When we pray to the Lord we usually just talk one way. We talk and God listens. God also wants us to listen and He mostly talks back to us through His Word. We need to pray and read God’s Word if that is going to happen. In Job 13 we get a taste of the demonic affliction that Job suffered. This type of suffering is when God allows the Devil to have a go at us for a season. The apostle Paul suffered something similar. Job didn’t know initially what was happening. His so-called friends and his not so supportive wife thought they could straighten Job out. They thought they were more spiritual and looked down upon Job. This made Job angry at his friends for their spiritual pride. This suffering was actually happening because Job was more spiritual.

1 – Listen more than you speak

In Job 38, God finally speaks back to Job. For some time now Job had been doing all the speaking to God without reply. Job is frustrated. There are few things more annoying than a one-way conversation! It drives people crazy! You want to avoid the person! It was like Job’s conversation with his friends. They weren’t listening. God now wants Job to straighten him out! When God speaks then we will listen. Prayer is supposed to be a two-way conversation. We are told in Ecclesiastes 5:2 that our words are to be few. What does God not already know? It is about few words and listening for God to speak through the Holy Spirit and His Word. Jesus spent all night in prayer. Jesus was not doing all the talking. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through the scriptures or things which are scripturally based.

2 – The Bible can be Sweet and sour

In Jeremiah 15:16 it talks about eating the Word of God. You are what you eat. See Revelation 10:10. The Word of God can be sweet in the mouth but bitter in the gut. Those who accept the Word of God will not get the bitterness. See Ezekiel 2:8-8. It is hard to swallow but it is the best thing to do. It may taste awful but it may save your life. Lariam is taken to prevent getting malaria and tastes awful. Getting malaria is awful. It is either Malaria or Lariam? I know which I would prefer! With God’s Word – if you don’t eat it then you are in rebellion. See Isaiah 28:1-29 and Proverbs 31:1-9. Self gratification is wrong. There are religious ministers who are building their own empires rather than God’s kingdom. They are drunk in their power. The popular majority crown themselves. The faithful minority will crown the Lord.

3 – Don’t get sick or starve

A lot of churches are suffering from the financial crisis in the US, USA and Australia. Only that which can be shaken, will be shaken. A lot of the money preachers are in big trouble. They are wearing the wrong crown. The church is under attack over baby adoption for gays. On paper it all looks good but the reality is different. There is an assault at the gate and everything is getting in. There are those who face the onslaught and fight the battle at the gate. There are spiritual people who have swallowed but don’t keep it down. They spew it out. There is vomit everywhere! We don’t reject the scroll. It is the problem of living it out in your life. Don’t spew it out. Don’t suffer from Bulimia. You eat it but can you keep it down? It is not easy. Some people are not eating the Word of God. All the tables are full of vomit. Live the truth in your life. Stop telling and listen. Pay attention! It’s best to eat and accept it and keep yourself healthy.

Categories: Job