A Devotional by Pastor Cesar Castellanos

Today’s Bible Verse

Though he slays me, yet will I hope in him.

Job 13:15

The Spirit of a Conquerer

As we know, Job suffered a terrible change in his life overnight. In a moment he lost his children, his servants, his properties, and all of his livestock. Suddenly darkness came over his life. Although the trial continued for several months, Job said that neither the loss of his family, his property, nor the illness in his body, nor the terrors of the night, nor the words of condemnation of his three friends, would break his spirit. Job knew that the answer to all that he was facing was in God. His spirit of victory made him a true conqueror. Job was a man who really guarded his words, he knew the power that each word carried in order to move the spiritual realm.

In trying to shatter Job’s life, the adversary created circumstances for him to change his words and make him deny God. The argument that he presented before God to gain permission to oppress Job’s life, was that Job was an opportunist. The enemy also accused Job of fearing God only because he was so well protected. There was no way that God could prove Job’s loyalty, so the enemy challenged God. He claimed that when pressure came upon Job, he would crack and blaspheme against God. God accepted the challenge and was satisfied with the results, because Job had been determined to totally trust in God. For this reason, at the height of his pain, Job fell to the ground and worshiped.

Paul wrote that we should praise God in everything. He did not say only praise God when things are good, he said to praise God in everything. The spiritual riches inside Job emerged in the time of testing. Faith is required to be able to relate to God and His Kingdom. During the intense time of his affliction, Job strengthened his relationship with God, so that his life, his sober judgment and his teachings became a great treasure both literally and spiritually.

Lance Armstrong once said, “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, an hour, a day or a year, but eventually it will end and something else will take its place. However, if I give up, that pain will remain forever.”

Something to Think About

During the assassination attempt, I received five gunshot wounds and spent the next ten days poised between life and death. The medical report suggested the worst; it was like a decree of death came upon my life. But my wife stood firm in faith, with full certainty that I would awake and return to normal. In an act of daring faith, she decided to close a deal for the purchase of an apartment that we had chosen days before the assassination attempt. Everybody tried to persuade her to wait for the outcome of my situation. But she said, “I know that Cesar will rise soon and I want to give him this surprise.” Praise God for the spirit of victory that does not accept what earthly situations might say, but only what God has spoken in His Word!

Prayer

Dear God, please grant me the faith to always keep my eyes on You and learn to look beyond the circumstances. I know that in every test that I have lived through, my faith has been strengthened. Thank You for believing in me and making me part of Your family, Amen.

Declaration

I can look over the circumstances and see the true glory of my situation.

Today’s Bible Reading

• Old Testament: Daniel 9; Job 21:22-34
• New Testament: John 13:18-30; Jude 1:8-16