6 Ways You Can Place A Restraining Order On The Devil

The obtaining of wealth, prosperity, and riches can have several sources.

In the book of Job we can see that God set restraining orders against the devil, allowing Job and his family to prosper. When we think about Job, we almost always would consider the trouble he went through. However, before he went through his tribulation and after it was over, Job was a tremendously prosperous man. He was said to be the greatest and wealthiest man of his time. It could be said he was the Bill Gates or Warren Buffet of his day. Job 1:1-3 details Job’s wealth and the way God had blessed him.

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.

Job’s wealth had granted him great realms of influence and reputation. He was honored and esteemed as a man of authority and significance. The Bible actually gives us some insight into what had allowed Job to have this kind of wealth and placement. We should pay attention to this in that it can give us understanding for our own lives. When Satan is summoned before God’s Court to give an account of where he has been and what he has been doing, God brings Job up. Job 1:6-12 shows the discourse between God and Satan that caused what happened to Job to occur. This would have been in the spiritual unseen realm. Job would have had no awareness of it. We must realize that so much of what occurs in our lives can have roots in something transpiring in the unseen world. It might have seemed to Job that it was circumstantial or just bad luck. However, it was caused by a case being presented by Satan against him.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?”

So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

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?”

So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”

And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

We can focus in on what allowed this case against Job that produced the tragedies. Let me just say it is my opinion it was because of that which his offerings were speaking. Notice that the accusation of Satan was that Job was not serving God with a pure heart. He accused him of only serving God because of how much God had blessed him. No one can bring an accusation against another in a court of law unless they produce evidence to back it up. What was the evidence Satan had against Job? It was the offerings Job had brought on behalf of his children. When his children would have parties, he was afraid they had cursed God. In his effort to stop God from judging them, Job would bring an offering to appease God. We see this in Job 1:4-5.

And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.

This religious activity was not done in a spirit of faith toward the Lord but rather fear. We know this because in Job 3:25, when the tragedies began to come against Job, he declared what he feared had now come on him.

For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me,

And what I dreaded has happened to me.

As much as Job loved and honored God, there was an element of fear ruling his life. The offerings he brought on behalf of his children were not faith offerings. They were offerings laced with fear. Remember in a previous chapter we showed that our offerings speak. Whatever the state of our heart is when we bring our offering is what it is saying concerning us. When Job brought offerings to try and secure his children from harm, the devil took the testimony of fear attached to them and used it to bring an accusation of impure motives before the Lord. This was the evidence Satan presented to bring his accusation. Our offerings are always to be offerings of worship, adoration, faith, and even hilarity. II Corinthians 9:7 shows that our offerings must not be grudging or with a wrong motive. They must be from a right heart of love and devotion.

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

The word cheerful is the Greek word hilaros. It means to be merry, prompt, and willing. It is the word we get our English word hilarious from. Our offerings are to be filled with the joy of the Lord and excitement about honoring Him. This was not the attitude in the offerings of Job. His offerings were filled with fear and probably even manipulation. The devil used this against him as evidence of an impure heart in serving God. If we have ever given to the Lord out of an impure heart, we should come before the Courts of Heaven and ask that this offering’s sound be annulled. We should ask for the blood of Jesus to speak for us and revoke the devil’s rights to use this as evidence (see Hebrews 12:24). When we do, the Judge of the whole earth will render a verdict and decision on our behalf.

Even though Job went through the terrible things he did, it doesn’t remove the other secrets we see in and from his life. Prior to his troubles and after them, the blessing of God was great on Job. What allowed this was a restraining/protective order set by God on his behalf. When Satan brought the case against him, it caused this legal statute to be removed. It was there, though, beforehand and after the trials. What was it that allowed this to occur?

First of all, let’s see this restraining/protective order in place. The Bible says there was a hedge about Job. This is the Hebrew word suwk. This word means to be shut in, a restraint and protection. Clearly this wasn’t some formation in the spirit world that wouldn’t allow Satan physically to come close to Job. It was something legal in place that forbade the demonic any access to Job and his family. It was a restraining/protective order from the Courts of Heaven. In natural courts in earth, judges set in place restraining/protective orders that do not allow threatening people to come close to others. Should they violate the restraining order, they can be arrested and placed in jail and confinement. For instance, the restraining/protective order may declare the threatening individual is forbidden to come within 100 feet of the person the order is protecting. Should they do this, they have violated the court order and the police and authorities can arrest and remove them. This is what was in place over Job and his family. Please notice this restraining/protective order over Job provided him with protection for his family, great realms of influence, and an environment in which he greatly prospered. As long as this restraining order was in place against the devil, he had no power to devour Job or anything he had. This allowed a life of bliss, blessing, and prosperity. However, once the restraining/protective order was removed everything including his wealth was devoured. We see this in Job 1:12-17 when the wealth of Job was taken away in a few moments it appears.

And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

When God agreed to lift the restraining/protective order based on the case Satan had presented, the wealth of Job was lost. We also know his children died and then later Job himself was afflicted with sickness and disease. All of this was because of the lifting of the restraining/protective order from the Courts of Heaven. This gave Satan access to Job that he previously didn’t have. Our focus is on the wealth that Job lost. As long as the restraint of God was against Satan, Job prospered and increased in his wealth. The moment the restraint was removed, the wealth and all that was valuable to Job was lost. There was a reason, however, for why the restraining/protective order from heaven was in place. It was because of the testimony of God Himself concerning Job. God Himself bore witness to Job. This allowed this restraining order to be in place. We may have others testify of us, which is good. However, when God Himself testifies of us, it is something that is set and established. Let me draw your attention to Job 1:8. This verse shows God bearing witness to Job. His own testimony concerning Job allowed this restraining/protective order to be in place that produced the prosperity he enjoyed.

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?”

These statements of the Lord in His own Court concerning Job set the restraining/protective order in place that caused the environment and atmosphere that allowed Job to prosper and increase. If we desire to see this kind of prosperity, we should also endeavor to see these restraining/protective orders set in place.

Before I show us the things that God testified of Job that allowed this, let me show you the two other places where I see God Himself testifying concerning people and the results of it. The first one is Abel in Hebrews 11:4.

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

Notice that Abel obtained witness that he was righteous because God testified of the gifts he brought. Both the word witness and the word testifying in this scripture are the Greek word martureo. It means to be a witness and give evidence. It is a judicial word. Based on the excellent sacrifice that Abel brought, God Himself testifies on his behalf. As a result of the Lord Himself giving judicial testimony of Abel and his offering, Abel is still speaking today. This can mean we are still learning lessons today from his life and/or it can mean that Abel obtained a place in the Cloud of Witnesses that is still allowing him influence today from heaven (see Hebrews 12:1). Regardless, the point is that God testifying of the offering of Abel has granted Abel a place before the Lord of great influence and effect.

A second place I see God testifying is in Malachi 3:4-5. God proclaims that on the basis of an offering that is accepted, He will become a swift witness.

“Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem

Will be pleasant to the Lord,

As in the days of old,

As in former years.

And I will come near you for judgment;

I will be a swift witness

Against sorcerers,

Against adulterers,

Against perjurers,

Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans,

And against those who turn away an alien—

Because they do not fear Me,”

Says the Lord of hosts.

God promises to swiftly testify against the atrocities that are afflicting society when we bring an offering in righteousness. The word witness here in the Hebrew is ed. It means a witness and a testimony. The main point we should see here is that God Himself will testify judicially concerning the matter. This is powerful. It’s one thing when men testify. It’s another thing when angels testify. It’s something when the Cloud of Witnesses testifies and/or the blood speaks. However, this is declaring that God Himself will testify and speak concerning us and our matters. When God Himself testifies, it is a certain and done deal. This is what happened to Job. God Himself testified on Job’s behalf. The result was a restraining/protective order set in place that brought safety, influence, and great prosperity. The devil had no right or ability to afflict, devour, or destroy Job. Job became the greatest man of the East because of this. What was the testimony of God concerning Job that allowed and produced this?

There are six things God testified of Job that caused this restraining/protective order of God to be put into place. Again, Job 1:8 unveils these six things.

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 first testifies that Job is His servant. The word servant is the Hebrew word ebed. It means a bond servant. In Hebrew culture and law, someone became a bond slave when they chose to stay in a master’s house and not go free. This was of their own volition and desire. Deuteronomy 15:12-17 gives insight to the process of becoming a bond slave.

If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. And when you send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed; you shall supply him liberally from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your winepress. From what the Lord your God has blessed you with, you shall give to him. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today. And if it happens that he says to you, “I will not go away from you,” because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you, then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise.

A person in Hebrew culture could sell themselves into slavery and serve for six years to be freed from a debt. If, however, over the six years of slavery they fall in love with the master and his house, they could request to be a bond slave. This would declare they would not go out as a free person again. They would voluntarily revoke their freedom for the love of their master and his house. This is a picture of what happens to us as we serve the Lord. We originally came to the Lord to escape our debt we could not pay. We needed another to free us and forgive us of that debt. As we serve the Lord, though, we fall in love with Him and desire to not go away. His love and the love of His house changes our hearts. We choose to become His bond slave. This is what happened to Job. He was the bond slave of the Lord. This was the testimony of God concerning Job. He had chosen to not go out free but to be God’s servant forever.

The second thing God testified of Job was there was none like him. This means that Job lived an uncommon life most would not choose. He would do in faith what others wouldn’t do. We see Jesus referring to the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the leper in this category as He spoke to the unbelief of Nazareth, His hometown. Luke 4:25-27 shows the people chiding Jesus and wanting to see miracles like He had done in other places. Jesus’ response was that only those who showed real faith would partake of and witness such things.

But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.

Jesus shows that it wasn’t the need God responded to; it was faith. There were many widows and many lepers. Only these two had God move for them. The reason why was they did what others wouldn’t do. They therefore got what others didn’t get. This was what set Job apart and caused God to testify of him. There was none like him. May we be of this spirit and heart as well, that would allow God to speak concerning us also.

The third thing God testified of Job was he was blameless. This is the Hebrew word tam. It means to be undefiled. It also means to be coupled together. When God testified that Job was blameless, He was declaring he was coupled together with the Lord. They were walking in union with each other. This speaks of intimacy and closeness of fellowship. The intimacy that Job had with God produced a life of being undefiled before Him. The Lord spoke to me a few years ago and said, “Every time you say no to the flesh, you are saying I love You more.” I believe this is the way the Lord sees our devotion to Him. We are coupled together with the Lord.

The fourth quality that God testified of Job was he was upright. This is the Hebrew word yashar. It means to be straight, full of equity, and righteous. This means we deal righteously with people. We are just and fair. We aren’t trying to take advantage of someone else. We aren’t a Jacob who was a heel grabber. This is referring to when Jacob was born and he reached and grabbed the heel of his twin brother Esau who was born before him. They named him Jacob as a result (see Genesis 25:26). The Lord had to in finality meet Jacob and deal with this nature of deceiving, manipulating, and supplanting people to get ahead. This happened in Genesis 32:24-28.

Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”

But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

So He said to him, “What is your name?”

He said, “Jacob.”

And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

As a result of an all-night wrestling match with God represented by His angel, Jacob was changed in Israel. Israel means in the Hebrew he will rule as God. We all have to go through this process. We all have a Jacob in us. If we can allow the Lord to wrestle this nature from us, we can become those who rule with God and even as God as His representatives. Job was of this nature. He was upright, having dealt with the nature of Jacob within him. God testified of this on his behalf.

A fifth thing God spoke of Job was he feared God. Fearing God has so many aspects connected to it. Fearing God is not something that is tormenting. Fearing God is having an awareness that if I serve and obey Him things will go well in my life. I also know if I disobey Him things will work against me in my life. This causes me to walk in fear and trembling before Him and to seek to always please Him. Hebrews 12:28-29 tells us that we should serve God reverentially and in the fear of the Lord.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

Out of the fear of the Lord, we are aware everything will be tested by fire. There will be a day when all my works will be tested by my God who is a consuming fire. Paul speaks of this in I Corinthians 3:13-15.

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. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

We are told that when we stand before the Lord our works will be tried by the fire of who God is. Everything will be made clear on that day. Notice this isn’t about getting to heaven. It is about the reward we will or will not have. This is what Hebrews is saying. We are to live our life in such a way that we are aware everything will be tested by this fire. I am to serve the Lord out of this fear knowing my works will be manifested. From the fear of the Lord, we would not suffer loss but we would be granted a good reward in the time to come. This is the fear of the Lord for the believer. Job walked in this and God testified of him concerning it.

The sixth and final thing God spoke concerning Job was he shunned evil. This is the Hebrew word cuwr. It means to decline, depart, remove, or pluck away. When I read this, I think of Jesus’ words concerning dealing with things that would work against eternal life. Matthew 5:28-30 reveals Jesus speaking strong words about dealing with sin and uncleanness in our lives.

But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Clearly Jesus is not saying we should physically mutilate ourselves. He is saying, however, that we should not give place to sin in our lives. The basic gist is that we must aggressively deal with sin and unrighteousness. We cannot just give room to it. We must repent and turn from that which would fight against God’s purposes. We need the grace of God for this. This was what Job did in shunning evil. God testified of this concerning him. Job was one who fled evil and pursued righteousness. May it be so for us as well.

The result of these six testimonies of God for Job was that a restraint against the powers of darkness was set. Behind this restraint, blessing, bliss, and prosperity were unleashed. So it can be for us as well. God desires and needs for us to prosper. The result will be us living a life that depicts the goodness of God and also allows His desires to be seen in the earth.

Lord, as I come before Your Courts, I repent for all places where I have not walked according to Your word. I ask, Lord, that You would set in place a restraining/protective order on my behalf. I ask that the devil would be forbidden by this order to come close to me or what concerns me. I ask that because of this restraining/protective order all I love would be guarded and secured. I ask that You would grant me influence. I ask that an atmosphere and environment would be created from this restraining/protective order that would allow prosperity, wealth, increase, and riches to be secured. Lord, would You please testify of me that I am Your bond servant, that I walk an uncommon life, that I am blameless, upright, fear the Lord, and that I shun evil. As a result of this Your testimony concerning me, I ask for this restraining/protective order to be set in place that would allow me prosperity on every level. In Jesus’ Name, amen.