One Thing Satan Knows People Fear The Most

One day the members of the heavenly court came again to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.
"Where have you come from?" the Lord asked Satan.  Satan answered the LORD, "I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on."
Then the LORD asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless -- a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause."
Satan replied to the LORD, "Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life. But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!" . . . So, Satan left the LORD's presence, and he struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot.
Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, "Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die."
But Job replied, "You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.
Job 2:1-10.

Satan is relentless in his attacks. He mercilessly launches attacks at God's children when given the opportunity. He varies his attacks until he finds the right and effective weapon to use. Remember he tempted Jesus with three different things and in three different ways. Jesus exercised self-control by not turning stones into bread to satisfy His hunger; Jesus did not jump from the pinnacle of the temple to test whether God would protect Him or not; and Jesus did not bow down to worship Satan in exchange for all the riches and power of the world. Satan came at Jesus from every conceivable angle. He was relentless, and still is!

The truth is: Satan uses every weapon in his arsenal to try and turn us against God. He spoke realistically when he said, "A man will give up everything he has to save his life. But reach out and take away his health and he will surely curse you to your face!"

Sickness can be devastating. It leaves us helpless and dependent on others. Sickness can leave people in such physical and emotional pain that it can lead to bitterness in one's very soul.  The helplessness unleashed by sickness could even leave one wishing for death. Satan knows it is the one thing people fear the most! A sick person would spend whatever it costs or do whatever it takes to get well. Satan was well aware of this so he attacked Job's health in a bid to finally turn him against God. But even in poor health, Job held unto his faith in God.

There is an overarching lesson that we must not lose sight of: At what price can Satan "buy" your loyalty away from God? What will it take for you to curse God because you think He has abandoned you? The truth is: Jesus made it clear in John 16:33 that we will have trials and tribulations in this life.
David also tells us that the afflictions of the righteous are many (Psalm 34:19). All through Scripture, we see the inexplicable suffering of the righteous. But we also see the faithful protection of God over His own.

Be assured that no matter what Satan throws at you including sickness and disease God can see you through victoriously. He attacked Job with the one thing people fear the most -- a threat to their very lives through an illness, but Job stood steadfast and God saw him through.
Don't allow the enemy to have the last word. God will see you through.

 



Prayer: Father, I thank you for your promise that you will never leave nor forsake me. No matter what challenges I encounter, let me stand steadfast in my commitment to serve you. I ask this in the Mighty Name of Jesus.