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Job 6-8

Thursday Evening Bible Study

April 23, 2015

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid to die? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved? Target 3300 words Video = 75 wpm perhaps new Job target is 4000 words

Job is going through the worst time anyone could imagine.

He’s lost all his possessions.

His children have died.

His health has failed.

What makes all this even more confusing is that Job is a good guy.

God has decided to allow Job to go through this difficulty because He is proud of Job, not mad at him.

God wants to show the world what a godly man will do when he is going through a difficult time.

Keep a couple of things in mind as we study Job:

Sometimes Job is wrong in his conclusions.

Sometimes Job’s friends are also wrong.

They can even say things that are true, but they are just not true about Job.

Be careful about building doctrine upon some of the things said in the book of Job.

Neither Job’s words nor those of his friends are meant to build doctrinal truths on.

They simply show us how people respond to difficulty.

We pick up the story with Job’s response to one of his friends.

6:1-7 Job: Reasons to complain

:1 Then Job answered and said:

:2 “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, And my calamity laid with it on the scales!

:3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea— Therefore my words have been rash.

:3 Therefore my words have been rash

(Job 6:2–3 NLT) “If my misery could be weighed and my troubles be put on the scales, 3 they would outweigh all the sands of the sea. That is why I spoke impulsively.

It sounds as if Job is sorry about some of the things he was complaining about back in chapter 3.

The point is that what has happened to him has made him very, very sad. It’s very heavy on him.

:4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; My spirit drinks in their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me.

:4 the arrows of the Almighty are within me

Here’s another example of Job simply being wrong in his grief.

God hasn’t fired any arrows at Job.

The arrows have Satan’s name on them.

:5 Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass, Or does the ox low over its fodder?

:5 Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass

He’s trying to say that it’s just natural that he would be complaining.

:6 Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

:7 My soul refuses to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me.

:6 without salt … any taste in the white of an egg

Job is so sick he’s lost his appetite.

My new diet restrictions that have come as a result of my heart attack include not eating egg yolks.

Just for Job’s sake, I tried a scrambled egg without the yolk.

Completely tasteless.

I also have to reduce my salt content in my diet.

People (like me) complain about tasteless food, but Job’s life is way, way worse than tasteless food.

If I have to choose between my current diet and Job’s life, I’ll pick my diet.

6:8-13 Job: Longing to die

:8 “Oh, that I might have my request, That God would grant me the thing that I long for!

:9 That it would please God to crush me, That He would loose His hand and cut me off!

:9 cut me off

Job wishes that God would just let loose, kill him, and be done with it.

But note, Job does not take his own life.

:10 Then I would still have comfort; Though in anguish I would exult, He will not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

:10 I have not concealed the words of the Holy One

(Job 6:10 NLT) At least I can take comfort in this: Despite the pain, I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

Job is glad that at least he has not cursed God.

:11 “What strength do I have, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?

:12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh bronze?

:13 Is my help not within me? And is success driven from me?

:12 Is my strength the strength of stones?

Job’s not superman. He doesn’t have strength to keep going.

6:14-21 Job: What friends are for

:14 “To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

:14 To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown

Lesson

Grace to others

kindness – checed – goodness, kindness, faithfulness

This is the word similar to the New Testament concept of “grace”, giving others kindness even when they don’t deserve it.

(Ephesians 4:32 NKJV) And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

The word “forgiving” is literally “gracing”.

We need to be gracious, even forgiving, because God has given us grace.

:15 My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, Like the streams of the brooks that pass away,

:15 deceitfully like a brook

In Israel there are “gullies” all over the land, known as “wadis”.

Most of the year they are dry.

When it rains, they fill up with water, but are soon dry again.

Job’s friends came to supposedly comfort him, but instead they are no help at all.

:16 Which are dark because of the ice, And into which the snow vanishes.

:17 When it is warm, they cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place.

The wadis might even fill with ice or snow in the winter time, but when it warms up, the ice melts, and the water flows away, leaving a dry gully.

:18 The paths of their way turn aside, They go nowhere and perish.

:19 The caravans of Tema look, The travelers of Sheba hope for them.

:19 Tema

Tema was a son of Ishmael.

:19 Sheba

A nation in southern Arabia.

:19 The caravans of Tema

The picture is of foreign travelers heading into a wadi looking for water, and finding nothing.

:20 They are disappointed because they were confident; They come there and are confused.

:21 For now you are nothing, You see terror and are afraid.

:21 For now you are nothing

Job feels betrayed by his friends who have come to supposedly comfort him like a brook could satisfy a thirsty traveler, yet they are only bringing pain.

Lesson

Refreshing friendship

Paul told his friend Philemon

(Philemon 7 NKJV) For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.

refreshed – anapauo – to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labor in order to recover and collect his strength; to give rest, refresh, to give one’s self rest, take rest; to keep quiet, of calm and patient expectation

:21 You see terror and are afraid

Lesson

Fear of the unknown

Video: Dear Kitten: Disappearing Humans

We’re just like those cats. It’s the things we don’t really understand that can make us the most fearful.

Sometimes that’s why we react so poorly to people, because we are afraid.

We might be afraid that what has happened to them will happen to us.

We might be afraid that we don’t understand what’s happening.

We might be afraid we don’t know how to properly minister to them.

6:22-30 Job: Friends like these?

:22 Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’? Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?

:23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?

:22 Did I ever say, “Bring something to me”?

Job hasn’t asked them for help.

He hasn’t asked them to pay his overdue mortgage.

He hasn’t asked them to heal his boils.

:24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

I think Job is sincere in asking these guys where he went wrong. But so far they haven’t exactly been hitting the mark.

:25 How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove?

:25 How forceful are right words!

(Job 6:25 NLT) Honest words can be painful, but what do your criticisms amount to?

Lesson

Friends do say tough things

The point of the book of Job is not about friends only saying nice, sweet, comforting things.

True friends will speak up when they see something wrong.

(Proverbs 27:6 NKJV) Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

The problem is that there’s no truth to what Eliphaz has been saying. He’s just throwing stuff at Job.

:26 Do you intend to rebuke my words, And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?

:26 rebuke …the speeches of a desperate one

Lesson

Handle desperation carefully

I think we all can fall into the trap of thinking we need to respond to a person’s words when we simply need to let them talk and spill their guts.

We don’t necessarily have to correct everything.

We need to learn empathy

Video: Brene Brown on Empathy

The sad thing is that Job’s friends don’t show empathy or sympathy.

They just do the “judgment” thing.

:27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, And you undermine your friend.

:28 Now therefore, be pleased to look at me; For I would never lie to your face.

Job is saying that if they just look at him in the face, they could tell that he’s telling them the truth.

:29 Yield now, let there be no injustice! Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands!

:30 Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?

:29 concede, my righteousness still stands

They haven’t found anything wrong in Job’s life.

7:1-6 Job: My life is difficult

:1 “Is there not a time of hard service for man on earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?

:1 a time of hard service for man

To be honest, everyone goes through difficult times.

:2 Like a servant who earnestly desires the shade, And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,

:3 So I have been allotted months of futility, And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.

:4 When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise, And the night be ended?’ For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.

Job has had a hard time sleeping at night.

:5 My flesh is caked with worms and dust, My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.

:5 flesh is caked with worms and dust

A little insight into Job’s health condition.

:6 “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And are spent without hope.

:6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle

While the nights seem long, the days seem to go by quick.

7:7-21 Job’s Prayer

It seems that this last part of the chapter is addressed to God as a prayer.

Part of the difficulty in how the book is written is that we don’t always know whether Job is addressing his friends or God.

Some suggest that the prayer starts here.

Others suggest it starts in verse 17.

:7 Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good.

:8 The eye of him who sees me will see me no more; While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.

:9 As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, So he who goes down to the grave does not come up.

:10 He shall never return to his house, Nor shall his place know him anymore.

:9 he who goes down to the grave does not come up

Job thinks that death is the final destiny and there is no coming back.

Keep in mind, don’t build doctrine on this.

The truth is, there is a resurrection. Job himself will also hint at it later.

(John 11:25–26 NKJV) —25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

:11 “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

:11 I will not restrain my mouth

Job feels he must complain because God won’t be able to hear him once he’s dead.

Keep in mind that not all of Job’s ideas about death are accurate.

:12 Am I a sea, or a sea serpent, That You set a guard over me?

(Job 7:12 NLT) Am I a sea monster or a dragon that you must place me under guard?

He feels that God must think that Job is something dangerous to have to keep watching him like this.

:13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,’

:14 Then You scare me with dreams And terrify me with visions,

:15 So that my soul chooses strangling And death rather than my body.

:14 You scare me with dreams

Just when Job thinks he can escape the great tragedy he’s going through by sleeping, he gets nightmares that makes him wish he could die.

:16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath.

:17 “What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him,

:18 That You should visit him every morning, And test him every moment?

:17 What is man, that You should exalt him

David uses the thought in vss. 17-18 but takes them a different direction.

(Psalm 8:3–5 NKJV) —3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? 5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

David takes the idea of God thinking of us, that it makes him think of God’s grace, as in, why would God ever be so good to us?

Job takes the truth of God thinking of us, and wishes that God would stop thinking about him so much.

:19 How long? Will You not look away from me, And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?

:19 till I swallow my saliva

It’s an expression meant to carry the idea of “for a single moment”.

“Can’t you leave me alone for a single moment?”

:20 Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?

:20 What have I done to You

Job admits that he is a sinner, but he doesn’t understand what it is that he’s done specifically to deserve his troubles.

Job is thinking like his friends.

He thinks he’s done something bad to deserve this.

In truth, his troubles aren’t connected to him doing something bad.

God is simply proud of Job, and wants to show the universe how a godly man will respond to difficulty.

:21 Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be.”

:21 …I will no longer be

Job is afraid that if God doesn’t respond to his questions soon, it will be too late because he will be dead and unable to hear.

Lesson

Talking to God

You are going to notice that Job’s friends talk a lot about God.

Job is at least talking to God.

When God does eventually speak up, God will be talking to Job, not to his friends.

To be a good friend, we ought to spend as much time talking to God for the one we’re concerned about as we are talking about God.

Pray for the other person.

Pray with the other person.

James gave us some ideas about how to minister to those who are “sick”.

(James 5:13–14 NKJV) —13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

8:1-7 Bildad: Repent

:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

:1 Bildad the Shuhite

There is a disagreement among Bible scholars over who the shortest person in the Bible was.

Some say it was Zacchaeus, who was so short he had to climb a tree to see Jesus over the crowd (Luke 19:3-4)

(Luke 19:3–4 NKJV) —3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.

Others say it was Nehemiah.

You know … knee-hi-miah

I’m pretty sure it was Bildad.

He was only “shoe-height”.

Lesson

Age and Grace

Even you thought that Eliphaz was harsh with Job, Bildad will be even worse.

The next friend, Zophar, will be even more harsh.

It is thought that they are speaking in order of age, with the oldest speaking first.

I think that if you are trying to grow in the Lord and be honest with God in your life, the older you get, the less harsh you will become.

Thirty years ago I knew all the answers to everyone’s questions, and I knew what sinners most people were.

Now that I’m much older, I realize that I don’t know nearly as much as I thought I did, and I’m finding it much easier to be gracious and merciful to others (especially since I know what a jerk I have been).

Peter wrote,

(2 Peter 3:18 NKJV) but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

That’s a good goal in life – to grow in “grace”.

I think that means to grow in receiving more of God’s grace, but also in being more gracious to others.

:2 “How long will you speak these things, And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?

“Job, you’re just a bunch of hot air!”

:3 Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?

:3 Does God subvert judgment?

Bildad is saying that Job is accusing God of being unfair.

In a way, there is truth to this. This is what Job will continue to struggle with.

Yet in responding to someone struggling with this, you need to just let them vent. You don’t always need to defend God.

Lesson

God is fair

When the serpent tempted the woman in the Garden of Eden, he did it by challenging God’s fairness, saying that God was holding something back from them.

(Genesis 3:4–5 NKJV) —4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When you are talking with the serpent, God is going to seem pretty unfair

And that is usually going to get us into trouble.

Talking about unfair … there was a group of monks, friars, that were getting a reputation for being unfair …

Illustration

Florist Friars

The friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened a small florist shop to raise the funds. Since everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, the rival florist nearby thought the competition was unfair. He asked the good brothers to close down, but they would not. He went back and begged the friars to close. They ignored him. He had his mother go and plead with the friars to get out of business. They ignored her too.

So, the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious thug in town to “persuade” them to close. Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he’d be back if they didn’t close shop permanently. Terrified, they did so—thereby proving that …

Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars.

Abraham bartering over Sodom

When Abraham found out that God was planning on destroying Sodom and Gomorrah because of their great wickedness, he knew he had a problem. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was living in Sodom. Abraham decided to have a discussion with God about this judgment thing:

(Genesis 18:25 NKJV) Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

God would end up destroying Sodom, but getting Lot out of Sodom before He did it.

God does indeed do what is right.

Abraham found that when you talk with God, you find He is VERY just, very fair.

:4 If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression.

:4 If your sons have sinned

Bildad, being the sensitive compassionate man that he is, is suggesting that Job’s kids are dead because they had it coming to them.

Eliphaz had also hinted at a reason why Job’s kids had all died. He suggested that it was because Job was such a “fool”,

(Job 5:4 NKJV) His sons are far from safety, They are crushed in the gate, And there is no deliverer.

:5 If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty,

:6 If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place.

:6 Surely now He would awake for you

Bildad is hinting that God must not be answering Job because God must be asleep.

If Job was a good, righteous man, then God would certainly wake up when Job spoke.

The problem with this is, God doesn’t sleep.

(Psalm 121:3b–4 NKJV) …He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

:7 Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.

:7 your latter end would increase

If Job was truly a good guy, his life would be getting better and better, not worse and worse.

Lesson

Pay Day

There is some truth to what Bildad says.

And in Job’s life, he actually will be more blessed at the end of the story.

(Job 42:12–13 NKJV) —12 Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters.

The problem is that Bildad thinks Job should be more “blessed” now, rather than waiting for when God’s blessings will come.

Bildad is counting on the wrong “pay day”.

Payday comes when we go to be with Jesus.

(1 Corinthians 3:12–15 NKJV) —12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

God will reward us for what we do. He will make all things right.

But we can get discouraged when we think that it’s going to happen tomorrow and God decides that it’s going to happen a little later down the road.

It might not even be in this life. It might be when we get to heaven.

8:8-19 Bildad: Papyrus lessons

:8 “For inquire, please, of the former age, And consider the things discovered by their fathers;

:9 For we were born yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days on earth are a shadow.

:10 Will they not teach you and tell you, And utter words from their heart?

:8 inquire, please, of the former age

Bildad is encouraging Job to ask their ancestors as an authority.

We have talked about Job living in the days of Abraham and his sons.

If you look at Genesis 11, you will find that Abraham was born something like 292 years after the flood of Noah.

Noah’s son, Shem, lived for 500 years after the flood.

Shem was still alive (he actually outlived Abraham). Someone was still alive who had lived through the flood of Noah.

Perhaps Bildad is suggesting that Job ask even Shem for advice?

:11 “Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds flourish without water?

Bildad is going to give a lesson based on papyrus reeds and bulrushes.

:12 While it is yet green and not cut down, It withers before any other plant.

:13 So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish,

:13 the paths of all who forget God

A papyrus reed doesn’t last very long without water.

Since Job is obviously a man who has forgotten God, he too isn’t going to last very long.

Jesus said,

(John 15:5–8 NKJV) —5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Bildad is correct in saying that God is our true source of life.

If we “abide” in Jesus, we find God’s life flowing through us and we will produce fruit in our lives.

If we separate ourselves from God, we cannot bear fruit.

The problem with what Bildad is saying, is that he’s assuming that Job has forgotten God, which he hasn’t.

:14 Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spider’s web.

:15 He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure.

:14 whose trust is a spider’s web

Bildad is accusing Job of trusting in things that are as strong as a spider’s web.

It would seem that Bildad thought that Job was trusting in his “house”, perhaps in his family, but it was as secure as trusting in a spider’s web.

:16 He grows green in the sun …

Let’s read the next few verses in a different translation that’s a little clearer…

In describing the godless…

(Job 8:16–19 The Message) —16 Or they’re like weeds springing up in the sunshine, invading the garden, 17 Spreading everywhere, overtaking the flowers, getting a foothold even in the rocks. 18 But when the gardener rips them out by the roots, the garden doesn’t miss them one bit. 19 The sooner the godless are gone, the better; then good plants can grow in their place.

, And his branches spread out in his garden.

:17 His roots wrap around the rock heap, And look for a place in the stones.

:18 If he is destroyed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’

:19 “Behold, this is the joy of His way, And out of the earth others will grow.

8:20-22 Bildad: Summary

:20 Behold, God will not cast away the blameless, Nor will He uphold the evildoers.

:20 God will not cast away the blameless

Bildad is implying that Job is obviously not “blameless”.

Yet God has already said that Job was indeed “blameless” (Job 1:8)

Yet remember what God said about Job,

(Job 1:8 NKJV) Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”

God said that Job was indeed “blameless” (same Hebrew word).

:21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, And your lips with rejoicing.

:22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, And the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.”

:22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame

Bildad is implying that if Job would just repent, then everyone who is currently enjoying your trouble will be embarrassed because he will be restored.

Lesson

Proper use of truth

Eliphaz and Bildad have some wonderful doctrines down pat. They have much that is correct in their theology.

They have notches in their Bibles for all the times they’ve corrected others’ bad doctrine.

Yet instead of bringing healing with God’s Word, they are hurting others.

Paul wrote,

(2 Timothy 2:24–26 NKJV) —24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Even if Job had been hiding some secret sin, God’s servants need to be gentle.

(Galatians 6:1 NKJV) Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

We talked on Sunday about how God’s Word is like a sword, like a weapon for us.

The Rifleman’s Creed is a part of being a Marine.

Video: Rifleman’s Creed

The Rifleman’s Creed

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I master my life.

My rifle without me is useless. Without my rifle I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must strike him before he shoots me.

My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count.

My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other.

Before God I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.

God’s Word is like our “rifle”, or our “sword”. We must master it. We are useless without it. We need to aim correctly at the enemy, Satan. We need to use God’s Word to hit the target, not just shoot wildly in the air.

Be careful how you use your sword.

(Proverbs 12:18 NKJV) There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.

God’s Word is a Sword. Don’t kill people with it, use it for healing.

Use it more like a scalpel than a sword.