Fidelity
in adversity, and joy
It is easy for anyone to be faithful to the one who filled him with blessings and protection. Furthermore, that was the reason Satan gave in order to explain, according to his reasoning, the fidelity of Job (Job 1:9-11). However, it requires immense fidelity towards God, to obey Him when obeying delivers setbacks, injustice and even bitterness.
Job as
much as Joseph, the son of
Jacob, was the type of men that
were faithful even though their fidelity would cause inexplicable
bitterness. In the particular
case of Joseph, it is important
to note that Satan tried to annul
the future preservation of the sons of Jacob, who God was going to bring
to
“7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said: Lie with me. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand. 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife, how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen 39:7-9)
Because
of his fidelity towards God, Joseph
suffered the slander of the wife of the guards' captain and ended up in
prison. Even in
prison, God blessed him and he became the supervisor of all the
prisoners. In
addition, he left prison to the joy of becoming the chief of all of
Perhaps, prior to a man receiving a great commission or divine charge, Satan, upon suspecting or knowing God's plans for that person, will try to sift him like wheat, like he did with the Apostles, according to Luke 22:31. From this, we can deduce that this abominable being requested direct intervention in the lives of the Apostles in order to cause them sullenness. We can rightfully say that nowadays he or his spiritual henchmen can do the same directly or through human beings which are fitting.
In times prior to the crucifixion, since these abominable beings had direct access to God, they asked for permission, because they could do nothing on their own volition. Nowadays, since they were cast from heaven and do not have direct contact with God, they can only utilize the implicit right granted to all creatures, since the beginning of time, and which is to propose their ideas to others. They cannot go beyond the laws which God has established concerning their temptation of humans.