Glorious opportunities in the New Year – Part 1

Many people tiptoe into the New Year with great fear and uncertainties. Not so for children of God, who know the manifold promises and provisions of God awaiting them. They are aware that quite routinely, the Lord Jesus Christ delivers His people out of the obstacles that lie strewn on their paths. He also leads them into multiplied blessings, most of which they never contemplated. This gives believers hope and confidence that their times are secure in the Hand of the Lord.

The best illustration of this fact is the life of Joseph in the Bible. His was a life and testimony that reveal that obstacles cannot stop the Christian’s journey to greater glory. God has the power to turn such obstacles to glorious opportunities for His faithful children. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

God works mightily in the lives of those who are called to bring them “out of” obstacles “into” His blessings. This is an unchanging divine principle that summarises His dealing with His people in the past. And He still delivers those who exercise faith in Him today. He first saves the earnest seeker from sin and delivers him out of all other problems. Thus, believers are called “out of darkness into His marvellous light.”

With faith anchored in God’s word, obstacles become opportunities, barriers become blessings, stumbling blocks serve as stepping stones, persecution paves way for promotion, weakness results in wealth, rejection leads to royalty, problems translate to prosperity, hatred of men turns to happiness in God. God gives us grace, power, purpose and promises, so that great mountains will not be able to stop our progress. He can convert every negative thing into something good and positive.

Everyone has obstacles, but they do not spell the end of the road for God’s people. Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Joshua, Moses, David, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Old Testament and Christ our Saviour, Peter, John, James and Paul in the New Testament, all had obstacles.

Further Reading (King James Version): Zechariah 4:7; Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28; Genesis 41:14; 1 Samuel 2:8; Deuteronomy 6:23; Psalm 40:2; Ezekiel 36:24-27; 37:12; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Corinthians 16:9; Philippians 1:12-14; 2 Kings 5:1,8-14; 2 Samuel 3:39; 5:1-3,10,17-19; Micah 3:5-7; Mark 10:17,19-25; Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; 1 Kings 11:1-4,9; John 12:42,43; Deuteronomy 30:6-8; Genesis 45:4,5,7; 39:7-9; Numbers 14:24, Joshua 14:6-12; Ruth 1:5,9-19; Exodus 23:22; 1 Samuel 15:22; Job 36:8-11; Isaiah 1:16-19; Romans 6:17; 1 Peter 1:14,22; Genesis 50:20; 49:22-24; Ruth 2:11,12; 3:10; 4:9-17; 1 Corinthians 2:9,10; 2 Corinthians 2:12; Revelation 3:8,9.