The Trials of the Saint

Introduction

Today we continue our series in the book of Job - ‘On the Job Training’.

Basics from the Beginning - pt.1

We have an Adversary

He has Freedom to Travel; He has Formidable Influence; His Fellowships are Disguised; His Form is Deceptive; He has a Focus of Attack; His Future is Assured

We have an Advocate

He Controls the Wall; His is the Wellspring; He is a Witness

We have Autonomy

The Truth of It; The Test of It; The Terror of It

Basics from the Beginning - pt.2

Prayer isn’t always Answered as We Like (v1:5)

The Intercession; The Intention; The Dedication; The Rejection

Bad Things Happen to Good People

The Surmise of Job’s Friends; Job was Special, yet Job was a Sinner; Job Suffered; The Saviour Speaks; The Saviour Suffered

We Know but Half the Story

Job knew the What, but not the Why; He knew Neither the Cause nor Purpose; nor the Outcome

The Godly will Worship through Tragedy (v1:20-21)

Because of their Focus; Their Faith in God’s Character & God’s Plan

Thoughts on Fortunes, Family & Friends

Fortunes

They are Impartial; They are Insecure

Family

Should be Cherished, for they are not Certain; Should be Forgiven, for they are Fallible

Friends

They Showed Pity; They were Present; They were Patient; They Weren’t Perfect

The Title of today’s message is The Trials of the Saint. We’re going to be examining more of the material in the midst of the book to see some of the thoughts, feelings, attitudes & actions that were taken by Job during these great trials that were taking place in our lives.

I. The Pain of the Saint

Is Without Doubt

Pain is universal. There are some who think that because they are a Christian, that they are somehow immune from feeling pain. Or, if they feel an anguish of heart such as what Job felt in these days, that somehow they are either failing as a Christian (lack of faith) or approaching it wrong.

Church I want you to know that regardless of your Spiritual status, no man is impervious to pain - we all experience it to great degrees regardless of Testimony or Relationship with the LORD.

Remember - Job was a “perfect and upright, one that feareth God and escheweth evil”. Job wasn’t in misery of soul because he was out of God’s Will or lacked a dependence upon God. He experienced this pain because he is human.

Remember Job’s words: Job 14:1–2 “Man that is born of a woman Is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.”

Experiencing pain & anguish of heart does not make you a weak Christian, it makes you human.

The Pain of the Saint is without a Doubt

Can be Debilitating

Debilitating (def) Weakening; enfeebling; impairing strength

Job experienced the pain of:

Losing his wealth & businesses

Losing 10 children

Losing the confidence of his wife

Losing his health - not to mention his social standing & dignity

Where is Job at then? Sitting down among the trash scraping himself with broken pottery FOR DAYS ON END.

Job was surely suffering from what we would call clinical depression. He was in a sense, broken mentally as well as physically.

Depression is real - and when you get to the point where Job is at, it sucks the life right out of you, to where you can hardly get motivated to move.

Yes, Saints can experience Pain that is Debilitating - but we must also understand that our Pain must be Dealt with

Must be Dealt With

After 7 days & 7 nights just sitting there upon the earth, Job opened up. He began to express his feelings to his friends.

Many would look at the conversations that Job had with those friends and think that they were just unproductive, but you’d be wrong. Throughout the conversations we’d find:

Job expressed his feelings

Job was confronted with where he was in relation to sin & his Saviour

Job listened to advice (even though it was bad, it still helped Job)

Job was solidified in his standing and his integrity toward God

Ultimately, God showed up!

When Job was Confronted with God - Job submitted and was healed

There’s no shame for a Christian to deal with Depression, but all too often, we don’t deal with it in a Biblical way. We want to take a pill and numb us from the pain, instead of dealing with it.

That church is a recipe for disaster. It’s a drawing out of our depression rather than it being dealt with.

The Pain of the Saint Must be Dealt with

We see the Pain of the Saint

II. The Perseverance of the Saint

Through Patience, not Parting (Job 3; 6:8-13; 7:16; 10:18-22; Jam. 5:10-11)

As we look through this book, we see the depth of despair in the heart of Job, from the mouth of Job.

Read Job 3:1-11; 6:8-13; 10:18-19;

As we read these (and there are others) passages, we see a man who is not only wishing for death, but that he’d never even been born! He is literally as low as a man could possibly get.

But do you know what he doesn’t do? Take his own life.

I want to speak about Suicide for a moment. It’s a topic that’s not often spoken of in the church, but should be as there are many misconceptions of it.

I have a few things to say on this topic:

Of a truth, Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem

Take Job for an example - as he sat among the ashes, having lost everything - he ABOVE ALL PEOPLE would have easily thought ‘there is no coming back from this… what have I to live for?’. Then they go and get some pills or a gun or whatever and take their own life. But the fact of the matter is though Job had no way of knowing, HIS PROBLEMS WEREN’T PERMANENT!

He suffered tremendously, but he didn’t commit suicide

Secondly, Suicide is most assuredly sin - in a multitude of ways:

It’s a lack of faith / trust in God

It’s acting as though you were God

It’s committing murder

It’s self-centered - ultimately fueled by pride & selfishness

Suicide is most assuredly sin - however, this particular sin will not send you to Hell, anymore than lying will.

I’ve heard good - well meaning people say ‘If you commit suicide, you’ll not get to Heaven, because you can’t repent of that sin if you’re dead’.

Church, those that say that have a fundamental misunderstanding of how Salvation works.

We are not saved by turning from each and every sin and die in a sinless state. We are saved by placing our trust in Jesus to pay for our sins - past, present & future!

Question: Can a saved person kill themselves?

Answer: (by question) Can a saved person sin? Can a saved person in a moment of weakness and despair make a horrible decision?

Question: Are we saved by our turning from sin, or by trusting in Jesus to pay for our sin? Romans 3:21–23 “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

The Saint will persevere with patience, not parting James 5:10–11 “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” - through ALL Peril and Pain

Through All Peril and Pain (Job. 13:15)

We see an amazing statement by Job in Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: But I will maintain mine own ways before him.”

Job said ‘NO MATTER WHAT’ - “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” - NO MATTER WHAT!

(Ill.) I thought of Rocky 4. Apollo Creed v. Ivan Drago - the first round Apollo gets beat up bad & Rocky’s like ‘I got to stop it’ and he says ‘you don’t stop this fight - no matter what!’

Job had that same attitude - he’d already experienced tragedy like no other, but he said ‘NO MATTER WHAT - YET WILL I TRUST HIM!’

Church, that’s the way a saint endures trials - NO MATTER WHAT they’re going to trust God!

Through ALL Peril & Pain - be it physical, mental, emotional I’m going to seek your face LORD!

We see the Pain of the Saint; The Perseverance of the Saint

III. The Perspective of the Saint

This is how the Saint approaches and sees things.

I touched on the focus of the Godly in the first message, this dives a bit deeper

His Manner of Life (Job 19:25-27)

As Job has lamented his birth and situation, we see this wonderful passage in Job 19:23-27.

What is Job doing here? He’s depending on the promises of God! He KNOWS that his redeemer liveth!

The one that was pictured in the garden & in the ark - the one who has promised redemption unto the faithful. Job had the right perspective.

Write this down: We live by Promises, not Explanations

So many spend their times asking God why? As if God has to explain Himself to us! Church, it is enough for us to simply trust in the promises of God.

Secondly: We live by Faith, not Circumstance

Paul remarked: 2 Corinthians 5:7 “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”

As we walk through this life, the Saint of God will see it through the lens of faith.

(Ill.) Imagine having a pair of special glasses. Without them, we went through life just like normal. We see this world in typical fashion. But once you slipped these special glasses on, a whole new world opened up and with it understanding. You were able now to see not only the actions of people - but you could see instantaneously the outcomes as well. You could see the hand of God moving upon people and the Spirit of God leading and weaving this incredible masterpiece that though it appeared to all be unrelated events, suddenly come together and you could see the Master Plan unfold right before you eyes! Wouldn’t that be something!

Church, if you believe Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” You don’t need special glasses - you know that though you cannot see it, God is doing just that!

The Saint Lives by the Promises of God, not His Explanations - we live by Faith, not our Circumstance.

His Method of Interpretation (Job 6:24; 34:32)

This is not only WHAT he sees, but HOW he sees it.

The Saint asks: WHAT Can I Get out of my Trial? (not HOW Can I get out of my Trial.)

Job says to Eliphaz ‘Teach me…’ Job truly longed for understanding and what he could gain from this trial.

Job seeks to know himself better in Job 34:32.

The Bible tells us: 1 Peter 1:6–7 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

Too often we are worried ONLY about getting out of the trial and never learn the lesson OF the trial.

The Godly will see things and interpret the trials differently

The Might of His God (Job 38-41)

After all this discussion between Job & his friends, God shows up. And for about 4 chapter, God puts Job on the spot and teaches him a lesson on who he is compared to who God is.

(I encourage you to read these chapters and consider the questions for yourself - it’s a humbling experience).

Read: Job 38:1-11; 18-19; 34-35; 40:6-14, etc.

The Saint of God will surely recognize that he is not God - and SHOULD TRUST IN THE WISDOM OF GOD, AS IT WAS HE WHO HATH DONE ALL THESE THINGS!

The Perspective of the Saint on the Might of His God

We see the Pain of the Saint; The Perseverance of the Saint; the Perspective of the Saint

IV. The Pleasure of the Saint

In Due Time

Yes the Saint will have Pain, but through PERSEVERANCE and the PROPER PERSPECTIVE - in due time, will come pleasure.

What do we see for Job here?

A Recognition (Job 42:7-9)

God vindicated Job. Job tried to declare his integrity time & again, but to no avail - BUT GOD VINDICATED JOB. His friends understood when it was all said & done that Job was right, and they were wrong.

You know church, a lot of popular people laugh at what I believe - but vindication is coming for me! God will recognize that my faith has not been in vain!

A Recognition

A Requiting (Job 42:10-16)

For Job, God not only restored him, but gave him double of EVERYTHING! And I do mean everything!

You add those up and you’ll see that Job began with:

7k sheep, ended up with 14k sheep

3k camels, ended up with 6k camels

500 yoke oxen, 1k yoke oxen

500 she asses, ended with 1k

Began with 7 sons & 3 daughters - ended with 14 sons & 6 daughters.

This is where it gets beautiful church: You see, for all Job’s other possessions, God doubled because Job lost it all. But for his children, they weren’t destroyed - they died. And in doing so, all they actually did was change addresses. Job had 7 sons on earth & 7 in Heaven, 3 daughters on earth & 3 in Heaven. God truly gave him a double portion!

Church I have no doubt - that if we will through our trials and adversity,

Go through the Pain, Dealing with it Biblically

Persevere through those times

Have a proper Perspective

God will give us pleasure sooner or later!

Conclusion