Roadblocks

Sometimes in our lives we encounter roadblocks-- some spiritual, others physical. Roadblocks are easy to recognize. The difficulty is in knowing what to do about them.

Some roadblocks should be plowed through at full speed to avoid being detained. I once saw a dashcam video of an attempted hijacking of a truck driver. A car stopped right in front of him on a narrow on-ramp and men with guns started getting out. He was at a choke point. His only options were to stop, or to run the blockade. He chose to downshift and floor it. The men scrambled out of the way as he rammed that car and pushed it all the way to the freeway and safety.

Other roadblocks should not be run. For example, If you see a roadblock ahead consisting of concrete barriers and a group of child soldiers, you should probably not attempt to run it. (Friends who have traveled in conflict zones tell me that nothing is as frightening as drugged-up child soldiers with assault rifles and zero inhibitions.) When you see this kind of roadblock ahead, you either stop and wait (not recommended) or you take a different road.

I was praying about a situation awhile ago, and God showed me a roadblock. I wanted to turn right at an intersection, but the road I wanted to go on was blocked off. The pavement was dug up, temporary barricades were up, and a big excavator was working in deep sand. As I saw it, I knew immediately that if I tried to turn down that road that I would probably not make it past the excavator in my old minivan, I would absolutely get stuck in the deep sand, and I would most definitely become a complete nuisance to everyone trying to work there. So my options were to either to wait for he road to be open, or to drive on. I knew that the construction would be eventually be finished and that road would be open to me, but it will definitely be a minute and I didn't bring snacks. That road was not open to me right now because the work isn't finished on that intersection, so I needed to continue down the road I was on.

Not long after that, I was praying about an entirely different situation and I saw another roadblock vision. This time, I was driving quickly through what seemed to be fog. Suddenly, I saw a big white barricade ahead. I was moving much too fast to stop and blew right through it. As I passed through it, the barricade evaporated into the fog and I continued on. But what did it mean?

There are several examples in the Bible of people encountering spiritual roadblocks. In Numbers 22, the prophet Balaam had been hired by the king of Moab to curse the Hebrews who were traveling through Moabite territory, but God sent an angel to block Balaam's way with drawn sword. The donkey turned aside, angering Balaam. Eventually the angel revealed himself and the prophet was warned to proceed with extreme caution, speaking only what God directed him to say.

Another example of God placing a spiritual roadblock can be found in Acts 16:6-10 (NIV):

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phyrgia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

In this case, God blocked the way because that area was not ready yet and He had other things for them to do meanwhile. Instead, God brought them back to Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) several stops later. We don't know how God blocked them, only that they recognized the roadblock as coming from God.

In another example in scripture of a spiritual roadblock is found in Daniel 10, but this time the roadblock was from the Enemy, not from God. In this chapter, Daniel saw an important vision and prayed fervently for three weeks for interpretation, but without an answer. Finally, an angel appeared to explain things:

A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, "Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you." And when he had said this to me, I stood up trembling.

Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come."

So here are three examples of roadblocks in scripture, with three different responses. Balaam's God-directed response was to proceed with extreme caution. Daniel's response was to pray through the situation until God resolved it through spiritual warfare. (This it the equivalent of the truck driver downshifting and pushing the car out of the way.) And finally we have the response of Paul and his party who recognized God's guidance to not go down that road, so they waited for instruction and then followed the new direction given them.

I think for me, the vision of the intersection under construction and road blocked definitely means that particular road isn't ready yet and I am to go somewhere else. This is a common theme in God's dealings with me over the last few years, showing me roadblocks and detours ahead. (Okay, cool. So where ARE we going then, God?)

But the second vision of the ethereal white barricade floating in the fog that dissipated when I drove through it? That's harder for me to understand. To my mind, the ethereal nature suggests it's a spiritual roadblock, and as I drove through it, the barrier evaporated. I think it was a roadblock from the enemy along the lines of Daniel 10, and it evaporated when I powered through because it was only an illusion. It wasn't solid-- wasn't a real barrier. It just looked scary. (But what if it is God's roadblock, warning of a spiritual bridge-out ahead, and I need to turn back?) God's previous answer on that situation was to say "Trust My Timing," so please pray with me for understanding and wisdom in how to proceed.

So maybe you have encountered a road block in your life. Should you wait, rush the barricade, or take a different road? I pray God gives you the wisdom for your specific situation as you seek Him.