Updated on March 2, 2013
Though He Slay Me, I Will Hope In Him
I recently was having a discussion on a Christian message board about healing. It was very revealing how angry and passionate people were to prove that God does NOT heal. In fact, one of the arguments against healing was by someone that posted Job 13:15.
God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him. — Job 13:15 <NLT>
Now why would anyone want to make their religious stand on these words of Job? And why, as it is translated by the NLT, would you love God if you thought He was likely to strike you down at any given moment? What kind of fellowship could you have with someone who might kill you for any old reason? It boggles the mind the poison that the enemy sows and religious tradition perpetuates!
Let me back up, before I move forward. Paul tells us that the Word is inspired by God, and is useful to teach and correct you when you are wrong (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible shows us the good, bad and the ugly, so we can learn from it all. There are times, such as the words of Jesus, you need to listen and obey very carefully. And there are times when lies and sins are recorded so you can learn from the mistakes of others, and not suffer their fate. Consider David’s adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of Uriah recorded in 2 Samuel. Should you take these verses as your guide and go out and do likewise? Absolutely not! You should learn from the consequences of David’s sin the dangers of adultery and murder.
The Bible can be a Blessing, or a curse. You can take the scriptures and twist them around to justify any type of sinful behavior. Or, you can rightly divide the Word, and it will be a tremendous Blessing. The Word is Spirit, Truth and Life! And Christians have been given the Holy Spirit to lead them into all Truth (John 14:17). The world is in darkness. And even Christians can live in darkness if they allow the world, experience, or tradition, to influence their beliefs. This should NOT be the case. Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12). Let that light shine in your heart, and renew your mind with the Word of God!
There is no doubt that God has the power to kill. BUT, God is LOVE. God’s Son Jesus, came to give LIFE, in abundance, to the full, until it overflows. It is Satan who kills, destroys and steals (John 10:10). So, is there a contradiction? No. God gave man authority over the earth. And He gives you a choice.
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! — Deuteronomy 30:19 <NLT>
Note that God gives you the choice as witnessed by both Heaven and the Earth, and then tells you to choose life! Now why would He encourage you to choose life, if it was not in your ability to receive it?
The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. — Proverbs 18:21 <NLT>
Remember the children of Israel who said that they would die in the wilderness? That is exactly what happened to them. And when people talk death, failure, and sickness, they invite Satan into their life to do what he does – steal, kill and destroy. And if you talk against healing, prosperity, or any promise/prophecy of God, you cannot receive and enjoy them. Psychologists call it a self-fulfilling prophecy. But God put the principle on the books long ago – what you sow, you reap.
Now, I want to return to Job. Only the Grace of God prevented Satan from stealing Job’s life. God had prospered Job IMMENSELY, to the point that he was the wealthiest man in the East – add up the value of all his property, and add to that the cost of the servants and land needed to sustain such a massive estate in current dollars. God had super-abundantly, above all that he could ask or think, BLESSED Job. Satan complained that God had placed a hedge of protection around Job, which was part of God’s Blessing on his life. Read Job 1 & 2 carefully to see the exchange between God and Satan.
And here is where it gets tricky for some folks. What brought that hedge of protection down? Did God take it down? Satan? Or Job?
It was fear, worry, and unbelief (Job 3:25-26, see also Ecclesiastes 10:8, 1 John 4:18). Job was constantly sacrificing for his kids to the point that it was being done in fear, not faith. He brought down the hedge, and allowed Satan to run roughshod over him. It was only the mercy of God that prevented Satan from taking his life (Job 2:6).
Even Job’s wife, sounding like some religious leaders today, told him to “renounce God and die” (Job 2:9). After a couple chapters of foolish talk, unbelief and ignorance, Job has a flash of wisdom (6:23-24) – Deliver me from the enemy’s hand… teach me to hold my tongue. Job starts to realize that his words have something to do with his situation. Eventually, God calls Job’s comforters’ words “folly” (Job 42:8).
In Job 42:10, it shows that God turned the captivity of Job. Who had him captive, since it was obviously not God?
Job prays for his friends and is not only personally restored, but receives twice what he had before. God is abundance, life, health and overflowing goodness. It was the enemy, working by the authorization of Job, that brought the suffering into his life. And ignorance, unfortunately, is not a defense.
You don’t build a theology off of foolish talk, or unbelief. You learn from Job and apply the lessons of his life. You take the wisdom you learn from the Word, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and avoid, or overcome all satanic attacks. That is exactly what Jesus did in the wilderness. He used the Word to overcome Satan’s temptation. This is reinforced in Ephesians where we are to put on (and not remove) the Armor of God that includes: the Breastplate of Righteousness, Belt of Truth, Helmet of Salvation, the Gospel of Peace and the shield of faith to stop ALL the fiery darts of the enemy. The only offensive weapon listed – the Sword, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:10-17). How do you use the Sword? By speaking God’s Word. How do you avoid trouble? By guarding your mouth. Store up God’s Word in your heart, so that no idle or careless words come out. Because as Jesus said, out of the abundance stored in your heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45, Psalm 141:3, Proverbs 21:23 & James 3).
If you continually talk unbelief, fear, doubt etc, you will harvest that in abundance. I am fascinated by churches/preachers that continually teach people to not expect anything – that healing, prosperity, and spiritual gifts (all God’s promises) are not for this generation. And to nobody’s surprise, most people who listen to this get nothing but sickness, failure and death. When sickness does come, they run to the doctor or hospital doing everything the world (and even the underworld) suggests to get well. They toss frantic prayers around without any faith to back them up. And then, based on this experience, decide that God does not heal anymore. Do you see the folly in that?
Looking at the faith success or failure of someone else, will not build your faith. Even your own faith challenges may need to be forgotten. Dig into the Word and build your faith on Jesus. You need to see, and most importantly, hear it in God’s Word. That is how faith comes.
One of the reasons Jesus discouraged people from telling others about his miracles was that the people needed to believe in Him, not in the miraculous. Wonders attract the curious, but the Word (Jesus) is the Rock that everything is built on, a sure and secure foundation (Matthew 7:24-27).
If God is willing to heal EVEN ONE person, He is willing to heal all, because he does not play favorites (Acts 10:34). God has been healing folks for thousands of years. That continues today to those that reach out in faith. In fact, the leper healed by Jesus (Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 5:12-14) asked if Jesus was willing to make him clean. Jesus answered his question: “I am willing.” That should settle that question in your heart for all of eternity.
GOD BLESS YOU!!
