Text: Job 1: 6-10
King James Version (KJV)
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
7 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.
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?
9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 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.
MESSAGE.
One precious day as the sons of God gathered before the Lord, a stranger was spotted amidst them! Satan. My prayer is that in all your affairs and gathering before the end of this year and beyond, may Satan not tabernacle with you.
Demonic presence causes distraction, if you observe, till the end of the book of Job; we never knew the main reason of the gathering of the sons of God because of that demonic presence. I speak forth again, in all your affairs, may Satan not tabernacle with you.
The Lord shifted attention to him and asked him where he has been? (Vs 7). You can notice in his reply that Satan doesn’t have a particular home and neither is he omnipresence like God. What he does is to roam about, seeking whom to devour -1 Peter 5:8. He is looking for the next home, where they are fighting, looking for the next bed of fornication, looking for any available atmosphere of sin and settle there for the night. My prayer is that – may Satan not lodge in your house. Are you sure your are not inviting him by your attitude?
Our main concern is in verse 9 and 10 when the Lord asked him if he has considered his servant Job? How he fears the Lord and honours him. God was pointing out spiritual things, but rather Satan replied by pointing out physical things…. mentioning how God has blessed his work and how his substance increased. This is to show how God pay attention to our love and fear for him, rather the devil makes us pay attention to material things.
Another major thing is that Satan pointed out that “Have you not made an Hedge around him”. This is was the concern of Satan, this made him annoyed, he had tried and tried and tried and tried, but no way! on every side he plans to attack Job, he keeps meeting an hedge! Also Job just kept accusing Job before God, so that he can remove the hedge. He is the accuser of the brethren Rev 12:10. He accused even Joshua the high priest Zech 3:1. You will agree with me that there are loopholes in your life which the devil has been using to accuse you before God, but thank God for the Hedge!
I came to announce to you today – THERE IS AN HEDGE AROUND YOU!!!
You need to praise God for it. If not for the hedge, you will not be here today, if not for the hedge, you will have been long forgotten. Unfortunately many people forget this and complain about what God has not done….c'mon dear friend, praise Him for the Hedge. The devil has been trying you severally but he didn’t go through.
It was this hedge that the prophet was referring to in 2 Kings 6:16 and 17, but the servant could not see. The hedge is like and Electromagnetic field that you can’t see, but you can see the effects. It was this same hedge that the Psalmist said in Chapter 91:7, 8, many people falling by your side, how come they didn’t come nigh you? It is the hedge.
Psalm 91:7-8New International Version (NIV)
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
In Numbers Chapter 22 and 23, Balak enjoined Balam to come curse the Israelites from different angles but it never worked. He took him to different mountains to look at the people of God from different angles, it never worked. Instead of curses, it was blessings that were coming out. I declare over you too, no enchantment or divination of the enemy will touch you from any angle of your life (Number 23:23).
I want you to praise God like never before! Despite everything, you are still here. Thank Him for the hedge around your family, your home, your children, your spouse and all that pertains to you. Psalm 125:2-3 says the Lord surrounds you as the walls surround Jerusalem. That’s the Hegde!
I want you to know – THERE IS AN HEDGE AROUND YOU.
Only two people can take away this Hedge around you – It is God or YOU. Even Satan cannot try it.
A broken down hedge is a calamity. You saw what happened when God took it away from Job’s life.
See also Psalm 89:40 and 80:12.
Are you sure you are not breaking the hedge by living in Sin? Remember, he that breaks the hedge, the serpent shall bite. Ecclesiastes 10:8
Make sure you do not walk away from the Hedge He has built around you.
