God’s Plan Can Be Unveiled to Us in the Midst of Suffering | Tony Evans Sermon

Dr. Tony Evans presents a profound exploration of the timeless question: Why do we suffer? Join him as he navigates the complexities of suffering, emphasizing the spiritual and legal dimensions at play.

Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, founder and president of The Urban Alternative and author of over 100 books, booklets and Bible studies. The first African American to earn a doctorate of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, he has been named one of the 12 Most Effective Preachers in the English-Speaking World by Baylor University. Dr. Evans holds the honor of writing and publishing the first full-Bible commentary and study Bible by an African American. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on over 1,400 radio outlets daily and in more than 130 countries. Dr. Evans’ sermons are also streamed and downloaded over 20,000,000 times annually.

When you don’t hear from god and heaven doesn’t answer your request, you are now in the crucible of preparation for recovery.
So when god puts me, you, and us, in the crucible of suffering, it is because There is still something left that he has to do so that he can find himself operating in your life.
One of the most challenging questions that all of us have faced.
Many of us have verbalized it. Most of us have fought it.
Is to ask god why.
Because as far as we are concerned what we are dealing with does simply not make sense.
Sometimes it seems unfair.
Sometimes if the truth be told, you even wonder, does he really care?
It is one thing to ask out a question. It’s another thing to question god.
And as long as you keep that distinction in mind, But the biggest why as far as humans are concerned, probably the biggest biggest why is Jesus on the cross.
My god. My god. Why? Has now forsaken me?
But in terms of our own human trouble, The biggest why is Job because the whole book is about why.
The question is why?
He says in chapter 7 verse 20, why do you make me your target?
You’re doing target practice on me.
The summary question in the book is, why do the righteous suffer?
In other words, is it worth it?
Being committed, being a Christian, going all in, becoming a discipled.
Is it is it worth it if I’m a do right and I still gotta bear wrong. Why?
We’re told in verse 1, he was a man full of faith.
He feared god and he turned away from evil. He was not only a man of strong faith.
He was a man with a solid family.
He talked about verse 2 as 7 sons, and his 3 daughters.
Uh, I would call him my friends would be a kingdom man because When his kids went out the party, verse 5, it says when the days of feasting it completed, Joe would send and consecrate them raising up er rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them for Job said, perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed god in their hearts thus Job continually did.
He was a daddy who covered his family. So he’s a man of strong faith.
He was a man of strong family.
And this is the one most of us would like.
It was a man of great fortune.
Versus 3 tells us 7000 sheet, 3000 Campbell, 5000 yoke of oxygen, 5000 female monkeys, many servants, and he was the greatest of all men in the east.
But now in verse 6, there is a turn. As successful as he was.
Something begins to happen that collapses his world. Verse 6.
Now that was a day when the sons of god came to present themselves before the lord, and Satan also came among them.
And the lord said to Satan, From where do you come, then Satan answered the lord.
And said from roaming about on the earth walking around on it.
The theology and those 2 verses is a beast.
You have god calling a meeting of the angelic host called the sons of god.
So angels and demons have gathered. Satan is part of the gathering.
So we gotta rewind to the very first sermon in the series, and I’ve got to read to you Daniel chapter 7 verse 10 so you can understand why all these folks are getting together.
Daniel chapter 7 verse 10 puts it in these words. Let me read verse 9.
I kept looking until the thrones were set up and the ancient of days took his seat.
God, his vesture was like white snow and the hair of his head was like pure wool.
His throne was ablaze with flames.
Its wheels were a burning fire A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before him, thousands upon thousands were attending him and periods upon marriage were standing before him.
The court sat. And the books were open.
So the gathering in Job is the court scene that is described when the thousands and thousands of angels who are called sons of god and Job are gathered because court is called in session.
We have explained to you and me that your relationship with god on earth is a spiritual one, but it is also a legislative one.
It is a legal gathering. If you do not grasp the legality of your life, on earth by which happening based on what’s happening in heaven, then you will not formally realize what is happening to you.
Satan and the angels are called to court.
Because that’s the reason for the gathering. There is a grand jury in session.
Grand juries assess the evidence to determine what is legitimately to be taken to trial.
So the grand jury is called And god ask Satan where you been, boy?
What what what’s What what’s the what’s the case load today?
Now I’m going back.
You remember Revelation 12 7 311, he is an accuser of the brotherhood.
The Greek word accused means to bring legal lawsuit.
So Satan wants to bring legal lawsuit against you and he wants to do it for one overriding purpose.
Daniel 7 verse 10 says the books were open.
So on 139 verse 16 says that when god made you he put you in a book.
The book is the substance, Psalm 13916 says, of your life.
It’s your story as god has desired it and designed it to be.
So you have a book.
Satan’s goal is for you to not realize what’s written in your book.
In other words, he wants to deny you your destiny.
He wants to deny you god’s plan goal for your life.
That starts with the conception, which is why abortion is wrong and goes all the way through death in this life and you have a book.
Satan’s goal is to keep that book from being realized. To keep your destiny.
And he does that by accusing you, that is, bringing up a case against you.
When what have you been doing, Devil?
He says, I’ve been walking to and fro.
To and fro the earth verse 7 of Job 1 says walking around it.
And then god does something that we don’t like.
He helps to double out. Verse 8. Have you considered my servant, Joe?
Have you checked out my servant, Jones?
Because he is the goat There is no one like in verse 8 on earth.
Blameless upright fearing god, turning from evil. Satan said, mhmm, Joe. Joe.
I know about Joe because he’s the greatest man on earth. So So I know about him.
Does Joan serve you for nothing?
In order for Satan to accuse, he has to have a base of accusation.
Yeah. He’s blameless.
In all of his actions, but, god, I think I got something.
Sometimes, Job’s motives are wrong.
You know that he does all the right things, but he doesn’t always do all the right things for the right reason.
Does he serve you for nothing, or is he like a lot of folk?
You know, he just serves you for his blessing. I’m coming to get my blessing.
I want god to, you know, get me a new car, a new house, new clothes, you know, I challenged Joe based on motivation.
I can’t blame him for his actions because He either doesn’t do wrong, or he sacrifices when he does do wrong.
So he’s back in fellowship with me, but I wanna get into his mind.
Because all of us knows what it is to do the right things with the wrong thoughts.
To do the right things with the wrong motivation, to justify our actions because of our thinking.
He says, I know what I can do. I can attack Job on the motivational level.
But I got a problem, god.
Devil says, I got I do have a problem with with this because you brought him up.
I didn’t bring him up, but since you brought him up, brought him up, I can deal with him on the motivational level, but I got a problem.
Have you verse 10 not made a hedge around him, his house, and all that he has on every side.
You have blessed the work of his hand, and his possessions have increased in the land.
If you ever if you ever let me loose and remove the restraining order, Then I’m gonna show you that Job’s motivation is enough to accuse him.
Now There’s a whole lot of theology there because, 1, Satan knows about the restraining order.
2, he can’t do anything until god moves it. Yes.
So to remind you from one of our other messages, that means that Satan has to get god’s permission to be the devil.
That he’s gotta ask god, is it okay to mess with you?
And so he says, if you will remove the hedge, if you remove this protective shield, Then I can show you he ain’t all ladd in a bag of chips because I can get him on the motivational level.
Put forth your hand, verse 11, and stretch it out.
And he will surely curse you and your face.
Because the only reason he’s serving you is because of stuff.
You didn’t give him a good life.
Take away the good life, He ain’t gonna be all like Christian. He ain’t gonna be loving the lord.
Because he’s the only doing this to get his blessing.
And, unfortunately, the day we live in a folk day when folk wanna use god.
He’s good as long as he’s giving me my stuff.
The lord said to Satan, behold all that he has is in your power.
Only do not put forth your hand on him.
Satan god releases the restraining order to a point.
K. I’m gonna let you touch his stuff. I’ll say something about it in a moment.
But I’m not gonna let you touch him.
So not only does god control Whether the devil does something, he controls how much he allows the devil to do.
But notice how much the devil was allowed to do was connected to his relationship with Joe.
Joe is a blameless man. Job’s a job’s a honorable man. He fears god.
So if you don’t fear god, if you don’t care, about the lord, what you have just done is strengthen and elongated the leash.
Of what Satan is allowed to do. He says Okay.
But don’t touch him. And then he comes into the worst 24 hours of his life.
Beginning with verse 13. He loses his kids in a collapse.
He loses his business, 1415, Fire comes down and consumes everything 16.
Band of Raiders come in. And destroy everything 17. Everything collapses.
And it’s is one thing to have one bad thing today.
It’s another thing to have everything happening on the same day.
This is a massive collapse allowed by god. Please understand me here.
The most important doctrine that you can learn as a Christian is the gospel.
The good news of Jesus Christ Faith alone in Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life to accept Christ as your personal substitute is the greatest truth you can learn, but the 2nd greatest truth you can learn is the sovereignty of god.
This is very important because if you don’t believe god is sovereign, you live a light by luck.
Yeah. Chance happens stands, stands, fate. No.
There’s no such thing as luck in the Christian vocabulary. Everything.
Everything is either caused by god or allowed by god, but nothing is ever missed by god.
Verse 20, then Joe Rose tore his robe, shaved his head.
Fell on the ground and worshiped. Now don’t get me wrong.
This is not this is not you know, play worship because he’s still grieving through watch this, through all this, Joe did not sin verse 22, nor did he blame god.
In chapter 2, Joe loses his health. Boyle’s breakout on his skin.
His wife tells him to curse god and die.
See, if you’re married to the wrong person, that that ain’t gonna help me out.
You said the verse 9.
Do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse god and die.
I’ve been wanting to get rid of you a long time anyway. Curse god and die.
Says you speak as one verse tell the foolish women.
Shall I indeed accept good from god and not accept adversity?
Job does not know anything about this conversation between god and the devil.
There are things going in the spiritual realm that you don’t see a field, a touch, or taste, or hear, that’s why you have got to be connected spiritual league so that you can handle stuff you don’t understand.
I love chapter 23. He says verse 3, oh, that I knew where I might find him.
God. That I might come to his seat. Be verse 8.
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there. And backward, but I cannot perceive him.
When he acts on the left, I cannot behold him.
And he turns on the He says, I’m going through all this pain, and god is nowhere to be found.
It’s bad enough my world has collapsed, but I can’t find him.
Why would god be silent when you need to hear him scream?
Why would god be silent when you need to hear him holler?
Notice what he says. He says.
Verse 10, but I know the way I take.
When he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
He says, I can’t find him, but I know what I’m gonna do.
I I’m a keep going. I’m not gonna throw in the towel. I’m not gonna quit.
Right. And when he has tried me, I will come forth as pure as gold.
He says the reason god is silent is I’m on trial. Yes.
Because he said earlier, I wanna take my seat. Yes. That’s that’s that’s a courtroom analogy.
He says, when god is silent, I’m on trial. K. Why is this now?
When you don’t hear from god and you need heaven and heaven doesn’t answer your request, It is because you are now in the crucible of preparation for recovery.
You’re now when he goes silent on you and you are suffering, but you know the way you take.
You’re gonna keep going. You’re gonna keep the faith. You’re gonna keep trusting.
Even though you don’t see him, He is putting you on trial so that he says, when you come forth, you will come pure as gold.
So when god puts me, you, and us in the crucible of suffering, and you can’t find him, It is because there is still something left that he has to do so that he can find himself operating in your life.
So he’s looking for himself.
God will use trouble for you to get a bigger view of him.
So he comes to the last chapter. Chapter 42.
Job has been listening. And god has been blowing his mind.
Then Job answered the lord after the lord blows his mind was how awesome he is.
But nowhere does he give him the explanation.
I know that you can do all things. You to go.
And that no purpose of yours can be for warranted. I have discovered you are in charge.
Who is this that hides council without knowledge? Who does man think he is?
That he can outsmart god. Therefore, I have declared that which I did not understand.
Oh, Oh, oh, my view of god has changed.
And the thing that changed, it was my trouble brought on by the devil that god ok’d.
But now my eyes see you. I retract and I repent in dust and ashes.
Then the lord verse 10 restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends.
Job needed help for him. His world is falling apart. His world had collapsed.
But not until he prayed for his friends. Did the fortune change?
So I wanna say it and say it again.
Minister while you suffer.
But the end of verse 10s, that’s something very interesting. The lord increased all that Job had twofold.
Everything doubled. So in closing, no, You got a book.
I got a book. We got a book. That book is your destiny. Satan wants to steal your destiny.
By distracting you from god and trading, making money your god, making power your god, making popularity of your god, making notoriety your god, making notoriety of your god, He wants to trade with you because he’s gonna make something in this world looks more important and more potent and more profitable and better than god.
And following him. He wants to do the trade, but the 1 third of angels that traded with him will be in hell forever.
When you trade with the devil, you pay interest payments for eternity or maybe all of history.
But god has allowed an appeal process that if you go to god in repentance, and appeal your case before him.
He can reverse the decision. And you can pick up the next chapter in your book.
A man one day was on his way to catch the 805 train because he had a destiny to go to at a big business deal.
And he had to catch the 805 to get to the business deal in time.
It had rained hard the night before.
And his children unbeknownst to him were playing in the mud that was right outside the back door.
And they were giving themselves all muddy in the dirt now that had been watered by the rain.
He had to catch the 805 because he had a destination to get to.
So he rushed out the back door.
He tried to leap over where his kids were playing in the mud but he didn’t quite leap far enough, and he slipped, and he fell in the mud.
Now he’s dirty now with his kids.
And they’re in the mud, but he got a problem because he gotta catch the 805 because he’s got a destination to get to because it’s so important he doesn’t miss this business deal.
So he decides to get up because he remembers that on that train, there is a washroom on that train there is cloth on that train.
There was a shower on that train was what he needed to get cleaned up.
So he decided not to hang out with the kids in the mud who were playing in the mud.
He decided, I gotta do whatever text takes to catch the 805 because I gotta train the catch because I gotta destiny.
The old folks would say a charge to keep our hands. A god to glorify.
So he says, get up and stop playing with your friends. Stop hanging out in the mud.
Get your book out. Ask god to show you where you are in it and then fulfill your destiny so that when you stand before the lord, you hear well done.
My good and faithful servant.