/believe Job 13.15!!!)
a The devil can not stop us/church with that kind of commitment to God.
b We’re telling the pain, hardships, devil, cancer, divorce, circumstance, funerals, setbacks that NOTHING can stop us from trusting God.
3 Terrorism has become an international danger because they have already given up their lives for their cause.
A They’ll hijack four commercial airliners, crash them into WTC & Pentagon.
a Drive trucks loaded w/ explosives into embassies & headquarters.
b Strap explosives on their bodies, board a bus, and detonate it.
B This is where Job ended up - - - willing to give up his life for God.
a 20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; . . . Gal 2:20 (NASB)
b When we can say what Paul said, that we’ve already died, then we can trust God to turn our setbacks into comebacks.
TS: Setbacks rarely turn on a dime into comebacks. The turn is a process that involves the second lesson from Job 13.15.
II The second lesson from Job 13.15 that can help us turn our setbacks into comebacks is . . . ALWAYS PRAY TO GOD. "Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him." -Job 13.15b
1 Job wanted to share his heart with God in God’s presence.
A Job spoke from a legal point of view.
a Job is saying, "I’m pleading my case - - - arguing my point - - - release me from my setback!"
b Talking to God about his setbacks. THAT IS PRAYER!!!!
B Job came into God’s presence righteous, blameless in his time, walking with God. EVEN GOD THOUGHT JOB WAS A GOOD GUY!!!!
8 Then the Lord asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth--a good man who fears God and will have nothing to do with evil." Job 1:8 (TLB)
a Job couldn’t have effectively argued with God if had been a hypocrite, liar, hateful, unforgiving, prideful, living in perpetual sin.
*Job 13.16b For a godless man may not come before His presence."
b Job’s prayers were powerful during his setback because he was living a godly life even in the setback.
2 The effectiveness of our prayers are directly related to the authenticity of our walk of faith.
A Hypocrites/ Repetitive Perpetual sinners have a hard time getting God’s ear.
For a godless man may not come before His presence Job 13:16 (NASB)
But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,
And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. Isaiah 59:2 (NASB)
"We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. John 9:31 (NASB)
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 1 Peter 3:12 (KJV)
The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16 (NASB) (unrighteous man can accomplish little)
B What can happen is setbacks settle in . . . we drop out of church, stop going to Sunday School, Prayer meeting, get out of Word/Will and we wonder why God doesn’t answer our prayers!
a We want to pray, plead our case, released, setbacks into comebacks - - - HOW? THROUGH JESUS!!!! 1 Jn. 2.1 (Jesus is my advocate)
*Job had an advocate, too. Job 16.19 " . . . my advocate is on high."
b I better have the first lesson down. Living the first lesson!
3 During the dark days of the American Revolution, when the continental Army had experienced several setbacks, a farmer who lived near the battlefield approached Washington’s camp unheard.
A Suddenly he heard an earnest voice raised in agonizing prayer.
a Coming nearer he saw it was General Washington, down on his knees in the snow, his cheeks wet with tears, asking God for assistance and guidance.
b The farmer crept away and returned back to his home.
B He said to his family, "Its going to be all right. We’re going to win!"
a What makes you think so? His wife asked.
b Well, I heard General Washington pray out in the woods today - - - such fervent prayer I have never heard. And God will surely hear and answer that kind of praying.
*The farmer was right then and he’s right now.
Conclusion:
1 Job placed his unwavering trust in God during the most difficult setbacks of his life. (ETS) We must cling to God even when we can not find comfort from Him. (ESS)
A We’ve looked at two lessons from Job 13.15 that can help us turn our greatest setbacks into our greatest comebacks.
a Always Trust in God.
b Always Pray to God.
B I hope you will commit to putting these lessons on how to turn setbacks into comebacks into practice. (Objective)
a Trust God during setbacks or handle things on your own.
b Prayer powerfully during setbacks or have powerless prayer.
2 What lesson is most lacking in your setback experience? (Probing Question)
A B.R. Lakin (died 20 years ago last March, 100,000 conversions in his evangelistic ministry) told this story about setbacks.
a I watched some stone workers hewing an odd-shaped stone as it lay on the ground. "What are you going to do with that?" I asked. "We are cutting it here, so it will fit in up there," the worker answered, pointing to an opening high on the tower of the great building.
b In our setbacks down here, God is shaping and fashioning us according to His omniscient design, so we will fit in up There.
B (Kaylea Picture again) The reason why Allen didn’t comfort me & Pam with Job is that we knew how Job’s story ended . . . we didn’t know how our setback would end.
a We can look back now, six years later after the setback and realize God was shaping us, making us ready. (Trusting/Praying)
b What lesson is most lacking in your setback experience?
