Obstacles

I'm currently doing a Beth Moore study called, 'Breaking Free.' Today, I was working on the day that deals with generational strongholds. The other day, I was reading Isaiah 57:14, which says, "And it will be said,"Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people." When you read the verse I just cited, did you notice the word 'every?' God is speaking in this verse and He doesn't say, 'Remove most of the obstacles out of the way of My people,' does He? No. He says, 'Every!' That means He's made provision for removing ALL the obstacles out of your life and mine! Does that excite you? If not, it should.

I'm delighted to be able to report that He has removed MANY of the obstacles that have been in my way. I'd love to be able to report that He's removed ALL the obstacles, or strongholds, in my life, but I seem to want to cling to one or two. Isn't that stupid? I know He can, yet I continue to allow condemnation to hover over me from time to time. I suspect this may be something He'll address with me as I go through this study.

Beth, as usual, is doing a great job of taking us through this study to set us free from the obstacles and/or strongholds in our lives, as she has been. Yet, even she has had to do the study over, having let one creep back into her life. Why do we so easily let these ugly things back in our lives to rob us of His victory in us? Have you dealt with any or some (or all) of these yuckies in your life? Why are they there and where did they come from?

Are you familiar with Exodus 20:5 & 6? It says, "You shall not worship them (idols) or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." You might say, 'But I don't hate Him!' or 'My parents didn't hate Him!' But, we all despised Him before we accepted His gift of salvation, didn't we? We all bring our baggage from those unsaved years into our lives as His children. That's why He wrote verse 6. He is ready to set us free from the strongholds we inherited from our forefathers but we are often blind to them or, sadly, unwilling to let go of them, even if they make us miserable! We tend to cling to that which is familiar, even if it's bad, rather than venture into the unknown.

May we all ask Him to expose the obstacles in our lives that hinder Him from having His place in us...ALL of it. He is willing. Are we? I've found myself at times asking Him to remove a stronghold in my life only to find myself hanging onto it for dear life when He tries to answer my prayer! I have a hard time understanding love that continues to pursue me in light of this behavior. But that's the only kind of love He has. Praise the glorious Name of the One Who shows lovingkindness to thousands! (per above verse)