Fear Factor

Happy Sunday!

Man's purpose is to have Dominion!  God gave man dominion and authority in the beginning.  Genesis 1:28 says, "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."(KJV).  Man lost his rights, but Jesus paid the price to restore us to our place of dominion.  Jesus reconnects us to the Blessing!  In Matthew 5:1-12, Jesus preached about the Blessing.  The Blessing is the supernatural empowerment to succeed.  The Blessing is the only thing powerful enough to stop the curse.

The curse is at work in the earth.  The curse is Poverty, Sickness, and Death!  Have you seen the curse at work in the world today?  Sure you have!  Terrorism, mass murder, racism, and depravity are evidence of the curse. Don't believe the hype! There are no social programs, capital improvement grants, or political initiatives that will stop the curse!  The curse can only be stopped by the Blessing.  The Blessing of Abraham is part of our inheritance as Christians.  Galatians 3:13-14 says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the BLESSING of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through FAITH."(KJV).  

Job is a perfect example of the Blessing at work.  Job 1:1 says, "Once there was a man from Uz by the name of Job. He was a very good man—his character spotless, his integrity unquestioned. In fact, he so believed in God that he sought to honor Him in all things. He deliberately avoided evil in all of his affairs."(Voice)  The next verses go on to describe everything God blessed Job with.  The verses also recount a conversation between God and the Devil.  Most times we give the Devil too much credit.  We assume that he knows all and sees all, but that is false.  In Job 1:6, the angels came to present themselves and Satan came as well.  He is an angel, you know!  God asks him where he's been and what he's been up to.  He says he's been observing the inhabitants of the earth.  God asks him has he seen the faithful servant, Job.  The Devil responds, "I won’t argue with You that he is pious, but is all of this believing in You and honoring You for no reason? Haven’t You encircled him with Your very own protection, and not only him but his entire household and all that he has? Not only this, but Your BLESSING accompanies whatever his hand touches, and see how his possessions have grown. It is easy to be so pious in the face of such prosperity.  So now extend Your hand! Destroy all of these possessions of his, and he will certainly curse You, right to Your face."(Voice).  

Then God says something that has confused men and women for centuries!  He said, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only upon the man himself put not forth your hand."(Amplified).  It appears that God was giving the Devil permission to attack Job!  NO!  That's not it at all!  When Adam sinned, he relinquished his dominion, power, and authority to Satan.  That's why the Apostle Paul said, "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."(KJV).  Satan had the power to attack Job all along, but he didn't even know it!  How stupid is that?  God is truth!  He even speaks the truth to the Devil!  Now, before you run and lock the second dead bolt on the front door, we have a better covenant!  The enemy cannot run roughshod over you unless you let him.  Dr. Bill Winston said, " What you don't resist is allowed to remain!"  James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. RESIST the devil, and he will FLEE from you."(KJV).

Deeper study reveals that Job opened the door to calamity by walking in fear.  Don't judge him too harshly!  He did what many of us do!  He worried about his children!  He feared that they would sin and not trust God.  He didn't trust God to protect them, reach them, and save them as he promised!  Job 3:25 says, "For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me."(KJV).  2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."(KJV).  Where did Job get the fear?  He got it from the enemy, and he used his own mouth to seal the deal.  Job 1:5 says, "Job SAID, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually."(KJV).  Job worried and feared, and spoke what he feared!  We have to watch what we say!  Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."(KJV)  Did you get that? We eat the fruit of what we speak!  Speak life, speak the Word!  

I don't want to end without reminding you that Job came out on top!  Job 42:10 says, "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."(KJV).  He lived a long good life, had ten more children, and became even more prosperous!

Love and prayers, Cynthia