4. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

5. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

6. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

7. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

8. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

9. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

10. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Let us pray.

Most holy and gracious heavenly Father, we thank You for who You are and for what You do. Father, hide Your son behind the cross, that Your people would see You and not me. Father, as I decrease I ask that You would increase. Let the words of my mouth tonight and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, oh Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

When we survey the book of Job, in the first chapter it said that Job was a perfect and upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil. In other words, Job was a man of God.

And one thing about Job that really, really blesses my soul is that Job had a real foundation. You see, your foundation is what’s going to tell who you really are. You see, after all the jumping is over, after all of the shouting is over, after (glory to God) all the clapping of the hands is over, who I really am (oh, my God, my God) is going to be told by my foundation.

It wasn’t Job’s mouth only that was saying, “I need to retain my integrity,” but it was his foundation that was speaking to his wife. He said, “Don’t you know that I know my God? Don’t know you know I understand my God? And I know (hallelujah) He won’t put more on me (oh, my God, my God) than what I can bear.

You see, so many times we’ve been talking to God. But when the storm comes that’s when we got to prove that we’re walking the walk. You see, the storm began to come in Job’s life. You know the story. Hallelujah.

Job was an upright man. Got up early in the morning and prayed, not only for himself, but for his family. Hallelujah. He made sure that not only he was in right standing with God, but those that surrounded him, those that made him who he was was covered in prayer.

Let me tell you something tonight. Who Job was in the midst of his warfare still ministered. Do you hear what I’m saying tonight? You see, in the midst of your warfare who you are should still minister who you are.

You see, we begin to change who we are because of the warfare. But he understood that he was called and chosen of God. And in spite of his warfare he had to stand his ground and say, “I am a man of God.”

Your test of who you really are is the warfare that you’re able to go through. You see, I can be the best preacher you ever heard. I can sing melodies that come from the Throne room of God. But who I really am is who I am in the midst of the battle. That’s who you really are.

You see, our colors are going to show up then, aren’t they? Oh, you... You’re not talking to me tonight. Our mentality of what we really think is going to show up. What’s in our hearts is going to show up. Because out of the abundance of the heart my mouth is going to speak.

Who he was was not just something that flowed from his lips. Who he was was something that flowed from his heart.

How many of you realize tonight that Satan wants to test your foundation? When we look at our lives, there are buildings that surround us. And not only buildings surround us, but we are buildings. And the most important part of that building is the foundation.

But what has happened is, just like building a building in the natural, many times we get artificial materials in order to make that house. Oh, you don’t hear me tonight. The materials that we use are not always genuine. They’re not always the best. They’re full of fillers, aren’t they?

But if I’m going to stand through the storm, I’ve got to have the real deal. There can’t be nothing fake about me. Because it’s going to show up. Who am I preaching to in this house?

We’ve been going through things. But it’s to test our foundation. In Luke four when the devil came to tempt Jesus, he was only trying to test His foundation.

You see, many times there are cracks in the foundation. Do you hear what I’m saying? And that leaves room for the devil to get in. But when I make sure that that foundation is secure, can’t nothing get in except I let it in.

The foundation has got to be deep enough and strong enough to withstand the stress. You see, this life is full of stress. But Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer anyway, because I’ve already overcome this world.”

You see, you have got to get that revelation that our foundation is Christ. Our end is Christ. Our middle is Christ. Everything about us exudes Christ.

God was telling Satan in other words, “I know who he is. But you don’t have a clue.” You see, the devil things he knows who you are. But you got to prove that he don’t got a clue about you. He think he knows you like the back of your hand. Do you hear what I’m saying tonight? Devil, you don’t know me. Back, up off me.

He’ll try to get familiar with you. That’s what he was trying to get with Job. He was going around. He saw all that Job had. And he said, “The only reason why he’s blessing You is because You done prospered him, and because You have hedged him in all the way around.”

But God was telling Satan, “It ain’t about what he got.” Oh, hallelujah tonight.

The foundation will determine the quality of the whole thing. Forget about how decorated it looks. Forget about this tie. Forget about this suit. But what’s really going on? What’s really a foundation? What’s the essence behind all of that?

He was an upright man, an upright man. Job was tested. With a life filled with prestige and possessions and people, and then all of a sudden he was assaulted. And not only was he assaulted, but he was assaulted on every side. Not only was he assaulted on every side, but he was devastated. Not only was he devastated, but he was stripped down until all there was was a foundation. He was at what you’ll call and I’ll call tonight a crossroads of his faith.

You see, many times we’ve been at a crossroads at our faith, and we didn’t know which way to go. Keep on going. Don’t stop now.

He said don’t look to the right or to the left, but keep your faith straight as an arrow.

His foundation was speaking. And you would think that with all that was going on that he would have gave up on God. Lost his children. Precious children. Lost all the wealth he had. Had thousands of sheep and all kinds of stuff. He was a prosperous farmer, wasn’t he? Man of God. Lost all of it.

But then this is what the devil had the nerve to say in chapter two and verse four

4. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

After all that was taken from him, Satan was still of the opinion that he was going to curse God. He was saying, “He’s only faithful because of these blessings. He’s only faithful because of these things.” But he said, “Skin for skin.”

So God granted what he desired. He said, “You can touch his body, but don’t touch his life.” One of the things that really blessed me about Job was when he said, “Shall we receive evil, and not receive... Shall we receive good and not receive evil?”

What do we accept? We only accept those things that we deem to be good. Hello, somebody. But I heard a song say, “Accept what God allows.” You see, every now and then God is going to allow the devil to put his hands to what belongs to you. But it’s only a test. It’s only a test.

Sometimes we believe that being in God and loving God will keep the storms out of our lives. But not only will it not keep the storms out of our lives. Believing God and loving on God won’t make me a rich man either. Oh, hello. Just because I believe in God and I love God, my name is not Bill Gates, somebody. If it was that simple, everybody would believe in God.

His foundation was speaking for him. What is your foundation saying about you tonight? Are you at that point where you’re just about to go off? Is that what your foundation is going to say about you?

See, the devil thinks that he knows your breaking point. And that’s what he said about Job. He said, “I know his breaking point.” But he didn’t know Job at all. He doesn’t know you. He’s pretending like he knows you.

Your foundation, is it based on somebody else? Are you only happy if somebody else is with you? Oh, you don’t hear me tonight.

Sometimes we’re all by ourselves, and we feel alone. But my foundation is in Christ. And I can be with a crowd, or I can be all by myself. And I feel just fine.

Saints of God, what about Job? What about Job? He understood God. He had wisdom. His wisdom was speaking for him. His wisdom was speaking through him. He knew with whom he had to do. He knew who he belonged to. He knew that God would never leave him nor forsake him. He knew these things.

But sometimes we only know it to a certain point. And after that our mind get to wondering, “God, are You still here?” I couldn’t be talking to nobody in here.

The Bible said that he began to worship. You see, if you really have an understanding of warfare, and when you’re in the midst of it, you need to worship. It’s something... Oh, my God, my God. (Tongues.) It’s something about worship. God begins to get stirred up about you. He began to worship. He began to worship God and humble himself before God.

See, in the midst of our warfare, it’s not time to come at His face. It’s time to come at His feet. Come at His feet and tell Him how wonderful He is. How excellent is Your Name in all the earth. The whole world is full of Your Glory. Tell Him anyhow. Lord, I extol you.

Job had a relationship with God. And I know you heard that story about Job before. But his relationship was not superficial.

Too many times our relationships are so superficial. They’re based on what somebody can do for us. Even in ministry a lot of times it’s... Oh, my God. Can I talk to you? It’s based on who has the most to offer me. Not what I can do to come help you build the... Oh, my God, my God. It’s so superficial.

But his relationship with God was so real. It was genuine. It was genuine. Even though he lost all that he had, it was genuine.

Most of the time if a preacher loses all he got, we gone. Hello, somebody. Because it’s so superficial. I’m going there, aren’t I? Our relationships have got to be deeper than that. They’ve got to be deeper than that.

His relationship was so deep that he could have died. The Bible said that he wished that he was dead. He wished that the name Job was never rang out in the earth. Have you ever been there before, that you wish that your name was never birthed in the earth? Oh, you haven’t been there. Have you ever been down to your last, didn’t know what tomorrow was going to bring, let alone today?

Job had it all. He went from rich to rags. But the end of the story is he went back to rich again. And even though he asked God why, God broke him down and spoke to him. And Job repented. And all was restored to him again.

Tonight what is your foundation saying about you to God? Never mind what it’s saying about you to me. Never mind what it’s saying about you to somebody else. But what is it saying to God about you? Are you an upright man or woman that fears God and eschews evil? Are you like the hireling that will run with the wind at the first sight of warfare?

What is your foundation saying? What is it saying? Think about it.

When we look at Job... And we’re about to close. He was driven back to his foundation of faith.

You see, sometimes we can get so super deep (Who am I talking to?) that we forget about the basics. And because we’re so super deep, we can’t quote the basic Scriptures any more. We’re searching for something else. Because we done got so deep that the old Scriptures that used to work, they don’t work no more. Hello, somebody.

But Job had to go back to the basics of faith. Now faith is. He had to go back there. I know you done heard Hebrews eleven, one a thousand, a million times. But sometimes you got to go back there. Now faith is.

He had two choices. He could either curse God and die and give up, or he could continue to press on and draw strength from God. You’ve got two choices tonight, two choices. Either you can give up in the midst of the storm, or you can draw strength from the one that gives strength. I choose the latter of the two. I want to draw strength from Him.

The Bible says wait on the Lord. Be of good courage. And he will strengthen thine heart.

Just wait on Him. You know what they say. He may not come when you want Him, but He’s always on time. Isn’t He?

What is your foundation saying about you tonight? Are you faithful over the few things, so He can make you ruler over many? Or are you like that unjust servant? Do an evaluation of yourself and be real with God. Be real with Him. Be real. Say, “God, I’m like this. This is how I am. Now make the changes where You need to make the changes.” You’re the Potter. I’m the clay. Do whatever You want to do with me. I’m available.”

In the book of Matthew seventeen, when Jesus went up into the mountain, and he took a couple of the disciples with Him, the Bible said that He was transfigured. And the Greek word for that is “metamorpho.” That meant that He was changed. He was not only changed on the inside, but He was changed on the outside.

I submit to you tonight, some of us need to be transfigured. We need to be changed on the inside, that it will show on the outside. The Bible said that His face shown like the sun. When I look at you and you look at me, you should be able to see the Son on our faces. Because He’s made a wonderful change in our lives.

If you need to be changed tonight, you’re not by yourself. There are things about every single one of us that need to change. It’s a matter of submitting ourselves and surrendering. Paul said what? “I die daily.” Didn’t he?

There’s always something about us that can be changed to be more like Him, to help us conform to the image of Christ. Whatever it is tonight...(tongues)...let Him change it. Let Him change it. Let Him change it.

It’s time out for playing, church. It’s time to be real for God. You remember Isaiah when God said, “Who will go for us? Who shall I send?”

He said, “Here am I, Lord. Send me.” But he had that revelation that he was a man of unclean lips, and that he needed to be cleaned up first. If you want God to use you, you got to ask Him to clean you up. Ask Him to make a change, so that when the people see you they’ll see Him.

When Moses went up into the mount Sinai, when he came back the people were so afraid, because his face shown. Because he was also in the Presence of God.

Don’t you want people to see the Presence of God on you? I do. Lift up your hand to Him if you want people to see the Presence of God. I want them to know that there’s something different about me.

I don’t just want to be another face in the crowd. I want to stand out in the crowd, not because of what I’m saying, but because Jesus is shining forth from the inside. Every action that I make, every step I take, I want it to glorify God in all that I say and do. I want to do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and bring glory and honor to Him.

Some of you are really going through some things. But when you think about Jesus, He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. The Bible even declared that His face was so marred that you couldn’t even recognize His face. My God, my God.

Don’t you want to be like Him? Affliction brings Glory. Let me say that again, because you didn’t get that. Affliction brings Glory. See, this light affliction can’t be compared to the Glory that shall be revealed in you. Affliction brings Glory. Understand that.

This suffering that you’re going through is going to cause you to be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. And you’ll be just like Him. Don’t you want a glorified body tonight?

Because I declare this world is not my home. I’m just passing through. I’m just doing all I can do right now. I got a mansion not made with a man’s hands in my Father’s house. Whatever I can do for Him, that’s what I plan on doing, even if He has to work on me and break me down to get me to do it. I’ll do it, Lord. Get my flesh to that place where I’ll do it, Jesus.

Oh, my God, my God. I feel Jesus in this house. There’s an awesome Presence of the Lord here. He’s so good to us. We don’t deserve Him. But because of His Blood that He shed He made us partakers with Him. Aren’t you glad about it?

Forget about everything else. Forget about all your problems and just meditate on Jesus. And I guarantee you that joy that is your strength will begin to well up on the inside of you.

Whatever’s ailing you, whatever’s bothering you, leave it at the altar tonight. Don’t pick it back up. Leave it there. All of your fears, leave them at the altar. Anything that will pull you away from Jesus, leave it at the altar. You don’t need it, you don’t need it, you don’t need it.

Maintain your integrity. Maintain your integrity tonight. In other words, maintain your honesty and your sincerity about God.

When I looked up that word “integrity,” it also meant, “without any defects.” Have you defects in you about God. Know that He is perfect in all of His ways. He’s perfect in all of His ways. There’s nothing wrong with God. He’s perfect in all of His ways, all of His ways. Everything about Him is excellent. And we need to worship Him as such.

It’s not based on your blessings. It’s not based on your material things or anything like that. It wasn’t even based on Job’s body, was it? Because that was attacked also.

My God, we thank Him tonight.

Just wave your hands to Him in this Anointing. He’s perfect.