ICS Daily Devotions
Enforce His Victory
Job 1:10-12 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11.But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
The short passage from the Book of Job revealed to us the work of God and the character of God. God protects, provides and blesses us in every aspect of our lives. He blessed Job and his household. He built a hedge of protection around Job’s household.
On the other hand, the devil’s thought of killing, stealing and destroying as revealed in the above-mentioned verse was to take away everything from Job. This clearly states the work of darkness. God wants us to have an abundant life of peace, love, joy and a wonderful fellowship with Him.
Yet, the devil has other plans. It was not God who gave the power for Satan to destroy mentioned in the Book of Job. The power to operate and rule on earth is already under Satan’s rule after the fall of man but God is just stating the obvious.
God has to allow man to be sifted whenever Satan ask for the people or even when Satan goes about destroying because man has been given the freedom of choice! God is very clear what He wants to do and He wants to bless people. The devil is very clear regarding what he wants to do and that is to kill, steal and destroy. Therefore, man has to know what to choose and believe. That is the real test of our conviction! It is a personal revelation of our core conviction in the midst of the sifting process! It will have to be God is always good regardless of the circumstances.
The devil is always on the prowl, he walks to and fro the earth to look for people whom he may devour. He wants to steal, kill and destroy people or things in the lives of these people. You will read about the same scenario in the Book of Job where the devil asked to sift the faith of Job. Both Job and the disciples were not saved even as Jesus spoke in John 10:10. Therefore, both the disciples and Job were still under the Kingdom of darkness and the rule of Satan. Jesus has not been crucified on the cross, died, buried and resurrected.
The disciples’ salvation came when Jesus resurrected from the dead and breathed the Holy Spirit into them so that they had the seal of the Holy Spirit for their salvation. Peter was later addressing the believers:
1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
These believers including us have a very different position than Job and Peter before salvation because they belong to the Kingdom of God and are children of God. Jesus disarmed the devil after Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. He has given vested power and authority to the disciples that include all of us. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth and we are to enforce His victory. Therefore, the Apostle Peter encouraged the believers to resist the devil and hold fast to our faith. He had a firm conviction of the new position that the church has in Christ. We are to pray and intercede before the throne of grace to find help and mercy in time of need.
We have been forewarned that our faith will be shaken or put to the test by the sifting process. The sifting process is also known as a period of tribulation when we are hard pressed just like the Apostle Peter was persecuted and placed in a difficult situation.
Thank God that everything has changed after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The church has a new position In Christ; the gates of hell shall not prevail against her. The believers are born again, has vested authority, have the privilege of going into God’s throne of grace and the ability to enforce the victory of Christ. It is expected of us to resist the devil whenever he attempts to sift our faith. We can stand against him in Jesus’ name!
Sermon series: Don’t Crack Under Pressure
