What God allows so He can perfect His Work in us

We are going to use several passages of Scripture tonight, and I guarantee you that this will be an outline that you will need to keep and use it for your own personal study. Now, I know we have just studied these verses in the Book of James, but this is going to be an addendum brought on by a blown knee, a bad back, COVID, and the Holy Spirit.

James 1:2–4 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

God uses what happens to us to perfect His work in us.

As I was battling Covid last week, God used that illness to illuminate His Word to me. Did God cause the Covid? No. Did God use the Covid? Yes.

Sometimes, God wants us to just stop and listen to Him and His Word.

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

I am promise you that you are going to be blessed if you will listen attentively with the Holy Spirit guiding you. Let’s see what God wants us to see.

1. God is Sovereign; Satan is not.

Only God has sovereign authority, but Satan does have limited authority in this world.

Notice what the New Testament says about Satan and his authority in this world.

2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

God has a work that He wants to perfect in His children, but Satan will do all he can, in his own limited authority to keep us or stop us from allowing God to complete that work in us. Satan cannot stop God, but he can distract us from relying on God, and he has authority to use whatever necessary to keep us distracted.

The only power Satan does not have in our lives is the power to kill us. Only God has the keys to life and death.

Revelation 1:18 “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

Here is what many Christians do not understand and what many Christians refuse to believe.

The authority Satan has was given to him by Adam.

Genesis 1:26–27 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Adam was created perfectly in the image of God and given dominion over the entire earth and everything on earth. That dominion was freely given by God to Adam as long as Adam could keep it. The only way Adam could lose it was to give it away, and that’s what happened when Adam disobeyed God.

When Adam sinned, he gave what he had, dominion, to Satan.

If you will look on your outline at Ephesians Chap. 6 v. 12 and 2 Cor. Chap 4. v4, you will see terms of authority.

god of this world

principalities

rulers of darkness in this world

powers

Those terms indicate the authority Satan has in this world. Authority that he has because Adam gave it to him. In that authority, Satan does many things to attack Christians, but his authority is limited as God is the ultimate authority, and whatever Satan throws at us, God can use it to perfect His work in us.

Isaiah 55:8–9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.”

2. In his limited authority, what tactics will Satan use?

This is where many of you are going to have trouble believing me which is why you need to study the Word.

Not everything that happens to us is the result of a Satanic attack, but many of those things are a result of his limited dominion on earth. In his limited dominion Satan creates chaos and havoc, but what gets us in trouble is that we dismiss Satan’s role in what happens to us.

Let’s examine his tactics.

A. Satan actively searches for God’s children.

Job 1:6–7 “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”

Revelation 12:10 “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”

Satan is actively roaming earth searching for you. I do not fully understand this, and it confuses us, but in this dispensation of time, Satan has access to heaven and earth. He is not in hell, as he cannot be in hell if he is actively searching for you.

In heaven, Satan brings accusations against the body of Christ.

On earth, he seeks us out as he sought out Job.

God mentions to Satan how faithful Billy Binkley is, and Satan responds that sure he is faithful but if I did this, he would not be, and God says go ahead. When that happens, it is incumbent upon Billy to trust God and His Word, and if Billy does, God uses what Satan throws at Billy to make Billy more Christlike.

We read 1 Peter Chap. 5 v.8 many times when discussing Satan seeking us, but we should read the entire passage.

1 Peter 5:6–8 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

We need to humble ourselves before God and cast all our cares upon Him because Satan is searching us as a roaring lion ready to pounce on us. The indication is that if we are humble before God and if we cast our cares on Him, He will exalt us in due time meaning He will lift us up when the Devil comes searching. VERY INTERESTING!!!!

B. Satan uses fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Fear does not come from God. What comes from God is power, love, and a sound mind.

If you are living in fear, distress, worry, dismay, anxiety, and depression, it does not come from God. It comes from Satan.

Nothing that comes from God causes fear. Does power produce fear? No, it produces awe and respect. Do love and a sound mind produce fear? No, they give us peace.

Think about the things that produce fear in our lives.

Job 1:13–15 “And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 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.”

Job 1:17 “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.”

Warfare, crime, murder, stealing, tragedy, and financial distress cause fear. Now, we must not forget this. God has foreknowledge which means God knows all things, but it does not mean God makes certain things to happen. It means that He allows them to happen as a result of the choice Adam made.

None of the things that causes us fear were present in the Garden of Eden.

In spite of those things that cause fear, the things that Satan brings to bear, God wants to give His children His peace.

Philippians 4:6–7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

We are to be prayerful and thankful, and if we are, God will give us His peace, and that is a peace that passes all understanding.

Now, do not get mad at me, but let apply what God has told us. As I said, the Holy Spirit has used my last two months to teach me this truth.

The answer to gun violence is not more guns. The answer to crime is not more laws and police officers. The answer to Covid is not attacking the Chinese. The answer to political strife is not a new president. The answer is for God’s people to be prayerful and thankful, and if we are, God will give us His peace, a peace that cannot be disturbed by Satan, but we like to counter what Satan throws at us with Satan’s tools instead of trusting God, and as a result, many Christians in fear and do not experience the peace of God.

C. Satan uses natural disasters.

Job 1:16 “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.”

Job 1:19 “And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”

How do I know natural disasters can come from Satan? Let me answer a question with a question. How many tornadoes do you think occurred in the Garden of Eden?

Did you know Satan used a storm to try to kill Jesus? (Mark Chap 4 vv. 37-40)

Mark 4:37–40 “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”

The prefect example of Satan’s limited authority, and God’s complete authority. Back to Job. There is something in verse 16 and Job Chap 1 that I have missed for 58 years. Look carefully at that verse on your outline.

Did that fire come from God? NO!!!! It came from Satan as part of Satan’s attack on Job.

Satan even used one of Job’s servants to tell Job the fire came from God, but Job knew that it did not come from God. It is a type in scripture of what happens today and that will happen in the future.

How many times have you heard something like this? Something terrible happens, and someone inevitably blames God, but it was really the work of Satan. Guess what happens in the future?

Revelation 13:13–14 “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”

Many Christians wonder how anyone can be so deceived by the Antichrist, but Job’s servant was deceived by the fire as if it had come down from heaven sent by God.

As for the tornado or great wind that destroyed Job’s family, who sent that? SATAN!!!!

When Adam gave dominion to Satan, all of creation suffered.

Romans 8:22 “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

Now, natural disasters occur naturally as a result of Satan’s dominion, but as with Job, Satan may use them to attack us, so he can accuse us before our Father, and God has given us the answer as to what we are to do when we face those natural disasters.

Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

There is so much I could say about natural disasters and how God works, but I must go on.

D. Satan uses illness.

Luke 13:11–12 “And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.”

Job 2:4–7 “And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.”

Was there any illness in the Garden of Eden? _________ Will there be any illness in heaven? _________ Who was not in the Garden of Eden and will not be in heaven? _________________

Illness came into this world when Satan entered the world stage.

As a result, we will all get sick. We will not die because we get to the point where we are so healthy that we just die, but at times, Satan attacks us with illness.

2 Corinthians 12:7–9 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Can I ask you a question?

If God allowed Satan to attack Job with illness, and if He allowed Satan to attack Paul with an illness that Paul called a thorn in his flesh, do you not think that He would allow Satan to attack you with illness?

Now, I promise you that this became evident to me in the last week. Since July 21st, I blew out my knee, threw out my back, and had COVID. Do you know what God showed me in His Word?

“My grace is sufficient; my strength is perfected in your weakness.”

Listen to me, and this biblically and theologically true.

Satan attacks us with illness. That illness can be physical, emotional, or mental, but God’s grace is sufficient.

God’s grace being sufficient does not mean that He will heal you. It just means that you can lean on Him and His strength will become your strength even in illness.

Satan uses fear, depression, anxiety, natural disasters, illnesses, and government to attack, but God’s grace is sufficient, and God is sovereign, and in His sovereignty, God can and will intervene on our behalf at any moment.

Habakkuk 1:5 “Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: For I will work a work in your days, Which ye will not believe, though it be told you.”

Satan is on the prowl, on the attack, but he is limited. It is God who is all-powerful. It is God who has a plan. That plan will be seen to its determined outcome. God is the author of peace. Satan tries disrupt that peace with chaos, but God’s grace is sufficient.

3. What are God’s children to do?

Would you like to know what to do when Satan attacks? I promise you that what I am about to share with you is what we are to do as illuminated to me through my recent issues, and it is nothing new. It is all found in God’s Word.

A. Examine yourself.

2 Corinthians 13:4–5 “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

God wants you and I to live in power whatever our circumstances are, but I dare say that there are many of us that live in the power, and that is why we are to examine ourselves.

Some of you may not understand and are asking, “Why are we to examine ourselves?”.

The Holy Spirit uses that examination to reveal whether not we have sin in our lives and whether or not we are truly saved.

If we are sick or experiencing really difficult times, we examine ourselves so that the Holy Spirit, in His light, can reveal our flaws.

If you have sin in your life, your illness or trouble “COULD” be part of God’s chastisement.

I am going to say something that every Christian needs to consider carefully.

While you are free to choose the sin, you are not free to choose the consequences of that sin. You sin. God determines the consequence.

You can get sick because you live in this world. You can get sick as part of God’s chastisement. You can get sick as a result of an attack from the Devil. If you examine yourself, the Holy Spirit will reveal to you what is going on so that you can live in the power that God desires, but if you do not examine yourself, you will have no clue as to what is truly happening.

Do you believe that?

B. Confess any known sin.

Sin is revealed through examination. If sin is revealed, we just simply need to agree with God about it. There is to be no argument or no offering of excuses.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Can I explain that word confess?

Confess does not just mean to say it. It means to say about that sin what God says about it and to repent from it.

Let’s take losing your temper.

You lose your temper, and you “confess” it to God. A week later, you blow up and lose your temper again. That first confession meant nothing because you did not say about it what God did, and you definitely did not repent of it.

There are so many that are proud of their tempers, but do you know what God says? Prov. Chap 14. v29.

Proverbs 14:29 “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.”

If the Bible says a quick temper is foolish, is it a sin? If it is a sin, should it not be a sin that we turn from in repentance?

Now, God is not interested in our excuses for losing our temper or our reasoning. He just wants to agree with Him about it and repent. If we do, He will forgive of us that sin and forgive us of any unknown sin.

C. Pray persistently.

Persistent means to continue firmly in the face of strong opposition. That strong opposition, for the Christian, comes from Satan.

The perfect example is found in the Book of Daniel.

Daniel 10:2–3 “In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.”

Daniel 10:13 “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.”

Daniel prayed persistently for three weeks. Satan was in opposition, but God’s answer prevailed. What if Daniel had not been so persistent in prayer? What would happen if you and I were more persistent in prayer? We pray over something, and then we get mad if God does not answer it immediately, but God wants us to be persistent when we pray because our enemy is persistent.

Can I ask you another question? If I can, are you going to believe the answer when I give it to you?

Do you know how persistent in prayer you and I are to be?

1 Thessalonians 5:17–18 “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Stephen was thankful and prayerful as he was being stoned. Paul and Silas were thankful and prayerful as they were in jail. What about you? Are you beginning to see how the Devil gets after us? Instead of focusing on our circumstances, we need to always focus on Christ if we want to live in peace and power.

D. God will act.

If you examine yourself, if you confess and repent, if you pray persistently, God will act. When you do those things, you will get to the point where, no matter what is going on, you are totally trusting in God.

2 Corinthians 1:9 “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:”

God may not heal you, but you will live in His power and promise.

2 Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Stephen lived in so much power that as he was being stoned by the ones working for Satan he prayed that what they were doing to him would not be charged against them. Now, that is power.

Paul says, “I glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest on me.” Do you glory in your infirmities, or do you wallow in misery over them?

If you do what we have talked about, God will give you His peace that passes all understanding. You will have the same peace that Stephen had as he was being stoned.

God is ready to do so much in our lives, but He will not act contrary to His Word, and He will not act as long as we are insistent upon fighting our enemy, who is constantly attacking us, with worldly weapons.

Do you know as a Christian that you have authority over Satan?

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

If you are submissive to God through the things I have outlined, the Devil will be submissive to you as you will have the authority to tell him to flee, but to do that you must submit to God and resist Satan.