We often see various car accidents, incidents, disasters, and so on in the news. Do you understand the reasons behind these calamities? Do you want to know how to avoid disasters and live an abundant life? Today, let Pastor Liu lead us to recognise the spiritual laws behind these disasters and lead us into the path of abundant life!

Questions for Reflection

Where did the disasters experienced by Job begin?

Why is Job still considered a perfect man? In what ways is Job's faith manifested?

What is the root of disasters? How can we avoid disasters and live an abundant life?

The Root of Disasters

Spiritual words explain spiritual matters. If you do not know the reality of the spiritual realm, you will never know the source of disasters. For example, one minute the car is driving well, and the next minute there is a car accident. Since people cannot know the future, how can they avoid disasters and live on? The Book of Job tells us that people live by faith. The root of disasters comes from the spiritual realm, and spiritual matters determine earthly matters. Therefore, we must understand the operating mode of the spiritual realm and not be spiritually blind.

Fortune tellers are very accurate. In 1981, after I finished college, my classmates came to play at my house, and a fortune-telling neighbour came to our house. That neighbour accurately predicted the exam results of everyone. At that time, I was very surprised. Now I know that your future is in your faith. The root of disaster is very important; it is the spiritual root.

Why do I constantly urge everyone to prosper spiritually? Because spiritual prosperity is the root cause of solving our problems and avoiding disasters. There is nothing to boast about when a sinner suffers, but Job was a righteous man, a perfect man, who suffered for no reason. Today, let us begin to be spiritually prosperous people, and you will escape many disasters. Your future is in your faith. Some people make it a point to be intimate with God when they have time, and when they are pressed for time they make it a point to attend to worldly affairs; it is difficult to escape the vortex of work.

The Root of Sickness

Job experienced disasters and sickness. Sickness comes from Satan, and the most obvious manifestation is skin disease. Sickness and disasters both come from the spiritual realm. Because the state we live out in the world is closely related to our spiritual condition. I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well (3 John 1:2).

Job's Calamity Began with: Fear

Job's disaster started with fear, lest my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. This was Job's regular practice (Job 1:5). What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me (Job 3:25). Today, I must tell everyone: fear is a spiritual thing, fear will attract ghosts. So if you have fear in your heart, you must have a problem.

Some people have a nightmare, and after the dream they keep thinking about it, and then disaster strikes. I will teach you a spiritual lesson: when you dream of something very scary that makes you afraid, start to learn to reject it and resist it with faith. The Bible says: Resist him, standing firm in the faith (1 Peter 5:9). Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

Job had great faith in God, but there was fear in him, so disaster came upon him. This is a very crucial spiritual principle. As Christians, we must be strong and courageous, and not be cowardly. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death (Revelation 21:8). Cowardice and faith are choices. A cowardly person must be a person without faith, and a person with faith is not cowardly. Therefore, when you encounter things, you must learn to hold on to the faith within. Faith will accomplish your future.

The law of creation is clearly stated in the Book of Job. In the following chapters, we see that Job's three friends made extremely serious mistakes. Although what they said made sense, it was not the way of faith, so the most important thing to do when encountering people in trouble is to impart your faith to them.

Today, someone came from afar on behalf of his friend to thank me. His friend is a real estate developer who owed a lot of money before. Later, he found me on the internet, and then I casually recorded some prayers and sent them to him, and then he was greatly turned around. Today, I asked his friend about his situation in front of his friend. He told me that his friend was stuck there and could not move, but recently he began to turn around one by one, turning from the state of wanting to jump off the building in the past. Losing is losing, and gaining is gaining, because the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away (Job 3:21), what is there to worry about?

Do Not Sin with Your Mouth

Job's faith is very evident; he does not sin with his mouth. Today, I will teach you a spiritual principle. No matter what, you must know that it is difficult for you to feel bad in your heart because you have been wronged. Control your mouth and do not let your mouth sin. Be sure to control your mouth because once you say it, it will directly affect the spiritual realm and attract ghosts directly.

So, when you are emotional, never say harsh words or sinful words. But compared to controlling your mouth, the thoughts in your heart are more important, because the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Matthew 12:34). If the heart can turn to God in time, and the words in the mouth can be controlled in time, then it can be regarded as righteous in God's eyes.

Job is not a Perfect Man, but God considers him a Perfect Man

There is fear and other problems in Job, but God considers him righteous and perfect because he has faith in him. God does not need us to be perfect, but what He needs is our faith and to have the mindset of faith. So what is faith? True faith is that when suffering comes upon you, you still do not sin with your mouth, so controlling your mouth is grace.

A Spiritual Person Sees Through Everything

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The spiritual person makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to anyone’s judgment (1 Corinthians 2:12-15).

After a spiritual person sees through everything, external things cannot affect your heart. First, we must see through the matter of money. Money cannot be brought with you when you are born, nor when you die. Many people painstakingly pursue success in the world. At class reunions, those with money show off, and those without money are frustrated. However, it does not matter whether you have money or not, when you have a clear understanding of this, you will not have these mental fluctuations. Even if we don't have money, we know that we are priests of the living God.

The real estate developer mentioned earlier had tens of millions of dollars in financial problems, but because I am a priest of the living God, I can bless him because of my blessing, and because of God's blessing, his situation has turned around. So who do you think has more spiritual authority? In terms of the view of money, we must learn from Job. When Job lost his money, he said: Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart.The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised (Job 1:21). Because he sees through money, life will not be controlled by money. A person who sees through money has at least taken a big step on the spiritual path.

The second thing to see through is suffering. When suffering came upon Job, Job did not go mentally ill. If it were someone else, they would go crazy, just like Fan Jin, who went crazy after passing the imperial examination. Job knew very well that the lives of his children were not in his hands either. Job also saw through life and death. If a person cannot see through life and death, not only will external pain be added to you, but the internal pain will be mixed together, which is very painful. A spiritual person sees through everything. As long as I live, I will glorify my God. If you see through these things, your life will be extraordinary; it will be a life of faith.

A Person Who Has Learned the Secret of Everything

If Job had read the Book of Philippians, his situation would have been completely different. Job is just a man of faith, while Paul is a man who has learned the secret of everything. The secret is to believe in his heart that God is in control, and whether what I encounter is good or bad, I believe that God is in control and that God has good intentions.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:11).

This is well said. It does not matter what circumstances you are in. I am just a passerby on earth. Even if I am in trouble, I will glorify God, because this is God's beautiful will in my life.

Suffering for Righteousness is Imitating Jesus Christ

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:18-21).

Summary

This is how a person who sees through the things of the world is. A spiritual person sees through all things. Suffering for righteousness also means imitating Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must all see through all things in the world and have an understanding of spiritual things. God has given us the authority so that we can be victorious in the world and obtain the secrets in all things, so that God's name may be glorified.

The root of disasters comes from the spiritual realm,
and spiritual matters determine earthly matters,
so we must understand the workings of the spiritual realm
and not be spiritually blind.

Scripture:

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.
Job 1:2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
Job 1:3 His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
Job 1:4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
Job 1:5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. Job did so continually.
Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
Job 1:7 The LORD said to Satan, From where do you come? Then Satan answered the LORD and said, From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.
Job 1:8 The LORD said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.
Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, Does Job fear God for nothing?
Job 1:10 Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
Job 1:11 But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.
Job 1:12 Then the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him. So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD.
Job 1:13 Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,
Job 1:14 a messenger came to Job and said, The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,
Job 1:15 and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.
Job 1:16 While he was still speaking, another came and said, The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.
Job 1:17 While he was still speaking, another came and said, The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.
Job 1:18 While he was still speaking, another came and said, Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,
Job 1:19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.
Job 1:20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
Job 1:21 He said, Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.
Job 1:22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
Job 2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.
Job 2:2 The LORD said to Satan, Where have you come from? Then Satan answered the LORD and said, From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.
Job 2:3 The LORD said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.
Job 2:4 Satan answered the LORD, Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.
Job 2:5 However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.
Job 2:6 So the LORD said to Satan, He is in your power, only spare his life.
Job 2:7 Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
Job 2:8 And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.
Job 2:9 Then his wife said to him, Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!
Job 2:10 But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Job 2:11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each from his own place--Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him.
Job 2:12 When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept; and each of them tore his robe and threw dust over their heads toward the sky.
Job 2:13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.
Job 3:1 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth;
Job 3:2 And Job said,
Job 3:3 Let the day perish on which I was to be born, And the night which said, 'A boy is conceived.'
Job 3:4 May that day be darkness; May God above not seek for it, Nor light shine on it.
Job 3:5 May darkness and deep shadow claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it.
Job 3:6 As for that night, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year; May it not come into the number of the months.
Job 3:7 Behold, let that night be barren; Let no joyful shout enter it.
Job 3:8 Let those curse it who curse the day, Who are skilled to rouse up Leviathan.
Job 3:9 Let the stars of its twilight be darkened; Let it wait for light but have none, Nor see the breaking dawn;
Job 3:10 Because it did not shut the opening of my mother's womb, Or hide trouble from my eyes.
Job 3:11 Why did I not die at birth, Come forth from the womb and expire?
Job 3:12 Why did the knees receive me, Or why the breasts, that I should suck?
Job 3:13 For now I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest,
Job 3:14 With kings and with counselors of the earth, Who rebuilt ruins for themselves;
Job 3:15 Or with princes who had gold, Who were filling their houses with silver.
Job 3:16 Or like a miscarriage which is discarded, I would not have been, Like children that never saw light.
Job 3:17 There the wicked cease from raging, And there the weary are at rest.
Job 3:18 The prisoners are at ease together; They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.
Job 3:19 The small and great are there, And the slave is free from his master.
Job 3:20 Why is light given to one in misery, And life to the bitter in soul,
Job 3:21 Who long for death, but there is none, And dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
Job 3:22 Who rejoice greatly, And exult when they find the grave?
Job 3:23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in?
Job 3:24 For my groaning comes before I eat, And my cries pour out like water.
Job 3:25 For what I fear comes upon me, And what I am afraid of overtakes me.
Job 3:26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, And I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.