WEST CENTRAL INTEGRATED TREATMENT FACILITY - Sept. 19, 2015

Set Captives Free Ministries worshiped with 28 amazing daughters of God. After spending time worshiping and praising God, Wayne Smith ministered on Surviving Suffering taking text from Job 1.

We will always have suffering. How do we survive suffering?
Set Captives Free Ministries worshiped with 28 amazing daughters of God. After spending time worshiping and praising God, Wayne Smith ministered on Surviving Suffering taking text from Job 1.

We will always have suffering. How do we survive suffering?

We need to realize the sovereignty of God

Psm 105:20 - God is sovereign over all angels including satan and the demons

Luke 22:31 - Satan had to ask God to "sift" Peter

God is sovereign over weather, all the armies, the kings and leaders, over the safety of our family, over our health, over EVERYTHING!

Isa 37 - Assyria came in and going after Judah. God gave Isaiah words to speak to the leaders. God shows his sovereignty. It shows that God preordained Assyria to take Israel and would only let them go so far.
James 4:15 - if God wills, we will live

Job 2:10 - should we accept good and not diversity?

Job 1:21 doesn't say God gave and the devil took away. If the devil can take back what God has given us, that makes the devil more powerful than God.

Matt 5:45 - God makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Satan could care less about possessions. His goal is to steal you from God. Most people who have a lot do not spend time with God. Satan doesn't care if you have possessions. He doesn't want you to serve God. He does everything he can to keep you from God!

Satan is the direct cause of Job's sufferings, but it was allowed by God. There is a purpose in his sovereignty.
Our lives don't hold a candle to Job. First of all, he was righteous and upright in the eyes of God. We can't hardly relate to that because a lof of the suffering we go through are because of things we have done in our past. Job avoided sin; constantly offering sacrifices for his family; living upright. We tend to embrace it and make excuses for it.

Suffering can come because of sin, but it can also come on good people.
1. God has a purpose for allowing suffering (Job 36:5)
2. God's purpose of suffering may sometimes be different (Job 27:2-13)
3. His purpose is good (Job 17:23)
4. God's purpose is to show His grace (2 Cor. 12:7-9)

God does not merely allow suffering; part of His sovereign plan for our life includes suffering. (Job 1:8; Job 2:3, Luke 22:31-32; 2 Cor. 13:7; I Peter 3:17; I Peter 5:8-10; Rev. 2:9-10; Hebrews 5:8)
Luke 22:31-32 - God allowed Satan to cause suffering in Peter and then told Peter to use this suffering to strenghen his brothers.

Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!
I Peter 3:17
I Peter 5:8-10
Rev. 2:9-10

Through all his sufferings, Job worshiped God. It is difficult to do prolonged suffering We see in Job 3 that Job cursed the day he was born. He is wrestling with the fact that he knows God is there and has never left him. He kept asking God why.
1. When suffering persists, God is still present (Job 3:23, Job 7:17-18; Job 42:4-5)
2. When suffering is there, God is still good. Any suffering we go through in sin is God pulling us to a closer walk with Him When we say that all good things come from God and that Satan is the one who takes them away, then we are saying that Satan is more powerful than God.
3. In the confusion of our circumstances, God is all wise (Job 28:12-28)
4. In the depth of our despair, God is our hope (Job 3:11; Job 19:13-27) God see the big picture. We don't know what's going on. We don't know what the results are going to be. We just have to have hope and trust in God.

Even through the struggle of not knowing what is going on, we see that Job is leaning on God.

Job 19:25-27 - Though he lost everything, he still knew His Redeemer lives!

When we go through suffering, we often want an explanation of "why?" Job's friends try to give him an answer and fail miserably.

Job 38 on - God responds to Job. It's not an answer to how, what, where and why, but an answer to WHO!
Most people who go through suffering just want back what they've lost: possessions, family, money, things, health, etc. If all we want back is our possessions, then we want finds God's answers satisfying. But if our goal is to get closer to God, then all of a sudden suffering makes sense.

God reveals to Job that His power is great! We see about 70 questions that God is asking Job. He's trying to show Job that he may know of Him, but doesn't really KNOW Him.

God shows His power and attributes:
1. God is our Creator (Job 38:4-38)
2. God is our Sustainer (Job 38:39 - 39:30)
3. God is our Savior (Job 40:6-41 - 41:34)
4. God is our Friend (Job 42:1)

In Job 38:1 and Job 42:1, we see a word we haven't seen for awhile and that is LORD which is translated YHWH (Yahway) which is the covenant name of God - He is our Friend and Protector.
James 5:10-11

God does not tempt or do anything bad; but He does allow things to happen for His purpose.

Think about your life. A lot of suffering we go through is a result of things we've done in our lives - it can be big things or little things .... bad eating, smoking, drugs, bad choices. We struggle to get things back - fighting the rat race as if we have control over anything - but not trying to call closer to God

According to statistics 25% in prison who attend church will return in 2 years because they didn't "endure suffering" - they didn't see God is the most valuable thing and didn't try to draw closer to God and find comfort in Him.
According to statistics 1 in 25 who say they are serving God are actually serving God according to the Word of God.

Think about your life. Are you pursuing God just to get something? Are you looking at your circumstances instead of focusing on God?

Job 42:5 - "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You"

Anyone here focusing on suffering instead of God; looking at the circumstances?

God's greatness can be shown in suffering depending on how we respond to our suffering. If all we are doing is complaining, what does that show non-believers around us. But if we show joy, that shows God's greatness in your life.

Wayne asked them to take a close look at their lives. Have you been playing games? Have you ever really been serious with God? Did you come in to the service seeking, but not really knowing what you're seeking for important to me? Eleven ladies came up front seeking after God to get serious in their relationship with Him. Praise God!