I Thessalonians 2:18 “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 20 For ye are our glory and joy.”
The troubles we are experiencing in our day are nothing new, “Satan” and his vile minions have been hindering the faithful Children of God ever since Genesis Chapter Three. But, his hinderances are simply the instruments that exercise our God-given “faith”; for, they are hindrances not stoppages. When Paul arrived in Thessalonica, he went directly to the “synagogue of the Jews”, and for “three sabbath days”, he “reasoned with them out of the scriptures” (Old Testament), “Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.” (Acts 17:1-3). Among the Jews in the “synagogue”, “some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few” (Acts 17:3). But, “Satan” was not going to miss an opportunity to stir up trouble; so, “the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people” (Acts 17:4). Much like today, they distorted the truth, stirred up the people, misused legal authorities, and even lied; and they stirred up great trouble in the city; so “the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea” (Acts 17:5-10). But, “Satan” lost again, for the Gospel had already taken strong root in the hearts of the faithful Brethren in Thessalonica, and it immediately began to prosper. The blessed Gospel was so strongly rooted in them that Paul joyfully wrote to them that “ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost”, “ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia”, “from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia”, and “in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing” (I Thessalonians 1:5-8). Paul had wanted to return to them, but was hindered, but he looked forward to that great and blessed day when we will all be together “in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming” (I Thessalonians 2:19)! The outcome will be the same in our day, “Satan” will hinder us, but our Lord wins every time! So, like Paul, let’s just continuously “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14), with our eyes always turned heavenward “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), always looking forward to that great day in which “he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (I John 3:2)!