Promises to Hold Onto

Day 142

Reading: Job 5:1 - Job 8:22

Whilst going through adversity we are tempted to think that God is not with us. The enemy's agenda is to separate us from God. He assails our minds with thoughts of defeat and worthlessness. HIs attempt is to get us to waver in our faith and walk in fear. Once he succeeds in doing this, defeat is on the horizon except for the mercies of God.

We have a responsibility to hold onto the promises of God to know them and know them for ourselves. Have a personal knowledge of the promises of God. When we magnify problems we become the problem. Notice when people talk about lack of money all the time they become broke people living broken lives. What you are seeing in that situation that is and how you address it will determine the end game result. Understand that when all you. perceive is trouble then you cannot see the promises of God. Job in the midst of adversity questioned why he was born. He began to curse his life and questioned the wisdom of God in all his living. Trouble can make you move from the place of worship to the place of questioning God. Job was comfortless and in this place spoke words that were painful. 

Job was surrounded by 3 friends who came to mourn and console him. They also came with counsel to offer Job. The 3 friends wanted to point Job to what they perceived as the solution to the woes Job was suffering. They wanted to help him understand the root problem as they saw it. The first thing we see is that these friends immediately went down the route of sin. They made Job feel that he had sinned and these woes were the result of God's judgement. Be careful what advice you take when in trouble. Job's friends were peddling a false accusation. Remember in Job's case God boasted to the devil about Job and allowed the attack on Job. Yes, sin brings judgement on us, however, understand that sin is not the only reason one goes through challenges. 

Eliphaz and Bildad, two of Job's friends spoke to him. In the midst of their seeking to show him the reason for the woes, they reminded Job of the promises of God. Let me share a few of them so that we hold onto them and fix our gaze on the promises of God and not the challenge we are going through.

• Commit your cause to God Job 5:8-13. Remind God that He is the One in charge, not the enemy or the challenge. God is able to bring to nought the cunning wisdom of the crafty; God is a lifter of those who mourn and is more than able to set on high the lowly. 
• Happy is the person God corrects Job 5:17-19. When God sifts us its for our good. No one buys impure gold in a shop. Trouble comes to sift impurities out of our lives. Every loving parent corrects the child not for their pleasure but for the betterment of the child. So please don't imagine that God is sitting in heaven enjoying your troubled journey of faith. 
• See your latter as greater Job. 5:20-26; Job 8:7. Your current circumstances are not your end. They are a platform for the greater. Know what your end will be like. Don't make your challenges your end. Circumstances are not your coffin. See yourself by the Word of God and His power as overcoming adversity. See peace, joy, hope, deliverance, salvation as coming your way. 
• God is faithful Job 8:20. God cannot cast away His own. He has not forgotten you. God has you in mind. God is working it out for His good. His promises have never failed. The question to ask is what promise has God given you? Do you have one for that predicament?
• Joy will overflow Job. 8:21. Trouble chases laughter from one's mouth and the heart is filled with heaviness. However, God promises that laughter will again be in our mouths and rejoicing will be heard in our lives. 

When you know the promise more than the trouble you empower God to change your circumstances. Why you ask? Because faith is birthed when we see God's promises and not trouble. Abraham had to see a son before he and Sarah had one. Until you hold onto the promise of God and nothing else the trouble will remain. When all you stand on is God's promise then trouble will be troubled by God Himself. 

Memory Verse: Job 8:7

Decree:

Personalise the scripture.

Job 8:7

Charles, though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.(paraphrased and italics mine)