Walking by the Spirit

By George Macgiver

Truth. Is there such a thing? Do newspapers print it? Do televisions air it? Is it preached from pulpits in churches? Is the truth on Facebook, can it be found on Twitter? Can money buy you truth? Will you find truth in love? Is religion the truth? Is it in music? Is it displayed in any museums? Does the mailman post it through your door? Do your friends have it? Do they teach you the truth at school? Does it come from the point of a gun? Can you dig it out of the ground? Do dogs bark it at you? Is it in the sky or in the oceans? Does truth grow on trees? Can you breathe it in? Is it in your pocket? Can you buy it at the supermarket? Does truth come to you in dreams? Is it in the palm of your hand? Is it in your horoscope? Will mystics reveal it to you? Have the communists the truth? Or the freemasons? Do magicians magic it out of their hats? Is it in politics? Is it hiding under a rock? Can you find it on other planets? One thing is for sure, when you find the truth, you will know it. Here it is.

• Language: English
• Publisher: M-Y Books
• Release date: Feb 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781911124092

Book preview

1 - Why Read the Bible?

Just as we learn anything in life, so it is with the spiritual - we must first learn about it and then practice it. Yes, we can walk by the spirit and have cosy, family fellowship with God, it is available, but first we have to learn about the gift of holy spirit, how to receive it, and how to energise it so that we can enjoy fellowship with him.

Learning anything in life requires effort and commitment. The spiritual knowledge of how to have fellowship with God can only be found in his word, so if you want fellowship with him you must first learn how to read the bible.

I think we all want to live a life which is more abundant. We all want to live powerful lives, victorious lives, with each day an adventure in living. That kind of life is available. It says so in John 10:10.

John 10:10

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.

Jesus Christ came so we could have an amazing life, but unfortunately there’s a thief who comes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy and that’s why at times life can be anything but fun. This more abundant life then, isn’t about strolling through some illusory paradise on earth, the proverbial bed of roses, it is about having the power to face up to the challenges of life and soundly defeat them. It is available to live this way, this is not make believe.

Romans 8:37

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

This verse doesn’t say we are more than conquerors by our own muscles or brain power, or by the amazing solutions we figure out all by ourselves, it says we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. This concurs with John where it said that the more abundant life was made available by Jesus Christ. Both of these verses are in harmony with Philippians.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

This verse does not say I can do all things, full stop, it says I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. This agrees with Romans and John. The more abundant life, therefore, is not something we make available, it is something God makes available through Jesus Christ. Note that the verse does not say God is going to do it all for us either. It says, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. In other words, this is not automatic. We have a part to play in this.

God through Jesus Christ makes an amazing life available, but we definitely have something to do with getting there as it is not automatic. This isn’t so hard to understand. God went to a lot of trouble through the centuries to have the bible written for us, he made it available, but reading our bibles is something we do, not something he does for us.

How then does Christ strengthen us? If God made this available, but isn’t going to do this for us, how then does Christ strengthen us so we can do all things? We gain a clue in Ephesians.

Ephesians 3:20

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power [Greek - dunamis] that worketh [energeō] in us,

God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. That is without question, but is that the end of the verse? No, it isn’t. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power, the dunamis, the inherent power that works in us. Dunamis is potential power, latent power. We get words like dynamo and dynamic from this Greek word dunamis.

Worketh is the Greek word energeō, from which we get the words energy and energise. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the potential power, the inherent power that is energised in us. This power, this dunamis, this inherent power, this potential power that we energise is the source of our power for abundant living.

What is this power and how is it energised? We read the bible to find out. The bible is the manual on how to energise this power and learn how to live the abundant life Jesus Christ came to make available. This power is what is referred to in Philippians 4:13 when it says I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. When this power is energised, it opens the door to God doing exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Of course, if this power is not energised it will do nothing, it will achieve nothing, even though it is there.

Power accomplishes nothing unless it is energised. Having electricity in your house does nothing until you turn it on. The bible teaches us how to turn on the power. What is this power? Where does it come from? How do we get it? How do we energise it? These are good questions, and they are all answered in the bible. If you want answers, you have to learn how to read the bible and this class will teach you how to do just that.

Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [metamorphoō] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Transformed is metamorphoō in the Greek, from which we derive the word metamorphosis, describing the change from a caterpillar to a butterfly. As we read the bible and renew our minds, we change into beautiful butterflies which spread life by pollinating everywhere we go. We read our bibles and renew our minds to prove God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will. God’s will is good, acceptable, and perfect. That’s true whether we renew our minds or not. God’s will is always good, acceptable, and perfect, regardless of anything we do. The promise here is that we can prove it. This is a promise to us, it is something we get to do if we renew our minds. We can prove that God’s will is good, acceptable, and perfect. What is God’s will in a situation? If we renew our minds we get to see it, that’s the promise.

John 10:10

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.

What is God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will here? That we have life, and that we have it more abundantly. That is God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will. But this doesn’t happen automatically. The promise in Romans 12 is that if we renew our minds we get the opportunity to prove God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will and enjoy a life which is more abundant. If we don’t renew our minds and we don’t realise this more abundant life, it is still God’s will that we have it. It is always God’s will for us to have an abundant life, and it will always be God’s will that we have an abundant life. An abundant life will always be available. It is available right now. So how do you get it? The renewed mind is the key, and you renew your mind by reading the bible. In other words, if you read the bible and apply the principles, you get to enjoy an abundant life.

The thief referred to in John is the devil, the god of this world, and he pumps filth into the world through television, movies, newspapers, magazines, computer games, the internet, and a thousand other ways so he can steal, kill and destroy. He pumps a continuous diet of poisoned filth into the world that makes us mentally sick, that strips our souls of vitality and passion. We are to put it off by renewing our minds. We change our mental diet. Instead of the world’s filth, we feed our minds with a healthy, clean, vital, nutritious diet of God’s word.

The world spews its poisons into homes, schools and universities, into politics and business, in hundreds of languages and dialects, in every country on the face of the planet, every minute of every day of the year. The world may have a fat slobbery mouth, but no one forces you to turn on your television instead of reading your bible, do they? Does the world march in, twist your arm, chuck your bible into a closet, and force you to watch TV? No, it is a decision you make. If you want mental health and the power of God in your life, change your mental diet.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

This isn’t about not having fun either. I enjoy Star Trek, especially the latest movies with their brilliant special effects. I enjoy the characters, the stories, the sets, the alien worlds, the battles, the drama, and the adventures. I really do enjoy it, but I’m not poisoned by the subversive propaganda laced through practically every episode. I’m not taken in with the Federation and its United Nations bullshit programming us for one world governance. I don’t fall for their cowardly garbage regarding what they call the prime directive. I enjoy Star Trek, but I’m not poisoned by it. Why? I have a healthy daily diet of God’s word, so my mind is strong and isn’t poisoned by the world. Do you see it? This isn’t about cutting off the world and having no fun, it is about having a healthy, sane mind so you can enjoy life. A healthy daily diet of the word brings deliverance and strength.

Nehemiah 8:8,12

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

Reading and understanding the bible isn’t drudgery and boredom, it is refreshing and invigorating. Understanding the word gives us life in all of its abundance. A healthy daily diet of God’s word is the way of life for us today, just as it always has been. So if you want life, if you want strength to be more than a conqueror every day, make a decision to stuff your face with a healthy diet of God’s word.

The reason we can talk about reading and studying the bible in terms of physical food is because God uses that figure of speech in the bible.

Jeremiah 15:16

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Did Jeremiah eat scrolls? No, this is a figure of speech emphasising that Jeremiah did more than just snack at the word a couple of times a week. He ate it, he digested it, it provided the mental strength he needed to do his spiritual job, which was to walk by the spirit in his day and time.

Regarding figures of speech, Is there a figure of speech God employs to illustrate this power we can energise? Let’s see.

John 20:22

And when he had said this, he [Jesus Christ] breathed on [in] them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost [holy spirit]:

Jesus Christ was instructing his disciples on how to energise the power when it arrived. The word them is in italics and it should be deleted. This is an important key to understanding the bible when you read it. Whenever and wherever the King James translators added English words that were not in the Greek text, they left those words in italics so we would know they had been added. In other words, if you scratched out every italicised word in the King James bible, you would not touch God’s word because those italicised words were not in the Greek text from which the King James was translated. Many times these italicised words are helpful to our understanding, but often they mislead or are just wrong. Always be wary of italicised words, and never use them as doctrine unless you’re sure they were correctly supplied by the translators. This is why I recommend the King James version which has the italicised words. No other English translation has them so you don’t know what’s been added to their texts.

In this verse, them is misleading. Why would Jesus Christ breathe on his apostles? To see if his breath was clean? Breathing on people is rude and most folks don’t like it. The italicised word them should be deleted. The word on is the Greek word en and should have been translated in. Jesus Christ breathed in, and said, receive holy spirit. He took a deep breath, and told them that was how they were to receive the holy spirit when it eventually came. And that’s exactly what the apostles did.

Acts 2:1,2

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind [a heavy breathing], and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

The words as of a rushing mighty wind are as of a heavy breathing in the text. The twelve apostles did what they had been instructed to do, and they all took deep breaths to receive the gift of holy spirit. The heavy sound of their deep breathing filled the temple because of the superb acoustics. Those old temples didn’t have state of the art sound systems, but they did have state of the art acoustics to ensure anyone sitting anywhere in the temple heard what was being said on the main stage. The heavy breathing of these twelve men filled the temple.

Acts 2:3,4

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost [holy spirit], and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

So breathing is again used to illustrate the receiving and manifesting of the power in the gift of holy spirit. Look at Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:16

All scripture is given by inspiration of God [theopneustos], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

The five English words given by inspiration of God are translated from one word, theopneustos. Theos is God while pneustos is breathed. All scripture is God-breathed, which is a reference to how we got the word, which was as holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy spirit, which was by revelation.

2 Peter 1:21

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Galatians 1:11,12

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Here, the God-breathed word is a figurative reference to revelation, which is how we got the word. God breathed his word into existence, and that is why it is the word of life, the God-breathed word. This is an-other figurative reference to breathing in relation to energising supernatural power. Think of your study of God’s word, your renewing of your mind as your mental diet, and walking by the spirit as your spiritual breath, your spiritual breathing. As we breathe spiritually, as we walk by the spirit, we have supernatural life.

Who gave us our physical bodies? God did. Who is responsible to look after it, to feed it, to keep it healthy with proper diet and exercise? God? No, we are. God gave it, but what we do with it is our responsibility. God supplies our food, but he isn’t going to cook it for us and spoon it down our throats. Who gave us our soul, our character, our mind? Who made us who we are? God did. Who is responsible to look after our mental diet and keep ourselves healthy and strong? God? No, we are. God gave it, but what we do with our minds is up to us. God does not possess us. Who gave us eternal life, the power from on high, the gift of holy spirit? God did. Who is responsible to energise it, to ensure we grow and mature so we walk by the spirit and not by the senses? God? No, we are. God gave it, but what we do with that spirit is our business.

The more abundant life is here. The power is available. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, but only according to the power that is energised in us. We really can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. No matter what the world does, we can be more than conquerors through him that loved us. If you want this more abundant life, get your bibles open and read.

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2 - The Way of Life

You may have noticed that the world can be anything but enjoyable at times. Some folks blame God for the state of the world, but whose fault is it? Why is the world the way it is? Look at this promise in psalms.

Psalm 33:12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

This is an unbelievably short and concise verse which is easy to overlook. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. That’s only nine words. In just nine words God promises to bless entire nations who choose him as their God. Think about that. Does it not then follow that any nation that is having serious economical and social problems must have chosen another god? To start setting the tone for where we’re going with this thing, note that Psalm 33:12 does not say blessed is the nation whose god is the government.

How does God bless entire nations? What happens to nations whose God is not the Lord? These are good questions and Moses addressed this very issue.

Deuteronomy 30:19

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Moses set the way of life and the way of death before God’s people. It was a choice the people were to make. That choice is still available today. We get to choose which way we will walk. Life and blessing is the right choice, as Deuteronomy goes on to tell us.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD [Jehovah] thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.

And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.

And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

The word is clear here. Nothing is hazy, ethereal or nebulous about the promises in these verses. God categorically states, in black and white, that if we live by his word we will be blessed, even as entire nations. We will enjoy prosperity, long life, strong loving family relationships, and prosperous businesses – in fact abundance in every conceivable category of life. Not only does God promise all this, but it is his will, his desire, his driving passion for our lives. He wants us to have this.

3 John 2

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Health and prosperity are available if we hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord our God. The voice of the Lord our God is his word, so to hearken diligently to God’s voice is to hearken diligently to his word which is the bible.

Moses was clear on the blessings available for choosing to live life God’s way, but he also clearly laid out before God’s people what would happen to them if they walked away.

Deuteronomy 28:15-19

But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.

Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

Deuteronomy 28:33

The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:

Deuteronomy 28:51

And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.

Deuteronomy 30:19

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

According to Moses, living God’s way brings blessings while turning our backs on God brings consequences. If this is true, then perhaps we should sit up and take note because peoples of all nations are coming to our countries and getting a free life at our expense. They will eat everything we have until there is nothing left.

If we want a good life and prosperity, we can have it, it is freely available. If you’re not happy with your life, you can change it. God wants you to have life and prosperity, he wants you to have a full life. It’s your choice. You can have it if you want it.

In this class I’m going to take that which Moses wrote all those centuries ago and lay out in modern language the mechanics involved in how entire nations and individuals are blessed, and how entire nations and individuals have their prosperity, their health and their peace stolen from them. It isn’t magic and it isn’t luck. This class is going to explain the mechanics behind what actually happens to make it so.

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3 - Spiritual Integrity

The book of Job was the first book of the bible ever written. Although not placed first in the bible, and rightfully so, Job was the first book written. We know that the first revelation written with the finger of God was given to Moses, so it is safe to assume that he wrote the book of Job. Whenever God uses a word or a phrase in the bible for the first time, that first usage always embodies important information. Checking first usage of something illuminates truth we may never otherwise see. Job being the first written scriptural revelation from God to man, it holds truth of supreme importance.

This is easy to understand. For example, the first time parents teach their young children to cross the road they pay particular attention to the instruction they are giving. They teach their children that a green light at a pedestrian crossing means it is safe to cross, while a red light means it is not. They teach them to look both ways to check for traffic before stepping out into the road. These basic precepts are impressed on them with special emphasis because it is their introduction to road traffic safety and their lives depend on it. To all intents and purposes, Job is our introduction to spiritual road traffic safety.

So, what particular emphasis do we find in the book of Job? What is it that is so important about it? What are the first lessons God wanted man to know? Well, to begin with, Job is the only book that contrasts the goodness of God with the evil of the devil. It is the only book in the bible that does this. The book of Job also shows us how to live in fellowship with God for a lifetime and clearly reveals the primary weapons the devil uses against us to prevent that.

To revisit our example of teaching children to cross roads for a moment, consider that the lesson on green and red traffic lights never changes after that, regardless of how much further teaching we may receive. When we learn to drive as adults, those foundational truths regarding green and red traffic lights has not changed. Our perspective as responsible drivers as opposed to children being taught road traffic safety for the first time may have changed, but the foundational truths regarding red and green lights has not.

Despite the importance of traffic lights and their colours, when I sat my driving test I don’t recall my driving instructor asking me if I knew what red and green traffic lights meant. It was not one of the questions required to pass my driving test. In fact, I don’t think I would have appreciated my test instructor asking me if I knew the difference between red and green traffic lights. Have you ever seen parents take their adult children by the hand to the roadside to check if they still know what red and green traffic lights mean? How insulting and patronising would that be?

Similarly with the truths set in the first book of the bible ever written, the book of Job. The foundational truths regarding spiritual red and green traffic lights are set here, and God does not patronise us by repeating them all through his word. He expects us to remember these truths when we read the rest of the bible.

Here is a question for you – do you want to have the strength and commitment to stand for the true God for the rest of your life, regardless of anything the world may throw at you? If so, then pay attention, because the book of Job shows us how to do just that.

Job 1:1

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

This guy Job (pronounced Joab) was perfect and upright, someone who feared God – meaning he had tremendous awe, reverence, and respect for God – and he eschewed evil, it was distasteful to him. The word fear in 1611, when the King James bible was first translated, had more than one meaning, just as our modern word bank has more than one meaning. The context in which the word bank is used determines its meaning. In 1611 the word fear meant awe, reverence, and respect, as well as its more commonly understood meaning today, and the context within which it is employed determines its meaning.

Job was a faithful believer, a disciple. That is God’s testimony of Job. This is important to remember as it is crucial to our understanding of what follows.

Job 1:2

And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

Job had a big family, so he obviously got on well with his wife. How do I know? Well, women do not generally enjoy such productive sex lives with their husbands unless they are deeply in love with them. Job was a good husband. He was also a good father and family man.

Job 1:3

His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

Not only was he a successful family man, Job was an amazingly successful businessman. It makes you wonder where folks get the idea that God wants his people to be poor. For the record, God invented commerce, not the devil, and true prosperity comes by applying biblical principles which are a little different to the world’s standards. It is okay with God to have money. There is nothing wrong with wealth. Job was the richest man in the world in his day, and God was quite happy with that. It is our attitude to money that is the key, but more on that later.

God’s testimony of Job is that he was perfect and upright, someone who found evil distasteful, unpalatable.

Job 1:4,5

And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Here is our first clue that all is not well. Job was concerned that his children had broken fellowship with God, and perhaps had even cursed him in their hearts. So he did sacrifices for them, just in case. If he had these worries, why did he not deal with them? Why did he not sort this out with his family? Had his sons done or said things that may have caused him to worry about this? The word does not tell us, so we don’t know. Whatever the reasons, Job had concerns that carried over into his actions by way of the sacrifices he made for his children. This is an important clue in understanding what happened next.

Job 1:6,7

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

There are some intriguing truths here. For example, the devil can only be in one place at one time. God is everywhere present, omni-present, but the devil is not. The all-seeing eye is not as all-seeing as he would have us believe.

Job 1:8

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

God repeats that Job is perfect and upright. The point is, Job has done nothing wrong. Remember this, because some who read Job ignore this fact or forget it very quickly.

Job 1:9,10

Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Here is proof that God wants his people to have abundance. Even the devil himself informs us that it was God who blessed Job with everything.

Job 1:11

But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

Remember the phrase curse God to his face because we will be dealing with it shortly. Suffice to mention that if the devil was trying to get Job to curse God to his face, whatever it is, it isn’t something we should be doing.

Job 1:12

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

It is interesting to note that the devil now had access into Job’s life, but only because God had to allow it. This is fundamental. The devil can only get to us if we walk outside of God’s protection, if we make a hole in the hedge for him to get in, so to speak.

God’s protection can be likened to an umbrella in the rain - if we stay under the protective canopy we remain dry, but if we wander outside we become wet. If we stay within God’s boundaries, within his hedge of protection, we remain safe. It is when we walk away from God’s protection that the devil gains access.

Job 1:13-19

And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:

And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:

And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

In the space of just a few hours, Job’s business empire lay in ruins and his children were dead. No longer the wealthiest man in the world, he was now one of its poorest. Job lost his entire business empire and his family through ‘natural’ catastrophes and invasion from enemies. And wasn’t it nice of the devil to leave one man alive in each case to make sure Job heard the news as quickly as possible. There is nothing the devil enjoys more than ensuring folks hear the details of what he has been up to quickly so they will talk about him. He likes to brag about what he’s been doing while events are still current and fresh. We will be handling newspapers and the media later.

Now it’s time to stop and think. Who did all this to Job? Was it God or was it the devil? Well, it is clear, it was the devil. Being the first book of the bible ever written, these fundamental truths contrasting the good-ness of God with the badness of the devil are set and established. Green lights mean go and red lights mean stop. God is good, and the devil is evil. This truth is set here, and it never changes again through-out the entire word of God.

Job 1:20-22

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

We know from verse 12 that it was the devil who did this to Job. That is very clear. There can be no mistaking who did this to Job. Yet look at what Job said: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Job seems to contradict what we have just learned, and appears to state that God did this to him. However, the word clearly teaches that it was satan, the devil, who did this to him. So what is the answer? Well, it is an idiom. An idiom is a figure of speech that is unique to a particular culture, where words are employed to mean something other than what they literally say. For example, in our culture a hotdog is not a roasted cocker spaniel, it is a sausage in a roll. To us that is so clear it needs no explanation. However, to a foreigner perhaps visiting our culture for the first time they might find it a little strange being offered a hotdog for lunch. Might they not picture a dog roasting on a spit? Job was using an idiom here, that which we refer to as the idiom of permission. Job was not stupid, he knew where the attacks were coming from. Look at what the word says:

Job 1:22

In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Job did not charge God with having done all this to him, he did not blame God. If the police charge you, they charge you with a crime. Job did not charge God with these crimes.

The culture behind this idiom of permission is intriguing. Back in Job’s day, folks detested the devil so much that they absolutely refused to give him any credence or credit for his works. They simply refused to talk about him, or acknowledge his power and influence. In other words, they did not read newspapers, they switched off their televisions when the news came on, and they certainly didn’t spend their day discussing what he was up to. When things went wrong, as they did then just as they do today, instead of giving glory to the devil by discussing all his bad news, they understood things in light of God having granted permission to allow things to happen because they had messed up somewhere.

Another important aspect of this idiom of permission to understand is that God gave a specific commandment in the old testament to not even mention other gods.

Exodus 23:13

And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.

If they were not to make mention of the devil out of their mouths, then Job was doing what the word said in not making mention of the devil when he spoke.

Another way to understand this idiom of permission is to think of it in light of gravity. God designed gravity to bless man and enrich our lives. Can you imagine a world without gravity? Would we even be able to live without it? Now if someone is silly enough to fall off a cliff and badly injure himself, is that God’s fault because he designed gravity and built it into the physics of life? Sure, you can blame your injuries on God because he made gravity, but the truth is your injuries are your fault. Somewhere along the way you messed up, you missed something, you didn’t do your job.

Just as God is not responsible for injuries caused by gravity, even though he invented it, he is not responsible for what happened to Job. Satan attacked Job, but we have to understand that God gave him the permission to do it because he had no other choice. This is the first book of the bible ever written and this is the very first chapter of the first book of the bible ever written. God is good and the devil is bad. The devil did all this nasty stuff to Job, not God. God is always good, and that truth carries throughout the entire bible.

1 John 1:5

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

There is no darkness in God, none at all. God never did a mean thing to anyone in his life. Therefore, every time you read in the bible that God did something nasty you have to understand it in light of this idiom of permission. The devil only gets through because God is forced to allow it. That is this idiom of permission.

Now, why would this be the subject of the first chapter of the first book of the bible ever written? Simple, because it is probably the most fundamental spiritual lesson you will ever learn regarding spiritual road traffic safety. Green lights mean go, red lights mean stop. God is good, the devil is bad. This fundamental truth is set here and never changes again. Do not forget it. Your spiritual road safety will depend on it.

Job was perfect and upright. How do we know? God said so, twice so far. Job had a wonderful family life, and he was the richest man in the world. That wealth did not just pop in through his letterbox in the form of a lottery cheque either. He worked hard and was successful in business. Then the devil got in, destroyed his business empire and killed his children. However, that is not the end of the story. The devil is not finished with Job quite yet.

Job 2:1-3

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

What does God say about Job in verse 3? He says he is perfect and upright. That’s the third time God’s said this. Do you think he is making a point? All this nasty stuff did not happen to Job because he was evil then, did it? Why? Because he wasn’t evil, he was perfect and upright. This is important. Some churches and ministers teach that God makes people sick and does nasty things to them because they are sinners, and they often quote Job as their example. Job was not a sinner, he had committed no crimes, he was perfect and upright. And just for the record, even if people are attacked, it is the devil attacking them, not God.

Job 2:4-8

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

Who smote Job with sickness and disease? Was it God? No, it was not. It is clear that it was the devil. There can be no misunderstandings or misconceptions about who did this to Job. Read it again.

Job 2:7

So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

It was satan, the devil, who smote Job. Was Job evil? Had Job committed any crimes? No, he was perfect and upright. Some teach that Job suffered these things because he was a sinner, but what they teach is religious horseshit that contradicts the bible. Job was perfect and upright. These things happened to him without cause. That is the testimony of the word and the word is true.

God’s will for man is a wonderful family life with abundance, prosperity, and happiness. In contrast, we have seen the devil’s will for man, which is poverty, sickness, and death. The two contrast starkly and this sets the tone and mood for the entire bible. God is good and the devil is evil.

John 10:10

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.

The thief here is a figurative reference to the devil. All he comes to do is to steal, to kill, and to destroy. That’s it, nothing else. That is what he lives for. He is good at what he does too, and don’t expect anything else from him. Everything he does is in the categories of stealing, killing, and destroying, even to those who worship him.

Job had an amazing life, but he lost everything. He lost his children, his business, and his health. He was so sick, he was at the point of death. His skin was suppurating with poisonous sores. He was disgust-ingly sick and diseased. Did he deserve it? No, he was perfect and upright. God has told us that three times. Look back at verse 3.

Job 2:3

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

Do you see that word integrity? We are now going to find out what integrity is, what the bible says integrity is. Job retained his integrity despite the attacks on his life. It was Job’s integrity the devil was after. Therefore, whatever integrity is, it must be hugely important that we hold it fast like Job did. These attacks on Job’s life had a purpose other than just to make him miserable. They had design and purpose, they were an attempt to break his integrity.

Note also, that both times the devil asked for permission to attack Job, he bragged that he would get Job to curse God to his face.

Job 1:11

But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

Job 2:5

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

Is it possible, therefore, that integrity and cursing God to his face could somehow be linked? It is axiomatic, but we will take the time to explore this. Look at the last verse of chapter one.

Job 1:22

In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

This is the main point of the chapter. Even though the devil attacked Job so viciously, Job did not turn on God and waggle accusatory fingers at him. He knew where the attacks were coming from, and he did not blame God for the evil, he did not charge him with the crimes. Think about this in the context of Moses teaching this to the bitching and complaining Israelites escaping from Egypt.

Job still had his integrity intact. How do we know? God said so. Again, this destruction in his life was without cause, meaning he had not sinned, that he was perfect and upright, that he had not done anything to deserve this stuff. Now look at verse 9 of chapter 2 where we see integrity and cursing God woven tightly together.

Job 2:9

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

My goodness, after all Job had been through, his own wife turned on him. Before you write her off, think of what she’s been through. All her children are dead. She must have loved them. Her husband’s business is in tatters, he is stinking with suppurating sores, dripping with pus, at the point of death. Her sorrow and hurt, coupled with her public humiliation and shame must have been horrendous. How do you think she felt? Sure, she was wrong, but don’t be so hard on her. How would you hold up under the same circumstances? Now look at Job’s response. It is absolutely staggering. He didn’t tell her to fuck off, he gently reproved her with the word.

Job 2:10

But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Lovingly and kindly, he brought her back to the word. Even though he was in such a mess, he still loved his wife enough to teach her the word. No wonder God called Job perfect and upright three times. God was impressed with this dude, and with good cause.

Job 2:9

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

The issue of his wife aside, here we see integrity, the biblical definition of integrity, contrasted with what it is not, which is to curse God. The implication here is that if you curse God, you break your integrity. To have integrity, therefore, is not to curse God. Look again at verse 5 and verse 3 very closely.

Job 2:5

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

Job 2:3

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

The devil tried to get Job to curse God to his face. He failed because Job held fast to his integrity. Do you see the connection? The devil even used Job’s wife to try to coerce him into cursing God to his face. Whatever it is to curse God, it is serious in terms of spiritual consequences. The devil was doing all this to Job for a reason, to get Job to curse God to his face. What was it that Job refused to do?

Job 1:22

In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Job 2:10

But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Job did not blame God for what happened to him. That was the temptation, but he held onto his integrity. Even his wife said to him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. To curse God was what the devil was trying to get him to do. Remember, this is the first lesson ever written in the bible, so this is rather important. Again, consider this in the context of Moses teaching this stuff to the Israelites coming out of Egypt. They obviously didn’t listen to Moses because most of them wound up dead in the wilderness for blaming God for all their problems. James adds further light.

James 1:12

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Whatever enduring temptation is, it is definitely something we want to do. It is important and God even gives out a special reward for those who do it – they receive a crown of life, a special reward given in the future. Now don’t go guessing about what the temptation is here, the next verses tell us.

James 1:13-14

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

What did Job’s wife say? She said, curse God and die. To curse God, and to accuse God of tempting you with evil is actually the same thing. The devil tried to get Job to blame God for all the evil he had done to him. If Job had done so, that would have broken his integrity because it would have been cursing God to his face.

When the devil attacks us, we are not to blame God for it. We are to recognise that God is good and not hurl accusations in his face. We are not to charge God foolishly. If we are under attack, like Job was, and we accuse God for it, we have just cursed God to his face, we have just driven through a spiritual red light. That was what the devil was trying to get Job to do.

The temptation is to say your problems come from God. If you do, you compromise your spiritual integrity, you curse God to his face. Under pressure, we must always recognise that the nasty stuff in life comes from the devil and not from God. We must never blame God, ever, for anything. This is the first spiritual lesson God committed to writing in what we know today as the bible. If we accuse God of evil we have driven through a spiritual red light, and that’s extremely dangerous.

James 1:13

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

God is always good. The devil is always bad. Nothing bad ever comes from God, it always comes from the devil. Like Job, the devil attempts to get us to blame God for all the nasty stuff in life. In Insurance, for example, they call earthquakes, tsunamis, and other disasters acts of God. If you believe that God deliberately causes earthquakes so he can murder people and destroy property, your spiritual integrity is under attack. If you think tsunamis come from God, your spiritual integrity is under attack. If you think illness comes from God, that God makes people sick and that he kills them, you have fallen for the devil’s lies and your spiritual integrity is under attack. You are cursing God to his face. If your church teaches you that God makes people sick, you need to get out of that shithole before you start charging God with such crimes.

Ask yourself, if God makes people sick then what right did Jesus Christ have to go around healing them? If God makes people sick, then Jesus Christ contradicted God’s will by healing them. If God wanted us sick, and Jesus Christ always did God’s will, then why didn’t Jesus Christ go around making people sick? The devil makes people sick. Jesus Christ went around healing them because that was God’s will.

Acts 10:38

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

1 John 3:8b

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Oh today, people blame God for everything. If their businesses fail, they blame God, if their marriages fail, they blame God, if their health fails, they blame God. Don’t blame God for your problems. Don’t throw your hands up in the air and make excuses by blaming it all on God. Take responsibility for your life, get back to the word, and God will help you sort out your messes.

If you think everything evil that happens comes from God, you are deceived. If you think God makes people sick, you are deceived. If you believe God orchestrates failed marriages, you are deceived. If your business failed and you think God made it happen, you are deceived. Quit making excuses for your failures and quit blaming them on God. It’s time to quit driving through spiritual red lights.

So what happened to Job then? If he was perfect and upright, how did the devil get in? If Job wasn’t evil, if he had done nothing wrong, had committed no crimes, then how did the devil breach that hedge of protection around him? We don’t have to guess, because Job tells us himself in his