The Devil Fights The Hardest When God Is Moving Most!

THE DEVIL FIGHTS HARDEST WHEN GOD IS MOVING MOST!

Have you ever noticed that when you feel like God is moving and changes are happening, that the devil seems to get to work trying to make the biggest mess of it he can???

Times in my life when I really felt like something GOOD, something BIG, something JUST GOD was happening, ……. That’s when the devil has beat me down the most!

So, what in the world is going on when this happens? How can we fight this fight? Do we have examples already from a biblical perspective? SURE WE DO!!! 😊

Two main examples:

1) Old Testament: Job

The entire book of Job shows us how God’s divine protection is what separates us from and helps us stand against the “wiles of the devil”.

2) New Testament: Jesus

Jesus shows us the level that the devil is willing to go to in order to stop God’s move in a person’s life.

So lets dig into both examples to put together a clear picture of what is happening and exactly how the devil sees the “move of God” and plans his attack.

Now, back to our good buddy Job!

Poor Job had a rough go of it with the devil. Lets read some of what happened to Job.

Job 1:1–5 sets the stage for the book with its description of Job as an exceptionally successful and pious man. Apparently, he was the wealthiest man in the ancient Near East during his era, and it was the custom of the family to hold a feast on each of his son's birthdays (vv. 3–4). More significantly, Job's integrity set him apart from all others. He was "blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil" (v. 1). This does not mean he was a sinlessly perfect man, as the rest of the book demonstrates. The designation blameless in Scripture is often used for people who, though sinners, are in the main oriented toward loving and serving the Lord (see Gen. 6:9; Luke 1:5–7). Blameless individuals endeavor to live according to God's commands and repent when they fall short. The blameless person, Matthew Henry comments, is like Job, who "dreaded the thought of doing what was wrong; with the utmost abhorrence and detestation, and with a constant care and watchfulness, he eschewed evil, avoided all appearances of sin and approaches to it."

The narrator does not spend much time describing Job before turning his attention to the heavenly court, where Satan appears among the angels. In the interchange between Satan and the Lord, it is established that Satan will put Job's faith to the test. Note, however, that God is not exercising a simple permission, though He does allow Satan to have his way with Job as long as he does not touch Job himself. The Lord, in fact, initiates the whole matter, drawing out Satan's true thoughts about Job by asking the devil about the man (Job 1:6–12). Our Creator does not merely respond once someone else gets things started. Instead, He makes the first move, directing events to the conclusion He has appointed.

Under the Lord's sovereign providence, Satan causes Job to lose his children, his servants, and his fortune. But Job's faith does not waver. He blesses the name of God, acknowledging that the Lord is ultimately in control (vv. 13–22).

So, this whole ordeal proves that God is in control through the entire exchange. Even when we feel like we just can’t take another punch…… God is still in control.

Now lets move on to the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness.

. (Matthew 4:1-11) 4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

and they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”