Complete The Mission
Sermon Scripture Galatians 5:7-9 (KJV)
Galatians 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
All of our hard work means nothing if we don’t finish what we have started
Who did hinder you?
In this scripture the apostle Paul is explaining to a group of people that he had passionately preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to earlier.
However just as fast as he could get the truth to the people the enemy would use the same method to spread lies
This reminds me of the Television preachers of today’s time. As fast as the truth about Christ can come out over the airwaves the enemy comes right in behind with some programs that trick the potentially changed heart out of what they have just received
Paul knows that in order to have a civilized life one must obey the laws of the land and he never suggested that the people do anything different than be law abiding citizens
However when a person is allowing himself to be led by the Spirit of God he will operate at a level that is above the laws of man
He will know that God is his ultimate judge and can see all things at all times. This will make a person more obedient to the laws of land.
When we subject ourselves to be questioned by the laws of the land then we have ultimately lowered our standards.
Not that we are above the law but if we look at the fruit of the Spirit vs. the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.) that Paul taught and if we allow the fruit of the Spirit to truly enter our hearts and be our guide then we will never have to worry about the laws of man.
I find this particular passage of scripture very interesting (verse 7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?) . Paul suggest to the people that they are no longer obeying the truth. This is interesting because both the law of the land and the Spirit of God are truth.
However when there is a discrepancy or they are not sure of what they should do then they should always choose to be led by the Spirit and in doing this they will be able to satisfy both.
Another thing that I find interesting is how Paul (like Jesus did so often) took something that the people were very familiar with and very interested in to teach them about God
Paul used a race. These people were passionate about races and they took races very serious.
There is one interesting thing about a race though. When you are running in a race you never have to face obstacles placed by your opponents.
However Paul said, “Who did hinder you?” instead of , “What did hinder you?” Had he said, “What” then it could have included who but by him saying, “Who” Paul was pinpointing the idea that something unauthorized was happening to them.
Paul was informing them that anyone that spoke anything different than what he was teaching was presenting a stumbling block to them
By him specifying that it was the who that was causing them to lose their way, he immediately gave away the enemies hiding position
I am sure that Satan came against the people in that time just as he does against us now
I am sure that he was operating without them ever really knowing that he was there
He was probably concealing himself as an imposter of an angel of light
He has not changed his tactics at all Saints he is going against us now just as he did against these people then
Some of us have left the course and we are losing the race and we don’t even know what is happening to us
Saints it is not the what that is happening to us but it is the who
When a race competitor lines up at the starting line of a five mile race and the referee gives the signal to go. If the racer leads the race for 4.90 miles and then decides to leave the course in the last tenth of a mile, the once synch to win all of a sudden becomes a lost soul.
If the race that the competitor had to run was anything similar to what we have to deal with on a day to day basis then it took all that the competitor had to hold the lead in the race
What a shame it would be for the competitor to be simply give up or be bewitched or tricked right at the end of the race
This is what is happening to us saints we are in the lead comfortably and we are a synch to win but somehow we have decided to leave the race
I am here to identify the source of your troubles
It is the who not the what
I have to ask you again. Who did hinder you?
CONCLUSION
Some of us have decided to enter the race and we are running a good race and we have a chance to win.
Who did hinder you?
All of our hard work means nothing if we get to the end and give up.
We have to be able to bear the pain and complete the mission. No one ever said it would be easy.
However anytime you get to the point where you feel like you are about to give up simply think about what Jesus did for you and how he did it and your troubles should seem small.
Let’s pray.
Thank You. May God continue to bless you and keep you. Amen
Your Friend
Minister Juan D. Lane Sr.
