We are all tempted everyday. Why are we tempted? God allows Satan to tempt us in order to prove our allegiance to him. We should not be shaken by temptation. Job wasn't! We should expect temptation, we must be able to detect it, and be able to reject it. Satan is determined to attack and ruin the lives of every person on earth. If you are to remain strong in your faith you must be vigilant in your spiritual life and remain firmly anchored to God. In Job 2, Job is tested a second time.
"Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruim him without any reason."
Job 2:3
"But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.' The Lord said to Satan, 'Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.' So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head."
Job 2:6-7
In Job 1, Satan took all of material possessions from him. In Job 2, he attacks his health. Yet his faith still is not shaken. Satan's sin, not Job's is to blame for Job's suffering. His wife thinks he is stupid because he will not curse God. And his three "friends" arrive to "comfort" him. However, unfortunately the best comfort they did was to be silent for seven days and seven nights. If God were to take EVERYTHING you had from you would you continue to praise God? When you do stand firm in your faith how many of your so called "friends" put you down for walking in God's will?
"His wife said to him, 'Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!' He replied, 'You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, not trouble?' In all this Job did not sin in what he said."
Job 2:9-10
"Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, 'Never, Lord!' he said. 'This shall never happen to you!' Jesus turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Matthew 16:22-23
How many times has God told you something and then somebody who didn't know any of the situation tried to contradict what God said? Sometimes the best counsel to a person who is hurting is to be silent. Unfortanately his friends were only silent for a short time. What the devil spoke through Job's wife he would speak even more convincingly through his three friends. Do you maintain integrity through trials and suffering? Do you fully trust God even though you may not understand why something is happening? Do you surround yourself with godly people who can offer you sound counsel?
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