Experiencing the real victory (1)
Monday, 20 November 2006
“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5)
Today (Sunday) I listened to the CD of Pastor Jiang Xiu Qin: The strategy for the warfare in the last days. She mentioned the target of warfare in it, which gave me some insights. So, I’d like to share them with you.
Satan always attacks us through sufferings. However, God allows suffering to fall upon us because He wants us to experience the real victory, participate in His divine nature as we dwell in His abundance and be more like Him.
1. Having His divine nature
Job was described in the book of Job as a reputed righteous man in the contemporary society. He occupied a high position, had great power and was respected by the contemporary society and the people. What’s more, he performed charity widely so that those in poverty and hardship could receive assistance. Therefore, in everyone’s eyes, he was a first-class righteous and blameless man. However, God allowed Satan to attack him so that he experienced such great suffering, namely losing his family members, wealth and had painful sores spread over his body causing him great pain.
His three friends comforted him but later it turned out to be a debate. Job could not restrain to repeat his own good deeds, so we can notice that self righteousness had become a broken place in his life, that gave Satan a chance to attack. The Lord allowed suffering to come because He wanted Job to be more like Him; not to rely on his own ability, good deeds and wealth etc. However, when God revealed to him, he immediately said that he despised himself and repented in dust and ashes. He began to notice his own problem and then he humbled himself and repented to God before he faced God again.
In the 40 days of praying and waiting, the Lord let me see some broken places in my life. I recall that the first day after I received chemotherapy happened to be a Sunday. God gave me a message in Chapter 6 of Joshua, namely the way to get prepared for entering Canaan was to consecrate oneself, humble and obedient. In the past, others saw me as strong and courageous, but I do have a lot of fears and weaknesses deep inside when facing such great blow. However, when I was willing to return to the Lord and offered my prayers, worship and praise to Him, the power of God fell upon me. Death does scare people, but by the power of the resurrection God, our bodies which are doomed to die can live again through the Holy Spirit within us. Hallelujah! Therefore, I have to hang in there with faith; who stands firm to the end will be saved! I don’t know when the suffering will come to an end, but I have to enter into his rest and let Him dwell and reign within me. God also let me learn not to focus on the circumstances alone but to trust in the Lord with all my heart, not to lean on my own understanding and He will make our paths straight. (To be continued)
Pastor Li
“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5)
Today (Sunday) I listened to the CD of Pastor Jiang Xiu Qin: The strategy for the warfare in the last days. She mentioned the target of warfare in it, which gave me some insights. So, I’d like to share them with you.
Satan always attacks us through sufferings. However, God allows suffering to fall upon us because He wants us to experience the real victory, participate in His divine nature as we dwell in His abundance and be more like Him.
1. Having His divine nature
Job was described in the book of Job as a reputed righteous man in the contemporary society. He occupied a high position, had great power and was respected by the contemporary society and the people. What’s more, he performed charity widely so that those in poverty and hardship could receive assistance. Therefore, in everyone’s eyes, he was a first-class righteous and blameless man. However, God allowed Satan to attack him so that he experienced such great suffering, namely losing his family members, wealth and had painful sores spread over his body causing him great pain.
His three friends comforted him but later it turned out to be a debate. Job could not restrain to repeat his own good deeds, so we can notice that self righteousness had become a broken place in his life, that gave Satan a chance to attack. The Lord allowed suffering to come because He wanted Job to be more like Him; not to rely on his own ability, good deeds and wealth etc. However, when God revealed to him, he immediately said that he despised himself and repented in dust and ashes. He began to notice his own problem and then he humbled himself and repented to God before he faced God again.
In the 40 days of praying and waiting, the Lord let me see some broken places in my life. I recall that the first day after I received chemotherapy happened to be a Sunday. God gave me a message in Chapter 6 of Joshua, namely the way to get prepared for entering Canaan was to consecrate oneself, humble and obedient. In the past, others saw me as strong and courageous, but I do have a lot of fears and weaknesses deep inside when facing such great blow. However, when I was willing to return to the Lord and offered my prayers, worship and praise to Him, the power of God fell upon me. Death does scare people, but by the power of the resurrection God, our bodies which are doomed to die can live again through the Holy Spirit within us. Hallelujah! Therefore, I have to hang in there with faith; who stands firm to the end will be saved! I don’t know when the suffering will come to an end, but I have to enter into his rest and let Him dwell and reign within me. God also let me learn not to focus on the circumstances alone but to trust in the Lord with all my heart, not to lean on my own understanding and He will make our paths straight. (To be continued)
Pastor Li
posted by kinwahli | 5:48 AM
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