The Devil Will Pay For This PART 1 | Pastor Travis Greene | Forward City Church

Hey my friends, this is Travis. Thank you so much for joining in uh for this week's message. I preached a message called the devil will have to pay for it. Uh we're going to be in the book of Job for the next two weeks. So don't miss either one of the messages.

But uh really dealing with how God sometimes allow things that we can't understand. And I think the proof that we really know him is our response to those times. How do you respond uh to the bad times? Not just the good times. Is your worship consistent even in the valley?

And we see that Job responded uh with this phrase in Job 1 uh verse 20. He said, "Naked I came, naked I leave." That God gives and he takes away. But blessed be the name of the Lord. Learning so much from this story and I know this is going to bless your life.

Uh three ways that things happen in your life. God did it. I did it. Or the devil did it. No matter what, the devil's going to pay when you refuse to turn down your worship. Make sure you lean in, like, share, subscribe, all the things. And I pray this message will be a blessing to you.

I love you. I'll see you soon. Um, I want to read a few verses. We're going to start in verse six. The Bible says, "One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them." Now, you know, here at Forest City, you can't just read the Bible.

Hey, I miss y'all, man. I ain't preaching a long time. Thank y'all for letting me come back. >> The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord, "From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it. I've been busy trying to find trouble."

Then the Lord said to Satan, "Oh man, that's interesting. Have you in your business, in your Roman, have you considered me? >> I'm just wondering, have you considered Jackie? >> H Have you considered Forward City? >> Have you considered my servant Job? Let me put him on your radar.

Here's why. Good God Almighty, we about to have church today. Here's why I want to offer him for your consideration. Because there is no one on earth like him. He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. Watch the devil. Does Job fear God for nothing? >> Have you not put a hedge around him? >> The devil been trying to get to you.

He said, "Of course I considered him, but you're the one who got him protected." >> Old school. You're the one who's been covering him from danger seen and >> Job been living freely, not even knowing that he's covered. >> He said, "Your hands have been keeping me from them.

He's been protecting him, his household, and everything he has. You have blessed the work of his hand so that his flocks and his herds are spread throughout the land. But now I got a challenge for you. I dare you. Stretch your hand and strike everything he has. And he will surely curse you to your face.

The Lord said to Satan, "Very well then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself, do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Ladies and gentlemen, what happens in the next few verses are some of the most disturbing verses you'll read in the Bible.

Because all of this happened, put out one finger, in one day. Can you imagine all of this attack happened to Job, a blameless man, an upright man, and one day he did nothing wrong and yet he had to endure a severe attack. The first messenger comes to him and he says, "Hey man, your oxen, your donkeys, and your servants have all been killed."

And he tells them this, I like this line. He says, "I'm the only one who made it out." While he was still speaking, the Bible says, another man comes and interrupts him, the next messenger. He says, "Hey, fire fell from heaven and it burnt your sheep and your servants, and I'm the only one who made it out."

While he was still speaking, messenger number three says, "Oh, by the way, your camels were stolen and your servants were killed, and I'm the only one who made it out." While he was still speaking, another servant said, "Your children were having a house party and a windstorm came from the desert, collapsed the house, killed the broke, destroyed the house, and killed all seven of your children."

All of this in one day. Job lost everything he had in one day. But >> lean on your neighbor and just tell them, "But >> 40 chapters later, >> God restored >> everything he lost in one day." And the Bible says in Job chapter 42:10, "After Job prayed for his friends," watch the Bible, "the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him," now hold up, too. twice as much as he lost before.

And I came all the way to Two Knots Road. I've been around the world and I I I can't find no church like Two Knots. I came all the way back to Two Knots Road to testify to a few people to tell them that you just entered in your chapter 42.

I came to prophesy to you and let you know that you're about to reap double for every tear you shed. You don't hear what I'm telling you. Do me a favor. Help me preach. Tell somebody, "Double is coming." Double is coming. Double is coming. Double is coming. Double is on the way.

You've been through so much. And I'm not preaching to you. I'm preaching to myself because this past year, the devil really tried it. And I have been expecting restoration. And the Lord told me in prayer this week, Travis, your expectations are too low. He says, "Of course, I'm going to restore you."

He says, "But not only am I going to restore you, but I'm going to give you double for everything you've been through." Did you hear what I just said? So that means for every two people that left you, four are coming to be loyal. That means for every dollar that was stolen from you, you better calculate it.

God's about to give you double for your trouble. Look at somebody and tell them double is on the way. Double is on the way. Double is on the way. I got a very simple message. It's going to take me two weeks to work through. This message is called the devil will pay for this.

If you receive that, take 20 seconds. Take the roof off this place and give God a praise like you know God is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all you can ask. Are the devil going to pay for this one? Lord Jesus, breathe on your word. Thank you for meeting us once again.

All of this is an offering to you. Open up our hearts to receive your word in Jesus name. Amen. If you're excited for the word of God, you can take your seat, but give him a praise on your way down. The devil is going to pay for this.

This is not a traditional sermon, especially today. I'm not just going to preach to you. I've been sent with a prophetic declaration that if you felt yourself enduring seasons of hardships and attacks, you should start getting excited because the devil owes you. >> If you walk through seasons that you didn't sign up for, the devil going to pay for it. >> If you've been backstabbed and God forced you to remain silent, >> the devil going to pay for it.

And the Lord told me to come and make an announcement that there is a blessing on the other side of your endurance. >> This is why the Bible says in Galatians 6:9, "Be not weary in doing well and doing good and welloing, for in due season you will reap if you faint not."

And the Lord said, "This is why you've been under so much pressure and the the noise has been Is it just me or does it seem like the devil been sending you his best shots?" And the Lord said, "Travis, this has been this has been a satanic attack because he's trying to get you to shift out of position so that you can miss the delivery that's on the way." >> Oh my God.

And the only way you can miss out what God is about to do is if you remove yourself from where God has you planted. >> God planted you there. Oh, help me. Look at somebody. Tell them, "God planted you there." >> I know you don't like them, but God planted you in that family.

God planted you in that office building. >> God planted you on that campus. God planted you in this church. And if you get too antsy, you can shift positions prematurely and miss out on the biggest breakthrough in your life. The dumbest thing you can ever do is quit a job before you get your paycheck.

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 And the Lord told me to tell you, you're not coming out of this empty-handed. >> I wish I had a church. I'm moving to Colorado. Y'all don't know how to have church. Did you hear what I just said? You're not coming out of this emptyhanded. You're not coming out of this emptyhanding.

Pressing produces fresh oil. >> Crushing brings new wine. And because you've endured, my God, this this message is for those who have endured. >> And because you've endured, you're not coming out empty-hand. I can't say that enough. The Bible says that the Israelites in in Exodus that they come out of Egypt after all of this persecution and even after all of the persecution, they don't exit out empty-handed.

Your Jesus endured the cross suffering, being beaten. He went through all of that, but even he did not come out empty-handed. The Bible says in Colossians chapter 2:15, they're going to throw up. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made, I love this, a public spectacle of them, >> triumphing over them by the cross.

The Bible says in Revelations 1:18, "And I am he that liveth." I like the way the King James version says it. I was dead and behold, I am alive forever more. Watch this. and have the keys of hell >> and of death. >> When you go through hell, >> you come out with keys.

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 >> Job said this, chapter 23:10. He says, "But he knows where I'm going, and when he test me," I love this verse, "I will come out as >> pure go." I got excited when I was praying over this because God told me to tell you that you're not just coming out with your hands full.

Hear me. You're coming out as pure gold. >> What this means, ladies and gentlemen, is that your kingdom value is increasing. >> My God, do you hear the words that are coming out of my mouth? You're about to start walking in supernatural authority. >> You've been praying for the wrong thing.

You've been praying for prosperity, >> but authority is greater than prosperity. >> Pro althletes are prosperous, >> but owners have authority. >> Because when you have authority, your very word shifts everything around you. No, no, no, no. Your very presence shift atmospheres. Look at your neighbor and tell them you have authority.

You have authority. You have authority. Jesus says in Matthew 16:E1 19, he says, "And I will give you keys to the kingdom, my God. That whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in." You didn't hear what I said.

You have authority. And perhaps the things that have been going around around you have been tolerated because you remain silent. But I need 50 people in a 12-year-old that'll look back at me and tell, "My silent days are over. I have authority to bind things. I have authority to loose things.

Uh my fiance don't have to be depressed. My children don't have to be drug addicted. I have authority to bind and to loose. And I have peace. I've been through too much to be empty-handed. Ooh. Do me a favor. Tell your neighbor, "Use your authority. Use your authority."

I was praying for you. This is true story. I was praying for you and I felt this thing down deep in my shaana. I mean I I felt this thing. It was it was like a loud declaration in my spirit. And the Lord said to warn you that something big is on the way. >> No.

No. You didn't hear what I just said. Now, I already know for people who just been having the time of your life, >> just on a yacht chilling, you just good. You ain't been going through nothing. This ain't none of this is going to make sense for you.

But for those of you who it's taken all of the Holy Ghost >> for you to hold your peace and let the Lord fight your battle. It's taken all your salvation for you to just chill and not clap back. For those of you who've been taking blow after blow after blow after blow, the Lord told me to tell you, you ain't going through that for nothing.

Something big is headed your way. I need you to lean on somebody and tell them, "Get ready for something big." No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You still not ready. Get ready for something big. Something big is about to happen to you. Something big is looking for you.

There is a blessing with your name and your address on it. Something big is about to happen in your If you don't want it, I'll take it for myself. But if that's your word, take 10 seconds and praise the God who is able to take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it for yours.

Good. The Bible says in 1 Samuel chapter 30, "This is my word. This is my word. This is my word." He told David, he says, "Pursue for you shall recover." Oh, I don't just want some of what was stolen. >> I want all of it. Every night of sleep I missed.

Every betrayal I I want it all. Every lie, for every lie, I want truth to be told. Come here. I want it all. I want everything that God has for me. Everything that's been stolen from me. But I don't just want it all. Now, my expectation is that God's going to give me double.

For every tear I shed, for every heartbreak I endure, double is on the way. God said, "You will recover. You will recover and the devil will have to >> pay for it. 
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 Now that you're excited, let's do work. This concept of double is exciting for us, but it wasn't for Job.

Ladies and gentlemen, in one day, all of his businesses, all of his money, all of his children were taken away. And I wrestled I've been wrestling with this text. I've been praying through it and reading over and wrestling with it because the part that trips me up is the fact that the Bible explicitly calls Job blameless.

Now, I can understand when people get what's coming to them. >> I understand justice for people who live reckless. If you did the crime, you might have to pay the time. But if the glove don't fit, that ain't funny to white people. Y'all stop. We are a multicultural church.

I get justice if I'm wrong, but I don't get how bad things can happen to good people. >> This is conf I've been wrestling with this cuz I'm like, God, this don't add up. This don't meet my expectations of what I've been taught about you in church. And as a pastor who happens to know the insight and the information about many of the sheep I have to lead, I understand that there are people in this room and people watching all over the world who've had to endure things they didn't ask for. >> Who who've had who believe in miracles and yet had to bury loved ones. >> Who who been generous and yet been taken advantage of. who's been faithful to a spouse that was unfaithful to you, who work out and don't eat donuts and still got a diagnosis. >> And so the question of all humanity, both saved and unsaved, ladies and gentlemen, is how can bad things happen to good people? >> See, double sounds great in church, but I don't I don't want to lose what I got. >> I don't want another marriage.

I want this one to work. Seven new kids can't replace the death of seven kids. >> I'd rather maintain what I have than have to go through >> the risk and the sting of lost. >> So, how many people have asked the question before, why me? >> Why my family? >> Why my marriage?

Why my body? Why are bad things happening to me? And I've been wrestling with this and I found the answer. There is no answer. >> The answer to this question surpasses the pay grade of any man. >> Only God can answer that. But what I do know is that we aren't good enough to define what's actually good.

And what I found in this text is that Job had many questions about why God would allow this to happen to him. But what blew my mind the most about this story, and a lot of things blew my mind. Like I said, it's going to take me a couple weeks to unpack.

What blew my mind the most is that after I read through the book of Job, God never gave Job an explanation. See, that's why I let you shout early cuz now we getting in your business. You don't you don't like this. God never gave Job an explanation. >> God never said, "Well, Job, the reason why I let this happened to you, cuz what I was thinking about doing what?"

No. All God offered Job was his resume. >> The answer to your question, God says, is this. Where were you? 
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 Where were you when I formed this world? Where were you when I gave the sea its parameters? Where were you when I laid the storehouses in heaven with snow?

Where were you when I breathed life into the animals? Where were you? Since you got an opinion and you got questions, let's talk. Because entitlement is a result of you actually thinking you and God are on the same level. Good God Almighty, do you hear the words that are coming out of my mouth?

There are three ways that things happen in your life. Three, we're going to move through this real fast. Three ways things happen in your life. Number one, very simple, God did it. >> And this is just a reminder for the believers who forgot. God is sovereign. Amen. >> He can cause a divine intervention without your permission, without sending a notice because he answers to no man.

He is God. He stands outside of time and orchestrate things. My God that has more to do with your lifetime, more to do with your zip code, and more to do with your social media followers. God is God. He is God all by himself. He is infinite in wisdom.

He is limitless in ability. He is God. He is inexhaustible in resources. He is uncontainable in size. He is matchless in power. He is God. He is incomprehensible in method. He is uncreated in origin. He is God all by himself. And beside him there is no other. He cannot be controlled.

He cannot be contained. He cannot be calculated. He is God. He is self-governing, self- sustaining and self-motivating. He is God. He is sovereign. And so because he is God, he has the right to do what he wants, >> when he wants, and however he wants to. >> God can do anything at any time, >> just because he can. >> And God brought Job's name up.

I I wish this story said that God told Satan, "What you been up to?" And Satan said, "Wow, I've been really, you know, this job guy, man. I really want to attack him." Satan didn't bring Job up. >> If Job had a microphone today, he'd be old. He'll be real old.

He'll walk up here and says, "What do you do when God nominates you for trouble?" >> We recently signed my boys up for martial arts cuz they need to learn self-defense. These little entitled bougie kids, y'all need to learn how to fight like your daddy. So, because I don't fight, I can't teach you.

So, I took them to martial arts. Now, here's what happened. The two oldest were pumped up. Three ninjas, Rocky, Co, let's go. It'll pop the youngest literally was in the back seat and he was like, "I don't want to fight. I don't want no parts of this martial art.

I don't want to go." He did not want to go in there at all because I decided to sign him up. Throw him to a professional black belt taekwondo. maniac. And poor John John didn't do anything wrong. As a father, I decided to sign him up for trouble.

And one of the ways, ladies and gentlemen, that things happen in your life because God did it. Number two, another way things happen in your life is that you did it. 
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 You've been given a very powerful and a very dangerous gift called free will. And there is a lot of mess that you've ended up in because of you. >> Oh, you ain't going to like this.

You ain't going to like this. >> Now, there are times you've been influenced by the tempter, but it was still your decision. James said, "Each person when they are tempted, but they are dragged away by their own desires. It is your desire that drugged you to that bedroom."

Uh-oh, don't do that. It was your desire that took you to that strip club. Don't do that. It was your desire that took you to that liquor store. Don't do that. It was your own something in you wanted that. >> And this is important because if the devil is to blame for everything, then you never take accountability.

Ah, >> and we are in a day, ladies and gentlemen, we have raised up a bunch of punk believers because nobody want to take responsibility. Nobody want to take accountability and poke things. Most of us was raised without a daddy who taught you to take responsibility. Most of us, like myself, had a mom that nurtured us and loved us.

And now we're spoiled and expecting our father to do the same thing in heaven. when in fact he is a god who makes you own your own mistakes. Come here. Come here. Come here. You got to take accountability. Why? Because where there is no accountability, there is no repentance. >> And where there is no repentance, there is no change.

And many of our cycles are a direct result to our own denial. >> Somebody just say this. It's so liberating. I did that. >> I did that. >> You see how that feel? The devil didn't make you eat that cheesecake. >> I did that. >> The devil didn't make you buy all that stuff that you couldn't afford. >> The devil didn't force you to get on that website.

Uh-oh. That The devil didn't force you to text them back at 11:58 p.m. I did that. The Bible says in First John 1:9, it says, "If we confess our sins that he is faithful to forgive, I did that." There are things that God did. There are things that I did.

And number three, there are things that the devil did. >> The devil did. The devil did. I noticed that before there is a major breakthrough, the devil would try everything to break you. The good news is that if you're covered, you need to know that there is a cost to messing with God's anointed.

My God, the devil has power. You got to know this. You've probably been taught improperly that the devil has no power. That is not true. The Bible never says that the devil don't have power. The bi the Bible actually talks about that the devil has power. This is what you need to know.

He just has limited power. >> So he can only do what he has been permitted. Read your Bible to do. My God. And there are terrible things that happen to people because we are in a broken fallen world. There are terrorist attacks and there are tragedies and there are traumatic events that you had nothing to do with. you didn't sign up for, you didn't ask for.

They just happened to you. There are spiritual attacks that the devil himself instigated and conspire to try to steal, kill, and destroy what God has placed on the inside of you. But you got to know this. When God allows something, it's because God is a God who uses something.

My God. So, anything that God allows, he plans to use. My God. And he plans to use it because he see victory on the other side of it. I don't need everybody. Give me five people that know that your God will cause all things to work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.

I got to land the plane. Got to land the plane. Remember that God brought Job's name up. But what really messed me up, Jamal, is not the first dialogue found in chapter one. That was already hard to read and to accept that God said in Job chapter 1:8, "Have you considered my servant Job?

He's the finest man in all the earth. He's blameless." That didn't mess me up that bad. What messed me up was God's response to Job's response? >> The fact that Job goes through hell, he comes out with keys, authority, he comes out with his praise, he goes through all of that, and watch what the Bible says.

I'd expect right there for double to just happen automatically. But that's not what the Bible says. The Bible says in the next chapter, I don't know how I missed this. The Bible says in Job chapter 2:3, watch what the Lord said to Satan after all of this stuff happened to him in one day, the next chapter.

Hey Satan, have you noticed my servant Job? He signed him up for more trouble. He said, "Have you considered? Have you noticed him?" The devil's like, "I just gave him my best shot." He said, "Yeah, but he's the finest son on the earth. He's blameless. He's got integrity.

He He's amazing. He does all of this. He brought him up twice." I was reading this and it bothered me because Job's reward from his previous test was more trouble. It's possible you're facing the current battle you're in because you handled the last one so well. >> What if what you're in is not God's punishment, it's his confidence. >> Cuz he knew others would have given up.

And maybe Job's name came up twice because God was about to give him twice as much. That's easy preaching. But I think it was something deeper than that. The Bible says in Job chapter 2:4, and this is where I'm going to leave you. The Bible says that Satan replied to the Lord.

Skin for skin, a man will give up everything he has to save his life. But reach out and take his health and he will surely curse you to your face. Ladies and gentlemen, I have a profound revelation for you that this story is not about double. >> It's about undivided devotion.

The devil don't care how much you have. >> He cares about who you serve. >> And the entire spirit realm conversation was about what it would take for Job to finally curse God. The devil has been banking on you quitting. He's wondering what what's the cost? My God.

What's the price? with the right tragedy or the right trigger or the the right trauma. What will it take for you to turn on God? And one day, this man Job lost 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camel, 1,000 oxen, 500 donkeys. I went to JP Chad GBT and I said, "Calculate this for me."

And Chad said, "In the modern economy, this man lost, you're not ready for this, $9.65 million. in one day. And you've been mad cuz your cousin didn't pay you back your 20. >> Almost $10 million in one day. He lost everything. My God. But he refused to lose his worship. >> This is it.

This is it. If you don't hear nothing else I say, the proof that you know him >> is how you respond to the times you can't understand him. >> Anybody can praise God when it feels good. >> But mama, I'm trying to see how you praise him when daddy don't come back home.

I I I I I need to know if this thing is real. I'm watching your life. I'm watching the fruit of your life to see how do you worship in the valley. >> The number one number one way to make the devil pay is to worship God in spite of >> he's banking on you quitting.

Your bounce back is the biggest blow you can give him. He wanted nothing more than for Job to curse God and die. But Job did the opposite. He blessed God and kept living. >> And the Lord sent me here to tell you, I'm done. That you shall live and not die. >> This is the first time you've been down.

You going to live. Look at somebody. Tell them you going to live. You going to live through this. You didn't expect the storm, but you're going to live through it. The fourth messenger comes and he runs to Job and he says, "Hey man, hey man, while the other one speaking, the house collapsed.

All your kids are gone. Not only did you lose shy of 10 million, but now your family's gone too." And what's job? I I gota I got I got some work to do because when I read this this ain't this ain't if I could be honest, this ain't my natural response sometimes.

Watch Joe $10 million and his kids. Watch Job. The Bible says in chapter 1 verse 20, Job stood up, tore his robe in grief, shaved his head, and he fell to the ground in worship. Don't miss this. We got to go. He grieved then he worshiped. >> This was liberating for me. >> God says it's okay to grieve.

It's okay to mourn. Job ain't a Superman. He grieved. He lost everything. But after you've cried, your weeping can only endure for a night. The Bible says after he agreed, he fell on his face and he worshiped. And watch what this man said. He said, "I came naked >> from my mother's womb >> and I'll return naked when I leave."

He says, "This one thing I've recognized about God that he gives and because he's sovereign, he can take away. But regardless if I'm in a season of gain or loss, >> the truth is still the truth. >> Blessed be the name of the Lord. It may feel good.

It may feel bad, but your name is still worthy to be praised. And I believe Job worshiped cuz he recognized something. He says, "I came with nothing and I'mma leave with nothing, but the one thing I do have left is my worship. You can have all this world.

You are my one thing. And if I lose 10 million and if I lose all my kids, my heart still choose to bless you." Is there anybody in this room or watching around the world that says, "You can have this world. I don't need anything else. You are my I've learned how to be satisfied what you alone.

You got 30 seconds. Jump on your feet. Lift your hands and praise him in spite of. Though you slay me, that will I trust you. It may not feel good to me, but I know it's working for my good. You are my one thing. Come on. You are my one thing. >> I don't want anyone. >> I don't want anyone. >> Yo, thank you.

Thank you. Thank you for tuning in. Please do me a favor. Like, subscribe, and share. Send this message to everybody you know. I know there's a lot of people that's going through a lot of hardship, a lot of pain. There are people even in your life and in your circle who are desperate for hope and they need to be reminded that their big God has an intentional plan.

So, remind them that the devil, you're going to have to pay for it. Share this message with as many people as you can, and we'll see you next week for part two. I love you.