FAITH CAPSULE: Fear and faith does not complement each other.
Job1, 2:1-10
The word of God described Job, “…blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.” (Job 1:1-3) Job had it all. Above all, he was indeed a man of God. He was straight with God but he was not sure of his children’s walk with God. As a result of him not sure about his children’s walks with God, he sanctifies them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all making and making a statement, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” (Job 1:4-5)
After Satan was allowed by God to attack Job, he lost his properties, he lost all his children and his health was attacked. By virtue of all his adversities, he deplores his birth by cursing the day of his birth. On top of it all, Job gave a testimony, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.” (Job 3:25-26) What could have been the fear of Job which eventually came upon him? Was it the fear of not having destruction of properties? Could it have been the fear of not to have all his children die all together? The bottom line of it is that, Job was nursing fear and what he feared eventually found him.
Fear is not of God; fear is the initiation of the Satan. Whenever fear rises in the life of man faith will sink. Fear and faith does not complement each other. What could have happened to Job to be exercising great fear? Not knowing the extent of God’s protective covering over the affairs of our life or over the areas of our concern will possibly expose us to fear and not faith. Clearly, God is not pleased without faith. Unfortunately, Satan knew the extent of God’s covering over Job when he mentioned that God has made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side. (Job 1:10). When God makes you to be impenetrable but you make yourself penetrable the Satan will have no choice to attempt dressing you up. Psalmist states, “A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.” (Psalm 49:20) It is important to know that God is mindful of us, He visits us, and He crowns us with glory and honor. (Psalm 8:4-5) Know who you are and disallow the forces which cause great fear in man.
Prayer for today: Ask for the grace not to make your faith fail.