Getting Through The Roadblocks!

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Definition (s)

• Roadblocks - a hindrance or obstacle to something. Something that blocks progress or prevents accomplishment of an objective.

“Something that stops you from going where you’re trying to go

(T. Coleman).”

Introduction

Since the book of Genesis we can see that man has had to face roadblocks in his life to achieve his objective. Some roadblocks are there to protect us from harm, such as the roadblock of strict instructions that was given to Adam and Eve. God told them which trees were safe to eat from and what tree wasn’t, yet they ignored that road block and thus the nature of disobedience and sin was born. From this point roadblocks of hindrance meant to stop our progress in life were established.

Intro. Continued

These roadblocks come in many forms, such as sin, depression, loneliness, discouragement, etc. In general, anything that keeps us from moving forward in life can be considered a roadblock.

As believers in Christ, Christians have hope for overcoming or getting through these roadblocks. As we will see in the following message, God has plans for the believers to get through all roadblocks that lay ahead of them.

Scripture: Joshua 31. Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from

Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.

2. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3. Giving orders to the people: “When you see the Ark of the

Covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.

4. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

5. Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”

6. Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the Ark of the Covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.

7. And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.

8. Tell the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

Scripture Continued: Joshua 3

9. Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.

10. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Cananites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.

11. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.

12. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe,

13. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

14. So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priest carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.

Scripture Continued: Joshua 3

15. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during the harvest. Yet as soon as the priest who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,

16. The water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

17. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

Supporting Scripture

Matthew 16:21-23 21. From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he

must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and the he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23. Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! Your are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

1 Peter 2:24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die

to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Isaiah 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own

way, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [Jesus used as scapegoat, bearing the sins of man. He is the final atonement for those who believe in him.]

Message While it is inevitable that we will experience roadblocks along our journey in this life, we can have joy in knowing that through Christ approach these roadblocks with confidence. In our main scriptural text (Joshua 3) we see God’s people preparing to approach a roadblock that is stopping them from their forward progress and eventual blessing. This roadblock is the Jordan River. In addition to them having a major roadblock to clear, they were faced with the challenge of this being a new route to travel. In this life we will find ourselves in similar situations time and time again. We will have roadblocks that are intended to hinder us from our forward progress, but just as the Israelites, God will provide us with spiritual leadership to see us through. Our roadblock may not be the Jordan River; it may be alcoholism, drugs, adultery, lying, depression, loneliness, envy, or sinning in general. We may be facing some of these roadblocks for the first time and have no earthly idea of how to overcome or get through them. There is Good News! That news is that God wants us to be successful on our journey through life and therefore he enables us to just as the Israelites, be patient and follow the leadership that he puts before us. We may not know how to overcome loneliness on our own, but through our Christian contacts in leadership we can find our way. We may not know how to get through a drug or alcohol problem, but with the help of Christian leaders, we can find help to get us through. What ever the situation or roadblock, there is hope and there is help.

Just like the Israelites crossing the Jordan, we have to have faith in God and those leaders he places in our lives. It would have done the Israelites little good to follow the priest to the edge of the river if they had no intention to cross, likewise, we should not simply listen to our Christian leadership without having intentions on follow the lead before us. Joshua told the people to Consecrate themselves (Jos. 3.5) before they cross there roadblock, likewise we must prepare ourselves. If we want God to bless us and help us get through our roadblocks we have to dedicate ourselves to following his guidance and the leadership provided to us, only then can we successfully get over the hump and overcome our roadblocks. Let us not forget that the priest were carrying the Ark of the Covenant which contained the ten commandments. They took the lead on the journey, but it is evident that God’s word being with them gave them power beyond measure; enough power to stop a river that is at flood level from flowing and dry land to appear. There is Good News! This display of power is still present for the faithful Christian leaders and believers today and because this is so, we can still get through the greatest roadblocks life throw at us.

God want to exalt us just as he did for the Israelites. He wants to raise us in rank, position, or esteem. He wants all unbelievers to see his power and mercy at work. If we can show our genuine commitment to his word and adhere to the leadership he places before us, he want to show the world that he has to power to help us get through any and all roadblocks no matter how big, strong, wide, or tall it may be. If we have a subconscious problem, he want to see us through; if we have a problem with our faith, he wants to see us through; if we have a problem with our personal appearance, he wants to see us through, whatever the roadblock he wants to see us through. Glory be to God! We see in one of our supporting scriptures (Matt. 16:21-23) even Jesus himself had to overcome a roadblock placed in front of him which came in the form of one of his disciples, Peter. Yes, one of his close followers! Let us be aware that even those close to us can become hindrances to our forward progress in life. It is our job, however to know what God has up the road for you; his plans for you. When we know this, we can identify those people or distractions that are not in his plans and that seek to change our course on the map to success and spiritual bliss.

Reflecting on Jesus in that scripture nevertheless, it is because of him and his willingness to die on the cross that we can stand confident as believers that no roadblock placed before us can stop our progress. He is the priest, Ark of the Covenant, and sacrificial lamb all in one that prepared the way for us to get through our roadblocks. Because he died and was raised from the dead on the third day, we can be confident that our roadblocks are destructible and that we can get through them. Peter says “He [Jesus] himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Pet. 2.24).” He carried all the sins of this world on his shoulder to his death so that they may not be indestructible roadblocks to us in life. He has atoned for them already and we can enjoy that benefit as believers. Each time we recognize our sins and repent (working to avoid them again) we go through a roadblock. Many times we get directions from leaders in our lives as to what to do in life, but being independent at times, we find ourselves wanting to do it our way because we know what’s best for us. We don’t want to listen. Be it a parent, priest, teacher, or friend that may have traveled a road before us and wishes to save us from even having to go through that roadblock, we chose to go anyhow and learn for ourselves, that is human nature and it is also human nature for us to be wrong at times.

Glory be to God that he was prepared for that and that he is still willing to get us through the roadblocks in life, even when we don’t listen to the leadership before us the first time (although it can save a lot of heartache and pain). Our supporting scripture, Isaiah 53:6 tells us that all of us mess up and don’t listen at times, nevertheless, we can be thankful that because of Christ bearing our sins, we have hope and an opportunity to move forward with successful progress. In closing let us remember, that though we do not have to cross the Jordan River, we still have many roadblocks ahead of us. Let us also remember that because Jesus Christ died for our sins, overcoming all possible roadblocks that may be placed before us in advance, we can have confidence as believers that we can get through any and all roadblocks in our paths and success is ours.

Glory be to God!

Steps Needed to Get Through Roadblocks

1. Prepare – you will encounter roadblocks in life, prepare for them.

2. Follow Directions – God has given us directions in the Holy Bible which we receive through reading, studying, ministers, and other believers.

3. Understand Your Purpose – recognize and understand the reason you are moving forward in life.

4. Recognize – recognize and identify the roadblocks that stand before you.

5. Maintain faith – remain confident, believing and trusting that God will carry you through the roadblocks.

6. Move – proceed through the roadblock with confidence.

Message Prepared and Delivered By:Timmy L. Westleywww.shepherdsvineyard.com