Bible Verses About Overcoming Obstacles

What does the Bible say about overcoming obstacles?

The Bible is very clear that this world is not a stroll in the park. There will be obstacles in life because our world is tainted by sin.

Christian quotes

“You will find joy in overcoming obstacles.”

“Overcoming obstacles starts with a positive attitude and faith that God will see you through.”

“If we didn’t have obstacles to overcome & never faced impossible situations, we wouldn’t see the greatness of God’s power.”

“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”

Facing obstacles

We will face obstacles. Those struggles are frequently in the form of obstacles. Obstacles that get in the way of how we imagine life should be. Obstacles that make it hard for us to spend time in the Word each day. Obstacles that make it hard to seek God with our whole heart. Obstacles that make it hard to make it through the day.

1)   John 1:5 “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

2)   2 Peter 2:20 “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.”

3)   Isaiah 41:13 “After all, it is I, the Eternal One your God, who has hold of your right hand, Who whispers in your ear, “Don’t be afraid. I will help you.”

4)   James 1:19-21 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

You’re an overcomer

Thankfully, Christ has overcome the whole world – and even death. There is nothing that we need to fear. It is through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit that we too can be overcomers. The power of Christ working through us will allow us to overcome the obstacles in our path to becoming more Christ like. This doesn’t mean that life will suddenly become a bed of roses – thousands of martyrs who have lived before us will attest to this – but we can have hope.

5)   Revelation 2:26 “He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.”

6)   1 John 5:4 “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

7)   Romans 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

8)   Luke 1:37 “For every promise from God shall surely come true.”

9)   1 John 4:4 “Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.”

10) 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

11) Romans 8:37 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Overcoming obstacles with God

God is faithful. It is a part of His nature. He will not fail to finish the good work that He has started in us. God is continually working in us to transform us into His likeness. He will not abandon us to our trials without hope.

12) Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

13) 1 John 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

14) Revelation 17:14 “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”

15) Luke 10:19 “He is the enemy, but know that I have given you more power than he has. I have given you power to crush his snakes and scorpions under your feet. Nothing will hurt you.”

16) Psalm 69:15 “May the flood of water not overflow me, Nor the deep swallow me up, Nor the pit shut its mouth on me.”

What God says about overcoming obstacles?

God is safe to trust. He is completely reliable. Christ has conquered sin and death – He is able to carry you and keep you safe. Even when things look bleak, God has not abandoned you.

17) 1 John 5:5 “Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

18) Mark 9:24 “Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

19) Psalm 44:5 “Through You we will push back our adversaries; Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.”

20) Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

21) 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

How to be thankful in adversity?

Scripture tells us that we need to praise God even in the midst of adversity. This is because God has already conquered evil. There is nothing left but to wait on Him to come for His bride. God allows the adversity in our life to shape us – like iron is purified in the fire – to transform us into the image of Christ.

22) Psalm 34:1 “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.”

23) Jeremiah 1:19 “They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.”

24) Revelation 3:12 “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.”

25) Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

26) Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

27) Psalm 91:2 “I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”

Obstacles build character

One reason that God allows obstacles in our life is transformation. He uses it to shape us. It molds us as if we were clay. God uses hard situations and difficulties in our life to build our character. He wants to purge us of our impurities.

28) Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us through off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

29) 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

30) Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against these there is no law.

31) 1 Timothy 4:12-13 “You are young, but don’t let anyone treat you as if you are not important. Be an example to show the believers how they should live. Show them by what you say, by the way you live, by your love, by your faith, and by your pure life. 13 Continue to read the Scriptures to the people, encourage them, and teach them. Do this until I come.”

32) 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

33) 2 Peter 1:5-8 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

34) 1 Timothy 6:11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

35) James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

36) Romans 5:4 And endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

Finding encouragement in the Bible

God in His mercy, has given us His Word. The Bible is God-breathed. He has graciously given us all that we need in the Bible. The Bible is full of encouragement. Over and over God tells us not to fear – and to trust Him because He has won.

37) Psalm 18:1 “He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, LORD, my strength.”

38) John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

39) Revelation 3:21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

40) Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.

41) Revelation 3:5 He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

42) Numbers 13:30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.”

43) 1 John 2:13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.

Giving your burdens to the Lord

We are told to give our burdens over to the Lord. They are not ours for carrying anymore since we were bought by Him at such a price. Giving our burdens to Him is a moment-by-moment act of trusting God with the situation He has placed us in. We are to give our burden to him and not pick them up again.

44) Psalm 68:19-20 The Lord deserves praise! Day after day he carries our burden, the God who delivers us. Our God is a God who delivers; the Lord, the sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.

45) Matthew 11:29-30 “Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

46) Psalm 138:7 Though I walk through the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.

47) Psalm 81:6-7 I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you called and I rescued you. I answered you out of a thundercloud;I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

48) Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

49) Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Examples of overcoming in the Bible

Over and over we see examples of people in the Bible faced with terrible situations – and with how they overcame those situations. David struggled with depression and was wanted dead by his enemies. Yet he chose to trust God compeltley. Elijah was discouraged and even afraid, yet he trusted God to keep him safe from the threats of Jezebel, and God did. Jonah was furious and wanted to run away – and then ended up in the belly of a fish. But God was faithful and didn’t abandon him to be digested. Job suffered loss of everything – his health, his family, his wealth, his friends – yet He remained faithful.

50) Revelation 13:7 “It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.”

51) 2 Corinthians 1:4 “Who comforteth us in our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

Conclusion

No matter what obstacles you are facing today, take heart. God is faithful. He sees you. He loves you. He knows exactly where you are, and what’s more He has allowed you to be in that specific obstacle for your GOOD and His glory. Even when things look hopeless – God is at work.