There is a spiritual realm and a great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us. As the Bible says, “we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) — principalities, powers, thrones, and dominions.
Job is a perfect example of this. In heaven, there are both good and bad spirits, and they are watching us.
In Job 1:6–7, we see that “there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. The LORD said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.’”
Notice how Satan doesn’t have the right to speak to God until he is spoken to first. That’s the divine order of things. Then, in verse 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.”
God is the only true examiner of our hearts, but Satan seems to have that ability too. It’s a power delegated by God and is a remnant of Satan’s early glory. Satan acknowledges that Job is blameless and upright, but he still mocks God by mocking God’s work in Job. He says that Job is only good because of God’s blessings.
However, God allows Job to be tested with restrictions set by Him. Satan only has power that is explicitly decreed by God. As the story unfolds, we see that there are wounds in life that hurt so badly that we can’t imagine ever healing from them.
But God desires that we look to the beauty of the cross and all that is accomplished by Him. Tests and trials are allowed by God so that we can be sure that He is doing immeasurably more than we can ever imagine.
So, remember that we are not alone in this world. We have a great cloud of witnesses watching us, both good and bad. But we also have a God who is in control and who desires the best for us. Keep the faith, my friends!
For the next devotion in this series click here.
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