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| JAMES #5 (we have a couple more days on this before returning to James) The story of Job could really bug you if you thought about it long enough because it really looks like Job is a toy being played with in a very cruel game. We�ve been talking a lot about trusting the �love of God.� Where do you see the �love of God,� in this picture? What kind of God would put their child on the frontline and give the enemy permission to aim and fire? Hello? How does that agree with the �character� of God? Is that an accurate picture of what�s happening when you�re in the fire? Before we move further in James it�s important that you understand what�s happening when the fire�s so hot you don�t think you�ll survive it. Knowing what�s going on will make you determined to stand. Turn to Revelation 12:7-12. We�ve got a war happening here between Michael and his angels and a dragon and his angels. This is a war of angels � good ones and bad ones. Read through verse 9. This �dragon,� is called �the serpent of old, the devil, and Satan � and his primary mission is to do what? DECEIVE. I want to look at the word, �deceive.� It comes from the Greek word �planao� and it means �to cause to wander� ��to cause a person to believe what is not true�-�to mislead:� specifically effecting the mind as to effect behavior. Turn to John 8:44. Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees. You are of your father the devil, and you want � Notice the word �want� � you desire, choose to � To do the desires of your father. What�s the desire of their father-the devil? To be God. He was a murderer from the beginning, How? He influenced Eve�s thinking. She believed the lie and sinned. Everything sin touches dies. - If not a physical death, an emotional one. If not an emotional one, a spiritual one. Sin brings death to not only what is, but to what could have been. AND does not stand in �truth,� because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature: which is..to lie- For he is a liar, and the father of lies. What�s the �nature of God?� Absolute truth. Now, go back to Revelation 12: Look at the second half of verse 9. It says that this �dragon� and his angels were thrown down to the earth. Look at verse 10: This verse refers to a window of time that hasn�t happened yet. It�s talked about a lot in Revelation 6-19. The time window here is referred to as �Jacob�s tribulation,� or �The Great Tribulation.� It lasts for 7 years and is divided into two 3.5 year segments. Verse 10 says : Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come: Why? Because the ACCUSER of who? ME Has been thrown down, who ACCUSES ME before our God day and night. (�brethren� there refers to all believers) Ok- so the game isn�t just between Satan and God - I�m in this. Not only am I IN this- but I�m being accused. I don�t stand a chance man! I AM GUILTY � Unless I�m totally locked into a RELATIONSHIP with Christ. No..I�m not talking about all the rules and regs here � I�m not talking about going to church, teaching a class, giving in the offering plate, watching my mouth�.etc. I�m talking about a RELATIONSHIP. I�m talking about giving God my heart- my dreams- my hopes- trusting Him with the dirt in my life- the stuff nobody knows about- discussing it with Him- working through it �with� Him- letting Him be ALL INCLUSIVE in everything I�m about. You say, well I pray sometimes. I go to church sometimes. I help out my friends. Remember- you are being ACCUSED. Be naked spiritually for a second- yeah, go there. Everything you�ve ever said- everything you�ve ever done- every place you�ve ever gone � and be ACCUSED. Go ahead- give it your best shot. What�s your defense? Zippo- zilch- nada- NONE. There�s only ONE ticket out- and that�s the stamp you wear on your life that says: PAID FOR IN FULL. How? Starts by recognizing that you�re not God and never ever will be. That you�ve blown it � and opens up when you admit with deep deep regret that you�ve blown it � enough regret that you don�t ever ever want to go there again � which results in a change of behavior. You CAN�T change the behavior on your own. That�s where �trust� begins. You have to ASK. You begin by saying- �God I�ve blown it so many times- over and over and over�I don�t EVER want to go there again: Please forgive me and take control of my life and walk me out of this. Teach me. And somehow, in a language I can understand, let me know that truly, you love me. Believe me- Jesus will move all of heaven to get to your heart. He died for trust like that: Trust that longs to know His HEART. What defense do you have for the ACCUSATIONS? Look at Revelation 12:11. First, you have the �blood of the Lamb.� That�s the payment. That�s the invitation into a relationship with God Himself. Second, �the Word of their testimony.� They lived it. They talked it. They breathed it. They were so in love with being loved by God they couldn�t shut up about it. Third, they did not love their life even to death. How could they do that? THEY KNEW THEY WERE LOVED: AND NOTHING WOULD TEAR THEM AWAY FROM IT. When you know you are deeply loved, you will defend whomever � no matter the cost. Back track for a second. I want to give you a time run through: Jesus dies on the cross: He�s buried: He�s raised from the dead: He ascends to the Father: The great tribulation (7 years) happens just prior to His return. During the last 3.5 years of tribulation Satan is thrown out of heaven. That means he still has access to the throne of God. That means it�s still God, Satan and ME in battle. Back to the first question: Why would a �loving God� throw me to the wolves? He won�t. God won�t let ANYTHING happen to you unless He KNOWS you are able to come out on top. What? Turn to I Corinthians 10:13. No temptation: (Is temptation sin? -We�ll answer that as we work through James.) No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; You will never be �the only one� who�s ever gone through whatever it is you�re going through. The FIRST and STRONGEST lie that Satan will nail you with when you step into a battle : Nobody else messes up this bad: Second lie: If anyone else knew, they would reject me. Third lie: Keep it to yourself. You can make it on your own. Fourth lie: I�ve messed up so bad that God could never want me � love me- or use me. Fifth lie: HIDE IT. Truth? You can�t hide it. First truth: We all..I repeat.. ALL mess up badly. Second truth: If anyone else knew (who loved you), they�d hold you and help you pray through. Third truth: If you confess it, you will be held accountable by the person who loves you. Fourth truth: If you�re held accountable, Satan will have to get through a third party in order to get to you � and the third party will NOT be as emotionally vulnerable as you are in that area. The love of God never changes- it is not increased or decreased by what you do or don�t do. He wanted you to trust the love of His heart because He KNEW if you did, it would pull you AWAY from what destroys you and anchor you to what would protect and build you. Fifth truth: Nothing�nothing..nothing is hidden: so why waste time going there? It�s an isolation trap. Isolated, you�re helpless. �With,� �you�re empowered. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; And God is faithful (even when you�re not) � who will NOT ALLOW you � (Satan will not be given permission) to be tempted beyond what you are able, BUT- WITH the temptation will provide THE way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. So you have temptation + escape = endurance QUESTION: Who provides the way out: YOU? Or God? We�re going to talk about this one a LOT in days to come. What kind of God would put me on the front lines? One that loves me more than I could ever comprehend. One that knows just how hot to heat the fire: a fire meant to �refine� and �purify� � not meant to destroy. It all goes back to His heart. A heart that�s constantly drawing me away from what destroys and into what will heal and make strong-His love. Relationship: An attachment of deep affection and devotion that �depends on, involves, and follows-� Religion: A belief in �conduct and ritual� Question: Where�s your heart? �Copyright 2001 Jim and Robin Hibschman |
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