Page 44 - Job

try to hold back money. That was his nature; that was his old sin nature,
just like his wife.
We see the same principle operating in Job’s calamities. You read the first
chapter, and if you didn’t know Satan was there, you could have referred
everything that happened to the predatory nature of his Arab neighbors.
They always attacked. That was just like them to do that. Here is the
point. The Bible says Satan had a part in it, but it is so natural you would
never guess it . What does Satan do? He attacks godly people, and here is
how he does it. He watches the proclivities of our evil natures and then he
provides us with opportunities to gratify those things. So in one case, one
man is tempted to steal, and Satan puts that in front of him. Another man
is tempted not to trust the Lord, and Satan provides the opportunity for
him not to trust.

I will mention this now, but I think this will become clearer as we go
further in our study. It does not make any difference in your life, no
difference whatsoever, if you can figure out who is the cause. Is this from
circumstances? Is this from my old sin nature? Is this from Satan? Is this
from God? It makes no difference at all. Behind it all, is God. The fact is,
God is not the author of sin. But you would never be able to give thanks
in all things, if you did not believe God was behind everything. Now that
will make more sense as we go on. What does Satan do? He attacks godly
people.
WHEN DOES SATAN WORK
The next question. When does Satan work? There are two answers to this
question. Satan cannot work anytime he wants to. Satan is limited; he is
confined; he is restricted. Look at chapter 1:1 “That man was blameless,
upright, fearing God (now notice this next phrase) and turning away
from evil.” In chapter 1, verse 8, the Lord says the same thing “He was
turning away from evil.”
Satan has no compulsory power over man. What I mean by that is Satan
can suggest, stimulate and provide the occasion. Satan can work in the
children of disobedience to accomplish their own ruin. But Satan cannot
force you to sin. He cannot force your will. He cannot compel anybody to
transgress. Man is not a helpless machine. Satan can blind, deceive, hold
captive, only those who want to be blinded, deceived and held captive.
God has given man a will, and it takes that act of volition to constitute
actual sin. Eve tried to pass the buck. Eve tried to say “The serpent made
me do it”. She would have been guiltless if the serpent grabbed her by the
throat and jammed the fruit down her throat. But the serpent didn’t

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