Obstacles: November 5, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2013.

OBSTACLES

DEFINITION:

An obstruction or hindrance; something that interferes with action or progress and must be removed or overcome.

SCRIPTURE:

Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. Joshua 6:1

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The Lord has a plan for the life of each believer. To thwart God's purposes, Satan puts obstacles in the path of believers. There are many different kinds of obstacles. They include a difficult boss, contrary family members and financial concerns. Anything that blocks a desired goal can cause anxiety and frustration. And these can derail what God wants from you. But remember, as a believer, no obstacle can touch you or be a concern to you, without the consent of God. And there is no obstacle that God cannot overcome.

Read the verse above concerning the Biblical account that we all know about Joshua and the city of Jericho. The strong fortress around the city of Jericho barred Israel's entrance into the land. This was an obstacle to God's plan for the Children of Israel and Joshua to conquer Jericho. Jericho was one of the oldest cities in the world and was regarded as the epitome of power and strength. In the eyes of the world it was considered invincible.

Satan will always be seeking to put up obstacles (fortresses) to hinder our spiritual progress just like He did to Joshua and the Children of Israel. He never gives up. The conquest of Jericho seemed impossible to Israel but not so to God. Joshua's army was no match to Jericho's military might and the 25 foot high and 20 foot thick wall was an impossible barrier to cross.

But God had promised the Israelites the land and Joshua believed that God would provide a way for them to get into the city of Jericho. Before attempting to conquer Jericho, Joshua led the Israelites to prepare themselves spiritually. They renewed their commitment to God and they celebrated the Passover with thankfulness for God’s miracles that made possible their escape from Egypt and the crossing of the Jordan river into the Promised land. Joshua was not deterred by what seemed impossible but instead he acknowledged God's power and sought His guidance.

Before Joshua even realized that God was at work, God was already preparing the city for destruction by instilling fear into the hearts of the kings in the region and the people in Jericho. God's directions seemed complicated and as a very unlikely battle plan, but Joshua obeyed and God's people triumphed.

The apostle Paul understood how to handle obstacles in his life. Even when he was in prison he kept his eyes and full trust on Christ. His days in prison were filled with joy in the Lord. He wrote the book of Philippians from his jail cell and it was full of expressions of joy. (1:18, 2:18 and 3:1) Paul did not let even prison keep him from sharing the message of salvation.

We can overcome obstacles in our lives by focusing on Christ. This is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation that we are facing in life at the moment. We search for our own solutions and meanwhile we stew over pain and difficulty. Our troubles look insurmountable and overwhelming, but fear and defeat cannot last long in the heart of a believer that has his or her trust in the Lord. The choice is yours just as it was the apostle Paul's, Joshua and the Children of Israel. We must ask ourselves, "Where is our faith and trust and are we willing to be in submission to God?"

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.

PRAYER:

Help me to put my complete trust in You to enable me to overcome the obstacles Satan puts in the way to defeat me. Strengthen my faith when I face obstacles that can cause me great heartache and overwhelm me. Help me to put my complete trust in You knowing that You care for me and will lead me through the difficult times in life.