“Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?” (Job 1:9)
We learn a few things in the exchange satan has with the Lord in the book of Job. We learn what occupies his time, that he is the accuser of the brethren and that the Lord may allow him to bring adversity against us which tests our love of God and faith.
When God asks satan, “Whence comest thou?” satan replies, “From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” We may wonder why does he wander about the earth? It seems like a restless pursuit. But Peter also writes about his endless meandering on earth. When we understand that with the Lord there is rest and peace we realize that satan has the opposite which is no rest and no peace. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1Peter 5:8)
I look back on my time without the Lord. I had only what satan had to offer which was no rest and no peace. He has nothing to offer because he has nothing. He is the father of lies. (John 8:44) So anything offered by him is only an illusion, a lie. He deceived Eve with half-truths because she didn’t have all the truth. It’s a dangerous thing not to know the whole Truth. The Truth is found in the Bible, in God’s Word. When we read it, we learn the difference between Truth and a lie. We are not easily deceived. In Jesus’ prayer as high priest He prays, “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) Satan can only deceive those who don’t know the Truth. And in his roaming around he seeks those he can deceive and devour. Since his expulsion to earth, that is what he’s done.
He is also the accuser of the brethren. We get a glimpse in Job. (Job 1:10,11) And John also gives us some insight. “And 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. (Rev 12:10) He is relentless in accusing us before God. He accuses us day and night. That tells me that at every moment there is a choice to be made to sin or not to sin. Day and night there is the opportunity to fail in our walk and when we do, satan is right there ready to accuse us. But our Advocate is right there also pointing to the shed blood which has cleansed us of all sin. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” (1John 2:1)
And lastly, he is allowed to bring adversity. We know God is Good and only does good. “And He said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:17; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19) God does not send adversity to us, but He allows it and uses it for our good and His purposes. Some may say, “I’ve suffered a great tragedy. Did God allow that? What good purpose was in that?” Tragedies are destructive. It’s the devil’s work here in this fallen world. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) We have to be guarded in what we do, say and think because the devil uses this against us to steal, kill and destroy us. (1 Peter 5:8) This is not to say all the devil brings against us is our fault. Job never did anything to provoke the demonic attack that came against him. But we live in this fallen world. Jesus told us, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Our true colors show when we’re in a hard place. Our weaknesses flare up whether it’s anger, fear, hopelessness, doubt in the Word or doubt in God. If we’re rooted and grounded in the Lord, faith and hope arise, faith in the Word of God and His promises and faith in the Lord. There is a hope and an expectancy of God’s Goodness and help. If the former, we need to take that as a blessing that our weaknesses and defects have been revealed so we can deal with them. Repent and be cleansed from them.
Just as Jesus sent out His disciples, we are sent out in this world to be a testimony of His Goodness, mercy and love. “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16) As we live our lives for Jesus, be wise, full of the Truth in order to recognize the lies of the devil. Trust God in every circumstance. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1Corinthians 10:13)
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