Our Lord allowed Satan the opportunity to test Job. Read again the first and second chapters of Job so that you may refresh your mind with what happened to Job, because each of us will be tested, as Job was by Satan, as allowed by the Searcher of hearts. Are you ready for the test?
“Of Job, the patriarch of Uz, the testimony of the Searcher of hearts was, ‘There is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil.’
“Against this man, Satan brought scornful charge: ‘Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast Thou not made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? … Put forth Thine hand now, and touch all that he hath;’ ‘touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse Thee to Thy face.’
“The Lord said unto Satan, ‘All that he hath is in thy power.’ ‘Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.’
“Thus permitted, Satan swept away all that Job possessed—flocks and herds, menservants and maidens, sons and daughters; and he ‘smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown’ (Job 1:8–12; 2:5–7).” Education, 155.
Think of Job’s experience as you read the following end time prophecy:
“As Satan accuses the people of God on account of their sins, the Lord permits him to try them to the uttermost. Their confidence in God, their faith and firmness, will be severely tested. As they review the past, their hopes sink; for in their whole lives they can see little good. They are fully conscious of their weakness and unworthiness. Satan endeavors to terrify them with the thought that their cases are hopeless, that the stain of their defilement will never be washed away. He hopes so to destroy their faith that they will yield to his temptations and turn from their allegiance to God.” The Great Controversy, 618.
Do not think that you or any other professed Christian will escape the testing time. No.
- Satan will accuse us
- Our Lord will permit Satan to try us to the uttermost
- Our confidence in God and our faith and firmness will be severely tested
Oh my brothers and sisters, now is the time to build up our faith in Jesus as our Saviour and Redeemer. The testing time coming for each of us will “require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger—a faith that will not faint though severely tried.” Conflict and Courage, 369.
Are you ready? This is the game of eternal life. Satan wants to win the game against you and cause you to lose eternal life, eternal happiness because he has lost the battle. Don’t let him! Stand for God now no matter what earthly comforts you may lose. Now is the day of preparation. Job lost all, but God restored much more than he had lost. Will you let go of this world and stand for God at the loss of all earthly things?
Heavenly Father, Give me the strength now to do what is right, no matter what the cost. I want You to be able to say of me as you said about Job: “There is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil.” This is the desire of my heart. You have promised: “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4). I claim that promise. I choose eternal life with You rather than eternal death with the devil. Help me Lord! Amen.