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[Job 1:12-17 KJV] “And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord . [13] And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: [14] And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: [15] And the Sabeans fell upon them , and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. [16] While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. [17] While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee”.
We have all read about the suffering and temptation of Job in the scriptures, but many of us are yet to take time to understand the import of telling such a story to us who follow and serve the Lord. I believe that inasmuch as the story of Job teaches us about the need to be patient in trials, the story also teaches us that there are often spiritual and unseen forces behind most of the calamities and disasters that befall us. We know that it was the devil who went out of the presence of God to tempt job, but none of the messengers that came to Job said “the devil came to attack your asses, or cattle, or children”. Each of the messengers delivering the message cited a certain natural phenomenon.
This suggest that it takes discernment to know when Satan is in operation. How then does the devil manifest? Many of us can’t even tell when the devil is in operation. We try to solve problems by dealing with the stem and not the roots. How does the enemy manifest?
1. Satan often comes in the form of men and natural disasters:
(See Job 1;14-15,17; 1 Corinthian 15:32) Job lost his wealth and children through robbery, accidents, tsunamis and others. The loss appears very logical and explanatory but the real personality behind it was the adversary. That is what the Bible tells us in Job 1:16, 18-19.
2. Satan attacks through ailments:
Any chronic condition that defies scientific solutions has the devil at its root. (See Job 2:4-5; 2:6-8, 1 Corinthians 15:7) There are times when the messenger of Satan is sent to buffet you sorely. May the mighty hand of God deliver you from every affliction of darkness. May your health and sanity be restored in the name of Jesus Christ!
3. Satan can speak through close allies and family:
In Job 2:9:9, we learn how Job’s wife counselled him to curse God and die. She indeed spoke as a fool, but in her mind she was speaking wisdom. We understand also in Matthew 16:23, Mark 8:33, Luke 4:8, that Satan spoke through apostle Peter and also to the mind of Christ. Satan took advantage of the situations and fought the Lord in his mind through thoughts.
4. Satan sometimes also attack us by using demons:
In Luke 22:3, we learn that Satan entered into Judas Iscariot. Satan cannot enter into you except by using devils and demonic spirits. Judas felt so justified at the time he was betraying Jesus, but in reality, the devil wanted him to lose his bishopric and estate. Judas betrayed Jesus because devils entered into him.
5. Satan operates through provocation:
Often, the enemy provokes us through fear, pride, insecurities, and bitterness. In 1 Chronicles 21:1-2, Satan withstood Israel, and provoked David to number them, and kindled the anger of God which caused a plaque.
I pray that from today, you will not be ignorant of the manifestations of Satan. I pray that you will wake up to the reality that there is always a force behind the events and situations of life. What you are facing is not ordinary, but the Lord is able to give you victory through Christ Jesus. Amen! Stay blessed!
I love you;
Noah Simpe Bediako
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