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Introduction
I find that as
I grow older and the reality of
life’s shortness grows ever more
evident, there is a contemplative
considering of the things that are
past and that which might have
been. I think of when I was a
teenager, early teenage years, I
went to learn the piano. For two
years I studied it, practiced hours
on scales and difficult fingering,
and in that short time I went from
knowing nothing to getting ready to
do my 7th grade exam in the Royal
Conservatory of London. Then I
quit. I just decided to quit music,
stopped my practicing and now I
wonder, “Had I continued what could
I have done?” In a nutshell,
something came into my life and my
progress was hindered.
When Paul was writing to the
Galatian saints he saw that which
they could have been but somewhere
along the line they were hindered
(Gal. 5:7). If it was only in music
I got hindered, how often in my
spiritual life have I been hindered;
sometimes, momentarily, sometimes
for longer durations, sometimes I
did not notice it, sometimes I did.
The fact is, those “hindered” times
can never be relived.
When I sit
with close associates and the
communications get on to such a
topic, I soon discover that we are
all the same. As we review the
years we all have regrets concerning
things which hindered our spiritual
development. Sadly, as such matters
are considered, we can think of
those who once ran well, excellent
in evangelism, Bible teaching, care
for the saints, but something came
into their life and in time it
completely hindered them for further
spiritual usefulness. What are some
of the hinderances the saints can be
hindered with?
The Blessing of Conversion
Conversion is
a blessing beyond words, a blessing
that had come among the Galatians.
They had been released from the
controlling power of the law and
heathen religiosity and knew the
blessing of being saved by grace and
more. In Galatians the individual
is not only justified, they are
freed from the law with its curse
(Gal 3:13)
the law with its bondage (Gal.
4:21-31); the law of sin and death
(Rom. 8:2);
but
like Demas who loved this present
age, they went back, they were
“hindered”. This hindering is
spoken of as “turned back” (Acts
7:39); “backsliding” (Prov. 14:14);
“lukewarm” (Rev. 3:16); and “left
thy
first love” (Rev. 2:4)
Some of The Hinderings of Life
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1) |
Hindered by the
inconsistency of other
believers |
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a) |
Because we are human, it is
so very easy for us to blame
others of that which we have
done. Adam and Eve did it
for Adam actually blamed God
for his disobedience in
saying, “The woman whom thou
gavest to be with me, she
gave me of the tree, and I
did eat!!” (Gen. 3:12).
Then the woman blamed the
serpent, no one wanted to
take personal
responsibility. We look at
other believers who have
failed, perhaps someone put
on a pedestal and then to
your amazement it was
discovered that the
individual was not as you
thought them to be.
Disappointed, you just gave
up. How utterly foolish to
“lose ones own soul”. That
is the purpose God made and
saved each individual
because someone else
failed. Our eyes were in
the wrong place, looking at
distorted humanity instead
of responding to the words
of Peter and looking at
Christ and His example.
“For even hereunto were ye
called: because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us
an example, that ye should
follow his steps: Who did no
sin, neither was guile found
in his mouth: Who, when he
was reviled, reviled not
again; when he suffered, he
threatened not; but
committed himself to him
that judgeth righteously” (1
Pet. 2:21-23).
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2) |
Hindered by persecution |
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a) |
As I write this I think of
those believers in Muslim
countries who are being
beheaded, or going through
severe tribulations and
beginning to lose heart.
The writer to the Hebrews
told the saints to remember
their past experiences (Heb.
10:32). How easy to
give everything up, deny one
was saved at all, shut the
Bible and determine not to
pray again. Let us not be
surprised for if I
understood correctly, the
Prime Minister of Canada had
declared that the greatest
threat is not climate
change, but Bible believing
Christians. Again the
answer to discouragement and
suffering is to consider
that the Lord knew what it
was to be threatened with
stoning (Jn. 8:59); crowned
with thorns (Jn. 19:1-3);
mocked and became the song
of the drunkard (Psa.
69:12); and
crucified in the midst of
guilty men (Jn. 19:18).
Being associated with the
Lord comes at a cost. For
some saints it is a lot more
costly than others. I think
of William Tyndall who
translated the Bible and was
burned at the stake. What
suffering he knew, or the
many saints who in the days
of the evil men had their
bodies dipped in tar and
hung throughout the day on
poles and then set on fire
at night. Several years ago
I stood in one of the
theaters where saints were
cast to the lions. I stood
in the very place they
awaited their torturous
death by mauling and
savagery. How noble they
were, and they could only
endure this, and when the
opportunity came to recant
they refused. They were not
hindered by persecution.
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3) |
Hindered by a severe trial
or sorrow |
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a) |
When Israel was liberated
from Egypt, their belief
that God would bring them to
the promised land was very
quickly tested. Did they
really believe God would do
as He promised, that He had
the ability to bring them
across the “waste howling
wilderness” (Deut. 32:10) to
the land flowing with milk
and honey? They were soon
faced with humanly
impossible obstacles to
overcome, the Red Sea, or
when they needed water which
was a major need, not only
for humanity but also the
thousands of animals. It
was not just a little water
needed it was copious
amounts daily. These tests
were to see if they really
believed or just a cold
factual acknowledgment of
the ideal? These were
indeed severe trials, but
they were part of God’s
discipling them, training
them to trust God. It is
wickedness to insinuate that
God is either a liar or does
not have the ability to do
as He has promised. The
Psalmist and writer to the
Hebrews informs its readers
repeatedly, they were
characterized by unbelief (Psa.
78:22, 32; Heb. 3:18, 19;
4:6, 11). |
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b) |
There is a need to
understand what the word
“discipline” means. It
means, “training in
obedience; correction for
our improvement”. God
allows both, all sorts of
testings and trials and
brings us into circumstances
to test our faith.
Furthermore, the tests and
trials are to “force” us to
be completely dependent on
Him (Psa. 55:22) in order
that we may be refined (Mal.
3:3), and that our faith may
be deepened (1 Pet. 1:7).
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c) |
Hindered by the
attractiveness of the world
as a result of neglecting
fellowship with the Lord.
How often we have heard the
words of John repeated,
“Love not the world neither
the things that are in the
world” (1 Jn. 2:15).
Only once in my 60 years of
being a Christian have I
ever heard any teaching on
why we ought not to love it
and only possibly once how
loving the world begins in
the heart of a saint. When
we first saw the individual
who became our spouse we
were not madly in love at
the first glimpse. Normally
we liked the look of the
individual, then being
attracted to them there was
the getting to know them,
and the liking changed to an
affection, and then there
was the realization that we
loved that individual.
Loving the world begins with
it’s attraction. It may be
it’s sports, it’s theater,
it’s company, it’s
socializing, it’s music.
What it was is of no
account. It started with
that attraction, then there
was the spending of more
time with that particular
interest, more speaking
about it, more moving my
days around so that I could
be involved with it, and at
a point, we loved the
world. We needed it’s
offering and the things of
God were “boring”, Bible
reading was a chore, praying
was a string of dead
phrases, an obligation we
felt that had to be done.
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4) |
Hindered by some willful act
of disobedience |
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a) |
When I was a young man I
foolishly though that when I
am older I would not be
beset with the sins of
youth. Alas, how wrong I
was. When the ancient
prophet wrote concerning the
sins of Israel he pointed
out to them that before they
left Egypt they were
idolaters. When going
through the wilderness they
practiced idolatry, when
they were brought into the
land they were idolaters,
and then when he wrote they
were still idolaters, the
same old sins as in
unredeemed days. Surely
they ought to be more
spiritual but the flesh
which lusts (longs
and will try everything to
dominate the spirit)
never dies as long as we are
in this body. |
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b) |
We may have the best of
intentions but they will
never bring our sinful
natures into submission. We
can be as sincere as
possible yet all the
sincerity will not bring our
sinful natures into
subjection. Paul discovered
this truth and wrote about
it (Rom. 7:14-25). |
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c) |
Sin must be drastically
dealt with concerning a
wrong friendship (Amos 3:3);
an unequal yoke (2 Cor.
6:14); a secret sin (Josh.
7:18-23); some impurity (Isa.
52:11); an unforgiving
spirit (Matt. 18:21-22); or
an unfulfilled vow (Deut.
23:21). |
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The Hindering of God By
Humanity (Psa. 106)
One of the most remarkable
verses in the scriptures is,
“Yea they turned back and
tempted God, and limited the
Holy One of Israel” (Psa.
78:41). The word “limited”
comes from a Hebrew word
which means to curtail,
restrict. It is an
astounding statement
informing us that fallen
man, in determining to do
his own will, can limit
God. It is astounding, God
being curtailed in the
fulness of the blessing He
desires to give. What led
the children of Israel to be
in such a situation where
they limited God and
prevented them from
receiving the full blessing
of God? Psalm 106 gives us
in part the answer which we
cannot develop at this
time. However, we read the
people understood not (Psa.
106:7); remembered not (Psa.
106:7); waited not (Psa.
106:13); believed not (Psa.
106:24); and
harkened not (Psa. 106:25).
Conclusion
May the Lord help us until
we are released from this
body of sin not to hinder or
limit His full use of our
bodies, and be recipients of
the fulness of His blessing.
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