OVERCOMING HINDRANCES OF PROGRESS (PART 1)

JAN. 30^TH.

TEXT: Revelation 12:10-11King James Version (KJV)
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

One of the reasons the move of God fades quickly from our lives is because we did not put anything in place to sustain it.  Some people are unnecessarily making shipwreck of their souls through poor decisions and their unwillingness to completely obey the leading of God. Many have died before their time, and others have suffered serious setback and pain. This is not the will of God. 
When this happens, it becomes the responsibility of leaders and those around to help the person recover quickly, in the spirit of love. It is important for this to be in the spirit of love because the Church has become too legalistic and judgmental. In a legalistic setting, when someone confesses his/her sins, most people in the church make it impossible for such persons to play any significant role in that church. There is more of condemnation than love in such places. The person caught in the act is crowned the biggest sinner. But the one who sins in secret, walks in as a saint and is considered to be more holy than the one who sincerely confessed his sins. 
When people sin, they should be confronted with the truth of the word of God, but all of such discipline becomes mere legalism if the overall goal is not to redeem and restore the fellow. When we get angry with those who miss the mark, put them through the disciplinary and restoration process with the mindset that God can never use them again, we join the enemy to frustrate God’s purpose. So, even when that individual settles with God and is restored by Him, we still think God has written him off. 
Beloved, we must understand that we are not God. One of the most anointed men in the Old Testament was David, when he sinned and repented, God forgave and restored him. When someone misses the mark, though we may be disappointed and angry because we do not condone or encourage sin, we should not make it look like we are working with the enemy to destroy their destinies. Nobody is proud of their sin, please let’s consider one another.