How God Uses Satan to Test Us - Olu Talabi - June 26, 2016
http://rlcfchurch.org/words-of-encouragement River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The speaker discusses how God sometimes allows trials and temptations, even from the devil, to test believers. The purpose of these tests is ultimately so that God can be glorified, the believer can be strengthened, and Satan can be shamed. He uses examples from Job, the temptation of Christ, and the story of Hezekiah to illustrate that believers must remain vigilant and trust that God is good, even when facing difficulties.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Why does God allow trials and temptations?While it remains a mystery why God allows the devil to test His children, the ultimate goal of the Father is that He might be glorified, believers strengthened, and Satan shamed.
How the devil operates in scriptureScripture shows the devil appearing before God to sift and try believers, acting as an adversary in stories like Job and Zechariah, and remaining active on earth until his final destination.
Never letting our guard downEven after Jesus defeated Satan during the temptation in the wilderness, the devil left Him only for a season, meaning believers must always remain vigilant.
Hezekiah's test with the BabyloniansAlthough Hezekiah was a faithful king, God stepped back to test him when visitors from Babylon arrived, allowing Hezekiah's pride to be exposed.
Settling in our hearts that God is goodNo matter the difficulties or challenges we face, we must be certain that every good gift comes from God and that no evil thing proceeds from Him.James 1:17
Satan's foolish judgmentJust as Satan misjudged Job's motives, he often judges wrongly when he tests believers, hoping to destroy them while God uses the trial for a greater result.
The painful fruit of disciplineWhile discipline and trials are never joyful in the moment, yielding to them yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.Hebrews 12:11
Being refined through the fireGod brings a remnant through the fire to refine them as silver and try them as gold, so they may call on His name and be acknowledged as His people.Zechariah 13:8–9
Rising up to encourage othersEven if we fail, we do not stay down; like Jesus told Peter, we rise up to strengthen our brothers and sisters because greater is He who is in us.
