Dear Family of Majesty: (note: Majesty Tabernacle, Jean’s first pastorate.)
It is very rare that I send such a letter as this, but after prayer and the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I decided to send this letter to those of you who worship with us on a regular basis, those of you who have worshipped with us occasionally, and those of you who attend other functions of our church. We are blessed to have all of you when you are able.
In conjunction with communicating with you all, I sensed the Lord wanted me to share this message with you in print. I’ve never done this before, but God is an unprecedented God. Consequently, God is always dealing with us in new ways and I can see how He is dealing with our church as a whole, and I’d like to share that as well. Here goes: The story of Job!
First of all, God exalted Job, a man who loved God, a righteous man. DID YOU KNOW THAT BAD TIMES CAN COME TO RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE, AND THAT GOOD TIMES CAN COME TO WICKED PEOPLE? Never base your Christian experience on your good times or bad times. Anyway, God did exalt Job and He did it in the presence of the devil. Think of it! “Have you considered My servant Job?” Probably the devil had not given Job a thought before (Satan only thinks of himself, generally), but seeing as now Job became a threat of Satan, he began thinking. “I used to be pretty important to God, too, but He kicked me out. How dare He flaunt His ”good’ boy in my eyes.” JOB WAS A THREAT TO THE DEVIL BECAUSE HE HAD RECEIVED SOMETHING THE DEVIL WAS NOW DENIED: ACCEPTANCE IN HEAVEN.
- I believe the devil is mad still because God has exalted us through His Son – Ephesians 1:3-7. THE DEVIL HATES RIGHTEOUS CHRISTIANS!!!! IF SATAN IS BOTHERING YOU, GOD HAS SET YOU APART FOR HIS PURPOSE. THE DEVIL IS SIMPLY JEALOUS;
- I believe God has exalted Majesty Tabernacle and that we, though small, have His heart beat. The devil has sought to destroy us individually and collectively;
- We have been accepted in heaven if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. DON’T JUST ACCEPT HIM: RESPECT HIM AND SERVE HIM AS YOUR LORD MOST HIGH!
Secondly, there was allowed a testing place to reveal Job’s foundation for his faith. He lost his cattle (ooh!), his home (ouch!), his children (how awful!), his health (And he didn’t even live in Minne(snow)ta), his wife (Job 1:22 says, “I thought our marriage was for better and for worse”. She didn’t agree). The devil has always known that a test is necessary to see if people will live for God no matter what. He was right there in the Garden of Eden to make it difficult for Adam and Eve, and this case is no exception. How did Job react? “IN ALL OF THESE THINGS HE DID NOT ACCUSE GOD OR SIN BECAUSE OF IT” – 1:22. WHO READING THIS LETTER HAS LOST AS MUCH AS JOB? Do we argue with God; do we excuse our sin because of our troubles?
- Many in the church have encountered numerous health problems, one after another. Some have lost family members through death. Some have employment struggles;
- Is “God” really on our case, or is, perhaps, the devil allowed to do these things. Is the devil on our case?
- Does your Christian life falter with problems? Are you getting tired and down? Do you question your life as if God is “mad” at you?
- Let us run to the foundation of our Christian faith: our trust in the FINISHED work of Jesus Christ. Living for Him is not shallow Christianity. It is going beneath the surface of life and finding that refuge in the cross – He who went, “under the earth” through death, and went beyond this world so as to give us new life. Thus, our life is not imbedded in this world, but in the world beyond;
- Come through this test knowing that the devil is lurking and waiting to use these things against you. Be aware of his tactics.
Thirdly, Job not only was tested through his physical calamities, he was also tested THROUGH HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS. He had a wife who told him to curse God or die. Have you had family members who gave you an ultimatum? He had “friends” who accused him of reaping his wicked ways. We can see how Satan also is allowed to use people against us, for he is the accuser of the brethren (Did he ever bother you when you were unsaved?). One accuser may bother you, and two may become annoying to you, but three will drive you out of the little of what’s left of your mind. DO RELATIONSHIPS HINDER YOU IN YOUR WALK AS A CHRISTIAN? ARE THERE PEOPLE WHO MAKE YOU QUESTION YOUR FAITH IN GOD; PEOPLE WHO THOUGH NOT SAYING IT, TREAT YOU AS THOUGH “YOU” MESSED IT UP AGAIN?
- Always remember that the devil’s emphasis is upon “us” (our failures, triumphs, fears, whatever); God’s emphasis is on His Son Jesus;
- The devil will build such a good case against you, you may even doubt your own sincerity;
- I believe that there are people reading this letter that are experiencing this. We do fail. We will fail, but God never fails! Keep that as your argument;
- Your life and experience are not the prime facet to your Christianity. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE FACT THAT JESUS HAS ALREADY PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR FAILURES, SINS, AND SO FORTH, AND THAT DAILY, THROUGH HIS SHED BLOOD, WE FIND CONTINUAL CLEANSING FROM SIN (I John 1:9). God put that Scripture in the Bible to counter all of the devil’s ploys. WHERE WE COME INTO THIS EQUATION IS WHEN WE PERSONALLY BELIEVE THIS TRUTH AND ALLOW IT TO LIVE IN OUR LIFE.
EQUATION TO FIGHT THE DEVIL: SIN + THE CROSS MINUSES (-) THE DEVIL, WHICH EQUALS (=) THIS:
I AM FORGIVEN. .MY SIN IS FORGOTTEN…THE DEVIL IS FOILED ………..THE DEVIL CANNOT TAUNT US, HE CANNOT HAUNT US, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GOD HAS BOUGHT US!!! WE ARE GOD’S AND THE DEVIL IS TRESPASSING ON GOD’S PROPERTY.
Fourthly, Job SPENT TOO MUCH TIME LISTENING TO THESE FRIENDS: How do we know this? BECAUSE HE BEGAN TO DEFEND HIMSELF TOWARDS THEM. He is buying the lie that he is in trouble with God. Does God need people to tell us when we are separate from Him? In any case, he is actually verbally and mentally preparing his case before this tribunal. How often do we go over our troubles in our mind and try to explain away why we did it. Who are we trying to convince? The devil is not impressed by our defense, though he might laugh about it. God is not listening, because He says that if we “cover” our sins we will in no wise prosper.
- I think it is very wholesome to recognize that the real person on trial here is God. The devil is “using” Job’s situation to throw it in God’s face;
- Though the Olympic Hockey Team won the Russian players, it was the United States that got the glory. We are used as “players” in the hands of the devil against freedom.
- The devil is going to use precious people in the sight of God so that he can taunt God Himself; Satan doesn’t care about us. He is sore at God;
- The communists used Richard Wurmbrand’s son “against” him when they told him to deny God or they would kill his son. His son told him not to do that, and he didn’t. His son lived, but another son died. Satan thought the way to get to God was through God’s Son. God knew the only way to defeat Satan was through His Son. Guess who had the better idea;
- Do not spend time listening to lies of the devil, wherever they may come from. If you do keep listening, you will begin to believe it. Instead, spend more time listening to God’s Word. THAT IS SOMETHING MORE WONDERFUL TO BELIEVE IN!!!!!!
- Do not keep things in your mind. Bring them out through prayer, sharing, etc.
Fifthly, Job is now BEGINNING TO BLAME GOD. Where once he did not do this, he has spent too much time with those who do, and therefore, becomes like them. The devil likes to see families fighting, so he puts a lie in an outsider’s ear and puts them in a relationship where they do not belong. DO NOT LET ANY THIRD PARTY IN ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD! NEVER TAKE SOMEONE ELSE’S WORD FOR WHAT GOD IS SAYING ON YOUR BEHALF!!!
- When we begin blaming God, it is a probable fact that we are also blaming others. Adam and Eve blamed each other, so it is not a new concept here;
- What do we want: cohorts in crime or something?
- If you have been blaming God in any way, stop in your tracks and determine exactly what it is you are attempting to defend. Has the devil convinced you that you have something to hide or “clarify”?
- If you have been blaming God in any way, stop in your tracks and determine exactly what it is you are attempting to defend. Has the devil convinced you that you have something to hide or “clarify”? Come clean to God!