The Captivity of the Righteous Part 8 - Jobs Captivity Turned — Phil Beach Jr.

To give this, and I invite you, fathers, if you're here a few weeks now, we have been ministering on the book of Job, and learning that God's purpose in suffering is that we would be brought to our end so that Christ can be earned on.

We hope to cover the end of that message this morning, but before we do, I feel that the Lord has given me a word for fathers this morning, and so I want to give this, and I invite you, fathers, if you're here, if you're not a father, then maybe someday, so listen carefully.

Jesus’ Warning About Deception

I encourage you to get a piece of paper and jot these down, okay? Jot these down. In Matthew chapter 24, verse number 4, I want to read what Jesus told us. Matthew chapter 24, verse 4, Jesus said, and Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

Take heed that no man deceive you. A few years ago, I had turned on the radio, and I was listening to a local radio talk show host. He made a statement that has always stuck with me. Fathers, listen carefully.

Listen carefully. He said the greatest form of deception is self-deception, when a person is deceived. And having heard that, that just stuck in my heart for several years. Fathers, I believe that one of your greatest responsibilities before God and to your family is to guard your life and the life of your family from becoming self-deceived.

Self-deceived. Deception is a distinguishing feature that marks the end times and the work of the wicked one. Deception. But self-deception of all the deceptions is perhaps the greatest. Because self-deception, by the very nature of what deception means, hides itself.

And so that we can be self-deceived and not even know it. That's what self-deception is. The Bible talks to us. All you have to do is get your concordance. All you have to do is get your concordance, and you can see this.

The Bible speaks about eight specific ways that self-deception can be present in our life. Eight different ways. Fathers, this is a charge from the Holy Spirit this morning, and not just for fathers, but for everyone here.

This is a charge to be on guard, to stand in the gate of your home. And through the armor of righteousness and the power of the Holy Spirit and the word of truth, guard your heart against self-deception.

Because the presence of self-deception will ultimately destroy your spiritual life and the life of anyone who is under your influence if they don't see it. First of all, we have James chapter 1, verse number 22.

We're going to try and go through these quite quickly with the Lord's help. James 1 21. Beloved, I want to strongly encourage you not to say, well, I'm not self-deceived, Phil. And also I want to mention, too, that with self-deception, there is always, always the presence of evil powers working in your life.

Always. The presence of evil powers and spirits somehow working and blinding you. Because self-deception, deception is a tool of the enemy. Now, don't say, don't say, well, I'm not self-deceived. Obviously, you don't think you are because the very nature of self-deception is you don't know you're deceived.

That's what self-deception is. Others might know, but you don't know. You see, that's why we need the word of God. That's why we need honest hearts before God. God give us an honest heart this morning.

And so, beloved, as the word of God comes forth this morning and you are convicted by the presence and power of a loving God, then I admonish you and beg you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that you would cry out to God that he might rescue you.

Self-Deception Through Hearing Without Doing

James chapter 1, verse number 22. Healers of the world. Not healers only. Deceiving your own self. Self-deception comes when we fail to live what we hear in God's word. God's word carries a spirit of self-deception.

Working. In any of us you are hearers of the word, but not doers. If it doesn't bother you and you hear the word, you read the word, you know the word, and yet there are specific areas in your life that you know you are not doing the word, that you are professing before people, before your family, before your husband, before your wife, before your children, before your employees.

If that doesn't bother you, you are self-deceived. First John 1 .8. Number two. First of all is James 1 .21. That's first John what? 1 .8. We say we have no sin. We deceive ourselves. Now this particular scripture does not only refer to, and if we think it does then we escape the power of this word.

If we think this scripture only refers to a person who refuses to believe that they're a sinner and therefore they don't need a savior, then we feel exempt from this word, but there is a greater application that this word has for you and I and that is simply if we fail to acknowledge our sin when the Holy Spirit of God convicts us, when the word of God convicts us, I don't know how it's possible to go to the word of God and simply read it as a book anymore.

It is a living word that continuously speaks into my heart and when you read the word and it says for example, thou shalt not covet or thou shalt not lie or thou shalt not steal or thou shalt not lust or be kind or read the love chapter and you can read through that without acknowledging your sin, without acknowledging how far you fall short of what God's word says and then cry out to God for the power of transformation to occur.

You are self-deceived. Galatians chapter 3 verse 6. You see how subtle the power of self-deception is? You see how powerful it is? You know how we need to pray Jesus, change our hearts. Galatians chapter 3.

You see men? This is what fathers are all about. I'm glad that this country honors fathers. Galatians chapter 6 verse 3, I'm sorry. 6 -3. For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing he deceives himself.

Another scripture that coincides with that is Romans 12 -2. Paul says I say unto you by the grace of God Let not any man among you think of himself more highly than he ought to but soberly with a sound mind in accord with the truth of God's word.

At times in the house of God, we've got little Volkswagen Rabbits tromping around saying I'm a Cadillac. I'm a Cadillac. Self-deception is present and we think we're something but we're not. If we don't think according to the truth of God's word and think in a sober way we can become self-deceived.

1st Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18. No man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may become wise. A person becomes self-deceived when they are puffed up idea and become a fool.

Then they become wise. I'm restraining with great difficulty from going into application to these. Just wanting the Holy Spirit to speak. Each one of these we can spend several weeks on. Delving into the depths of the meaning.

I trust as you get these in your notes and you meditate on them that God will reveal these things in your life. Don't take this lightly. Deception is a dreadful snare. The word deceived means to be led astray, to cause to roam by seduction.

Self-Deception Through Uncontrolled Speech

Next we have James 1 .26. When we're self-deception in our life, we're vulnerable to other forms of deception.

James 1.

Verse number 26. If any man among you seems to be religious and bridles not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart. This man's religion is vain. James 1 .26 says that if your tongue is under control you find yourself bad-mouthing, gossiping, slandering, lying, character assassination.

You find yourself prone to say things you won't want to say. You are self-deceived. You are self-deceived and until there is a genuine godly repentance by the power of the Holy Spirit, who knows what that self-deception is doing in your life.

Who knows what other error, who knows what other sin has got a stronghold in your head. Let me tell you, you can't see clearly when you're self-deceived. You can't see clearly.

Self-Deception Through Ignoring Consequences

Galatians 6 .7 Galatians 6 .7.

God is not deceived. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows he shall also reap. A person becomes self-deceived when they feel that somehow they become exempt from reaping the consequences of their actions.

Beware when you become under the influence or idea of a thought that says it's okay, go ahead and do it. Nothing will happen. You're a Christian now. You're under grace. You're forgiven. God loves you, loves you.

He understands you not to see. God is not mocked. And so when we're inclined to feel that we're exempt from consequences to our actions, we have opened up ourselves to self-deception and the powers of darkness are working in our life.

I'm sorry. 1 Corinthians 6 9 and 10. Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.

Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. Self-deception comes when we think the way we live doesn't matter. Self-deception comes when we no longer feel that our actions mean anything.

Self-Deception Through Corrupting Influences

Be not deceived. The unrighteous shall not enter the kingdom of God. And now lastly, 1 Corinthians 15 33. 1 Corinthians 15 33. Beloved, I trust, I beg, I ask the Holy Spirit to take his word, this short little exhortation this morning for fathers, and to write them upon your heart.

1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse number 33. Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good manners. Many, many, many, many years ago there was an evangelist who called himself the Bourbon Street Evangelist.

And they that would know where Bourbon Street is, it's in New Orleans. He was the Bourbon Street Evangelist, and he immersed himself into the culture and corrupt ways and practices of Bourbon Street, supposing, supposing, that he was a strong enough Christian to combat the temptations that warred against his soul, because he was going to be a light for Jesus.

Bourbon Street Evangelist lost his ministry. He lost his marriage. And I believe he ended up in prison for sex crimes. Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good manners. You can immerse yourself into an environment that is evil and corrupting in its influence, and antagonistic toward God, and the sins of God, and the word of God.

And think that you can preserve yourself. You are self-deceived. And so there you have it. The eight ones in the New Testament that refer to self-deception. Now may I ask you a question? Before we mention these, and I said that we were going to look at some areas of self-deception, most likely none of us, maybe there's an exception one or two, but most likely none of us said, oh yes, I am definitely self-deceived in some way.

But now, have you heard, is there a failure in your life to live up to what you profess without being troubled about it? I'm not talking about perfection here. The Holy Spirit is not talking about perfection.

He's talking about the capacity to know that what you say and what you are are two different things, and it doesn't bother you. Self-deception. Do you fail to acknowledge your sin when you're caught, when God catches you?

Do you try and justify your sin? Do you do a song and a dance when you're pinned down and try to make yourself right? Do you try and justify your sin? You are self-deceived, beloved. Self-deceived. A deception that is perhaps the worst.

Do you have a high-feeding attitude about yourself? Are you puffed up with worldly wisdom? Is your tongue out of control? Can you easily slander and gossip someone? Can you easily say something about someone without really knowing what you're saying?

You're self-deceived. The powers of darkness have some kind of foothold in your life. Your vision is cloudy. Your ability to see God, blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God. You're not seeing God.

Oh, you might have glimpses from now and then, but you're not seeing Him in purity and clarity. You're exempt from the consequences of your actions. Do you feel the way a person lives doesn't matter? I know of one Christian who tried to confront a particular person over, I believe it was a lesbian or a homosexual lifestyle, and the person became offended and upset and said, we don't talk about those things in our church.

We don't judge because no one's perfect. I've deceived the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. We don't talk about that. It doesn't matter what we do. God loves us all. Lastly, do you feel arrogant, that is corrupt and evil, and still maintain your Christian testimony?

You will be the Bourbon Street Evangelist, the Bourbon Street Christian. Be not deceived. You will be defiled and corrupted. Oh, yes, the Bible says we're to be the light of the world. Evil communications corrupt good manners.

Don't be deceived. I drink. I do a little smoking. Yeah, I go out and see some movies that are questionable. Hey, I'm the only Christian influence they have in their life. Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good manners.

You're not helping them. You're hurting them. Young people, please listen to the Spirit of God. Don't ever feel that to be a good Christian witness, you have to partake in the evil deeds of your acquaintances.

The dregs of sin with them. Remember Samson? Oh, I can, I can take Delilah on my lap. I won't lose my strength. I won't lose my power. All I have to do is shake. But he went too far. And he lost his devotion to God.

That's what his hair represented. His devotion to God. And he lost it. And he became blinded. And he became captive to the Philistines. So do not be deceived. For a few moments. For us to just bow our hearts before God.

Repentance and Freedom From Self-Deception

I can't think of a better Father's Day gift that our Father can give us. Than to lovingly warn us to guard against becoming self-deceived. I want my children to be preserved from deception. But if they're going to be preserved, or they're going to have a good chance of being preserved, I have to make sure that my life is not a contradiction.

That my life is not one of deception. Our hearts before Holy God this morning in his presence, Father. We thank you for your word. We thank you Lord. We want to be silenced before your word. Any deceiving spirit that has a place in our mind, in our heart, in our thoughts.

Who would even now be trying to disannul and cancel the word of God by saying, well, that doesn't apply to you. Lord, we rebuke the powers of darkness. We acknowledge without your grace and without your continual work in our life, we will fall to self-deception.

We acknowledge it before you now. I encourage each one of you before God. If God has spoken to you to confess, say, God, I am self-deceived in this area of my life or this area of my life. Acknowledge it before God.

Rebuke the devil. Say, devil, I refuse to continue in self-deception. Get away from me. The precious Holy Spirit to impart grace, cleansing, forgiveness, and deliverance through the power of the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, every single person here can claim deliverance through Jesus Christ.

Hallelujah. Listen, listen, this is your time today. When God is speaking to you, don't nudge it. Don't put it off. Listen, God is sovereign. Sometimes we think, well, I'll deal with this when I'm ready.

No, no, you can't come to God like that. If God is stirring you now, now is the time you might leave here and that stirring might go and you might not ever be stirred again about this area of inception.

You say, well, God is merciful. I agree, but don't tempt the Lord. Don't tempt the Lord, beloved. He's merciful, but don't assume because He's merciful that you'll have a chance tomorrow. The Lord says, behold, now is the day.

Now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. If God is stirring you, cry out to Him now. Because now is your hour of deliverance through the power of Jesus Christ. Father, we rejoice over your word.

We love your word today, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you for the cleansing. Thank you for the cleansing and the washing that comes from your word. Now, like I said, the last one we had here was 1 Corinthians 15 .33.

If someone wants this list, I'll get it for you. Okay? So may the Lord take this word and work it in our heart. Rescue us from self-deception. Truly walk in the light as He is in the light and have fellowship one with another.

Job’s Suffering and God’s Purpose

God is light and in Him is no darkness. Amen. Okay, beloved. Let's just turn our Bibles to Job chapter 42. Just continue right along in the spirit here because, you know, I believe that one of the effects that God's dealing in Job's life had was this.

If he did have any forms of self-deception, God freed him. So it just flows so nicely with this whole message of Job, this whole message of what God is doing in the life of Job. Job chapter 42. Actually, let's go to Job chapter 40.

Job chapter 40. Listen, this is the first time that Job speaks to God after, really, it's toward the end of this season of horrendous testing and suffering that's going on in Job's life. And I want to point out a few observations here, indicating, indicating what is happening in the heart of Job.

You have to get the tapes if you've missed because I don't want to start repeating myself regarding the nature of what God did in Job's life and what God touched in order to strip Job and bring him to the place that he's at right now.

What we want to see today is God's end, God's purpose in allowing us to suffer. This is what the Lord is after in your heart and my heart right now. This is what he's after. This is why the Lord is allowing certain things to happen in your life.

This is why the Lord is allowing you to go through what you're going through. And some may not be able to relate to this. Some might say, Phil, I don't understand what you're saying. Everything is so wonderful in my life.

God's blessing me. I'm just, I'm just ready to go for him. Don't go. That's all right. That's where you're at. That God works with us where we're at. But I assure you most solemnly by the authority of God's word that if you pursue after God and your heart is reduced to one desire and that is to know Him and the power of his resurrection, you will experience in your own way a sovereign act of God where you go through the same processes that Job went through.

Different circumstances? Probably. But the end will be the same thing that God has in mind for you that we see in Job. And so in Job chapter 40 the Lord speaks to Job and says, moreover, the Lord answered Job and said, Shall he that contended with the Almighty instruct him?

God is after something very, very deep in our hearts. Something that he's got to surface and deal with if we are going to know a fellowship with his son that he longed for us to know. Contended there means to toss, to grapple with, to strive against, to quarrel with, or hold a controversy with, to make a charge against, to debate with, to complain at.

The essential meaning of this word is this. By your words and your attitudes and your actions, you are complaining, grappling with, wrestling with, and accusing God. I was asking Job, shall you, in wrestling and complaining and accusing me, shall he instruct the Almighty?

The word instruct there means it's the only place in the Old Testament where this word is found. It literally means to blame or accuse, to teach, or instruct so as to improve a person. So may God help us.

Job’s Humbling Before the Sovereign God

May God help us to see the end, the end, the purpose, the thing that God was after from the very beginning with his servant Job. He wanted to surface that deep, deep tendency within that man and within you and me to rise up to God in anger and accuse him.

God said, Job, you wrestling, grappling man who has blamed me and was attempting to instruct me, attempting to enlighten me, attempting to show me a better way to correct me. Job, let him answer. Having brought Job through tremendous testings and trials, touching his family, touching his health, touching his wealth, touching his friends, touching everything that was near and dear to his heart, he found himself wrestling with God.

God says, go ahead, instruct me. What do you have to say, Job? Job answered the Lord and said, behold, I am vile. Yes, God says, yes. Heaven is silent. All the angels are silent. Job is beginning to see clearly.

He's beginning to see clearly about himself and he's beginning to see clearly about who God is. Job said, I am vile. The word vile in the Hebrew means small, little, insignificant, despised. It can also mean to be lowered, downward, to be humble, has been exposed.

The Almighty put his hand in that Job had and everything that Job was and Job was exposed. But there's hope. There's hope. The qualities of grace that are beginning to arise in Job's life. You see, before all this happened, Job was a righteous man.

Job was a blessed man. Job was a prosperous man. Job was a wealthy man. Job was a respected man. Job was a leader-seeding man. Job loved his children. He offered sacrifices for them. Job was a prominent leader in his community.

Job said, lay my hand upon my mouth. Job was saying, Lord, because of your dealing in my life and because of your sovereign hand, I have now learned to keep my mouth shut. I will not foolishly speak to you, God, out of the anger of my spirit anymore.

I will proceed no further. Have I spoken? Have I spoken? That I will not answer, yea, twice, that I will proceed no further. Chapter 32. The dialogue continues. Now, I trust that you are taking note that God is speaking into your heart these qualities that he wants to form in our life.

How many here have prayed, oh God, I want to be like Jesus. I want to be like you, Lord. I want to be like you, Lord. We have such a crazy idea about what it is to be like Jesus. Let me tell you, the ultimate expression of being like Jesus is to be smitten of God and yet, though you slay me, yet will I trust him.

To be like Jesus is not to be happy when your circumstances are going good. To be like Jesus is not to have a 21st century Christian smile with a nice shining bright teeth. Hallelujah! That's not being like Jesus.

Depths of knowing him. The depths of being like him. Then Job answered the Lord and said, I know that thou canst do everything and that no thought can be withholding from thee. God had brought Job to the place of absolute surrender to the sovereign rights of God over his life.

Absolute surrender to the sovereign rights of God over his life. Job come through this horrendous suffering to Job now everything is now God's property. Everything belongs to him. He has been successfully enabled by the power of God to take his grip off of everything that pertained to himself and all that he had.

Put into the mystery and joy being possessed by nothing but God. The mystery and joy of knowing what it was to be emptied truly of all things that he might be filled with God. Job is brought to the place property for God to do whatever he chooses.

Job has been brought to the place where formerly he was truly a son. He had a master's heart. Now he is a son of a servant's heart. This is master. Job came to understand Isaiah chapter 45 verse 9 Woe unto him that striveth with his maker.

Striveth is a synonym to the word contendeth. That God was indicating Job was doing. Are you contending with me? Are you grappling with me? Are you wrestling with me? Job Job Job. Where were you Job when the sons of God were singing before me?

Where were you Job before the foundation? of the world where I was God? Where were you? And he asked him over a hundred questions. In his theology that God was sovereign that now in his experience he has come to know him.

The parts of the earth shall declare so to him that fashioneth it. What makest thou in thy work? He hath no means. Woe unto him that saith unto his father, let me denish thou, or to the woman, what hast thou brought forth?

Romans 9 20. Paul Mentioning the same revelation. But thou, O man, who art thou that replyest against God, shall the same form say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Shall the same form say To the thing that formed it, why have you made me thus?

Hast not the potter power over the clay? Hast not the potter power over the clay? Doesn't God have power over you Job? Job, don't I have power over you to do with you what I want? Job, aren't you the clay?

Aren't I the potter? Is it my name, the Lord Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth? Job, you did not beget me, I begot you. Job, does the hammer have the way to speak to the hand that raises it up and say, do not handle me thusly?

Does the hammer have the way? Job, have you forgotten? Yes, I love you, but love is, love is truth, love is truth. Verses 3 and 4. Who is he that hideth knowledge? Counsel without knowledge. Therefore have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderful for me which I knew not He that beseeched me and I will speak out of the name of thee.

And declare thou unto me God, this is what Job is saying. Listen carefully. This is the work that God must do in all of our hearts. Oh God, I have played the fool Saying things to you and to others. Without knowing what I was talking about I spoke out of anger jealousy self-pity and pride and said foolish things Making charges against you.

Oh God, forgive me. Verse 5 and 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you Through this great trial, oh sovereign God. Oh potter, oh great heavenly potter through this sovereign trial that you've entrusted me.

I've come to partake in my experience. What I hitherto only heard about from others or read about in your holy book I truly see and repent. You alone are worthy for my righteousness. And it was so That after the Lord had spoken these words to Job The Lord said to Eliphaz The demonite my wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends.

For you have not spoken of me. The thing that is right. As my servant Job hath God is teaching us here That these men do not have the right standing before God because they trust in their works Rather than in the sacrifice of another.

When Job when God says here that Job has spoken the right thing concerning me. He's not referring to all the things that Job uttered throughout that time of testing. Job said stupid things Just like you and I say he's talking about what Job said at the end.

When Job was brought down by grace and hunger and said God now, I know you can do what you want. Now I know you are the sovereign potter. Now, I know that I'm just the clay. I repent in sackcloth and ashes.

I'm gonna put a gall on my mouth. I'm not gonna foolishly charge you. You alone are my righteousness. You alone are my strength God says. That is what I was after all along. God says in verse 8. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven lambs and go to my servant Job.

He's telling these his friends go to my servant Job and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering and my servant Job shall pray for you for him. Will I accept? God is teaching us here that these men Have to go to Job And ask for him to pray.

Why. Job's prayer is very effective now because it springs out of a heart That derives its acceptance before God entirely on the basis of the sacrifice of another. Job's prayer right now is coming out from the heart realization that there's no good thing that dwells in him.

He's standing as a man that's wholly relying upon the sacrifice of another which is a picture those Who stand? Entirely dependent upon the merits of Jesus Christ alone Who have no glory in themselves?

There is no self-righteousness in Job now. No holier-than-thou attitude. Job's eyes are no longer on his works. Job's eyes are no longer on his intercession and prayer for his children. Job's eyes are no longer on all the blessings that he had at one time.

All his eyes are on now is the sovereign God who is worthy no matter what happens in his life. He's a sovereign God. Job has yet been delivered from being held captive. To thinking that in himself. And in his good righteous works there was acceptance before God.

He now stands before God and man wholly in the power and holiness of another namely Christ his Redeemer. He stands now in the merits of Christ. I know him my Redeemer liveth he said. Job has been Freed.

The Lord Turns Job’s Captivity

Verse number 10. And the Lord turned the captivity of Job. Another translation says. And the Lord turned the state of being held active in Job from his captivity Job twice as much as he had before the blessing of the firstborn the double blessing that speaks of.

Enrichment spiritual capacity verse 12. Verse 11 the Lord gave Job sweet fellowship. He began to break bread with people, but he was a different Job. He had been enlarged through suffering. Verse 12 the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.

Verse 13. He had seven sons and three daughters. Seven sons represent manhood. The perfection of manhood the perfection of God's son. His holiness his righteousness glory in him. Ephesians 4 that's the purpose of God for the church that we would come to into the Statue of Christ's manhood.

There it is three daughters and those three daughters represent virtue and character. The quantities and characteristics of Christ in his life and listen beloved. And all the land. Were no women found so fair.

As the daughters of Job God is looking for the day. When in all there cannot be found the beauty. That is being expressed in verse. Who under the hand of God's discipline have come through the fire? Have come through the suffering have come through the difficulties and now.

Are men and women living in the good of Jesus Christ. Glory in no one and nothing. But their God and Savior Christ Jesus. After this Job lived 140 years. And saw his sons. And his sons sons lived in four generations.

So Job died old and full of days. Captivity of the righteous. Emancipation of the righteous. So much we can say God is so precious entrusted with much this new world looking at the dangers of self-deception and now turning our eyes toward the ending of Job's life freeing from his captivity and the deep look that we get in his heart.

Final Exhortation to Hear God’s Word

Father we look to you to perform your word today. We ask in these next few moments that you will reveal your word to us that you will confirm that you have spoken into each one of our hearts that you will give us the capacity to receive your word and to be changed by your word through the Holy Spirit's power.

Help us Lord in these next few moments something about quarter after twelve. Now we're just gonna we're just gonna spend a few moments we welcome to. We're gonna spend a few moments in God's presence.

And I just sense the need to let God speak to our hearts. God's committed to do all these things today that we spoke of it's his word not ours. But he does ask us if you hear his voice today do not harden your heart.