I Survived The Challenge
Pastor Erickson preaches from the Book of Job, showing how Satan challenged God over Job and took his wealth, his health and his worship, then tried to trap him with bitterness through his friends. He calls people in the trial of their life to keep worshipping, refuse offense, and remember that a trial is only a season that God can turn into restoration.
The message in 6 points
Challenge accepted
He reads Job 1, where Satan says Job only serves God because God has blessed him, and God allows the test. He says the message is for anyone in the trial of their life, and for those who are not yet, because Job went from the richest man in the East to having nothing.
54:10When disaster strikes, heroes are made
Pastor Erickson tells of his daughter's I Survived books, whose theme is that heroes are made when disaster strikes. He says we rush through Job, a man who lost everything in ten short verses, instead of slowing down to hear what God is saying.
1:00:14Satan the accuser
He says Satan does not bother people who are no threat to his kingdom, so an attack on a faithful life can be a sign you are doing something right. From 1 Peter 5:8 and Revelation 12 he calls Satan the accuser of the brethren, who tries to convince people that nobody can live for God.
1:06:02We serve God for who he is
He rejects the prosperity gospel. Job worshipped continually, Satan first went after his worship, and yet Job blessed the name of the Lord, so the church will not settle for casual worship.
1:14:17Skin for skin and the bait of offense
In Job 2 Satan strikes Job's body and then sends friends who accuse him. He says offense is the bait of Satan's trap, that a small root of bitterness has made faithful people backslide, and he urges husbands and wives to help each other pull it out instead of siding with it.
1:27:13Only a season
In Job 42 the Lord turns Job's captivity and gives him twice as much, and his daughters' names speak of restoration. Job's long trial was only a season, so Pastor Erickson calls people to define their test instead of letting it define them, and to choose to worship God at the altar in the middle of it.
1:42:41
In his words
“We don't serve God for what he can do for us. We serve God because of who he is.”
“Casual worship turns into casual praise and casual praise turns into casual lifestyle, and when you have a casual lifestyle you move yourself and remove yourself from relationship to God.”
“Satan will try to get in our head and make us think that our trial is our identity. We will either let our test define us or we will define our test.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
Job 1:1-12
1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 2And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 3His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 4And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. 6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 7And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 8And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? 9Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 12And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
King James Version.
1 Peter 5:8
8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
King James Version.
Revelation 12:9-10
9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
King James Version.
Job 1:21-22
21And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 22In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
King James Version.
Job 2:1-3
1Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. 2And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 3And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
King James Version.
Job 42:10-13
10And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. 12So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. 13He had also seven sons and three daughters.
King James Version.
Job 42:15-17
15And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 16After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. 17So Job died, being old and full of days.
King James Version.
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