“Is God Blocking Me?” (How To Hear The Voice Of God pt. 5)

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 07/16/23 (3rd Sunday Message)

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{All scriptures are “NIV84” unless stated}

Message Title:

“Is God Blocking Me?” (How To Hear The Voice Of God pt. 5)

If you are someone trying to make a difficult decision today… If you are someone asking why some things may be hard… Today is for you.

Memory Verse:

Job 33:14

14 For God does speak—now one way, now another— though man may not perceive it.

Last week we talked about Dreams and Visions Today we get to a new category:

Ways The Lord Can Speak:

• God Speaks Through His Word

• God Speaks Through People

• God Speaks Directly

Today we’ll deal with:

• God Speaks Through His Actions

These are times when you may not hear God’s voice directly. But he will speak through things he does.

Let’s talk about how God can speak through an action.

Acts 16:6-7

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

Paul was traveling and sharing the word. He had been to 2 places.

…having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.

They were attempting to go and teach some where. But the HOLY SPIRIT kept them from doing it.

Verse 7

7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

It says that TWICE God would not allow them to go to certain places to teach the word.

Have You Ever Felt Like You Were Stopped From Doing Something You Thought Was Good?

It’s not always the devil that will stop you.

This is why I like to ask questions:

Was this wrong?

Why were they blocked?

Weren’t they supposed to go to all the world to teach the word?

God why would you stop them from doing something you told them to do???

So let’s try and answer some easier questions together.

Question:

Did The Word Need To Be Preached In Asia?

Yes!

The whole reason they were out there was because they were told to go.

Matthew 28:19

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Go and make DISCIPLES of ALL NATIONS. That means to go and teach them about Jesus.

Acts 1:8 (b)

“and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

We will be Jesus’ witnesses…TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.

Question:

Did God Literally “Block Them?”

Doesn’t look like it

Could Paul have gone to those places if he wanted?

Sure he could!

1 Corinthians 6:12

12 “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial.

This means he could go where he wanted. he could do what he wanted…

but be out of order with God.

If he wanted to be led by the Spirit…

he would need to LISTEN to the Spirit!

But let’s keep reading and see more about God blocking them.

Acts 16:7-10

7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

God gave Paul a vision to go to Macedonia. Not THEN but LATER

They had plans for what they wanted to do… But God didn’t want them to do that.

God’s Timing Is NOT Our Timing!

Some times we rush to do the RIGHT thing at the WRONG time. God may not be ready for US to do something yet.

Paul may had been delayed because the people weren’t ready yet. it was the wrong time.

they were MORE needed somewhere else.

Paul was blocked because someone in Macedonia needed him.

God Will Keep You From Doing Certain Things In Certain Places Because Someone Else Needs You!

You may be trying to put your attention on one thing… but God is trying to stop you…

because there’s a greater need elsewhere.

Every Delay Is NOT A Devil!

God may be trying to stop us from doing things that are NOT in his will for us.

I want you investing, but not that one. {you’ll lose money} I want you in a house…but not THAT one. {terrible shape}

I want you married, but not to THAT person. {unequally yoked}

I want you in a good paying job…but not THAT one. {sacrificing him for money}

- That situation MAY be constantly delayed for you because it is NOT FOR YOU. The circumstances may not line up like you expect.

You could do these things…but God MAY be slowing you. because he has better for you.

We KNOW God’s plan for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 - to prosper us and not harm us.

So if GOD is stopping us… he’s trying to help us.

So here are some things to note about God speaking through the action of blocking/delaying: Paul was prevented from going where he wanted to teach.

• He didn’t know why.

God Doesn’t Owe Us An Explanation When He Moves!

• • One of the greatest questions of all time from our children.

• • • “But why?”

• • Sometimes our children want to understand…

• • • Other times they want to help us figure it out.

We do the same thing to God.

God Doesn’t Need Us “Re-Working” His Plans For Us!

Because our BEST plans can’t compare to God. No matter what we try and do…

God is the one we need to follow.

Proverbs 16:9 (MSG)

9 We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.

God knows the things you want. He knows the things you pray for.

He will lead us to either those things or better if we listen!

God Told Us He Would Lead And Prosper Us. Our Job Is To Trust Him!

“Give us this day…our DAILY BREAD.”

We should be looking for God to speak to and lead us each day.

When God Speaks, He Tells Us What We Need To Know

God isn’t obligated to tell us the whole story. He DOES give us what we need though.

Matthew 10:11-14

11 “Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.

Jesus could have told them each and every house to go to.

Or he could speak to them directly through the circumstances.

• • If they want to hear it…stay and teach.

• • If they do NOT want to hear it…move on.

• • • He did NOT tell us to stay and MAKE them hear.

• • God doesn’t want to overcomplicate things for us.

God kept Paul from going.

Jesus told the disciples to try and “move on.”

God Is Very Capable Of Making Things Easy. If Things Are TOO Complicated, It’s Probably Not God!

God is not trying to be a burden for us.

Overthinking is what made Eve sin!

• • God said don’t eat it!

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

God says we come to him to get rest. he is gentle

his yoke is EASY his burden is LIGHT

God isn’t trying to confuse us. He is constantly speaking.

Too Often We Try To Force Things To Happen When God Already Made It Plain For Us!

It can require prayer and fasting…but it’s not supposed to be complicated.

How Do We Determine What God Is Saying When It Seems Complicated?

Are you feeling delayed through something?

Do you feel like you are just being BLOCKED from something you think is God? What’s a good way to find out?

• Look At The Current Information You Have

  • what is happening?

    • what’s the decision?

  • what are the facts?

    • what is it right now?

  • what is not happening

    • what is the delay?

• Look At Each Outcome

  • What are all the ways things can turn out?

  • From the top to the bottom.

  • What happens if you walk away?

• Pray Over Each Possible Scenario For Clarity

  • Is it God really making this thing difficult or are we?

God’s DESIGN is to prosper us not harm us. Something I really believe:

If We Miss Something Trying To Follow God, He’ll Either Lead Us Back To It, Or To Something Better

This Week:

• Review This Message (Today’s Stream, Study Groups, Lunch Recap)

• Pray That God Help Us Look At Our Situations Objectively (Without Being Biased)

• Ask God To Make The Answer Plain And Trust What He Shows

Every delay isn’t the devil. God slows us down also.

God also blocks certain things from us. Why?

Because WE could get into trouble with it… Or because he wants something else for us. If you are trying to hear God.

He DOES speak.

We just gotta listen.

James 4:8

8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.