Hindrances

You Were Running the Race so Well, Who or What has Hindered You?…

I wrote this exactly last year on March 5th 2020. Who knew the unexpected devastation of lives, businesses, and our nation would change so drastically and stall to a standstill due to the Coronavirus 19 pandemic which has affected our world globally.

Everything changed from dining out, entertainment, sports, jobs, school, churches, unemployment, to being controlled by our government in how we should now live our lives. For many literally turned upside down and have not recovered yet. I will say, I am believing for better days ahead.

The month of March reminds me of a time for victory. The darkness of the morning and night are dissipating as the days are now becoming longer. I love daylight and the sunshine especially in the summertime sitting by the beach watching a glorious sunset later in the evening. Daylight always reminds me of hope with new beginnings and new opportunities.

Paul the Apostle was speaking to the The churches of the Galatians about their spiritual journey when it came to serving Jesus. Their religion was all about ‘do’s and don’ts following legalistic customs and religious rules. They thought they were pleasing God, but the reality is they were pleasing man out of tradition. The kind of tradition that sucks all the joy and happiness right out of you. Their religion was vain, legalistic, and empty with no power within to overcome the obstacles of their faith. It was all a show to impress people but it surely was meaningless to God.

Hindrances in life are inevitable, each of us face them everyday but they come in different ways oftentimes subtle. The race of staying sober or clean from alcohol or drugs. How about being honest with yourself and others and caring and loving the unlovable when it is needed.

Serving Jesus Christ and walking in the grace of God is a journey, and a marathon at that. The pandemic has brought the best and worse in people from citizens, to Healthcare workers, grocery store clerks, to government and science indifference of who is right or wrong to which vaccine is more effective. Your life has changed through this for the good or the bad. Some have experienced great loss. Maybe, God is speaking to you and has been trying to get your attention through all this?

When somebody’s life changes for the better why would they want to hinder their new life in Christ who offers only hope in a world of darkness (spriritual warfare the battle within)? Darkness is a real force to be reckoned with and you can overcome by surrendering to the Lordship of Christ. This is the gamechanger because the power of God’s Holy Spirit now lives in you.

“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
Romans 6:6‭-‬7‭, ‬11‭-‬14 NLT

When we lean back to the flesh, doing it our own way and trying to figure it out. God says, to trust in His power, the work of the Holy Spirit to live a life of victory. We simply must play dead! To be dead to sin so it will not master us, because sin and addiction controls our lives. The trick to overcoming temptation and hindrances such as bad behavior is to ‘play dead’ and allow the work of God’s Spirit to control us as we yield to Him. We know that our old selves were crucified with Christ.

When I realized I needed help and deliverance from drugs as a teen, which almost destroyed my life as a senior in high school. I had a wakeup call in January 1981 that changed my life forever! I was desperate for hope and answers, seeking a change in my life no matter what hindrances I would face. I was headed into my own pandemic and did not see it coming.

I am indebted to the Grace of God and the friends and mentors who helped me through this journey and the battles I faced. Friend if you are struggling find somebody who will agree with you in prayer and fight your battles with you and not against you. Find someone who will listen with compassion and not judge you, but to accept you for who you are.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. 2 Corinthians 3:17 AMP

Have a great weekend my friend and if you need prayer just pm your request or post in comment and we will agree together for God’s answer.