Grace To Save Us From The Pit

After Job lost his children, his possessions, and his health, his three friends condemned him but offered no solution to his problems. He was in a pit of despair. However, there was a good young counselor, Elihu, who spoke frankly to Job, but also offered the grace of God. God's grace is what gets us out of the pit.

The pit is seen as a deep dark hole often having mire at the bottom. Joseph was thrown into a pit by his jealous brothers. God opened a pit for the young princes of Israel to fall into for their speaking against Moses and Aaron. Sometimes people crawl into a pit to hide from those who they consider to be their enemies. Sometimes in Scripture, the pit is referred to as the grave. The term is often used as a trap set for the enemy. The pit is a place of bondage. You may be there directly because of your own actions or the actions of others, but it is a place that one can not normally get out by his own effort not matter how strong he is or how hard he tries. You need the help of someone else to get out of the pit. The pit which you face may be of despair, depression, poverty, disease, or of broken relationships.

I. "If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:" (Job 33:23).

As a Christian Counselor, this is my job. I am to be a messenger of God, an interpreter of the Word. I have a responsibility to share with people the righteousness of God. Yes, I am one among a thousand, but any Believer can be also. "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God" (II Corinthians 5:20).
"In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (II Timothy 2:25-26). This is something of a motto Scripture for me. I am to submit myself under the authority of God and by the grace of God share the truth with those in bondage in hope that they will seize the opportunity to accept the truth and free themselves from the enemy.
The law of Moses spoke of the righteousness of God, but also showed man his own unrighteousness. However, the GRACE of God which we receive through Jesus is given to shows us the righteousness of God which is imputed through faith in Jesus. "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God" (Romans 3:25). In seeing the righteousness of God imputed to us, it makes us realize just how much we need His righteousness.

II. "Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom" (Job 33:24).

God desires to show us His grace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. The ransom is Jesus. He paid the price for all our sins which have brought us to the pit of hell. Jesus paid the ransom that we might receive the grace of God.
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7).
"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Corinthians 6:20).

III. "His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:" (Job 33:25).

Disobedience to God brings about a rapid aging to the body. "When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long" (Psalms 32:3).
However, walking in HIS GRACE brings about a restoration of our youth. "Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:1-5).

IV. "He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness" (Job 33:26).

When Nebuchadnezzar came to his senses and lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed, and God gave him favor and his kingdom was restored. "At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me" (Daniel 4:36).
We may look at the face of God with guilt, shame, condemnation, and fear. However, when we find God favor (grace) we can look at His face with joy. "The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee" (Numbers 6:25).
"His righteousness" is the righteousness of the LORD, not our own. From a New Testament view point, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (II Corinthians 5:21). We can rejoice in being righteous before the Father.

V. "He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;" (Job 33:27).

This is repentance! It is coming to the end of ourselves. It is recognizing that we have been living contrary to God's way and it has caused us much pain. However, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).

VI. "He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light" (Job 33:28).

The pit of despair is a dark hole that you can not climb out of your own accord. You may climb part way out but will fall right back in to the hole and fall a little deeper. The GOOD NEWS is that you don't have to REMAIN there! You don't have to remain in the darkness. There is a way out! Jesus is the way. It is not "if" or "maybe". He WILL deliver you soul from the pit. Furthermore, God shows all His children His favor. "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). Every Believer can walk in the light of the Lord. No one has to stay in the dark pit.

VII. "Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man," (Job 33:29).

God is the ultimate ruler of His creation. "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" (Daniel 4:35). Furthermore, we need to see that the pit, in one sense, is for our benefit, that is, to bring us to worship God. God, in turn, is the one who is our Deliverer. His desire is to deliver us from the pit and bless us. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). It is not uncommon that God uses the pit to bring us to our senses. David said, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes" (Psalms 119:71). However, it is also God's work to get us out of the pit.

VIII. "To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living" (Job 33:30).

It is God's desire that all be saved from the pit, whatever it is in our lives. He wants to lift us from the darkness and death bring us into life and light.
"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (I Timothy 2:4). Salvation is much more than just getting your ticket to Heaven. It is being SAVED from the pit which you have experienced or are experiencing. "Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1:16-23).
If you have called out for God to save you and haven't yet experienced being saved from the pit, don't allow the enemy or anyone else condemn you. Be patience and continue in faith to seek the Lord. Joseph was saved from the pit and from the prision that he might save others. "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive" (Genesis 50:20).

Maybe you have been in the pit for a long time. Prayerfully consider contacting Whole Person Counseling today. Contact.

GRACE