I was at a service recently where Prophetic Evangelist Gordon Winslow spoke on the hedge of Job and its benefit for us today. The following are points that he made; I find them very worthy of consideration.
First, the hedge that protected Job was first commented upon by satan. Job 1:9-10, "9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land." (kjv)
It's nice to know that the hedge that God had around Job was signifcant enough that satan (I choose not to honor the name of satan with a capital S) was unable to penetrate it.
At this point, let me add a thought. If Job was once so protected, what happened to allow the catastrophe that later occured to him? And if God had a hedge of protection and bless around Job, why do some Christians suffer so greatly today? Well, the answer would seem to be that God himself removed his hedge from Job. The removal of the hedge was for personal, albeit most difficult, growth. And it is for this same reason that we often find ourselves under attach today. Back to the main points of the message by Gordon Winslow...
Evangelist Winslow then suggested five points to restore or rebuild a hedge of blessing and protection around our lives.
1. Believe in God's blessing and protection - and do not be ashamed. Scriptures such as, Ps 34:7, "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." (kjv) should encourage us to believe that God DOES want to protect and bless us. Embrace a great hope and faith in God - this is the first step in 'the Hedge Blessing'.
2. Job's first loss was his livestock; satan wanted to remove Job's opportunity to sacrifice and give liberally to God. The story of Job lets us know that he was a giving man; making sacrifices regularly. Gordon Winslow here elaborated greatly on the importance of giving sacrificially.
3. Job 22:7 & 8, "27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. 28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways." (kjv) Prayer is the next element important in erecting and maintaining a hedge. Draw close to God, walk uprightly before Him and grant him a reason to bless and protect you!
4. From verse 27 above, "...pay thy vows...". We need to go back to our beginning with God, examine the promises we made to Him and repay those! Oh, the joy of promises kept!
5. From verse 28, above, "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways." So, once you've done the things above, begin talking about the blessing of the hedge! 'Decree it', as verse 28 says! Live with the thought of God's blessing and protection lightening your days!
"...The end of the Lord..." is how a New Testament writer referred to Jobs latter end; his time of blessing and renewal. Evangelist Winslow went on to mention that the Old Testament law stated that a thief, if caught in the act, must restore twice what he was found stealing. Job, after all his trial, was restored twice what he had in the beginning. For every animal stolen - he received two. The thief, satan, was found in the act of stealing and the reward to Job was two-fold! Excellent thought, isn't it? For everything that the thief (as Jesus called satan) may have taken from you - believe God for double!
Again, very little of this is original and most is from scant notes made during the message (actually, a series of texts to my own phone). There is great potential in the above thought, though, and I hope you find comfort, joy and blessing in it!
The above message was preached at "The Pentecostals at Royalwood" by Gordon Winslow August 7, 2013; http://www.royalwood.cc/
You may discover more about evangelist Jonathan Milam at www.JonathanMilam.com or https://twitter.com/JMinTX
First, the hedge that protected Job was first commented upon by satan. Job 1:9-10, "9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land." (kjv)
It's nice to know that the hedge that God had around Job was signifcant enough that satan (I choose not to honor the name of satan with a capital S) was unable to penetrate it.
At this point, let me add a thought. If Job was once so protected, what happened to allow the catastrophe that later occured to him? And if God had a hedge of protection and bless around Job, why do some Christians suffer so greatly today? Well, the answer would seem to be that God himself removed his hedge from Job. The removal of the hedge was for personal, albeit most difficult, growth. And it is for this same reason that we often find ourselves under attach today. Back to the main points of the message by Gordon Winslow...
Evangelist Winslow then suggested five points to restore or rebuild a hedge of blessing and protection around our lives.
1. Believe in God's blessing and protection - and do not be ashamed. Scriptures such as, Ps 34:7, "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." (kjv) should encourage us to believe that God DOES want to protect and bless us. Embrace a great hope and faith in God - this is the first step in 'the Hedge Blessing'.
2. Job's first loss was his livestock; satan wanted to remove Job's opportunity to sacrifice and give liberally to God. The story of Job lets us know that he was a giving man; making sacrifices regularly. Gordon Winslow here elaborated greatly on the importance of giving sacrificially.
3. Job 22:7 & 8, "27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. 28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways." (kjv) Prayer is the next element important in erecting and maintaining a hedge. Draw close to God, walk uprightly before Him and grant him a reason to bless and protect you!
4. From verse 27 above, "...pay thy vows...". We need to go back to our beginning with God, examine the promises we made to Him and repay those! Oh, the joy of promises kept!
5. From verse 28, above, "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways." So, once you've done the things above, begin talking about the blessing of the hedge! 'Decree it', as verse 28 says! Live with the thought of God's blessing and protection lightening your days!
"...The end of the Lord..." is how a New Testament writer referred to Jobs latter end; his time of blessing and renewal. Evangelist Winslow went on to mention that the Old Testament law stated that a thief, if caught in the act, must restore twice what he was found stealing. Job, after all his trial, was restored twice what he had in the beginning. For every animal stolen - he received two. The thief, satan, was found in the act of stealing and the reward to Job was two-fold! Excellent thought, isn't it? For everything that the thief (as Jesus called satan) may have taken from you - believe God for double!
Again, very little of this is original and most is from scant notes made during the message (actually, a series of texts to my own phone). There is great potential in the above thought, though, and I hope you find comfort, joy and blessing in it!
The above message was preached at "The Pentecostals at Royalwood" by Gordon Winslow August 7, 2013; http://www.royalwood.cc/
You may discover more about evangelist Jonathan Milam at www.JonathanMilam.com or https://twitter.com/JMinTX
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