Have you ever noticed how some people just seem to be blessed no matter what is going on in the world around them?  Wouldn’t you like to be one of them?  Would you like to know how to make that happen?  Then you’re in the right place, because I’m going to tell you how, right now.

It is written in Proverbs 19:23, The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
“and he that hath it”….hath WHAT?  The fear of the LORD.  I’m not talking about fear in the sense of being afraid of something, this verse is talking about the reverential awe of God, in giving Him first place in your life, above your will, above your own hopes and dreams, above EVERYTHING!  The Proverb says, the fear of the LORD tends to LIFE, it doesn’t tend to death.  I especially like this next part, “and he that hath it (the fear of the LORD) SHALL abide satisfied.”  It doesn’t say MIGHT abide satisfied, or HOPEFULLY abide satisfied.  The word “shall” is a very strong word in the English language, leaving no “wiggle room” for any loopholes or ways out, but will in the strongest sense happen without doubt.

Going on to the next word “abide”, what does that mean? It means to continually inhabit a place, not just dropping in for a visit, but a permanent place of being there.  And then there’s the word “satisfied”.  We all know what “satisfied” means, it’s something we ALL want to be.  You see, God really wants us to live in His blessing; not just dropping in for an occasional blessing from time to time, but for us to permanently LIVE in the blessing, to the point those blessings are overflowing in our life, until we are abiding abundantly SATISFIED!  Are YOU living in that blessing today? If not, WHY NOT?   Oh, it may not be God’s will, you say?  If that’s the case, then God must be contradicting Himself, but rest assured, He isn’t.

Moving on to the next part, “he SHALL NOT be visited with evil”.  Wow!  If THAT isn’t living in the blessing, I don’t know what is!   The Lord Jesus said in John 10:10, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Can you see the connection between Proverbs 19:23 and John 10:10?  I do.  If you have the “fear of the LORD”, and put Him in first place in your life, then He will see to it that the “thief” has no opportunity in your life to steal, kill, and destroy.   Truly, truly Jesus came that you might have LIFE, and that you might have it MORE ABUNDANTLY.  Yes, I thought you’d like that part, especially if that isn’t the life you are presently living.  But it isn’t a hope afar off, living in the blessing can be a reality to YOU, right now, today, no matter where you are living or what your circumstances are.

Why, most people would consider it a major blessing just to not have evil visit them, and yes, that IS a major blessing, to be able to live without the thief stealing, killing, and destroying the work of your hands.  But not being visited by evil is only a small part of living in the blessing.  We haven’t even mentioned the peace of the Holy Spirit, and knowing that no matter what goes on in the world around us, that our heavenly Father has our back, and He isn’t going to let anything bad happen to us.

Now, I’m going to flip the coin over and work the other side.  You see, when I present a teaching, I like to explore every facet of it so I have an answer to those who would oppose it.   Perhaps you have read the book of Job, at least I hope you have, so you will know the terrible trials Job went through.  He thoroughly loved the LORD, and gave sacrifices to Him all the time, and even gave sacrifices in behalf of his children, in case they had sinned.  Let’s read it here:

Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Job 1:2  And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
Job 1:3  His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
Job 1:4  And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
Job 1:5  And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Job 1:7  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 1:8  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 1:9  Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10  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.
Job 1:11  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

Well, this is a long Book and a long story, but here you see SATAN was after Job to destroy him.  He’s the one whom Jesus said comes not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, you know.  And over the next few chapters we see how Satan killed all his livestock, destroyed all his children’s homes, and killed all his children.  SATAN did that, not God. Keep that in mind as we go on. Then Satan got permission to afflict Job’s body, but he wasn’t allowed to kill him.  Satan even worked through Job’s wife to try to get him to curse God and die, but Job wouldn’t do it.

Satan brought Job’s friends around to try to tell him God did that to him, and that didn’t work, so his friends tried to convince Job that he had sinned against God, and they pressed Job to the point where he wished he had never even been born.  But Job would not curse God, no matter how bad it got.  I’d like it if you would take the time to read the entire Book of Job, so you can get an idea of how terribly that man suffered, yet he would not turn his trust from God.  Then the next time Satan puts YOUR little frying pan over the fire and turns up the heat, you can be encouraged because you read the LAST chapter of the Book of Job and saw what God did.  Now, let’s read the last chapter of Job and see the graciousness of God:

Job 42:1  Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
Job 42:2  I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
Job 42:3  Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Job 42:4  Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 42:5  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Job 42:7  And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
Job 42:8  Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
Job 42:9  So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.
Job 42:10  And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:11  Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
Job 42:12  So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
Job 42:13  He had also seven sons and three daughters.
Job 42:14  And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
Job 42:15  And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
Job 42:16  After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
Job 42:17  So Job died, being old and full of days.

I want to draw your attention to verses 12-17.  Job went through a lot, and God allowed it, because He was lining up Job for a major blessing, and the devil never saw it coming.  But here’s the best part:  GOD GAVE JOB DOUBLE FOR HIS TROUBLE!  And THAT, my friend, is living in the BLESSING!  When things aren’t going the way you think they should be, be patient and keep in mind, God is setting you up to SATISFY you with His blessings!