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2 Corinthians, Apostle Paul, Doomsday, full time ministry, hindering spirits, hope whispers, ii Corinthians 12:7-9, ministry, miracles, missionary, missions, Moses, Paul's prayer for strength, Promise Land, Strength in weakness, Thorn in flesh, time clock, travel, trusting God, unemployment, Unhindered hope, working for God
It has been nearly four years of pounding on doors and applying for jobs. My hope for an opportunity to get back to work has been trampled time and again. Is it because I’m over 50? Over-qualified? Under-skilled? Too picky about the work I’m willing to do? Is there some bad blood from the past destroying my future? A glitch on the resume? A hole or a gap? Is it because I’ve gotten fat? Or am I under a spiritual attack?
The unemployment benefits ran out nearly three years ago. My salary didn’t dip–it nose-dived from nearly $40,000 to under $5,000 in less than a year. I can’t explain how the bills get paid but they do. I never go hungry and I am living in a much better house than before. I have more than I need to survive. I am proof that God takes care of His children. I can either wallow in the mire or thrive on miracles, mercy, kindness and hope.
In 2010 I decided, If I couldn’t find work, I’d create it by starting a ministry and working for God. Its been a slow and difficult process, full of set backs and distractions, but a long time coming.
When my visiting professorship at a nearby college ended in 2010, medical problems prevented me from getting another job and then lack of health insurance kept me from getting badly needed surgery. In the process, anemia, depression, fatigue, a slew of stifling emotions and hindering circumstances and people invaded my life. Suddenly I found myself care-taking everyone else but me.
Still I clung to hope as if it were the last thread.
I knew if I let go of the hope rope I would fall into the abyss of despair–and so I didn’t dare. Even when my hands began to sweat, when the blisters oozed and long after the pain went beyond words, I knew hope would eventually pull me up and out so I kept on believing my breakthrough would come. Faith is believing in those things that have not yet manifested. Faith and hope go hand in hand.
Have you ever felt stuck? Have you felt as if your hopes and dreams and even your well-being and your momentum in life was somehow “on hold”?
As I spoke of my big plans for ministry and travel and missions I knew I was sounding like a broken record. All talk, little action. My crowd-funding page was getting no donations, my Media Missions facebook page tanked, my business plan was getting no response, promises of new equipment delayed–and oh how I felt like giving up.
For the past 30 years, I would get right to the point of the breakthrough and throw in the towel. The same dream aborted time and time again. But now I am at a stage in my life where its do it and follow through or stand before God and explain why I gave up time and time again. I’m too old to turn back. If I do it may be my last chance.
A few months ago, my friend and board member Linda sensed my opportunity was being blocked by what she calls a “hindering spirit”. A hindering spirit is an evil spirit sent forth for the purpose of trying to stop your God given assignment by creating distractions, strange trials, abnormal situations, making your work trying, tiring and difficult.
Today I’ve come to the realization that we all fight our own battle against those things that would hinder us and try to steal our hope. I look at the Apostle Paul who talked about the “thorn in his side” which prevented him from fully doing all he hoped to do for the Lord. In 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10, Paul writes:
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. |
Regarding Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”, many scholars have taught that Paul had a physical ailment and others believe that it was a person (“pain in the neck”) that bothered him.
People, especially high maintenance loved ones can zap our energy, deflate our dreams and wipe out our vision. Think about Moses who sent his advance team to check out the Promise Land–only two returned with a good report. The others were nay-sayers. The others had no vision. They were just weary and tired and discouraged.
The gist of this message is to prompt you to consider what distractions, what short-comings, what influences, what nay-sayers or time-stealers, what emotional baggage is hindering you from reaching your full potential in Christ? Who keeps busting your bubble? What keeps you from going after your dream? What barriers stand in the way? What is it that hinders your hope?
There is a clock on the wall and it keeps ticking. It may be a Doomsday clock or it may be your own personal time clock. Either way, this one life you’ve been given is just a short blip of an opportunity in the overall scheme of things. You may think you have a million tomorrow’s but they too shall quickly pass. No promises.
This magical moment is all you’ve got and you cannot predict when it will end. The greatest thing you can do is make the most of it by unhindering your hope and getting on with your best life ever. Right here. Right now.