Due to a busy Christmas schedule, I am reposting a previous post from 1 Thessalonians. May His Word continue to bless, encourage, and challenge you in your daily walk with Him.
Satan Prevented Us But You Encouraged Us
1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13
"Dear brothers and sisters, after we were separated from you for a little while (though our hearts never left you), we tried very hard to come back because of our intense longing to see you again. We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us. After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! Yes, you are our pride and joy. Finally, when we could stand it no longer, we decided to stay alone in Athens, and we sent Timothy to visit you. He is our brother and God’s co-worker in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles. Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know. That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of you and that our work had been useless. But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love. He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you. So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence. Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith. May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon. And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. May He, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all His holy people. Amen." (1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13, NLT)
“But Satan prevented us,” is a sobering statement from the pen of the great apostle. Just imagine, here is the man who was remarkably converted on the road to Damascus, while on his way to persecute Christians. This was probably the greatest missionary the church has ever known. He was the founder of many churches and the human instrument that God used to open an entire continent for Christ. Paul had been hounded, persecuted, tempted, shipwrecked, and stoned, but still remained resolved in his commitment to Christ. We have 13 New Testament books that come from the Holy Spirit working through him. This means, Paul the apostle writes, “but Satan prevented us.” So, that tells us a lot doesn’t it!
Paul wanted to return to his friends at Thessalonica to confirm their continuing walk with Christ and to provoke them in their faith. He seems preoccupied with them, concerned that this beloved church remains strong and true. So, he tried time after time to return to them to discover where they were in their love for Christ. And time after time he was prevented from making the journey. Satan wanted nothing more than to keep Paul away and Paul had not been able to overcome the opposition at this point.
What does that tell us about Satan? It is a reminder of the reality, power, and destructive desire of our spiritual enemy. Satan is real. The Bible calls him “the god of this evil world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). Apparently Satan had hurled one complication after the other into the path of the apostle to keep him away from the church.
Satan works that way with us. He places one problem after the next, obstacle after obstacle, and difficulty after difficulty in the way of our living for Christ and serving Him the way we desire. That’s when we must remember the importance of persevering faith! Don’t give up because things are hard. Don’t give in to the pain. The fact that there are obstacles, barriers, and problems should signal to us that Satan is real, at work, and trying to keep us away from our hearts’ desire to see Christ glorified.
Tomorrow…we will see more about overcoming the dark prince and flourishing in God’s work. For today, keep your eyes open for the enemy. Remember that the presence of problems may well say that we are on the right track. And remain faithful; don’t give up! Help is on the way!
2 Peter 3:18
Dennis
To read more from Dennis Newkirk click here.
Posted on
Thursday, December 17, 2009
by Dennis Newkirk