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Todays Video!

Happy Friday!

Job 1:6-11
One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.

Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless-a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

As this story goes, Satan struck at Jobs heart so badly… here we are thousands of years later, still referencing this guy when trying to cope with life’s most fiery trials!

A messenger arrived at Jobs house with the news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
While the first messenger was talking, a second messenger arrived with the news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
While the second messenger was still talking, a third messenger arrived with the news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
While that messenger was still talking still ANOTHER messenger came with the news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
And later… Satan left the Lord’s presence, and he struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot. Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”

Can you IMAGINE?

Ok, so why am I talking about Job today?

Well, last night at prayer meeting… I heard the audible voice of God!

This has only happened a few times in my entire life… and not in many years! So it was a HUGE DEAL!

While we were praying, I was walking around the alter area, worship music was playing in the background… and out of NOWHERE, God said to me, “I am so proud of you!”

And then I saw a vision of everything that happened to Job… and then the past twelve months of my life, replayed right in front of me… I saw gigantic demons flying down over me… the sky lost its sunlight as they filled the skies above me… for twelve months! I saw God looking down on me, WITH GREAT CONFIDENCE, knowing that I WOULD NOT CURSE HIM!

And last night, he said to me, “I am so proud of you!”

Double 4 Your Trouble!

At the end of this Jobs trial… the Lord gave him twice as much as before! TWICE AS MUCH!

Job 42:11-17
Then all his brothers, sisters, and former friends came and feasted with him in his home. And they consoled him and comforted him because of all the trials the Lord had brought against him. And each of them brought him a gift of money and a gold ring.

So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep (used to have 7000), 6,000 camels (used to have 3000), 1,000 teams of oxen (used to have 500), and 1,000 female donkeys (used to have 500).

He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters. He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. In all the land no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers.

Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life!

Happily Ever After!

Have you ever been through a Job like set of bizarre circumstances? Does it seem like SATAN is stalking you NOW… like YOU are the unfortunate specimen for his next VIOLENT EXPERIMENT? Do you ever feel HUNTED… pursued by dark forces… and in those times, you can’t see a single ray of light shining through the thick dark clouds over your head?

Never curse God and die! Learn from this story about Job! Why do bad things happen to good people? Because good people are the best TARGET! John 10:10 says, “The thief (the devil) comes to steal, kill, and destroy… and I (Jesus) have come that you might HAVE LIFE… ABUNDANT LIFE!”

Peter said this about fiery trials: Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something STRANGE were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

There is a LIGHT at the end of EVERY long dark tunnel! The sun is ALWAYS shining above the storm clouds! God loves you! He’s always fighting FOR you! He is so proud of you! He’s the one thats cheering for you and always believing in you. So, never curse him… never accuse him of forsaking you.

Trust him… and you will LIVE to see a LONG FULL DOUBLY BLESSED LIFE on the other side of your FIERY TRIAL!

I hope todays blog adds tremendous value to your amazing lives! I spent so much time praying for you all today! Check out this POWERFUL VIDEO and have a super duper Friday! Tunnel: Third Day