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Clearing the Blockage

Clearing the Blockage

Words of Faith 4-25-19

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2019

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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2 Thessalonians 3

      [3] But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. [4] We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. [5] May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

 

        There are always obstacles and blockages in our walk with God.  We have barriers that would keep us from trusting God fully.  The Thessalonians were facing some obstructions.  They had terrific opposition and persecution against them.  They had many reasons to give up and stop trusting.  But Paul was confident this would not happen.

        Paul's confidence was in the Lord who is always faithful.  The reality is that people will often let us down and circumstance may become quite terrible, but the Lord is always faithful.  The character of God is always our foundation and the basis of our confidence as Christian believers.  Because God has promised to supply our needs, Paul could rest in the assurance that He would provide strength to withstand temptation and trials and protection from the adversary.

        An additional reason for confidence was the conviction that the Thessalonians would continue to obey the instructions of Paul in this letter.  Paul was not relying on their readers' inherent power to do what was right.  His confidence was that since the believers were in Christ, the Lord would work in them through the Word that had been sent through this letter.

         For these reasons, Paul prayed a confident prayer of blessing for the Thessalonians.  He prayed that Jesus Christ would open up the way for the believers to obey out of a growing appreciation of God's love for them as well as increasing endurance amid trials. 

        The word translated "direct" means "clear away the obstacles or blockages." It was the prayer of Paul that obstacles and blockages would be cleared away for these believers.

        As believers living twenty centuries after this time, we can be confident in the same way and for the same reasons.  God is faithful!  Even when people are not, the Lord is faithful. 

       We may fail and feel that we cannot ever again walk with the Lord, but He is always faithful, and He will never leave us or forsake us.  We may let Him down terribly.  But He will never let us down.  We may experience people who let us down, hurt us, fail us or disappoint us, but God's character is true.  He will strengthen us and protect us from the evil one.  He will give us the strength to continue to walk in fellowship with the Lord.

        A heart blockage is a terrible thing in the physical realm.  A blockage calls for emergency surgery or particular medicine to clear the obstacle and restore blood flow.  The same is true in the spirit!  We have the very best heart surgeon in the world, and His name is Jesus.  

       The Lord will clear away the obstacles in our hearts as He guides us into both God's love and perseverance with Him.  He will remove the blockages that keep us from experiencing God's love and loving others with God's love.  He will remove the obstructions that prevent us from persevering in our journey with Him.

       Do you have any blockages? Any obstacles?  Is there something keeping you from experiencing the love of God?  Is there something preventing you from trusting God?  Is there something keeping you from moving on and trusting Jesus as you walk with Him?  The Lord is the very best surgeon of all.  He is the one who can remove those obstacles and direct your heart into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

 

       Father God, thank You for Jesus.  I am so grateful that You are always faithful no matter what.   Check me over for any blockages.  Clear aside any obstacles.  Open up my heart to the love of God as never before.  Give me faith to trust You in all things and to persevere in my walk with You.  In Jesus' name.