God's Plan or Satan's Hindrance

[Denisovich]

Another missionary couple we know has been sent home because of inability to renew visas. This makes three separate missionary couple we know in similar circumstances. When I started praying for them a question/concern came to mind.

It seems that this could be either 1) God's timing and plan is different than I think or 2) Satan could be directly hindering this work.

How can we differentiate between these two possibilities?
Are there other possibilities that are relevant?

 

[JosephZ]

“...my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways... For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

God guides, protects, and provides for us in ways we can't comprehend, and in many cases God's plans and our plans can be complete opposite to one another. God knows and understands things we cannot. I'm a missionary myself, and there was a time when I questioned why things were not going according to plan and would even become angry at God and others when they didn't; however, in hindsight I was later able to see why things didn't always work out the way I wanted them to. There were even times when I found myself in prayer thanking God that they didn't. God has perfect knowledge of everything and we are wise when we concede to that knowledge rather than to question why certain things happen the way they do and/or try to do things our way.

 

[TedT]

If the words predetermined and predestination mean anything then Satan cannot hinder GOD's plan in the least but can only fulfill his role in exposing the horrors of the suffering sin brings to people to open the eyes of the elect good seed to their need to repent and become holy, sanctified fully so they are completely in accord with GOD's plan to condemn the weeds to the outer darkness when the sins of the elect no longer force the postpone this judgement:
Matt 13:27 The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’[to bring the judgement upon them?] 29 ‘NO!’ he said, [postpone the judgement because...] ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. ...the time of the harvest being the time of the maturity of the wheat and the only maturity that saves a sinner from the judgment is a mature holiness!

Thus the sins of the good seed separated them from the holy elect and are the cause of the continued suffering of mankind on this earth.

 

[SkyWriting]

Another missionary couple we know has been sent home because of inability to renew visas. This makes three separate missionary couple we know in similar circumstances. When I started praying for them a question/concern came to mind.

It seems that this could be either 1) God's timing and plan is different than I think or 2) Satan could be directly hindering this work.

How can we differentiate between these two possibilities?
Are there other possibilities that are relevant?

Missionary is not needed or relevant today. Not if you could spend travel expenses on people within walking distance of where you live. And everyone can.

 

[Denisovich]

If the words predetermined and predestination mean anything then Satan cannot hinder GOD's plan in the least but can only fulfill his role in exposing the horrors of the suffering sin brings to people to open the eyes of the elect good seed to their need to repent and become holy, sanctified fully so they are completely in accord with GOD's plan to condemn the weeds to the outer darkness when the sins of the elect no longer force the postpone this judgement:
Matt 13:27 The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’[to bring the judgement upon them?] 29 ‘NO!’ he said, [postpone the judgement because...] ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. ...the time of the harvest being the time of the maturity of the wheat and the only maturity that saves a sinner from the judgment is a mature holiness!

Thus the sins of the good seed separated them from the holy elect and are the cause of the continued suffering of mankind on this earth.

Thanks for the thoughtful response. It is making me think. I know Satan can't win in the long run but it appears that he can win some small victories such as when he tempts a person and that person falls temporarily into sin. Satan won some small battles in Job's life but not in the end. Was Job's problem a one-time allowance of God or does He allow Satan to win other small battles in believer's lives?

 

[Denisovich]

“...my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways... For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

God guides, protects, and provides for us in ways we can't comprehend, and in many cases God's plans and our plans can be complete opposite to one another. God knows and understands things we cannot. I'm a missionary myself, and there was a time when I questioned why things were not going according to plan and would even become angry at God and others when they didn't; however, in hindsight I was later able to see why things didn't always work out the way I wanted them to. There were even times when I found myself in prayer thanking God that they didn't. God has perfect knowledge of everything and we are wise when we concede to that knowledge rather than to question why certain things happen the way they do and/or try to do things our way.

I just read 1Thessalonians 2:18 where Paul says Satan hindered him from going to see the Thessalonians. So maybe the point is Satan does hinder our plan sometimes but God continues right on with His plans. Paul didn't sit around wondering what to do but went right on preaching the Good News wherever he was when Satan tried to hinder the plan. We can do the same.

 

[Denisovich]

Thanks for the thoughtful response. It is making me think. I know Satan can't win in the long run but it appears that he can win some small victories such as when he tempts a person and that person falls temporarily into sin. Satan won some small battles in Job's life but not in the end. Was Job's problem a one-time allowance of God or does He allow Satan to win other small battles in believer's lives?

I just read 1Thessalonians 2:18 where Paul says Satan hindered him from going to see the Thessalonians. So maybe the point is Satan does hinder our plan sometimes but God continues right on with His plans. Paul didn't sit around wondering what to do but went right on preaching the Good News wherever he was when Satan tried to hinder the plan. We can do the same.

 

[bèlla]

It’s difficult to say. I’m moving overseas and held off when the pandemic occurred to see how things would play out and avoid the situation you described. Visa type may play a part. There’s more wiggle room for students and entrepreneurs. You’re adding to the economy and to my knowledge none have been sent home.

I should include a caveat regarding school. I’m referencing institutions native to the country. Not American ones or programs hailing from here. In most instances financial aid isn’t available and you’re self-pay. Acquiring a visa is straightforward in those circumstances.

 

[JosephZ]

I just read 1Thessalonians 2:18 where Paul says Satan hindered him from going to see the Thessalonians. So maybe the point is Satan does hinder our plan sometimes but God continues right on with His plans. Paul didn't sit around wondering what to do but went right on preaching the Good News wherever he was when Satan tried to hinder the plan. We can do the same.

This is true. The hindrances to Paul's plan to visit the Thessalonians took place by way of God's direction. All of Paul's journeys were under the direction of God and Satan couldn't hinder him from preaching the gospel wherever he was diverted to. The inability of the missionaries to renew their visas is in a way similar to Paul's experience. They no doubt wish to stay in the country they are currently serving in, but God apparently needs them to return home for another purpose. The denial of their visas may seem like a hinderance by Satan or some other entity, but the reality is that God is sending them to wherever it is they need to be at this point in their lives.

 

[Marumorose]

Another missionary couple we know has been sent home because of inability to renew visas. This makes three separate missionary couple we know in similar circumstances. When I started praying for them a question/concern came to mind.

It seems that this could be either 1) God's timing and plan is different than I think or 2) Satan could be directly hindering this work.

How can we differentiate between these two possibilities?
Are there other possibilities that are relevant?

May God Bless You. If you prayed and the problem is not solved then believe in your heart that God has a better plan for you and I am speaking from experience.

 

[TedT]

Was Job's problem a one-time allowance of God or does He allow Satan to win other small battles in believer's lives?

Satan never wins... He and his demos live lives predetermined to always give the end win to the sinful good seed by being perfectly trained in righteousness, Heb 12:5-11, and holy so the postponement of the judgement day will end.

The lives of the sinful elect are also perfectly predetermined to bring them to holiness and full sanctification as heaven ready and able to fulfil their purpose to be HIS Bride.

I also tend to accept that YHWH and Job were in cahoots to entice Satan to expose the depths of a fully leavened evil to the world by setting him up to totally monster the most holy old man in the world just because YHWH liked him.

IOW, I cannot accept that GOD lovingly dumped Job into this set-up without first getting his free will permission to take on this role...