Breaking Barriers:

Overcoming Obstacles to

Receiving God’s Love

Breaking Barriers:

Overcoming Obstacles to

Receiving God’s Love

OutflowOutflow Inflo

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“We love God because God first loved us”-- I John 4:19

“We love God because God first loved us”-- I John 4:19

Our Love for God and

Others

Our Love for God and

Others

God’s Love for Us

God’s Love for Us

Inflow

Inflow

“We love God because God first loved us.”

-- I John 4:19

“We love God because God first loved us.”

-- I John 4:19

Our Love for God and

Others

Our Love for God and

Others

God’s Love for Us

God’s Love for Us

OutflowOutflow

The Drenching Rain of the Father

The Drenching Rain of the Father

““The love of the The love of the Father is like a sudden Father is like a sudden rain shower that will rain shower that will pour forth when you pour forth when you least expect it…When least expect it…When this happens this happens do not put do not put up an umbrella to protect up an umbrella to protect yourselfyourself but rather stand but rather stand in the drenching rain in the drenching rain of the Father.of the Father.””

--Richard Foster--Richard Foster

““The love of the The love of the Father is like a sudden Father is like a sudden rain shower that will rain shower that will pour forth when you pour forth when you least expect it…When least expect it…When this happens this happens do not put do not put up an umbrella to protect up an umbrella to protect yourselfyourself but rather stand but rather stand in the drenching rain in the drenching rain of the Father.of the Father.””

--Richard Foster--Richard Foster

Examples of Mis-hearingExamples of Mis-hearing

Samaritan WomanSamaritan Woman

““You are a Jew and I am a You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. ) associate with Samaritans. ) ..””

John 4:9John 4:9

““You are a Jew and I am a You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. ) associate with Samaritans. ) ..””

John 4:9John 4:9

Mixed CrowdMixed Crowd

““Father, glorify your name!" Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again. The and will glorify it again. The crowd that was there and crowd that was there and heard it said it had heard it said it had thundered; others said an thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. angel had spoken to him. ””

John 12: 28-29John 12: 28-29

““Father, glorify your name!" Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again. The and will glorify it again. The crowd that was there and crowd that was there and heard it said it had heard it said it had thundered; others said an thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. angel had spoken to him. ””

John 12: 28-29John 12: 28-29

Walls of Protection Walls of Protection

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be rung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give it to no one, not even to an animal...”

--C.S.Lewis

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be rung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give it to no one, not even to an animal...”

--C.S.Lewis

“I Am A Rock”(Paul Simon)

I build walls. I build walls. A fortress deep and mighty that none may penetrate. A fortress deep and mighty that none may penetrate. I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain,I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain,it laughter and itit laughter and it’’s loving I disdain. s loving I disdain. I am a rock, I am an island…I am a rock, I am an island…

DonDon’’t talk of Love, It talk of Love, I’’ve heard the word before.ve heard the word before.There sleeping in my memory.There sleeping in my memory.I wonI won’’t disturb the slumber of feelings that have died. t disturb the slumber of feelings that have died. If I never loved I never would have cried. If I never loved I never would have cried. I am a rock, I am an islandI am a rock, I am an island..

I have my books and my poetry to protect me.I have my books and my poetry to protect me.I am shielded in my armor. I am shielded in my armor. Hiding in my room, safe within my womb. Hiding in my room, safe within my womb. I touch no one and no one touches me. I touch no one and no one touches me.

And a rock feels no pain. And a rock feels no pain. And an island never cries...And an island never cries...

Walls often consist of…

Bitterness and UnforgivenessBitterness and Unforgiveness Vows and JudgmentsVows and Judgments

Disappointments with God

Disappointments with God

Disappointments with God

When something When something unexpected happens to usunexpected happens to us

When obedience results in When obedience results in tribulationtribulation

Moses’ Disappointment with God ““Moses returned to the Lord Moses returned to the Lord

and said, and said, ‘‘O Lord, why have O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went sent me? Ever since I went to Pharoah to speak in your to Pharoah to speak in your name, he has brought trouble name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you upon this people, and you have not rescued your people have not rescued your people at all.at all.””(Exodus 5:22-23; cf. (Exodus 5:22-23; cf. Numbers 11:10-15)Numbers 11:10-15)

Similar experiences in Ministry

““Have we not all had experiences of a Have we not all had experiences of a like kind? We have felt the like kind? We have felt the unmistakable urge of the Spirit to unmistakable urge of the Spirit to some new form of service, or to some some new form of service, or to some special line of action, and have special line of action, and have obediently pressed forward, confident obediently pressed forward, confident that the inward urge itself was the that the inward urge itself was the guarantee of immediate success. guarantee of immediate success.

Then instead of success, Then instead of success, opposition and opposition and disappointment and seeming disappointment and seeming failure have stunned us into failure have stunned us into bewildered despair, until we bewildered despair, until we have ever been ready to fling have ever been ready to fling the charge of unfaithfulness the charge of unfaithfulness in the face of God.in the face of God.””

—J. Sidlow Baxter—J. Sidlow Baxter

Disappointments with God

When something When something unexpected happens to usunexpected happens to us

When obedience results in When obedience results in tribulationtribulation

When something When something unfortunate unfortunate happens to happens to someone we lovesomeone we love

Disappointments with God… Disappointments with God…

Damage our trust receptorsDamage our trust receptors Create anger towards GodCreate anger towards God Expose our idolsExpose our idols

Psalm 37:4 Psalm 37:4 ““Delight yourself in the Lord Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your and he will give you the desires of your heart.heart.””

Damage our trust receptorsDamage our trust receptors Create anger towards GodCreate anger towards God Expose our idolsExpose our idols

Psalm 37:4 Psalm 37:4 ““Delight yourself in the Lord Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your and he will give you the desires of your heart.heart.””

Shattering Our Idols ““My idea of God My idea of God

is not a divine is not a divine idea. It has to idea. It has to be shattered be shattered time after time. time after time. He shatters it He shatters it Himself. He is Himself. He is the great the great iconoclast.iconoclast.””——C.S. C.S. Lewis, Lewis, A Grief ObservedA Grief Observed

“Love often succumbs to a cold death on the sharp rocks of disappointment”

--Dan Allender

“Love often succumbs to a cold death on the sharp rocks of disappointment”

--Dan Allender

Bring Your Disappointments with God to the Cross!

““My God, my God, why have My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!you forsaken me!””

“My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?”

““If Jesus in all his perfection had the If Jesus in all his perfection had the audacity to ask his Father, audacity to ask his Father, ‘‘Why?Why?’’ we we can express to God all our whys, since can express to God all our whys, since the Why of the Son of Man embraced the Why of the Son of Man embraced ours. None of our whys can be excluded ours. None of our whys can be excluded from his, because all of our whys are from his, because all of our whys are healed through his.healed through his.””—Pierre Wolff—Pierre Wolff

Bring Your Disappointments with God to the Cross!

Bring your hurt, your Bring your hurt, your anger, to the foot of the anger, to the foot of the cross.cross.

Ask Jesus to touch you Ask Jesus to touch you with his nail-scarred with his nail-scarred hands!hands!

““By his wounds we are By his wounds we are healedhealed””

Lies that We’re Not Lovable

Lies that We’re Not Lovable

Samaritan WomanSamaritan Woman

““You are a Jew and I am a You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. ) associate with Samaritans. ) ..””

John 4:9John 4:9

““You are a Jew and I am a You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. ) associate with Samaritans. ) ..””

John 4:9John 4:9

“The greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity or power, but self-rejection...Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the ‘Beloved.’”

--Henri Nouwen

“The greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity or power, but self-rejection...Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the ‘Beloved.’”

--Henri Nouwen

Our Own Failures and SinsOur Own Failures and Sins

Not Like Real ChildrenNot Like Real Children““Some of us keep living like maids and Some of us keep living like maids and

butlers instead of like real children. butlers instead of like real children. Working frantically to earn the right Working frantically to earn the right to stay, we never really settle in, kick to stay, we never really settle in, kick back and enjoy our Fatherback and enjoy our Father’’s s company. In effect, we live in the company. In effect, we live in the crummy, cramped quarters over the crummy, cramped quarters over the garage rather than in the magnifi-garage rather than in the magnifi-cent main housecent main house””—Sandra Wilson—Sandra Wilson

““Some of us keep living like maids and Some of us keep living like maids and butlers instead of like real children. butlers instead of like real children. Working frantically to earn the right Working frantically to earn the right to stay, we never really settle in, kick to stay, we never really settle in, kick back and enjoy our Fatherback and enjoy our Father’’s s company. In effect, we live in the company. In effect, we live in the crummy, cramped quarters over the crummy, cramped quarters over the garage rather than in the magnifi-garage rather than in the magnifi-cent main housecent main house””—Sandra Wilson—Sandra Wilson

ThereThere’’s a world of s a world of difference in knowing wedifference in knowing we’’re the re the forgivenforgiven and and knowing weknowing we’’re the re the beloved.beloved. --Sandra Wilson--Sandra Wilson

ThereThere’’s a world of s a world of difference in knowing wedifference in knowing we’’re the re the forgivenforgiven and and knowing weknowing we’’re the re the beloved.beloved. --Sandra Wilson--Sandra Wilson

Messages We’ve Received from Others

Messages We’ve Received from Others

A complete waste of life… ““I grew up in a very broken and destructive I grew up in a very broken and destructive

home….My mother used to call me all sorts of home….My mother used to call me all sorts of names. I recall one of her favorite ones being names. I recall one of her favorite ones being bastardbastard and when she wasn and when she wasn’’t calling me that she t calling me that she was telling me to go to hell. I never understood was telling me to go to hell. I never understood what I had done to make my mother hate me so what I had done to make my mother hate me so much. I certainly couldnmuch. I certainly couldn’’t be lovable. She wouldnt be lovable. She wouldn’’t have done all those things if I were capable of t have done all those things if I were capable of being loved. I saw myself as a complete waste of being loved. I saw myself as a complete waste of life.life.””

Words that are Spoken Over Us…

. . I have a brother who is eight years older I have a brother who is eight years older than I am. When I was 17 years old… I had than I am. When I was 17 years old… I had started college, but quickly got overwhelmed started college, but quickly got overwhelmed and quit. He was angry and disappointed and quit. He was angry and disappointed with me for quitting. He said, with me for quitting. He said, ““Carol, if you Carol, if you quit school no one will ever want you. The quit school no one will ever want you. The best that you could hope for is to marry well. best that you could hope for is to marry well. You will have nothing of value to offer You will have nothing of value to offer anyone. anyone.

Words spoken over us YouYou’’ll be lucky if you can attract a ll be lucky if you can attract a

mechanic!mechanic!”” I cannot tell you how it I cannot tell you how it happened, but I took on such a spirit of happened, but I took on such a spirit of unworthiness and shame. My brother never unworthiness and shame. My brother never apologized and on the outside I just went on apologized and on the outside I just went on like nothing had ever happened. But, inside like nothing had ever happened. But, inside it was a different story. I spent 25 years it was a different story. I spent 25 years getting cozy with that wound. It caused such getting cozy with that wound. It caused such insecurities to sprout.insecurities to sprout.

Descending into Hell…

““Children descend into hell Children descend into hell when love is squeezed out of when love is squeezed out of them by parental neglect.them by parental neglect.””

—Frank Lake—Frank Lake

Our Fear of Letting God Love Us

Our Fear of Letting God Love Us

What We Fear MostWhat We Fear Most

What we humans fear more than What we humans fear more than anything else is not the evil all anything else is not the evil all around us, nor even the evil around us, nor even the evil inside us. What we fear most is inside us. What we fear most is the good in ourselves. It is so the good in ourselves. It is so demanding we repress it.demanding we repress it.

William Sloane CoffinWilliam Sloane Coffin

What we humans fear more than What we humans fear more than anything else is not the evil all anything else is not the evil all around us, nor even the evil around us, nor even the evil inside us. What we fear most is inside us. What we fear most is the good in ourselves. It is so the good in ourselves. It is so demanding we repress it.demanding we repress it.

William Sloane CoffinWilliam Sloane Coffin

Can you believe the truth about yourself,

no matter how beautiful it is?

The God Who Sings Over YouThe God Who Sings Over You““The Lord your God is with you, he is The Lord your God is with you, he is

mighty to save. He will take great mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, his love, he will rejoice over you with he will rejoice over you with singing.singing.””

--Zephaniah 3:17--Zephaniah 3:17

““The Lord your God is with you, he is The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, his love, he will rejoice over you with he will rejoice over you with singing.singing.””

--Zephaniah 3:17--Zephaniah 3:17

“The only thing that makes life livable is enjoying the joy that comes from knowing one is enjoyed by God.”

--Sam Storms

“The only thing that makes life livable is enjoying the joy that comes from knowing one is enjoyed by God.”

--Sam Storms

You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased