Facing my giants

Facing my giants

S-Job 32

Elihu in Anger Rebukes Job

1 Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned.

6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said, “I am young in years and you are old; Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think.

7 “I thought age should speak, And increased years should teach wisdom.

8 “But it is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

9 “The abundant in years may not be wise, Nor may elders understand justice.

10 “So I say, ‘Listen to me, I too will tell what I think.’

11 “Behold, I waited for your words, I listened to your reasonings, While you pondered what to say.

12 “I even paid close attention to you; Indeed, there was no one who refuted Job, Not one of you who answered his words.

13 “Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom; God will rout him, not man.’

14 “For he has not arranged his words against me, Nor will I reply to him with your arguments.

15 “They are dismayed, they no longer answer; Words have failed them.

16 “Shall I wait, because they do not speak, Because they stop and no longer answer?

17 “I too will answer my share, I also will tell my opinion.

18 “For I am full of words; The spirit within me constrains me.

19 “Behold, my belly is like unvented wine, Like new wineskins it is about to burst.

20 “Let me speak that I may get relief; Let me open my lips and answer.

21 “Let me now be partial to no one, Nor flatter any man.

22 “For I do not know how to flatter, Else my Maker would soon take me away.

Galatians 5

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

O-The Lord has shown me through these two different yet connected passages in scripture how I am to process and handle circumstances I find myself in. Like Job I am in the midst of a great trial of circumstances in which those around me would advise me different than the Spirit of God that is within me.  And like the Galatians  I am to take Paul’s advice to walk by the Spirit and not by the desires of my flesh.  Circumstances have me leading in an organization in which dysfunction reigns and the politics run deep and dark. God I believe is calling me to be the light in the circumstance. And much like Job, I understand that externally, the situation may seem simple and easy.  The decision to choose to follow the three (Sliger, Otis, Gibson) satisfies the flesh but it’s not Gods way. it’s a great battle at a whole other level in which God‘s victory is available, if not inevitable.  There is even an Elihu (Gianokokos) who wants to rebuke the three and support me in Gods plan here at Puget.

A-so what is the application then that I am to take away from this scripture.?! Well the process of devotion is not where I come up with a plan but where the Lord helps me understand his application. What His spirit in me is telling me is to continue to proceed down with Job and path with the Paul passion and boldness.  Enough said.

P-dear heavenly father thank you for your Holy Spirit guiding me and leading me. I thank you for your power which is perfected through Christ in me. I pray Lord that you would help me guard against my fleshes reaction and response to the circumstances I am in, and that you would help me stay tuned to your Holy Spirit as both my comforter, peace giver, and direction finder.  I pray all of that in Jesus Christ name, amen.