Kyle Farran wrote an article entitled “10 Reasons Why God Entrusts Us with Trials”, Missionary Life, Vol. 67, Issue 1 (2019) [10 Reasons God Entrusts Us With Trials | ABWE]. This post looks at 1 John 4:4, 2 Corinthians 2:11, and Psalm 27:24 cited by Kyle in support of the ninth reason: Trials May Be Spiritual Warfare .
Kyle writes:
I don’t need to fear because Satan is like a dog on God’s leash. He can only do what God allows (remember Job). God may allow Satan to harm me (or even kill me), but it always has a purpose, and it is always for my eternal good.
Steve;s comments now follow.
The cited Scriptures are:
1 John 4:4 (NET) – 4 You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
2 Corinthians 2:11 (NET) – 11 so that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).
Psalm 27:14 (NET) – 14 Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident! Rely on the Lord!
I would not necessarily cite these passages to support this reason. Even so, spiritual warfare could very well be the sole reason or a component of the reasons behind a trial. Several other passages seem appropriate:
Job 1:7–8 (NET) – 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” And Satan answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”8 So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.”
Job 2:1–7 (NET) – 1 Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also arrived among them to present himself before the Lord.2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where do you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil. And he still holds firmly to his integrity, so that you stirred me up to destroy him without reason.” 4 But Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life!5 But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!” 6 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power; only preserve his life.” 7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the sole of his feet to the top of his head.
Ephesians 6:10–12 (NET) – 10 Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.
1 Peter 5:8–9 (NET) – 8 Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering.
On a personal note I don’t rule out that spiritual attack is a component (or possibly all) of my healthy trial. I plan to better study the above passages and ask God to protect me from the attacks of the enemy!
I hope what I write is helpful to the reader.
IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT YOUR SALVATION
If you are unsure about your salvation, you need to check out my book The Salvation Meter: Biblical Self-Diagnostic Tests to Examine Your Salvation and Spiritual Growth (book link at Xulon Press: https://www.xulonpress.com/bookstore/bookdetail.php?PB_ISBN=9781662828638 ). At Amazon the book link is https://www.amazon.com/Salavation-Meter-Biblical-Self-Diagnostic-Spiritual/dp/1662828632 . I also have a website in which I am updating the content in the book. The link to my website for the book is https://thesalvationmeter.com .
IF YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN
… please (1) read through “God’s Plan of Salvation” so you can understand what God did for you through His only unique Son, Jesus Christ, and (2), from the bottom of your heart, pray the “Sinner’s Prayer” meaning every word. If you do, you will be reconciled to God – saved – through Jesus Christ.
God’s Plan of Salvation
In the beginning, God, who is holy, created the entire universe. As a part of His creative actions, He made humans (male and female) in His image to know Him. For a while, everything was right between God and our ancestors, Adam and Eve. But Adam and Eve sinned, whereby sin was passed down to all of humankind so that we became sinners separated from God. Nothing we could do on our own could bridge that separation so that without God’s intervention, hell would be our eternal destination.
Fortunately for us, in His great love and mercy God provided humankind with the only means of salvation, which is through Jesus Christ who is God’s only unique Son. While retaining His deity, God the Son became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died a substitutionary atoning death on the cross, thus fulfilling the law Himself and taking on Himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever repent and trust in Him for their salvation. Jesus rose from the dead, showing that God the Father accepted Christ’s sacrifice and exhausted God’s wrath against every believer. He now calls all unbelievers to repent of their sins and trust alone in what Christ did to save them.
If we repent of our sins and completely trust in Christ alone that He died for our sins and rose to life from the dead, we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God.
Scripture References: Genesis 1:1, 26, 31; Habakkuk 1:13; Genesis 2:7-25; Genesis 3:1-7, 22-24; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:19-20, 23; 5:17-19; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Colossians 1:15; 2:9; Matthew 1:18, 20, 24-25; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 2:17; 9:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 John 4:10; John 3:16-18; Mark 1:15; Acts 17:30; 26:20; Romans 1:4; 4:25; John 3:5-8; 1 Peter 1:3.
“Sinner’s Prayer”
Lord, Jesus Christ, the only unique Son of God, thank You for Your free gift of eternal life. I know I’m a sinner who cannot save myself no matter what I do, and I deserve to spend eternity in hell. But, I know that because You loved me so much, You voluntarily died on the cross for me taking my sins upon Yourself, and You physically bodily rose from the grave showing that Your sacrificial death was sufficient payment to give me eternal life in Heaven. I now repent of my sins and completely trust alone in what You did for my eternal salvation. Please take control of my life as I now receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You so much for saving me. I am now Yours forever!
(Scripture references: John 1:1-4, 11-14; John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:21-26; Isaiah 53:4-6; Mark 1:15; Acts 16:31; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-10, 13; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; John 10:27-29).
RESOURCES
NET Bible, Full Notes Edition (1996, 2019), Biblical Studies Press, LLC
NIV Cultural Background Study Bible, (2016), Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI
ESV Study Bible, (2008), Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, IL
The MacArthur Study Bible, (1997), Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN
The NIV Study Bible, (1985), Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI
ESV Thompson Chain Reference Bible, (2016), Zondervan, MI
Expositor’s Study Bible, Crossfire Edition, (2013), Jimmy Swaggert Ministries, Baton Rouge, LA
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