Quote from Forum Archives on July 23, 2002, 2:28 pm

Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>

Subject: The Devil's Instruments
From: Martin M Overfield
Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000

The Devil's Instruments

See Job 1:11; 2:5,9,10 and Micah 7:6

     "He will curse thee to thy face".  These words Satan spoke
to God twice concerning Job.  After God allowed great
calamities to come upon Job, Job's wife said, "Dost thou still
retain thine integrity? curse God, and die."  She was telling him
to do the very thing that Satan wanted him to do.  By doing this
she became an instrument of the Devil and an illustration of the
truth, "a man's enemies are the men of his own house."

     Job answered, "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."
Notice that he did not call his wife foolish; he just said she spoke
as a foolish woman.  It may have been that she had a reputation
for being a wise woman.  After all, she did get a very good man,
one whom God said was perfect.

     Many times the people closest to us, who may even care for
us the most, are the most instrumental in the hands of Satan.
The Devil will do all he can to try to defeat us, and he is the
master of deception.  Those he uses will most of the time not
even know they are being used.  He will try to influence us to
take a wrong direction through the words and/or example of
one or more persons who are most likely to have an impact
upon our lives.

     Usually these are our close relatives and close friends.  As in
Job's case, the very one on whom we ought to be able to lean
for support and encouragement in taking the right way may turn
out to be one of our most dangerous enemies.  Following their
advice or example, when Satan himself is using them, may lead
to the eternal destruction of our own soul.

     This is one reason why it is so very important that we choose
wisely our friends, boy friends, girl friends, and especially our
husband or wife.  We should really seek God's guidance in these
matters.  His choice is best.

     However, no matter how wisely we choose, we should realize
that the best of people can go astray and can lead us astray if we
follow them.  We ought to do as Job did, and keep our focus on
our Redeemer.  We should never let anyone cause us to lose sight
of our God, not even the people we love and respect the most.

Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield

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