ROMANS 1:11-13 FOR I LONG TO SEE YOU, SO THAT YOU MAY BE ESTABLISHED

Romans 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established-- 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.

 1.    Paul wants to establish the Romans

V11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established

“I long to see you!” This is the pastor’s heart in Paul the great missionary. Some of the saints in Rome were very dear to Paul, such as Priscilla and Aquila (Rom. 16:3–4), who risked their lives for him; “the beloved Persis” (Rom. 16:12); and others who had labored and suffered with Paul. But he also loved the believers that he did not know, and he longed to be able to share some spiritual gift with them. He was looking forward to a time of mutual blessing in the love of Christ.

Paul wanted to give them God's blessings through his preaching, imparting of knowledge that they would become rooted and grounded in the faith with deep spiritual knowledge so they would grow in service to the Lord Jesus.

1Peter 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3  nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

2.             Paul wants to encourage the Romans and be encouraged by them

V12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me

He is thinking generally about God imparting a spiritual blessing (i.e., encouragement; cf. 15:4) to the church while he is fellowshipping with them in Rome. Through his presence with them and the blessing worked by the Holy Spirit the church would be strengthened in their faith, and fortified in their resolve to live obedient lives for Christ (6:12-14).

Shows the humility of Paul - none of us knows so much that we cannot benefit from others

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Paul was comforted by the strong faith of the Romans

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

3.             Paul was hindered from going to see the Romans

Ro 1:13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.

Why is someone who wants to do the will of God sometimes hindered or stopped from doing it?

Four reasons we can be hindered

1.    Sometimes hindered from advancing to the next stage of God's will because the current stage is not complete or in other words God is not finished in this area yet.

Paul wanted to come before but he had been hindered or kept from doing by an unfinished obligation to preach the Gospel of God in Greece and Asia Minor

Romans 15:20-23 20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21  but as it is written: "To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand." 22 For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. 23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you,

2.    We are sometimes hindered by Satan

1Thessalonians 2:18 Therefore we wanted to come to you----even I, Paul, time and again----but Satan hindered us.

3.    We are sometimes hindered by a greater opportunity

One time Paul desired to preach the Gospel in Asia Minor (Acts 16:6-7) and he was prevented by the Lord because the Lord was opening the door into Macedonia Acts 16:9-10

Started first church in Europe the Philippian Church, it was a beachhead to allow him to go all over because of its strategic position.

God often shuts a door to open another one. Today we have the Epistle to the Romans because Paul was prevented from going to Rome when he desired to.

Re 3:8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

4.    We are sometimes hindered because God is preparing us for the next work He has for us or God is preparing people’s hearts and minds and getting things prepared in the area He is leading us to go next.

What this means is no matter the hindrance God has work for you to do now wherever he has placed you. If God is not answering yes to whatever you are praying to be enabled to do then ask what you can do in the meantime to accomplish His will for your life. Do not just sit back and wait, continue to do whatever he has given you to do now and wait on HIM. His timing is perfect.

Concerning the expression “even as among other Gentiles,” Denney says, “Nothing could indicate more clearly that the church at Rome, as a whole, was Gentile.”

In the end it seems best to take “fruit” as a general reference to spiritual blessing and growth, more in line with its usage in 6:21-22.