By Sacha C.
Have you ever been in a situation that left you feeling hopeless and stressed out—wondering if things will ever change?
Has there ever been a time when you felt so stuck that you couldn’t find a way to pull yourself out? That no matter what you tried, other factors kept getting thrown at you, keeping you in that same place?
I have only two words to say to you: But God.
Truly, nothing is impossible with God (Lk 1:37). No matter what you are dealing with, He will always be there to guide and comfort you (2 Cor 1:3-14).
Being A New Christian Means Having A New Life
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 HCSB
After I was saved and became a new creation in Christ, I saw the world differently.
The Bible says that Christians are “not of the world,” but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have battles to fight in this world (Jn 17:14-15). In fact, as Christians, we are fighting spiritual battles that others cannot even begin to comprehend.
We are constantly in spiritual warfare with the devil (Eph 6:10-11), and our flesh is fighting back its old nature (Gal 5:16).
We may lose friends, family, and certain things we once desired from our old lives.
Obstacles are inevitable; they will always be part of the Christian walk. However, it doesn’t mean that we have to face them on our own or overcome them in our own strength.
Obstacles are inevitable; they will always be part of the Christian walk.We will undoubtedly experience many ups and downs and face fresh challenges and new obstacles around every turn.
These obstacles will slow us down and, if we aren’t careful, they will hinder us from moving forward in our faith walk with Christ.
But obstacles aren’t necessarily a bad thing! God can use them to grow us up in our faith and teach us how to depend on Him in our everyday lives (Jas 1:2-4).
God never promised us an easy life, but He did promise us that He will always be there for us (Is 41:13) and never leave us nor forsake us (Dt 31:6).
We can trust our Heavenly Father to guide us through the darkest valleys of our lives.
So, how can we overcome difficult obstacles? What does the Bible say? Here are eight biblical truths to help you overcome obstacles and walk in victory.
8 Biblical Strategies to Help You Overcome Obstacles
Strategy #1: Overcome Obstacles by Reading Your Bible
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”Psalm 119:105 KJV
First things first, read your Bible. Filling your mind with Scripture will keep you focused on God above, and not on the things of this world.
Time in the Word is always helpful, no matter what you are going through. The answers you need are right there, waiting for you to uncover them.
See also: Heb 4:12, 2 Tim 3:16-17, and Lk 11:28.
Strategy #2: Overcome Obstacles by Staying in Prayer
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6 KJV
The Bible commands us to pray without ceasing (1 Th 5:17). Prayer is the direct form of communication between yourself and God.
God tells us to let all of our requests be known to Him. He cares about you, so don’t’ be afraid to let Him know what you are going through.
When facing obstacles, it is essential to stay in contact with God and ask for His help and guidance.
See also: 1 Jn 5:14-15, 1 Chr 16:11, and Eph 6:18.
When facing obstacles, it is essential to stay in contact with God and ask for His help and guidance.Strategy #3: Overcome Obstacles by Casting Down Imaginations
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV
Casting down imaginations is just a fancy way of saying, “reject negative or sinful thoughts.”
As Christ-followers, we are called to fill our minds with true and godly things (Ph 4:8-9). We should not entertain every thought or feeling that comes into our minds.
Tearing down strongholds and eliminating negative thought patterns will help us create a more positive and Christ-like mindset. This process will strengthen and equip us for the many trials and tribulations we will face in our faith walk.
See also: Rm 12:9, 2 Pt 1:3-7, and 1 Th 5:21-22.
Strategy #4 – Overcome Obstacles by Choosing Faith Over Fear
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV
Always choose faith over fear. I understand that things can be stressful and overwhelming at times, but we must never give in to the fear.
The Bible says that God’s perfect love has the power to cast out fear (1 Jn 4:18). When we choose faith over fear, we cast our anxiety on the One who cares about us most (1 Pt 5:7).
See also: Rm 8:15, Ps 55:22, and Lk 1:74-75.
When we choose faith over fear, we cast our anxiety on the One who cares about us most (1 Pt 5:7).Strategy #5 – Overcome Obstacles by Abstaining from Sin
“Abstain from all appearance of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV
Whenever you face challenges, do not give in to, or entertain, sin. The devil knows your weaknesses and will do whatever he can to drag you down and away from living a life that is pleasing to God.
That is why it is essential to keep your focus on God. Think about the end goal: overcome obstacles without being led astray by temptations of the flesh.
See also: Rm 12:17, Jas 4:17, and Gal 5:16.
Strategy #6: Overcome Obstacles by Trusting God Completely
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 KJV
Put all of your faith and trust in God alone. He is the only one who can truly guide you through whatever you are going through.
God always knows what is best for you, and He knows everything about you too. He is absolutely trustworthy!
See also: Ps 31:14-15, Ps 28:7, and Is 26:3.
Stratgey #7 – Overcome Obstacles by Seeking Strength and Wisdom from God
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 KJV
God is strong, and He makes us strong—especially when weak. Obstacles expose our weaknesses and increase our dependency upon Christ.
They help us see how strong and powerful our God is. He alone can give us the strength and wisdom we need to endure.
See also: Is 40:31, Eph 6:10, and Jas 1:5.
Obstacles expose our weaknesses and increase our dependency upon Christ.Strategy #8 – Overcome Obstacles by Trusting in God’s Plan
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 KJV
God’s ways are always better than our ways. Say that with me again: God’s ways are always better than our ways.
God has a plan and purpose for our lives. As Christians, we are to follow His plans and seek His will for our lives.
Trusting in God’s plan keeps us on the straight and narrow path and helps us endure obstacles.
See also: Ps 9:10, Pr 19:21, and Eph 2:10.
Concluding Thoughts on Overcoming Obstacles
Surround yourself with others who will support and encourage you, especially when times get tough. Go to church, and fellowship with other believers. If you take the time to dig deep, you will discover that they are struggling to overcome obstacles too!
There is no situation that is too difficult for God to handle; there is nothing that is impossible with God.
You are a child of God.
You are a daughter of the King.
You are part of God’s family.
Remember who you are and where you belong—that is your strength.
Always rely on God and put Him first. This is key to getting through any obstacle that life throws at you.
-Sacha C.
Sacha is the owner/creator of Clothed With Dignity Co which is a Christian blog and apparel store. Clothed with dignity encourages women to be strong, honorable and faithful to God. Sacha has a free resources library that offers a range of different Biblical resources to help you grow in the faith and get closer to God. Her small apparel store teaches us to wear our faith and to clothe ourselves with dignity. Connect with Sacha on Facebook and Instagram.
