WHAT TO DO IN THE FACE OF OBSTACLES
What to do in the face of obstacles
Mar 2:3-5 KJV 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Obstacle (plural obstacles) is something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress, either physically or figuratively. It is synonymous with impediment, hindrance, hurdle, barrier, complication and snag
When the children of Israel got to the red sea which was an obstacle to their movement into the promised land, they were afraid and started blaming Moses for bringing them from Egypt.
Exo 14:10-12 KJV 10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
But the last time we checked the same people were crying about the oppression of the Egyptians. Now the first obstacle they faced on the way, they were ready to give up and possibly go back to Egypt.
Exo 2:23-24 KJV 23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
When we face obstacles what do we do? How should we respond? Do we cry like the Israelites? Do we start the blame game and blame everyone for our present predicament?
In the text that we read, four friends heard about Jesus being in the house preaching and they brought their sick friend.
There are people that will love you irrespective of your condition. The four friends did not abandon him but brought him to Jesus.
I pray for you again people that will leave their own matter to attend to your matter; may they show up for you in Jesus name.
People that will be concerned with what concerns you shall come forth for you in Jesus name.
People like Moses that rescued 7 daughters of Jethro Gen 2:17. People like Jehoedah who will risk their life for you shall rise for you 2 Chr 23:2-3.
However, they could not approach Jesus. You don’t say somebody could not do something unless he had made several attempts. They attempted to bring him in but the press was too much.
This is the reason I say we should sometimes pray for your helper in order for him to help you.
What did they do?
The Bible say they climbed the roof and “unroof” it, and lowered the man down to where Jesus was. When the Lord Jesus saw their faith, He healed the man. Faith is tangible. Faith is living and active. You don’t passively sit at home or in the store and say I believe. No. You have to put action. James said show me your work without faith and I will show you mine by my faith. Faith is our positive response to what Christ has done by grace.
Jas 2:18 KJV Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
The men did not give up and decided to come back another day but did the unusual by climbing into somebody else’s house just to make sure that their friend got healed.
There are people like these as I mentioned during the all-night. They will risk their reputation, safety, life and wellbeing in order to help. Wherever they are may they show up for you in Jesus name.
These are people that will make recommendations, speak about you, give you complimentary cards, make phone calls on your behalf. Wherever they may be, they will manifest for you.
What they did was commendable in the face of obstacles. It makes me remember the story of Zachaeous. He had plans and objectives. I may not know your God given plan but I agree with you this day , it shall. One to pass this week in Jesus’s name.
He heard of Jesus and he wanted to see what kind of man Jesus was like, so he stepped out. That was an act of faith by stepping out. But when he got to where Jesus was teaching, he met a different scenario. Sometimes when we act our faith, we may face obstacles or opposition. Zachaeous met a barrier.
Luk 19:2-3 KJV 2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
There were plenty of people out there and Zachaeous was a very short man coupled with many people following Jesus he could not see him. He was height challenged. If you were in his shoes what would you do?
Maybe you will go back home, set another date to meet Jesus. But the Bible says that Zachaeous did none of that; rather even though he was a rich man, he ran ahead and climbed the tree knowing fully well that Jesus would pass that way.
Luk 19:4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
True to the fact, the Lord Jesus passed that way and when He got to where he was on the tree, he stopped and looked up, called his name and asked him to come down. What Zachaeous was looking for was also looking for him.
The woman with the issue of blood took a daring step knowing fully well that the law prohibited her from coming out or touching things. She risked being stone to death in order to touch the hem of His garments.
Lev 15:25 KJV And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.
But when she damned the consequences and reached out to touch Jesus, something happened.
Luk 8:43-44 KJV 43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
When we face obstacles
The greatest obstacles in life have been overcome and that is what separates us from God. That is our sin.
Isa 59:2 KJV But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
That was in the Old Testament before the Lord Jesus Christ came. Now He has put away sin
Heb 9:26 KJV For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Joh 1:29 KJV The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
But now Jesus has paid the price, we are brought near.
Eph 2:17 KJV And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:13 KJV But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
The middle wall of partition has been broken
Eph 2:14 KJV For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
These are things that separated the Jew from the gentiles and separated both Jews and gentiles from God. The obstacles are removed.
If those greatest barriers of sin and the law can be removed then any other obstacles can be removed.
(1) Recognise that obstacles are temporary barriers that will eventually pass away.
2Co 4:17-18 KJV 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The things that we see as obstacles now are transient, passing away, they will not subsist. That is we must not make a permanent decision because of temporary issues.
(2) Sometimes they are pavement for promotion. Before a student crosses over to the next class he must face the hurdle of examinations. In life sometimes obstacles are a platform for higher life. Do not reject them but make the best of them. Ideas can come from ruminating not on why God allowed this but what lessons can I learn from them to better my lot.
1Co 10:13 KJV There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
(3) We must have an ” I can” attitude.
Phi 4:13 KJV I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
1Jn 4:4 KJV Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
What kept the children of Israel in the wilderness was the attitude that we cannot and we are not able.
Num 13:30-31 KJV 30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
They said multitudes carry the vote. It’s not always right. Here 10 versus 2. The fact that many are doing it does not make it right. Don’t follow multitudes to do evil.
(4) We must learn from the scriptures.
Rom 15:4 KJV For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
1Co 10:11 KJV Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
They are men ‘of like’ passion. If they succeed I will too. Jam 5:17
(5) We must have trust and confidence. It may be hard but it is not impossible
Mar 10:27 KJV And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
(6) We must be resolved and resolute that we must get the desired results. Those friends did the uncommon and the unusual. Zachaeous did the unimaginable
(7) We must know that victory is certain. That we are fighting from the point of victory and we will always win. The outcome is already determined.
2Co 2:14 KJV Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
1Jn 5:4-5 KJV 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
(8) Focus on Jesus. When we magnify our problem we will be depressed but when we focus on the available solutions, our problems, challenges and obstacles become diminished.
Heb 12:2 KJV Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
With that attitude we will overcome them