As I look around at the body of Christ and listen to believers from all parts, it appears that there is a large percentage that is feeling spiritually obstructed. To grow in our walk with God we must realize that authenticated community plays a huge part in the transformation process. When we are not experiencing this kind of community, we can grow to stagnate in our spiritual walk. Let’s look at some of the things that could hinder us from walking in unity with other believers and create conflict in our relationship with the Lord. Although I do not suggest that this is an exhaustive list, these are some things that I believe pose a tremendous block in the road to engaging in the community. For the sake of clarity, I want to group these into a three- part message. Starting with fear then moving on to unbelief and concluding with offenses we will look at how each proves to be a barrier in the Christian community and creates spiritual stagnation. Even though these are not from the Lord, we can also see how he uses them to strengthen the bonds between us and allow for transformation.

The first item on our list is fear. Fear is one of those things like unforgiveness, that is so common to the human experience. When we have not allowed God to deal with and purify the motives of our hearts fear can paralyze us and keep us from participating in the work of the Kingdom. As the Apostle Paul said to his spiritual son Timothy.

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:5-7 ESV

Notice in the context of this passage that Paul is encouraging him to stir up and use his gift, but fear is hindering him. The type of fear that Timothy was experiencing is an age-old tactic that Satan uses to keep us out of the game. The KJV of the bible uses the word timidity which is accurate considering that this type of fear intimidates us into submission. When we allow fear to rule in our hearts, the consequences become evident such as not engaging in the community or participating in work. As I mentioned before, each of us has a set of gifts and talents to be used in the Kingdom of God. When we do not use these, we take away from the body as a whole. I want to pause here a moment and look at this from God’s point of view. He has redeemed you and set you free but when we do not participate, because of fear, we are saying that our emotional safety has a higher priority than helping others or being obedient. This type of intimidation usually takes root because of self-awareness intertwined with the fear of rejection. Thank the Lord that when we focus on him there is a process to remove this from our lives and allow us to be bold. Each of us deals with fear on different levels but to be crippled by it is certainly no place for a child of God. If this is happening, then it is a good indicator that we are not letting the spirit of adoption come into our hearts to remove the shame associated with our flesh and old sinful nature. Jim Elliot a missionary to Ecuador martyred for his faith said it

best, “It is no fool that gives what he cannot keep and gain that which he cannot lose”. Keep this statement in mind when you are challenged to back down. Whenever fear tries to intimidate you into submission dwell on God’s faithfulness instead. In the Old Testament, Joshua was commanded by God to take stones from the river bottom after the Israelites had crossed when the Lord had parted the waters. These stones were set up at a place called Gilgal as a memorial to God’s faithfulness. We can have mental monuments in our own lives as well. These are places in our memory that we draw from when fear comes. It is a place in our soul that says the Lord has done it before and he will do it again. That is the reassurance that I am a child of the One True God and that he has my life securely in his hands. Don’t let fear cripple you because it never ceases to attack our minds as believers. Train your mind to focus on the word of God and the incredible things he has done in your life up to this point.

The second obstacle we will discover when we engage in the Christian community is that of unbelief. Unbelief is one of those things that will creep into our hearts very slowly. It is caused by us not acting in faith but giving into fear. The bible’s original language renders the word unbelief in two forms. The first form of the word unbelief is a stubborn obstinate rebellion that refuses to obey God and his commands. This is when unbelief has fully taken root in our hearts and mind. Let’s look at a scripture that will help you translate this thought.

As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So, we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. Hebrews 3:15-19 ESV (emphasis mine)

We see in this passage the root of the reason the Israelites refused to go into the promised land even though the Lord had proved himself strong to them time and time again in their journey. Every time you refuse to hear and obey the Lord your heart becomes calloused to his commands. If not put under subjection and repented of, this type of unbelief will eventually turn our hearts to stone. Never think that God is a respecter of persons. If he allowed those Israelites to wander in the wilderness until they died, our hardheartedness may produce similar consequences. The key here is to understand that in the Kingdom of God, we are always moving forward. No one is allowed to stop growing in the fullness of Christ, only those who have adopted a carnal lifestyle. This is what the old-timers called backsliding. It is simply the point in your journey where you refuse to step out in faith and believe God for the promises. There is nothing that has inflicted more damage on the Christian community than carnal believers. These are the ones Jesus said do not enter in but also keep others from going into that deep place of trust in the Lord. Kind of scary to think that we can fall away from God to this point. Hopefully, you will never get to the place of stubbornness where you refuse to repent. Most of us fall into the second rendering of the word unbelief found in scripture passages such as this one from Mark’s gospel.

And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and

grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So, I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” Mark 9:17-29 ESV (emphasis mine)

I want to take time to point out that Jesus is not focusing on this demon or the boy as much as he is zeroing in on the unbelief that is crippling the situation. I know that droves of people read this scripture and want to pray and fast to exorcise demons but that is not what the Lord is telling us will be driven out by our prayer, it is this type of unbelief. Remember that just two chapters earlier these same disciples had cast out many demons by the authority of Jesus. Itwasn’t that they didn’t know what to do with the demons but how to handle the father’s unbelief. When the father of the boy says, “I believe; help my unbelief”, it is a cry of repentance. Unlike the stubborn obstinate rebellion mentioned earlier, this type of unbelief is simply saying that I have never done this before and certainly do not have the strength to proceed, but please empower me to do this Lord. This is the heart cry that God can work with when it comes to unbelief. The truth is that every one of us has unbelief to a certain degree or in certain specific areas of life, but the Lord wants us to remain humble before him and carry an attitude of repentance. If fear has been the instrument that has paralyzed the church from utilizing our gifts, then unbelief is the mechanism that keeps us from trusting God fully for an abundant life. When I see people that are not living a victorious Christian life, it leads me to the conclusion that somewhere unbelief has crept into their hearts. Don’t confuse what I am saying about the abundant life in Christ, it doesn’t mean success in the world’s eyes. This type of life that can remain focused on the King and Kingdom regardless of circumstances or if things are running smoothly. Usually, when we get bent out of shape due to circumstances and situations it is only a symptom of our unbelieving heart. Belief in the Lord will have an overcoming effect on our minds that will lead us to make decisions based on obedience rather than self- protection.

This leads into the next topic and possibly the most widely used obstacle that will keep us from not only engaging in the community but being transformed by our relationship with others and that is an offense. As I mentioned earlier, when we form a community to walk through life with others it can be one of the most meaningful and transformational experiences we can have as a believer. But if this goes wrong, it can be one of the most destructive and

emotionally damaging things you will have to face. This is what the bible says about the damage incurred by the offense.

A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle. Proverbs 18:19 ESV

As I write this, I am reflecting on how much emotional carnage offense has had in my own life as well as those around me. If we are transformed by our relationship with Christ and through relationships with others, would it stand to reason that the enemy of our souls would attempt to inflict as much harm to these areas as possible? The Greek word used in the New Testament for an offense is skandalon the same word used to describe the trigger on a snare or mouse trap. The enemy will always propose you be offended at those you don’t agree with or perhaps misunderstand. If we are inclined to take the bait, then that offense will lodge deep into our hearts and root itself in core places within our psyche. Most people buy into an offense at some point, or another so don’t get upset if this has happened to you. Offenses can come often because of miscommunication between us as God’s people. One of the best things I’ve learned in my time of walking with the Lord is that none of us have it all together. Most people are dealing with things behind the scenes that we never get to hear about or see. The combatant for an offense is always to have enough grace and forgiveness in our hearts to offer it to that person. This is sometimes hard to do when there are such personality differences. When we accept someone for who they are and where they are in life, we can then allow for transformation to happen in our hearts. Just as we want to be free to be our true selves, perhaps that person does as well. The Kingdom of God is made of a lot of personality types, and we won’t always be attracted to them all, but we do not have to be upset with them either. I have had the privilege to be acquainted with a lot of different people and groups within the body of Christ through my years of serving as a minister. If we have the correct viewpoint on relationships, it will allow us to receive something transformative from every person that has God inside. After all, they have a different view of the Lord than I do and just maybe the Holy Spirit will find a way to reveal something of himself to me because of our interaction.

Whether it is fear, unbelief, or offenses these can trap us in a place of spiritual stagnation. Our objective is to continue moving forward in our pursuit of the fullness of Christ. If we are to do that, we must allow the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts carefully and decide if any of these items have made their way in. If so, we have the opportunity through repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation to begin to heal.