Breaking Free from Self-Imposed Barriers
Summary
In our journey through life, we often find ourselves trapped behind what I call "paper walls." These are the excuses we create, which seem like solid barriers but are, in reality, flimsy and self-imposed. We start lying to ourselves early on, and it becomes a habit that can persist throughout our lives. We dignify these lies by calling them reasons, convincing ourselves that they are valid. However, these excuses hold us back from reaching our full potential and living the life God has intended for us.
The truth is, we are often the architects of our own limitations. We construct these paper walls from past experiences, fears, and insecurities, and they prevent us from moving forward. We hide behind these excuses, believing they are legitimate reasons for our inaction or poor choices. But deep down, we know they are just excuses, and they keep us from experiencing true freedom and growth.
Jesus invites us to step out from behind these paper walls. He is the light of the world, and by following Him, we can illuminate the dark corners of our lives where these excuses reside. Jesus doesn't just want us to admire Him or believe in Him; He calls us to follow Him. This means allowing His teachings to guide us, exposing our excuses for what they are, and embracing the truth that sets us free.
When we follow Jesus, we are led out of darkness and into the light. This journey can be terrifying because it requires us to confront our fears and insecurities. But it is also liberating, as it allows us to see ourselves and our potential as God sees them. By embracing the truth, we can break free from the chains of our excuses and live a life of purpose and fulfillment.
Key Takeaways:
- Self-Deception and Excuses: We often lie to ourselves, creating excuses that seem like valid reasons. These paper walls hold us back from reaching our full potential and living the life God intends for us. Recognizing and confronting these self-deceptions is the first step toward freedom. [01:35]
- The Invitation to Follow Jesus: Jesus calls us not just to believe in Him but to follow Him. This means allowing His teachings to guide us and expose our excuses for what they are. Following Jesus leads us out of darkness and into the light, where we can see the truth and be set free. [17:11]
- The Power of Truth: The truth has the power to set us free from the lies we tell ourselves. By embracing the truth, we can break free from the chains of our excuses and live a life of purpose and fulfillment. This requires courage and a willingness to confront our fears and insecurities. [20:44]
- Impact of Excuses on Relationships: Our excuses not only hold us back but also affect our relationships with others. They can prevent us from fully engaging with our family, friends, and community. By moving beyond our excuses, we can improve our relationships and make a positive impact on the world around us. [28:08]
- Living in the Light: Jesus is the light of the world, and by following Him, we can illuminate the dark corners of our lives where our excuses reside. This journey can be terrifying, but it is also liberating, as it allows us to see ourselves and our potential as God sees them. [31:58]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:09] - The Nature of Self-Deception
[01:10] - Understanding Paper Walls
[02:34] - The Illusion of Reasons
[04:56] - Moving Beyond Excuses
[07:14] - The Question of Missing Out
[11:28] - The Relationship Between Excuses and Following Jesus
[16:06] - Jesus as the Light of the World
[20:02] - Knowing the Truth
[24:26] - The Reality of Being a Slave to Sin
[26:15] - The Freedom Jesus Offers
[28:08] - The Impact of Excuses on Relationships
[31:58] - Living in the Light
[34:34] - The Invitation to Follow Jesus
[38:29] - Conclusion and Next Steps
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 8:12 - "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
2. John 8:31-32 - "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
3. Matthew 5:8 - "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus mean when He says, "I am the light of the world"? How does this relate to the concept of "paper walls" mentioned in the sermon? [16:06]
2. According to the sermon, what are "paper walls," and how do they affect our lives? [05:20]
3. How does the sermon describe the relationship between excuses and following Jesus? [11:28]
4. What role does self-deception play in the creation of "paper walls," according to the sermon? [01:35]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How might Jesus' invitation to follow Him challenge the "paper walls" we have built in our lives? [18:05]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that truth can set us free from our self-imposed limitations? [20:44]
3. How does the sermon explain the impact of our excuses on our relationships with others? [28:08]
4. What does it mean to live in the light, as described in the sermon, and how can this be both terrifying and liberating? [31:58]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a "paper wall" in your life. What is one step you can take this week to begin dismantling it? [05:20]
2. Consider a time when you used an excuse to avoid a difficult situation. How might following Jesus' teachings have changed your response? [18:05]
3. Identify a relationship in your life that has been affected by your excuses. What is one action you can take to improve that relationship? [28:08]
4. How can you invite Jesus to illuminate a dark area of your life this week? What specific action will you take to follow His light? [16:06]
5. Think about a fear or insecurity that has held you back. How can embracing the truth help you overcome it? [20:44]
6. What is one practical way you can hold to Jesus' teachings this week to experience greater freedom? [20:02]
7. How can you ensure that your reasons for inaction are not just excuses? What accountability measures can you put in place? [11:28]
Devotional
Day 1: Breaking Through Paper Walls
We often construct "paper walls" from our past experiences, fears, and insecurities, which appear to be solid barriers but are actually flimsy and self-imposed excuses. These excuses hold us back from reaching our full potential and living the life God intends for us. By recognizing and confronting these self-deceptions, we can begin to dismantle the walls that confine us. This process requires honesty and courage, as it involves acknowledging the lies we tell ourselves and the reasons we use to justify our inaction or poor choices. [01:35]
"For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like." (James 1:23-24, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a "paper wall" in your life. What is one step you can take today to begin dismantling it?
Day 2: The Call to Follow
Jesus invites us not just to believe in Him but to follow Him, allowing His teachings to guide us and expose our excuses for what they are. This journey out of darkness and into the light requires us to confront our fears and insecurities. By following Jesus, we can see the truth and be set free from the chains of our excuses. This path is not always easy, but it is essential for experiencing true freedom and growth. [17:11]
"And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' Immediately they left their nets and followed him." (Matthew 4:19-20, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel Jesus is calling you to follow Him more closely? How can you take a step in that direction today?
Day 3: Embracing the Power of Truth
The truth has the power to set us free from the lies we tell ourselves. By embracing the truth, we can break free from the chains of our excuses and live a life of purpose and fulfillment. This requires courage and a willingness to confront our fears and insecurities. When we allow the truth to illuminate our lives, we can see ourselves and our potential as God sees them, leading to a more authentic and meaningful existence. [20:44]
"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." (John 17:17, ESV)
Reflection: What is one truth about yourself or your situation that you have been avoiding? How can you begin to embrace this truth today?
Day 4: Excuses and Relationships
Our excuses not only hold us back but also affect our relationships with others. They can prevent us from fully engaging with our family, friends, and community. By moving beyond our excuses, we can improve our relationships and make a positive impact on the world around us. This involves being honest with ourselves and others, and taking responsibility for our actions and choices. [28:08]
"Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another." (Ephesians 4:25, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life that has been affected by your excuses. What is one step you can take to improve this relationship today?
Day 5: Living in the Light
Jesus is the light of the world, and by following Him, we can illuminate the dark corners of our lives where our excuses reside. This journey can be terrifying, but it is also liberating, as it allows us to see ourselves and our potential as God sees them. By living in the light, we can experience the freedom and fulfillment that comes from aligning our lives with God's truth and purpose. [31:58]
"For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." (Ephesians 5:8, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life that needs the light of Jesus? How can you invite His light into that area today?
Quotes
One of the reasons we're so good at deceiving ourselves is we don't call the lies that we tell ourselves lies. We call them something else. We dignify them, right? We call them reasons. We have reasons which is reasonable. And we want to be reasonable because we don't want to be unreasonable. [00:01:39]
We manufacture or we make up, or we create excuses and we disguise our excuses as reasons because we want to be reasonable. So maybe just, maybe here's where we're going today. Maybe we should call it not like it is. Maybe we should call it like other. See it because I hate to break it to you. [00:04:41]
Is it possible that you are missing out in life because you've walled yourself in, is it possible that you are living behind a paper wall or paper walls that you have you explain and you've bought into personally and you've lied to yourself. You believe these really are actual obstacles that you can't move beyond. [00:07:23]
A single excuse can actually become a king in our life. A single excuse can become a tyrant, a single excuse. You can become the boss of you. And because our lives are not as compartmentalize as we think, okay, excuse excusing. One area of one health or excusing unhealth in one area of life often creates unhealthy. [00:09:18]
There is actually a relationship between our excuses and our not our willingness. There's a relationship between our excuses and our ability to follow Jesus. Because an excuse, can't be the king of your life. And Jesus be the king of your life. And excuse, can't be the Lord of your life. [00:11:22]
You find Jesus bringing light into dark places. He was constantly leading people out of darkness, their personal darkness into light. But the problem is we're going to discover today as well. Light can be terrifying. Light can be frightening. Light shown in our dark places can be threatening. It can be embarrassing. [00:12:27]
What if Jesus really came to lead us out of darkness, into light? What if he really came to light up your excuses and expose them for what they truly are so that you can become everything. God has called you to be everything he knows you to can be. So you can reach your full potential. [00:16:35]
Jesus doesn't need any more admirers. Everybody admires Jesus, but admiring Jesus will make no difference in your life. More importantly, admiring Jesus will make no difference in the world. No difference in the community. No difference in your relationships, believing in Jesus will make no difference in the world. [00:17:27]
If you will do what I am teaching you to do then, and only then you are really my disciples or my learners or my followers. And if you will do what I ask you to do, and if you will embrace what I've asked you to embrace, if you will follow my teaching, that means you're my follower. [00:19:52]
If you follow me, if you embrace my teaching and you allow me to set you free. If the son sets you free, if you allow me to light up the lies, you've believed you will be free indeed. You will actually be free. You will be free to recognize your paper walls for what they are. [00:25:54]
Isn't it true that the people who hurt you, isn't it true that the person who mistreated you, isn't it true that the person who lied to you, who left you, who abandoned you? Isn't it true to the person that stole your idea? Isn't it true of the person that stole that opportunity? [00:28:32]
If you, can't see that you're wrong, you'll be wrong your entire life. If you can't see why can't she see why can't he see if only he could see if only she could see coming back to you. If you can't see if you are unable, if you never get to the place where you can see. [00:30:51]
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