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Lesson 8 “Hindrances to Healing”
Hinder: 1. To keep back or behind; to prevent from starting or moving forward; to check; to retard; to obstruct; to bring to a full stop;
2. To prevent or embarrass; to debar; to shut out . Syn. -- To check; retard; impede; delay; block; clog; prevent; stop; interrupt; counteract; thwart; oppose; obstruct; debar; embarrass.
Hinder: to interfere with the activity or progress of
John 10:10 “ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Matthew 13: 19 “When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and understands it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.”
Way Side
Way: 3598 hodos; a road; by impl a progress (the route, act, or distance); fig a mode or means:- journey, (high)way
Side: 3844 para; near, ie from beside, at prom the vicinity of, to the proximity with
Characteristics of “The Thief”
Thief: 2812 kleptes; from 2813 [klepto; to filch: to steal privily; to pilfer]; a stealer:-thief
Pilfer: To take by petty theft; to filch; to steal little by little .
Kill: 2380 thuo; to rush (breath hard, blow, smoke); ie to sacrifice, to immolate:-kill, (do) sacrifice, slay
Immolate: To sacrifice; to offer in sacrifice; to kill, as a sacrificial victim.
When the “thief” steals the Word from our heart because we do not understand it, he is offering that Word as a “slain sacrifice” to the god of this world!
Destroy: 622 apollumi; to destroy fully
Revelation 9:11
The Thief's primary objective is to pilfer the Word out of our heart and offer that Word as a “sacrifice” to the god of this world for the purpose of destroying us fully because he knows the Word will give entrance/power/knowledge to living life abundantly!
When we don't understand the “mysteries” of the kingdom, what can we do? How can we keep that seed and have it grow in the good soil of our heart?
Understanding
Proverbs 16:22-24 “ Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly. The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”
Proverbs 18:4 “The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.”
Wellspring: 4726 maqor; something dug, ie. a source (of water, even when naturally flowing; also of tears, blood); fig of happiness, wisdom, progeny:- fountain, issue, spring, well (-spring)
Ps. 36:7-9 “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.”
…In thy light shall we see light.
If the thief is trying to “blow smoke” and keep you in the dark, get in the Lord's light! Get in His presence and seek His face on the matter. He will give you understanding. He IS the understanding!
When you recognize you do not understand the Word, get in the Lord's presence and resist the devil and he will flee!
James 4:7-9 “ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
Double mindedness
Double: 1374dipsuchos from 1364 & 5590; two-spirited, ie vacillating (in opinion or purpose):- double minded
James 1:2-8 “… 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
Unstable: akatastatos; inconstant:- unstable
Inconstant: Not constant; not stable or uniform; subject to change of character, appearance, opinion, inclination, or purpose, etc.; not firm; unsteady; fickle; changeable; variable
What a contradiction to the character of God!
Jeremiah 31:1 “ The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
Jeremiah 33:2,3,6 “ 2 Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; 3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. 6 Behold, I will bring it [the city] health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.”
We are on a life's journey. This life offers us choices every day. We have the choice to believe the Word and pursue understanding the mysteries of the kingdom and reap the benefits, 30-, 60-, 100-fold. We have the choice to keep and guard the Word in our heart. We have the choice to draw near to God, to seek His face, to know Him and His ways. We have the choice to resist the devil with the promise that he will flee. We have the choice to cleanse our heart, prepare the soil so that it will be rich and fertile to receive the Word with the outcome of fruit bearing that will please our heavenly Father.
For further consideration:
- Is there an area of your heart that needs to be prepared for the good seed of the Word?
- Are there “mysteries” of the kingdom of God that you have discarded because of the lack of understanding?
- Have you embraced the Great I Am, Jehovah Rapha your Healer?
- Are you willing to be willing to enlarge your heart to receive what seems to be the impossible?
- Seek Him. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.
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