JOB: A MAN OF FEAR

Job 3:25 For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me and what I dreaded has happened to me.

FEAR will handicap our faith until we can no longer trust God to take care of the situation and we begin to take matters into our own hands…we have entered into a WORKS-BASED RELATIONSHIP with God.

Job had houses, lands, wealth, position, power and a beautiful family.  The first chapter of Job also tells us that he was blameless, upright and shunned evil; Job had it all, but there was one little area that needed God’s “Refining Fire”…JOB WAS FULL OF FEAR.

Job 1:5 states that Job would rise early in the morning and offer a sacrifice for each of his children, just in case they had sinned.  He had taught them the truth of Jehovah; he had lived an upright, blameless life in front of them, but he was afraid to entrust them to God.

So Job continued to do what he had always done; to shun evil, fear God and offer sacrifice, because it had always worked for him…UNTIL ONE DAY IT DIDN’T!

As we continue to read the first chapter of Job, we learn that in the space of one day, Job lost it all!  Marauders destroyed his financial health, a lightning strike destroyed his source of food and clothing and then a tornado struck his son’s house and killed all his children…Job was left with a wife and 4 servants.  Although verse 22 states, “he did not sin or charge God with wrong,”  we understand from verse 5 that it may have been out of fear that God would also strike him dead.

BACK TO FEAR….Two truths regarding fear: 

FEAR IS NOT FROM GOD.

 FEAR IS THE AVENUE THROUGH WHICH SATAN WILL ATTACK.

Satan attacked Job in the very areas his fear was centered…his family; his finances; his possessions and his position.

WHAT DO YOU FEAR?

Be honest, we all have areas in which we FEAR more than we TRUST.  Perhaps it is your children…you fear they will be injured or die or perhaps, although you taught them the things of God, they have refused to accept them and you fear they will not come to an altar of salvation.  Do you fear the loss of position or status?  Maybe it is the loss of power, possessions or financial security.  Perhaps it is your health; you fear developing a dreaded disease, a chronic illness or debilitating accident.  All of these are “valid fears” except God desires to relieve you of all of these fears by developing a RELATIONSHIP OF FAITH in you.

If these fears are not placed on and left at the altar, Satan will use them as a means of attack.  You may not suffer a bolt of lightning, marauders, the loss of children and finances all in one day, but Satan will use your fears to attack your mind.  He will surround your fear, with crippling doubts that will cloud your judgment and decisions until like Job you may state, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me and what I dreaded has happened to me.”

God’s desire for you is no different than was His desire for Job…God desires for you to live a blessed and fulfilled life of a FAITH RELATIONSHIP with Him.  It involves TRUST not WORKS which leads to FEAR!

Whatever fear has you bound, give it to God, NOW!!!  God desires to RESTORE ALL AND MORE but you MUST lay the fear down first.