Lessons on How to Turn Setbacks Into Comebacks

Lessons On How To Turn Setbacks into Comebacks
Job 13.15
September 19, 2004 Chester FBC, Chester, IL Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:
A During the loss of first baby, Kaylea, a well-intentioned deacon named Brother Allen came to the house for a visit. (Scan picture of Kaylea from my shelf.)
a He was trying his best to minister, comfort, & support us. He used Job as a biblical point of reference to encourage us.
b Job, one of the oldest manuscripts in the Bible, probably written before Exodus!

B Jobs story: He had everything, he lost everything, and he got everything (plus interest) back.
a During his setback, he had three friends telling him how he must have done something wrong or God wouldn’t have punished him by taking away everything.
*Job’s buddy, Zophar calls him a phoney/hypocrite . . .
11 "For He knows false men, And He sees iniquity without investigating.
Job 11:11 (NASB) Curse God and die!!!
b In my self-centeredness, I was wanting to compare myself to Job, but I wasn’t like Job whatsoever. I was like his friends! His wife! His enemies!
*It wasn’t as much as why do bad things happen to good people as it is about religious people misunderstanding the way of the Lord with His kids.

2 Job placed his unwavering trust in God during the most difficult setbacks of his life. (ETS)
A "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. Job 13:15 (NASB) (Put text over picture of Kaylea as a background)
a We must cling to God even when we can not find comfort from Him. (ESS)
b I hope you will commit to putting these lessons on how to turn setbacks into comebacks into practice. (Objective)

B What lesson is most lacking in your setback experience? (Probing Question)
a Let’s look at two lessons from Job 13.15 can help us turn our greatest setbacks into our greatest comebacks. (Transitional Sentence)
b Pray





I The first lesson from Job 13.15 that can help us turn our setbacks into comebacks is . . . ALWAYS TRUST GOD! Job 13.15a Though He may slay me, I will hope in Him.
1 Job proclaimed that regardless what God would do (or allow happen) to him, he would never lose faith.
A Job had suffered tremendous loss at God’s permissible hand.
a He had lost the three things which are considered signs of a man’s well-bing.
1 He lost his wealth. (1.14-17) (Ox, camels, donkeys, sheep, servants)
2 He lost his children. (1.18-19) Sons, daughters, grandbabies
3 He lost his good health. (2.1-8) Boils from top of head to feet
b He lost his wealth & kids on the same day! Bankrupted emotionally & financially in one afternoon.

B Men have cursed God when any of these three things had happened to them.
a Job didn’t turn from God when all three happened to him!
b v.15, Job says , "God, you can kill me, but I’m not leaving you. Trusting you God is more important than living is to me."

2 Job’s ancient statement (Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.) to this day strikes dread into the heart of nominal Christians everywhere.
A That statement strikes my heart dreadful.
a Regardless of my setback, I’ve got to keep trusting God!
b No matter what you take, God . . . I’m gonna trust you.
No matter what I suffer, God . . . I’m gonna trust you.
No matter what you do to me, God . . . I’m gonna trust you.
No matter what the diagnosis