Fine Lines of Faith: The Satan-Force of Destruction

A study on human suffering from the Book of Job.

We all need encouragement during the Job times in our life.  The Lord parked me in Job for four years before David died and now He is having me revisit this book on suffering. 

And God said to Satan... The story continues in Job with a parable. God asks Satan, "From where are you coming?" Disintegration and destruction, which are in the power of the Satan, but are not attached to the higher (spiritual) existence, but are attached to the materiality of the world. Therefore he answers, "From floating around this world and from walking upon it. [Hebrew translation] This comes to tell us two things:

1. Disintegration and destruction exist only on earth and not in the Higher (heavenly) realm.

b. accidental disintegration, such as when one dies of falls ill from overindulgence or cohabitation, or through people killing one another, etc... Thus from "floating around the Earth" refers to the accidental, and "walking on it" refers to the constant deterioration, for "walking" implies steadiness.

And God said to Satan... A parable is used to explain that since Divine Wisdom saw it necessary that the very distinguished human form be attached to the dark and dusty materiality which brings it to suffer deterioration and destruction, God had also given to the human form the ability to control and rule over the physical, to coerce it to curb its sensual desires and redirect them to the straight and balanced. From this point of view, the truly spiritual man who completely conquers his material being, who has complete control over his physical lusts, and whose soul rules powerfully over all his faculties, even the force of imperfection which emanates from his material side has no effect upon him. This perfect man is protected by Divine Providence from all mishaps and problems caused by the material and its evil.

Therefore God asks Satan: "Have you paid attention to My servant Iyov (Job)? He is My servant, and therefore you have no influence over him. "For there is none like him on Earth." He is completely divorced from the material world and the physical. He is a totally spiritual man, "a sincere and upright man, God-fearing and shunning evil."

Good News! Satan is merely a force. When you accept Jesus, and He is your life shunning the physicality and evils of life, with your eyes transfixed upon Him, the Satanic forces have no impact upon your life. Oh yes, you may feel a casual blow, you will not the full force of Satanic fury.

I find this very encouraging. I actually experienced it during my little test of late. That while my body was decimated my Spirit was and is wholly intact. All is well with my soul.

Blessings for those of you trudging through suffering giving glory to God,