Sickness and distress

 

2 Corinthians 4:4 [Authorized King James Bible]:  “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Does God place sickness, disease, loss of goods, or destroy what He may have given to an individual?

The first chapter of Job shows how God has interactions with His created beings.  satan was given the latitude to oppress Job, but short of taking Job’s life [Job 2:6].  From that, I see that satan hast vast influence over the affairs of men.  Isn’t that what 2 Corinthians 4:4 reads?  

Being a liar [John 8:44] satan is most capable of deceiving mankind, it’s his greatest tool if not entirely to keep mankind from believing God.  The fall of man is seen in Genesis and the how of is confirmed in Genesis 3. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:”  John 10:10a.  Eve was deceived: “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”  In Jeremiah 7:18 and also in Jeremiah 44:15-19 we see how Israel believed the lie and disbelieved God.  

I believe that satan through deceit and lies playing to man’s lusts will put on sickness, disease or loss of goods and in like manner will remove those affections if the persecutee will believe the lie and think it came from God.  Man has failed to “ Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:14-15.

So in conclusion then if it suits satan’s purposes to keep man dead, lost, unsaved satan will and does do it.  But we have not so learned of God if one is truly in Christ.  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7.  How does one come to this assurance?  “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:5-10.  It is faithfulness that we place trust in.  

Place our trust in what?  “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”  1 Corinthians 15:1-4.