The journey towards the cross prioritizes holiness in everything. Leviticus 20: 26 says you shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy, and I have separated you from the other peoples to be mine. There are many obstructions along the way to derail our course from the cross. Satan opposes anything of God; anything about God; anything about our eternity; and anything that exposes the work of darkness. 2 Timothy 3:12 says indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
True devoutness towards the journey is obstructive to the world. However not every obstructive life means devoutness towards the cross. 1 Corinthians 10: 23 says all things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial. All things are lawful, but not all things build up. An obstruction must be because of Christ Jesus. Jesus said of Paul in Acts 9: 16, I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. Acts 14: 22 says it is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God. The obstructions are in many forms. They include as follows:
Spiritual obstructions
Primarily, the obstruction is spiritual in nature. Paul said in Ephesians 6: 12, for our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. We must be ready to engage in spiritual battles if we want to be devout for God in Christ Jesus.
Paul also wrote in2Corinthians 4: 8-9, we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. Many give up for other gods and powers when the spiritual battles commence. We must not give up.
Physical obstructions
Hebrews 11: 32–40 said, for time will would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Sampson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets–who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness,… tortured, refusing to accept release in order to obtain better resurrection…
Paul continued from verse 36, others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn into two, they were killed by the sword…. since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect. We have begun to experience some of the obstructions globally. The journey towards the cross is for the committed few.
Mixed obstructions
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6: 4-10 but as servants of God, we have commended ourselves to every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honour and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute.
Paul continued from verse 8, We are treated as imposters, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see — we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
The obstacles could be (a) economic, Matthew 19: 21; Mark 10: 21; Matthew 25: 44; (b) social, Matthew 19: 29; Mark 8: 31; Luke 14: 26; James 4: 4; (c) psychological, Matthew 5: 10-11, 44; Luke 21: 12; John 16: 33; Acts 7: 52; (d) self-denials, Luke 14: 26; Romans 14: 8; 1 Corinthians 10: 31; Galatians 2: 19-20; or ( e) harm and injury, Matthew 10: 39; 16: 25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9: 24; 11: 49; 17: 25.
Overcoming the obstacles
It takes the Holy Spirit and commitment with discipline to overcome. Paul wrote in Romans 8: 35-39, who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Neither death, nor life,… will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 12: 14 says bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Jesus said in Luke 6: 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Paul wrote also in 1 Corinthians 4: 11-13, to the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12: 10, for the sake of Christ, then I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardship, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong. He also continued in 1 Thessalonians 3: 3, we are destined for persecutions so we must not be shaken. However Jesus said in Corinthians 12: 9, my grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.
It is written in 2 John 1: 8, be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but may receive a full reward. Jesus said in Matthew 10: 39; 16: 25; Mark 8: 45; Luke 9: 24; 17: 33; John 12: 25, those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. The worst cost of devoutness is death. Have we invited the Holy Spirit to aid us? Have we turned our backs to the world and forward towards the cross with discipline and obedience to the Lord Jesus?
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding us that our endurance will be tested through the obstacles we face on the journey towards the cross. Except by your Spirit, our efforts will be in vain. We invite your Holy Spirit to aid us against the obstacles that may confront us. We thank you for the assurance that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. We confess and believe that we shall never be weary or faint, so please Jesus, help us to abide under the shadow of your wings always, Amen!!
