But Satan Hindered Us...

[Ernie]

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes,

"Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us."

I don't hear this much from people today. If someone couldn't make a "kingdom of God" trip, people generally say, "God had other plans." or "God must not have wanted me to go."

On another occasion Paul says that he prayed thrice and then God said, "My grace is sufficient for you." So then Paul started boasting about his weakness.

Did Paul have unusual insight into the spiritual world, or should any mature Christian know when Satan is saying something and when God is saying something.

[RZehr]

It could be that something happened that by its nature, was obviously from Satan. Maybe someone did something that caused the problem. Maybe someone dishonestly and forcefully and overtly restrained Paul for a time being, and openly told him that they didn’t appreciate him going around and spreading the Gospel.

As opposed to some completely or seemingly random mundane occurrence that delayed him, which could conceivably be attributed to God having other plans, or at least not clearly knowing that Satan was behind it.

[temporal1]

Ernie:
.. I don't hear this much from people today.
If someone couldn't make a "kingdom of God" trip, people generally say, "God had other plans." or "God must not have wanted me to go." ..

Another similar phrase I rely on and sometimes hear,
“God allowed it.”

[Chris]

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes,

"Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us."

I don't hear this much from people today. If someone couldn't make a "kingdom of God" trip, people generally say, "God had other plans." or "God must not have wanted me to go."

On another occasion Paul says that he prayed thrice and then God said, "My grace is sufficient for you." So then Paul started boasting about his weakness.

Did Paul have unusual insight into the spiritual world, or should any mature Christian know when Satan is saying something and when God is saying something.

When going to church -

One shoe is lost
Every red light
Headache that morning
Ug, wrinkled. Hung up but wrinkled.
Raining hard
Dropped some food on pants need to change
Dress zipper snagged
Why is the floor wet?
Baby diaper blowout
Animals got out
Tire light on
Running late now

Any of you can add to this list.

No problem at all announcing "This is the devil!"

[RZehr]

When going to church -

One shoe is lost
Every red light
Headache that morning
Ug, wrinkled. Hung up but wrinkled.
Raining hard
Dropped some food on pants need to change
Baby diaper blowout
Animals got out
Tire light on
Running late now

Any of you can add to this list.

No problem at all announcing "This is the devil!"

Let’s see…
1. Shoes/clothes are because the serpent in the Garden.
2. Red light. We know red is bad.
3. Headaches are from the Fall of man.
4. Wrinkles are probably from the Fall.
5. Rain is because of evil in Noah’s day.
6. Pants. Clothes again.
7. Diapers = clothes.
8. In the Garden animals roamed free.
9. Tire. We get tired now because we have to work by the sweat of the brow.

I agree. All from Satan.

[barnhart]

Ernie, any insight I have into such things comes long after the fact, meditating on what happened.

[Neto]

When engaged in ministry work where the objective is to bring God's promise of love & grace to "the world", we will encounter opposition. It might be physical illness, or open confrontation with evil spirits or the same through unbelievers who are against our objective. Sometimes the message is hindered. Sometimes the news falls on ears that have been dulled by the lies of the Satan or by his servants.

[barnhart]

I have a friend who lived for some time in a country with deep animistic roots. He helped organize a school trip to a famous overlook not far away but through mountains considered dangerous. In the mountain pass the vehicle started making a strange noise, so they started praying in dramatic fashion. Soon the noise went away and they arrived safely at the destination. My friend secretly thought the noise sounded like a small stone lodged in the tire tread that worked loose when the road improved and they could speed up but everyone else was convinced God had delivered them from the hand of the enemy.

So who was right. Maybe it was a small stone. Maybe there were robbers in the bush waiting for a vehicle to stop. I don't think we can always know these things.