Overcoming

Roadblocks
to Ministry

by David Crim
 Overcoming Roadblocks to Ministry

by David Crim

Copyright by
Two-irds World Publications
1500 Kilinoe Place
Wailuku, HI 96793
May, 2011

All rights reserved.

Used with permission of Two-irds World Publications. Please do not duplicate or distribute
without express permission from Two-irds World Publications.
 Ov er c o m i ng R o a d b l o c k s in M in is t r y
Diagnosing the Roadblock
Is the roadblock a circumstantial consequence?
1. Remember that hardship is to be expected.
“You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)
Jesus warned us that we will meet roadblocks—hindrances—when we are working to build the
kingdom of God. It has been said that if you do not encounter stones and stumps along the way,
you are probably on the wrong way. For not only is the disciple of Christ following a narrow way,
it is oen-times a way of persecution, suffering, and intense hardship.
ere are times when the roadblocks we face are not of anyone’s doing, in particular, they are
simply a consequence of living in a fallen world. Even the earth bares the mark of sin. Aer
humankind’s failure in the Garden of Eden, the earth was cursed so that we eat its fruit only aer
painful labor, thorns and thistles, and by the sweat of our brow (Genesis 3:17-18).
2. Remember who the enemy is.
“For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against
the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.” (Ephesians 6:12)
We are not only working to build God’s kingdom, we are working against powerful foes who want
to discourage those who are doing God’s work; and even stop them if he can. e enemy will use
people against us, at times unwittingly and at times fully complicit in his attack. People oppose
the work for a variety of reasons: envy, control, power, hatred, revenge, and sometimes simply
because they are broken people, hurting inside and prone to conflict and chaos.
We must make every effort to avoid our human nature which strives against humankind, strives
for power, and craves revenge. At each and every roadblock we face, we cannot lose sight of the
real enemy: it is never people; it is always Satan. erefore, we must be vigilant in our dependence
on the Lord’s spiritual power. Remember: Jesus has conquered the world.
3. Remember whose we are.
“e course of my life is in Your power; deliver me from my enemies and from my
persecutors.” (Psalm 31:15)
One of the reasons we react against hardship is because we like to be in control. A roadblock or
conflict proves us wrong: we are not in control. Another reason we hate roadblocks is because we
are selfish. We are born with a sense of entitlement that is expressed early in life. When little
children don’t get their way, they scream and whine. Roadblocks are a reminder that we can’t
always have it our way.
David’s psalm is an example of a godly man’s approach to hardships and enemies. He remembered
that his life was in the powerful hand of God. We belong to Christ. He purchased our pardon and
redeemed us from the bondage of sin by His own blood on the cross. David remembered that
God loved him, and that because of His love, He was willing and able to deliver him from enemies
and persecutors. In every roadblock we encounter we must remember that we belong to God and
that God is able to overcome the roadblock, in His time and in His way.
4. Remember to praise the Lord.
“I will praise the Lord at all times, His praise will always be on my lips.” (Psalm 34:1)
Since the times of our lives are in His hands, we can praise the Lord in all of our times. What a
powerful promise from God’s Word. It is our nature to whine and complain. It is Christ’s nature to
submit to the Father’s will and to seek to bring Him praise and honor and glory in every
circumstance. Paul’s own personal expression of this biblical principle teaches us a powerful
lesson: “I have learned the secret of being content…” (Philippians 4:11) Paul practiced what he
preached. Having been unjustly arrested and thrown in jail, instead of whining and complaining,
Paul and Silas sang hymns of praise to God. Luke noted that “the other prisoners were listening to
them” (Acts 16:25). When we face roadblocks, we should also remember that people are watching
to see how we will react or respond. If praise of the Lord is on our lips, no matter what our
circumstances, they will see a testimony of our faith in Christ that speaks just as loudly as a gospel
presentation.
5. Remember that God is at work maturing our faith.
“Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the
testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may
be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4)
is portion of wisdom literature from the half-brother of Jesus reminds us that we are a work in
progress. God is not only interested in saving us from sin, He is intentional in sanctifying us.
ough we can never say that God tempts us or that God causes every hardship, every roadblock,
every persecution, we can say that God uses every one of these to complete His sanctifying work
in our lives. Why does He do this? Out of His love for us, He desires that we look more and more
like His Son, Jesus. To those of us who remember that God is always lovingly working in our lives,
we see pain as a tool in the hands of the Great Surgeon who is bypassing every wounded artery so
that the blood of Christ flows freely through our veins and transforms us into His image.
Hardships, pain, discouragements, frustrations, failures, opposition—these are not what give a
worldly-minded leader great joy, but we are not worldly-minded leaders, are we?

Is the roadblock a Providential redirection?

“ere is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12).
“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9)
is is a very important question anytime we face a roadblock; perhaps one of the first questions
we should ask. e reason? God’s ways and God’s thoughts are not our ways. In fact, we
sometimes get stuck in our ways, and sometimes a rut can become a grave. Our vision ahead is
limited. We can never anticipate all of the consequences that come from one tiny step or one
seemingly insignificant decision. We can not see past the moment. God can.
Of course, we should use wisdom and discretion when making decisions. We should spend time
in prayer before we begin every ministry. We should consult God’s Word for insight into the
needs of people and biblical solutions to those needs. At the same time, God understands that we
are human and thus limited in our vision and wisdom. Because He loves us and because He
desires to receive glory from our ministry, He will, if necessary place a roadblock in our way if He
needs to redirect us toward His desired outcome and, of course, toward His ultimate will.
ere is an interesting event from Paul’s ministry recorded in the Book of Acts that provide us an
example of what I’m talking about.
ey went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit
from speaking the message in the province of Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go
into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, bypassing Mysia, they came down
 to Troas. During the night a vision appeared to Paul: a Macedonian man was standing and
pleading with him, ‘Cross over to Macedonia and help us!’ Aer he had seen the vision, we
immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to
evangelize them” (Acts 16:6-10).
There are five words in this passage that we cannot miss: prevented, did not allow, bypassing,
immediately, and concluding. The first two words demonstrate that some roadblocks are placed in
our path by God Himself. At times it might be for our protection. At other times, as in this one, He
has a better place for us to go, a specific call for ministry. The next three words teach our response to
God’s roadblocks. In humility and submission to God’s will, we bypass our own way, our own plans,
our own methods, our own strategies. In obedience, we act immediately. Delayed obedience is really
disobedience. When God reveals His way, we need to move immediately in His direction. In
prayerful wisdom, we make the right conclusions. Though Luke didn’t record any prayer meetings,
we can make an intelligent guess that Paul did pray. When we want to start a ministry and meet
roadblocks, we should prayerfully continue until the Lord reveals His plan. Notice that Paul kept
trying (that’s the proper translation of the Greek word in verse 7) until God revealed the reason for
the roadblock. What a wonderful example to follow. The result was a very fruitful ministry in
Macedonia. Imagine the people who might not have heard the gospel if Paul had not discovered and
obeyed the important principle: some roadblocks are a Providential redirection of ministry.
Is the roadblock a result of failure?
“e heart is more deceitful than anything else and desperately sick—who can understand it?”
Jeremiah 17:9)
Sometimes we or our ministry face a roadblock as a consequence of failure. Sometimes the
roadblock is a result of poor planning, poor communication, poor leadership, a lack of vision, a
failure in judgment, an oversight of necessary details or some other failure from well-meaning but
imperfect human leaders. Yet, we cannot discount the fact that some roadblocks occur as a result
of sin. A story in the Old Testament book of Joshua is one example.
READ JOSHUA 6:18-19; 7:1-26.
is story paints a mournful picture of the reality of sin and its consequences. In this historic
event in Israel’s journey to the land of promise, the failure of one sinful man placed a lethal
roadblock before an entire nation. A dream died. People died. and God’s children were shut off
from His promise. Sin is serious. No, every failure is not a result of sin. No, not every roadblock is
a consequence of sin. No, even the most pure and devoted Christ-follower encounters hardship
and suffering. However, sometimes the roadblocks we encounter are a consequence of sin—either
the leader’s or someone on the ministry team.
is story also discloses the painful solution to sin in order for the roadblock to be removed. In
this story we read, there was a search for the sinner, a judgment of the sinner, and finally, a
removal of the sinner from Israel’s camp. e words of Romans 6:23 flash in my mind: “For the
wages of sin is death…”
Fortunately, we live post-cross. e debt of sin has been paid. Romans 6:23 teaches us the result of
sin—death—but also reveals God’s wonderful solution: “but the gi of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.” Still, when we discover that sin is the cause of a ministry’s failure or a roadblock to
our ministry, we must take lethal action against the sin. David’s prayer in Psalm 51 is our model
response:
 God, create in me a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish
me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Restore the joy of Your salvation
to me, and give me a willing spirit. en I will teach the rebellious Your ways, and sinners will
return to You (Psalm 51:10-13).
is prayer, of course, came aer Nathan confronted the king about his sinful adultery and
conspiracy to cover up his sin. Notice the repentant heart of the king. ere was no attempt to
whitewash his sin, no justification for his wrong-doing, but a simple acknowledgement that he
needed a a new heart, a renewed spirit, a restored joy, and a willingness to obey. Only then, he
admitted, would he be in a place to lead once more.
If you are experiencing a roadblock in your ministry, it might be that there is an unconfessed sin
that is standing in the way. If that is the case, the only way to remove the roadblock is to remove
the grip that sin has in your life. is comes through confession and repentance. Aer the sin had
been removed from Israel, Joshua led a successful military campaign against the city of Ai. We
cannot, however, always expect the same timing. Some roadblocks might stand awhile, even aer
confession, repentance, and the removal of sin’s grip in our lives. It might be that the longer we
indulge in a sin, the longer the roadblock remains, even aer we have repented and received
God’s forgiveness. Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and remained in captivity for 70
years. God is sovereign. He can decide to keep the roadblock in place as long as He desires. We
simply wait.
preventing a Roadblock
It is true that we do have trouble in the world and we know that most every ministry will face
frustrating hindrances and obstacles. In fact, it appears that the more intensely our ministry
advances the kingdom of God, the more intense opposition we face. We cannot prevent obstacles
from coming our way, but we can prevent them from becoming a roadblock. e story of
Nehemiah the Wall-Builder teaches us eight powerful lessons.
READ NEHEMIAH 4:1-23
1. When you face an obstacle or opposition, avoid taking matters into your own hands.
Instead take them to God.
Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let
them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity” (Nehemiah 4:4).
Leaders, especially pastors, have a deep passion for the ministry they lead and the people engaged
in that ministry. We are shepherds who have a protective instinct. But we need to be careful to
place the obstacle and the opposition we face into God’s hands. He will direct our energies in the
appropriate and healing measures needed.
2. Determine that no obstacle will prevent you from obeying God’s call and completing
God’s work.
“So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the
people had the will to keep working” (Nehemiah 4:6).
Godly determination is a powerful weapon against discouragement. If we have first determined
that we will complete the mission assigned to us by God, we are less likely to allow obstacles to
become roadblocks. Of course, this means that we are willing to endure the pain, hardship, and
perhaps even death in order to remain obedient to God. At the least, this kind of determination to
remain obedient to Christ requires a daily death to self.
3. Pray and take action.
“So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and
night” (Nehemiah 4:9)
Prayer is not permission to be passive. Praying people are active people. Notice that, though
Nehemiah led the people to pray, he took decisive and strategic action to prevent the work from
stalling. Knowing that the enemy had a plot to attack them, thus stopping the work, he set guards
in place along the wall. is is an important reminder as leaders to anticipate possible attack from
the enemy and to establish a guard against it. is kind of spiritual intelligence comes through
prayer and leads to decisive action.
4. Know where you are vulnerable.
“So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable
areas” (Nehemiah 4:13).
A good leader understands his team’s strengths and weaknesses (and his own, of course). is
requires intentional and regular study and evaluation. It means that we are spending time on
location with those engaged in ministry. We cannot lead from an “ivory palace.” We must be in
the field, working and serving alongside team members. We must observe the team at work in
order to discover weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Sometimes a team’s vulnerabilities take the
shape of people. Follow Nehemiah’s example by not judging or condemning the vulnerability, but
simply shoring it up with extra workers. Sometimes the vulnerability is the form of attitudes. A
team may be vulnerable to discouragement or complaining. Take precautions and establish a
strategy for dealing with negative attitudes.
5. Remind the team of the Lord’s faithfulness and power.
“Aer I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the
people, ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great an awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for
your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.’ ” (Nehemiah 4:14)
I can imagine Nehemiah standing before the people and telling stories of their past: the
deliverance from Egypt through the parted Red Sea, the cloud by day and fire by night, the manna
and the quail, the water from the rock, the heavy thud of Jericho’s walls, and other stories from
their past experience with God. What stories from your past experiences can you rehearse before
your people? e longer we have served with a people, the more stories we have to tell. If we are
new in a place of ministry, invite other leaders to rehearse God’s awe-inspiring power in the past.
is is a fantastic way to challenge and encourage the people and prevent obstacles from
becoming roadblocks; they will remember how God has overcome obstacles in the past.
6. Abide in God’s Word.
Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the
trumpeter was beside me.” (Nehemiah 4:18)
In Paul’s description of the spiritual warfare believers face and our appropriate spiritual armor for
fighting the battle, he mentioned only one offensive weapon—the sword of the Spirit, which he
applied as “the Word of God” (Ephesians 5:18). e sword most likely in Paul’s imagination was
the short sword that every Roman soldier strapped to his thigh pads, easily accessible and useful
in hand-to-hand combat. Nehemiah’s equipping his team with swords in one hand and masonry
trowels in the other is a wonderful picture of our need for the Word in our lives as we are
obedient to God’s ministry call. Jesus said that if we abide in His Words and His Words abide in
us, we can do anything and pray anything. ink about it. How many times have you hid away in
some quiet and secluded place, discouraged, fearful, and frustrated, and have experienced the
comfort and encouragement of simply reading God’s Word? We must keep the people’s hearts and
minds plunged deep into the Word. is way, the Word will be strapped to their side, easily
accessible and useful in the time of danger or discouragement.
7. Establish rally points.
“e work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the
wall. Wherever you hear the trumpet sound, rally to us there.” (Nehemiah 4:20)
In reading Nehemiah’s strategy here, I’m reminded of the exhortation in Hebrews: “And let us be
concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our
meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day
drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Good leaders establish a strategy and system of rally points for
encouragement. When we part our worship assemblies on Sundays, we enter a world of darkness
and evil power. Small groups during the week provide an opportunity for team members to share
frustrations, pray together, feed on God’s Word and draw strength and encouragement for
continued ministry. When we fail to establish rally points, we leave our teams susceptible to
discouragement and failure.
8. Trust God to fight for you.
Our God will fight for us!” (Hebrews 4:20)
e rest of Nehemiah’s story reveals a God engaged in battle for His people so that they could
courageously and successfully complete His work. God will not fail us. God is faithful. God will
work in our hearts to prevent discouragements, obstacles, and opposition from becoming
roadblocks to ministry if we will faithfully and strategically follow Nehemiah’s steps.