Overcomer’s Conference Day 1, 23 September 2014
“You are my battle-axe and weapons of war: for with you I will break the nation in pieces, with you I will destroy
kingdoms. With you I will break in pieces the horse and its rider…” (Jeremiah 51:20-23).
“See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10).
Recently, I visited the BOEING manufacturing complex at Seattle, Washington. At the lobby of this international complex were the following inspiring words relevant to our theme:
- “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall… Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” Michael Jordan
- “For innovators, obstacles are opportunities” BOEING
Barriers are not merely psychological imaginations. They are real, but surmountable. Merriam-Webster defines a barrier thus:
- A) A barrier is, “Something that blocks or prevents movement from one place to another.”B) Another definition says a barrier is, “something that makes it difficult for people to understand themselves.”C) Then another says that it is, “something immaterial that impedes or separates” Webster goes on to state that there are geographic barriers, trade barriers, economic barriers, political barriers, etc.CAUSES OF BARRIERS
-Satanic or demonic forces cause barriers.
-Barriers could be man-made: these are caused by the wickedness of men.
-Ancestral covenants bring about barriers to individuals communities and nations.
-Barriers could be self-made: fear, laziness, poverty are examples.
-Barriers could be environmental: examples are corruption, wars, or the wickedness of men.
-Sin could lead to or cause barriers.
TYPES OF BARRIERS:
-Kingdom related barriers (Acts 12:1-4; Acts 16:16-24; Matthew16:18; Romans 8:35-39; Daniel 2:44).
–Ancient gates or barriers (Ephesians 6:12; Psalm 24:7-10).
–Human barriers: these are human beings used by the devil to constitute opposition to us. Sometimes, God allows them so as to train us. Haman in the book of Esther is an example.
–Personal barriers: these are self-made barriers that limit your progress to your destiny.
–Family barriers: these affect your family progress or advancement.
–Mental barriers: this affects your comprehension or memory.
–Spiritual barriers: these affect your spiritual health and progress. Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den. Jeremiah was thrown into a ditch. Shedrack, Meshack and Abednego were thrown into the furnace of fire. Paul faced several obstacles to ministry but he survived them all (2 Corinthians 11: 12; 2 Timothy 3:10-11). At the end Paul said, “Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through Christ who strengthens us”. Paul’s life constitutes a study of what personal and ministry barriers may look like and how to overcome them.
–Economic and financial barriers: these are barriers that affect you economically. They keep you poor, wretched and miserable.
–Health barriers: there are barriers that make you stay unhealthy. They threaten your health.
–Ministry barriers: Peter was thrown into jail by his persecutors but the Lord released him (Acts 12). In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were thrown into jail, but when they began to sing God sent an earthquake and they were set free.
– Business barriers; Academic barriers; Official barriers
–National barriers (Corruption, Boko Haram, Ebola). Some men constitute barriers to the nation.
GOD’S PROVISIONS FOR BREAKING BARRIERS
We don’t have to accept barriers in our lives. God has given us weapons with which to deal with barriers. Barriers could be broken, minimised, turned around to our advantage and to God’s glory. We are here in this conference to get the power to do all these.
The Bible says; “Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, And make the hills like chaff Isaiah 41:14-16.
God equipped Jeremiah to deal with barriers (Jeremiah 1:9,10,18).
The Psalmist in Psalm 24:7-10 was addressing barriers.
To break barriers we need anointing (Isaiah10:27).
PRAYER
Father give me a good understanding of the barriers that hinder my progress.
Lord, give me the courage and power to deal with these barriers.
Lord, I invite you to intervene and eliminate the barriers troubling me.
Father, strengthen our leaders to deal with the National Barriers confronting the nation.
