Dr. John Goetsch: Satan Struck Out

alright let's take our Bibles and go to the book of Joel chapter 1 job chapter 1 thank you Pastor for sharing those things with us good reminders of what our church is and what it ought to continue to be in the days ahead Joel chapter 1 verse number one there was a man in the Land of Oz whose name was Joel and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evil they were born unto him seven sons and three daughters his substance also was seven thousand sheep and 3 thousand camels and five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred she asses and a very great household so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the East and his sons went and feasted in their houses every one his day and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them it was so when the days of they're feasting were gone about the job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all for job said it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts thus Joel did continually the devil seems to be hitting a lot of home runs against Christians these days it seems like the devil is always up to bat and sometimes in our lives it's hard to get him out he seems to be able to barrel up the ball and take it out of the park but I want you to realize that the devil is not invincible the outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day the score stood four to two with but one inning yet to play and then when Cooney died at first and barrels did the same a sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game a struggling few got up to go in deep despair the rest clung to that Hope which springs eternal in the human heart somewhere they thought if only Casey could get a whack at that they'd put up even money now with Casey at the bat but Flynn preceded Casey and so did Jimmy blink the former was a Lulu the latter was a cake so upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat for their scene but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat but Flynn let drive a single to the wonderment of all and bleak the much despised tore the cover off the ball when the dust had lifted and the men saw what had occurred there was jimmy safe at second and flynn a hug and third than from five thousand throats and more there Rose a lusty yell it rumbled through the valley and rattled in the Dell it knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat for Casey mighty Casey was advancing to the bat there was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place that was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face and when responding to the cheers he lightly doffed his cap no stranger in the crowd could doubt it was Casey at the bat 10,000 eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt 5,000 tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip defiance gleamed in Casey's eye a snarl curled Casey's lip and now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air and Casey stood a-watching it in a haughty grandeur they're close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped ain't my style said Casey strike one the umpire said from the benches black with people there went up a muffled roar like the beating of storm waves on a stern and distant Shore kill him kill the umpire shouted someone in the stand and is likely they had killed him had not Casey raised his hand with a smile of Christian charity great Casey's viscid shown he stilled the rising tumult he bade the game go on he signaled to the pitcher and what's more the SyFy roid flew but Casey still ignored it and the umpire said strike two frog cried the maddened thousands and echo answered fraud but one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed they saw his face grow Stern and cold they saw his muscles strain they knew that Casey would not let that ball go by again the sneer now gone from Casey's lip his teeth are clenched with hate he pounds with cruel violence is bad upon the plate and now the pitcher holds the ball and now he lets it go and now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow Oh somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright the band is playing somewhere and somewhere hearts are light and somewhere men are laughing and somewhere children shout but there's no joy in Mudville for mighty Casey has struck out you know at times Satan steps into the batter's box of our life and it seems that it's impossible to strike him out but I want you to see in our passage tonight that Satan's struck out against this man named Joel why did he strike out because greater is He that's in you than he that's in the world the Bible says were to submit ourselves under the Lord resist the devil and he will flee from you now Satan always seems to be up to bad in the most crucial moments of our life so how do we strike him out how can we be victorious what is the pitch that we can throw to get Satan off of our back I want you to look at a recap of Joel's life and we see in his life three critical at-bats that we can learn from first in chapter 1 we see that Joel was a person of excellence you know the back of Joel's baseball card was pretty impressive he was a scientist on the mound here against Satan we see that he was a spiritual person in verse number one the Bible says he was perfect and that word carries the idea of being complete he was maturer he was perfect and upright one that feared God and eschewed evil you know victory against Satan never starts with outward performance it always starts with inward preparation and here was a man that feared God here was a man that hath shewed evil it was a man that was growing in his spiritual maturity for Christ the Bible tells us in 1st Timothy 4 in verse 7 exercise thyself rather unto godliness for bodily exercise profiteth little or for a little time but godliness is profitable unto all things in fact in verse number 5 it told us that job would rise up early in the morning and offer sacrifices according to the number of his children just in case they had sinned he wanted to make sure that he was always right with God here was a spiritual person and he had a successful portfolio we see in verse number two he had a large family seven sons three daughters we see in verse three that he he had some wonderful finances in his life his substance was seven thousand sheep three thousand camels five hundred yoke of oxen five hundred she asses a very great household this was a man of great wealth he had a successful portfolio in fact the Bible tells us here in verse three that he had a number one ranking in the East he was the greatest man in the east and by the way don't forget all of that blessing comes from God it's not our doing when God blesses for a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven but we see thirdly here a satanic plot look at verse 6 now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them and the Lord said unto Satan whence comest thou then Satan answered the Lord and said from going to and fro in the earth and walking up and down in it and the Lord said unto Satan I still considered my servant job there's none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that fears God and his shoe with evil then Satan answered the Lord and said does job fear God for not that's now not putting hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side now it's blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land but put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath and he will curse thee to thy face and the Lord said unto Satan behold all that he has is in thy power only upon himself but not forth thine hand so Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord any Christian with a spiritual testimony becomes a specific target friend understands something it's wonderful that you're being faithful tonight it's wonderful that you're in church it's wonderful that this past week you've tried to live the Lord but understand something when you attempt to do those things for God Satan is painted a big target on your back we have an enemy he sees as a roaring lion he walks about seeking whom he may devour Paul said were to take and put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against rulers of darkness against spiritual wickedness in high places we have an enemy and whatever God is doing in your life you can be sure the devil's trying to undo it whatever God is putting together in your life that's wholesome and right and decent and good the devil is trying to unravel and undo and he has multiple darts he has darts that he loves to throw our way Paul said in second Corinthians 11 and verse three I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that's in Christ I find it interesting that Paul said that Satan through any means in the devil will use pride the devil use anxiety the devil used drugs the devil use immorality the devil use gossip the devil use worry he'll use fear he'll use anything he can to destroy us but Joel this person of excellence goes through several innings of the game of life and he seems to be doing really well and then suddenly we see secondly a period of exasperation you can just kind of see Satan sitting over on the sidelines here as Joel bizz is being commended by God and God is listing all of these wonderful things about Joel but commending him for his godliness and commending him for his family and commending him his priorities and and God is has given us kind of a glimpse into this great man and Satan's over there lighting darts and we see Satan light that dart that fiery dart and he fires the dart of a loss of finances look at verse 14 and there came a messenger unto job and said the oxen were plowing and the asses feeding beside them and the Sabian's fell upon them and took them away he they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword and I only am escaped alone to tell thee all of a sudden in the midst of Joel fearing God and a shooing evil and doing what's right and trying to have integrity and honesty with God all of a sudden Satan fires the dart of a loss of finances you know financial security is pretty insecure it comes right down to and what we have in the bank isn't much that's why God said if riches increase set not thine heart upon them he said take heed be beware of covetousness for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth when God evaluates our life he doesn't see how many how many cars we have in the garage or how many things we have in the backyard or how much our house payment is or what kind of neighborhood we live in these things are but temporal God says godliness with contentment is great gain we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out having then food and raiment let us there with be content for they that will be rich fall into many temptations and snares and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after have eared from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows the dart is fired at Jewel a loss of finances and then we see Joel delighting another Dart and we see the loss of family look at verse 18 while he was yet speaking there came also another and said thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in the eldest brother's house and behold there came a great wind from the wilderness and smote the four corners of the house and it fell upon the young men and they are dead and I only am escaped alone to tell thee you know nothing hurts quite as bad as the loss of family death divorce desertion division the dart the fiery dart a loss of finances a loss of family then we see a loss of fitness look at chapter 2 and verse number 7 so when Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Joel was sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown and he took him a potsherd to scrape himself with all and he sat down among the ashes now job's health is at risk his health is in jeopardy his body covered with these painful boils another daren't the devil life's a fourth Dart the loss of fellowship in verse number nine then said his wife in chapter 2 unto him dust now still retain that integrity curse God and die we go to chapters four and five and job's friends begin to gather and they come to his house and they see him in this condition the loss of his finances the loss of his family the loss of his office of his health and and now they begin to accuse him of being backslidden and I'm wrong with God in their same job you're being judged God is angry with you you've sinned in your heart Satan will target the areas that mean the most to us be careful about the things that you consider your strength be careful about the things that you consider to be secure be careful about the things that you consider a surety one night Jesus was talking to his disciples and he said all ye shall be offended because of me this night and do you remember who spoke first Peter in verse 20 at verse 33 there Matthew 26 Peter as he was so often to do said though all men should be offended because of thee yeah well I never be offended Peter was pretty sure of himself Peter thought no you said all men no no Lord you got that wrong not me you see Peter considered his strength to be his defense of the Lord Jesus Christ but Jesus said verily I say unto you that this night before the crow thou shalt deny me thrice and Peter and verse 35 he said though I should die with thee yea well I never deny thee that's pretty strong confidence no doubts impossible God you got this one wrong Jesus you've never made a mistake when you just made one not me I'll never be offended they'll kill me before I deny you be careful about what you consider to be your strength because pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall are you in one of those exasperating innings of your life right now you ever watch a baseball game where the pitcher boy he's just sailing along I mean through about five or six innings he's throwing a no-hitter or he's giving up maybe a walk but he's striking out seven eight guys they can't hit the ball out of the infield then all of a sudden that's seventh inning or something he can't find the plate I mean he just can't get anybody out he's hitting guys with the pitch he's putting guys on base with a with balls he's giving up these chunk singles and all of a sudden somebody barrels went up and hits it out of the park and it's like what happened and maybe you're in one of those innings right now I mean you were you were doing fine you got saved you began to come to church you got baptized you you started tithing you you started going out soul-winning you you started being a good testimony at work you you started trying to get your family to serve the Lord and and you started nurturing your kids and the admonition of the Lord and you are doing great and all of a sudden maybe you've hit one of those innings maybe it's in your marriage maybe it's in your ministry maybe it's in your health maybe it's in a job maybe it's in your finances maybe it's a relationship and all of a sudden it just seems like you can't get Satan out he just looms at the plate and the game of life is on the line what do you do I'll tell you what you do in that moment is going to determine whether we win or lose and I want you to see what job did thirdly tonight we see the promise of execution turn to chapter 13 of job job's going through all of these difficulties I mean all of a sudden this game has turned all of a sudden all this success all of this commendation all of these good things in jobs life the greatest man in the East and all of a sudden gone gone gone God he just is losing it all so what does job do look at chapter 13 and verse 13 he's responding now to these friends that have come to accuse him and he says hold your peace let me alone that I may speak and let come on me what will wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in mine hand though he slay me yet will I trust in him I will maintain my own ways before him when the game was on the line for Joel when it just seemed like the bases are loaded and I'm about to throw a pitch and get beat here what does Joel do we see in jobs life a marvelous trust though he slay me yeah well I trust in him listen friends the strength of your trust is never known in the calm the strength of your trust is revealed in the storm unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul o my lord I trust in thee let let me not be ashamed let not mine enemies triumph over me what time I am afraid I will trust in thee my soul trusteth in the a in the shadow of thy wings do I make my refuge until these calamities be over past I cry unto the Lord most high unto God that perform with all things for me I'll keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon thee because he trusts within thee we see a maintain we our trust in God this marvelous trust that joel has that God has not made a mistake that God has not done me wrong I'm gonna keep trust in him though he slay me and then we see a maintained target I love the end of verse 15 he says I will Mane my own way before the Lord you know what so often happens to us when trouble comes when the boat gets rocked a little bit and all of a sudden weren't a bit of turmoil and all of a sudden that fiery dart comes you know what we do we clip we throw the ball down we head for the dugout and the dugout we begin to blame God we begin to accuse him of being unfair we rationalize our spiritual apathy by his treatment of us we begin to play the victim card we get the pity party going we feel that God isn't fair we quit but not Joel Joel maintained his target I'm gonna maintain my way before the Lord I don't know how many times I've heard people say on a Sunday morning as they've left Church to their pastors I've stood beside pastors at the door people come out and they'll say pastor we'd be here tonight but we're kind of going through it right now you know I've often thought you know when you're kind of going through it right now it's a good time to go to church but it's kind of our nature when we're going through a tough time what when things don't quite go right when when some problems come we just we just want to hand the ball to back to the manager we just want to kind of walk off the mound we kind of want to sneak into the dugout we kind of want to just quit the game but not Joel his trust remained in God his target remained the same I'm gonna serve God I'm gonna trust him I'm gonna serve him for the rest of my life things didn't go well for Joseph but Joseph maintained his way before the Lord and God honored him thing didn't good things didn't go well for Daniel but Daniel kept his trust and the Lord he this target in view and God honored Daniel for his faithfulness things didn't always go right for the Apostle Paul read 2nd Corinthians 11 read of the trials read of the difficulties but but but Paul maintained his target we have so many things to be thankful for don't we this pastor was reading his list about things he's thankful for here at Lancaster Baptist Church I'm sure that you resonated with many of those things you've thought some of those same things about your church as he was talking about you know being thankful your mind went to other areas perhaps of your life areas when God has blessed you areas where God has used you areas where God has has just showered his blessings on your life God's been really good to my wife and I he's blessed us we're thankful for his blessings thankful for my children my boys in the ministry serving the Lord thankful my grandkids twelve of them now thankful for their health and it's always fun to hear when they call and say got saved I got baptized it's fun to hear how God is using their life and now they're graduated from high school and going out into life and it's just fun to see God bless their lives God's been good to us back in March we had our 12th grandchild our sixth boy we finally caught up we were down 6 to 2 but it's 6 to 6 now took a lot of fasting and prayer but we got caught up Logan logan was born with Down syndrome so what now God come on what's up with that no no no not on your life let me tell you something friend we thank God for loketh you mark my words God will use Logan Matthew yecchh in ways as a Down Syndrome little boy that he will not even use me or you know don't you take the ball from me I'm not walking off the mound I'm not throwing in the towel no we're striking out the devil he may seem invincible he may snarl his lip he may think he's got the game won but friend I like what Joel said though he slay me yeah well I trust in him I will maintain my ways before the Lord maybe you're having a rough inning tonight maybe you're going through a season seems like there just comes one power hitter after another to the plate you're not sure what to throw anymore friend don't quit don't quit you take that ball that God has given you by the grace of God you throw that strike and you watch God because greater is He that's in you and he that's in the world

Channel: Lancaster Baptist Church

Views: 1,321

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: lancaster baptist church, lancaster baptist, baptist church, paul, chappell, paul chappell, pastor paul chappell, Job 1

Id: nvNO7Oed-E0

Length: 30min 48sec (1848 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 21 2019