~ Day Five ~

The Accuser left the throne room of heaven and made a beeline for the boxing ring, having made a bet that he could knockout the Lord's prized champion of integrity in just two rounds. The blows came out of nowhere and hit their intended mark with such supernatural force, that, before he even knew what hit him, Job was on the ground seeing stars and left to wonder what just happened. Job was down alright, but he wasn't out. As he slowly dragged his bruised, bloodied, and disfigured body to his corner, the inner agony over his losses and the lack of explanation from a silent heaven began to take a greater toll on his emotions, leaving him in unbearable pain and misery. No one would have believed the tragic turn of events that fell upon this once powerful, prosperous, and pious man, if they didn't see it with their own eyes. That is why his friends came - to check the facts on this unbelievable story. "Unless I see...I will not believe" (John 20:25). It's been aptly stated that history is His-story. It could be further stated that Job's life is the watercolor illustrations on the pages of His-tory, which paint a prophetic picture of the life of the Man who would come and take upon Himself the destructive blows from the enemy that we deserved."Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isaiah 53:1).

As God's children, our lives are like a sheepfold with its walled enclosure. Like Job, we have been hedged in front and behind, with our Good Shepherd watching daily at the door assuring our safety by fighting off the advances of the enemy and laying down His life for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep" (John 10:14, 15). Whether we are exposed to the enemy's attacks by divine permission or find ourselves in harm's way because we have carelessly wandered away from the safety of our Good Shepherd, our ever-present Lord is always there to help us find our way to the promised land of abundant life that is only found in Him, where the green pastures roll and still waters irrepressibly flow. "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:9, 10). The enemy will use whatever available instrument he can lay his hands on to tempt us to venture out from under the safety of our Good Shepherd's wise counsel and watchful care (that includes our friends and family). Today, let us commit to clinging more tightly, holding more fast, and standing more firm as the days of evil grow increasingly worse and the love of many grow cold (Matthew 24:4-14). May we stand in the place of power in prayer, finding joy in the Lord's presence, as we "offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Hebrews 13:15). "Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together" (Psalm 34:3).

Read: Job Chapter Five

Siting in his corner in an ash heap, all bloodied and beaten up, dazed and confused, Job would have given anything for a cool cloth upon his sweaty brow, or a cup of cold water to quench his parched lips; but he didn't have anything left to give, he had been stripped of everything. And if he thought two rounds with the devil weren't bad enough, Job was about to go three rounds each with three of his so-called "friends," who had come, believe it or not, for the sole purpose to mourn with him and to comfort him (Job 2:11). Round one began with Eliphaz, the oldest of the group of friends. He opens with a kind word about Job's past counsel which had been helpful to so many, but then he proceeds to rub salt in Job's open and oozing wounds by basically telling him that, from his own personal experience and observation, Job deserved what he was getting. He explains that Job's suffering is the chastisement of God for his sin (which we know is not true, from reading chapter one!). "For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground; yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward" (Job 5:6). When godly counsel and sound advice seem in short supply, we have a Book that offers us endless wisdom and helpful advice. In Proverbs, that great volume of wisdom for each day of the month, we are told that "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones" (Proverbs 16:24); and "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Proverbs 27:6a). Where Job's friends fell short in helping their friend to mend his wounds, our merciful and compassionate Lord provides us the healing salve we so desperately need through His eternal, life-giving Word. "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3). Eliphaz's bad counsel lacked understanding and compassion. He was correct in recognizing that God's hand was upon Job's life, but only because the Lord had hand-selected his servant for a special, albeit painful, assignment; one in which he was patiently and heroically enduring, and would be used to bring greater glory to God throughout history. The Lord's strong arm does indeed work mighty things, but not always in the way or for the reason we think. "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights" (Proverbs 3:11, 12). Let us be careful with the counsel we take and give, being sure to always lead others, like our Good Shepherd leads us, with the Word of God! "Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently those who are with young" (Isaiah 40:10, 11).

Listen to the evening audio prayer by

clicking or tapping HERE or the YouTube image

Subscribe to the Trumpet and Torch Ministries official You Tube Channel

to receive automated notifications for the daily prayers.

"Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord - that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful" (James 5:10).

Read about 2020

The Year of Divine Government

A Pandemic Prayer Proclamation

Read more HERE