Just before the end of a year, one tends to look ahead into the New Year and think of the things one would want to achieve. Among these things would be what we have never done before and also those things we tried in the past and failed.

From personal experience, I have found out that in nine out of ten instances, obstacles arise to frustrate my aspirations and intentions. However, my best success comes not because of the obstacles but in spite of them.



Even when we have received a word from God concerning a thing, obstacles do come. The fact that God has spoken does not guarantee immunity from obstacles, rather the obstacles make us more aware of how important that thing is to us and should fuel our determination to succeed.

When Joseph had the dream which put him in a position of authority above every member of his family, one would not have expected that he would pass through the route of slavery to servant hood to prisoner before becoming second-in-command to the Egyptian Pharaoh.

When Moses was called to lead the children of Egypt out of the land of slavery, he saw his speech defect as an obstacle but God already had a solution in place which was his brother Aaron. Old age was Abraham’s obstacle to having the child God had promised him but God knew how to speak to every cell in Abraham’s and Sarah’s body so that they could still have a baby at a very old age.

I have personally encountered obstacles in my life such that when I look back I am amazed at the things that God has brought me through. The obstacles could be spiritual as in the case of answers to Daniel’s prayers withheld for twenty one days because the angel bringing the answers was withheld from delivering the message until Michael the Archangel had to come to his aid (Dan 10).

Whatever you have purposed to accomplish this year, no matter what obstacles have arisen already or are yet to arise, don’t let the obstacles deter you. Look over and above the obstacles; look at the One who is able to lead you around, through or over those obstacles to the place of His purpose in your life.

For with God, nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37).

Steve Popoola is the editor of Biblepraise Newsletter and the webmaster of Biblepraise Fellowship Online at http://www.biblepraise.org. He currently resides in London where he works as an IT professional. He serves in the ministerial team of his local church as well as in the music ministry. He is the Moderator/Editor of Biblepraise Newsletter. He can be reached through His email address, steve@biblepraise.org