Living Unhindered: Embracing Healing and Spiritual Growth
Summary
### Summary
In today's message, we explored the concept of living an "Unhindered" life, a life free from the emotional and spiritual baggage that often hinders our relationship with God and others. We began by acknowledging that our hearts are shaped not only by God but also by our experiences, including pain, trials, and trauma. These experiences create "sore spots" that filter how we see the world, ourselves, and even God. The goal is to allow God to heal these sore spots so we can live a life full of faith and unhindered by past wounds.
We delved into Hebrews 12, which encourages us to throw off everything that hinders us and run with perseverance the race marked out for us. This includes not just sin but also the emotional and psychological wounds inflicted by others. We discussed the importance of recognizing the battles we face, using the right strategies, and confronting our fears. We also emphasized the necessity of putting on the full armor of God as described in Ephesians 6, which includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.
We also introduced the "Nevertheless Principle," a powerful tool for reconciling our painful experiences with God's truth. This principle helps us to acknowledge our pain while also affirming God's greater truth and promises. For example, even when we feel inadequate, we can say, "Nevertheless, I am enough because God is with me."
Finally, we encouraged everyone not to give up when faced with setbacks or discomfort. Healing and growth are often gradual processes that require perseverance and faith. We concluded with a call to action, inviting everyone to partner with God in this journey of healing and to embrace the new, unhindered life He offers.
### Key Takeaways
1. Recognize the Battle You're In: Understanding that life is a series of battles for your soul is crucial. Victory is not achieved in a single moment but through a series of small, cumulative wins that weaken the enemy and strengthen your faith. This perspective helps you stay committed to the long journey of spiritual growth. [10:58]
2. Use the Right Strategy: Employing the right strategies, such as the "STP" method (Stop, Think, Pray), can help you navigate moments of collision between your old and new selves. This method encourages you to interrupt negative patterns, reflect on God's truth, and seek His guidance, thereby fostering a more profound transformation. [20:13]
3. Confront Your Fears: Like David running toward Goliath, confronting your fears head-on is essential for spiritual growth. Avoiding or delaying difficult tasks only increases their intimidation. Facing them promptly can lead to quicker resolutions and less accumulated fear, making it easier to move forward in faith. [22:21]
4. Put on Your Armor: The full armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6, is essential for spiritual battles. Each piece, from the belt of truth to the sword of the Spirit, serves a specific purpose in protecting and empowering you. Knowing and using these spiritual tools can help you stand firm against the enemy's attacks. [24:19]
5. Embrace the Nevertheless Principle: This principle helps you reconcile painful experiences with God's greater truth. By acknowledging your pain but affirming God's promises, you can shift your perspective from despair to hope. This practice is not about blind optimism but about grounding your experiences in the reality of God's unwavering love and truth. [35:29]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:50] - Introduction to Unhindered Series
[03:14] - The Impact of Pain and Trauma
[04:26] - Hebrews 12: A Call to Throw Off Hindrances
[05:44] - The Intersection of Faith and Psychology
[07:06] - Pastoral Care and Support
[08:21] - The Need for a New Direction
[09:46] - Expecting Opposition in Your New Direction
[10:58] - Recognize the Battle You're In
[12:28] - The Challenge of Sustained Spiritual Growth
[14:59] - The Hard Work of Motherhood
[16:25] - The Importance of Perseverance
[17:36] - Heart Work is Hard Work
[18:48] - Moments of Collision: Old vs. New Normal
[20:13] - Use the Right Strategy: STP Method
[21:44] - Confront Your Fears
[24:19] - Put on Your Armor
[26:03] - The Belt of Truth
[27:14] - The Breastplate of Righteousness
[29:22] - The Shoes of Peace
[30:44] - The Shield of Faith
[31:19] - The Helmet of Salvation
[32:47] - The Sword of the Spirit
[35:29] - The Nevertheless Principle
[39:28] - Don't Give Up When You Have a Setback
[41:16] - Don't Stop When You Get Uncomfortable
[43:01] - A Prayer of Blessing and Invitation
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Hebrews 12:1-2: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."
2. Ephesians 6:10-18: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."
### Observation Questions
1. What are the "sore spots" mentioned in the sermon, and how do they affect our perception of God, ourselves, and others? [[01:50]]
2. According to Hebrews 12:1-2, what are we encouraged to throw off, and why is this important for running the race marked out for us? [[04:26]]
3. What are the six pieces of the armor of God listed in Ephesians 6, and what does each piece represent? [[24:19]]
4. How does the "Nevertheless Principle" help reconcile our painful experiences with God's truth? [[35:29]]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does recognizing the battle we are in help us stay committed to the journey of spiritual growth? [[10:58]]
2. What does it mean to use the "STP" method (Stop, Think, Pray) in moments of collision between our old and new selves? How can this method foster transformation? [[20:13]]
3. Why is it important to confront our fears head-on, and how does this relate to the story of David and Goliath? [[22:21]]
4. How does putting on the full armor of God equip us for spiritual battles, and what role does each piece play in our defense and offense? [[24:19]]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a "sore spot" in your life. How has it shaped your perception of God, yourself, or others? What steps can you take to allow God to heal this area? [[01:50]]
2. Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to throw off everything that hinders. What specific hindrances (emotional, spiritual, or physical) do you need to address in your life to run your race more effectively? [[04:26]]
3. The "STP" method involves stopping, thinking, and praying. Can you identify a recent moment of collision between your old and new self? How did you handle it, and how could the "STP" method have helped? [[20:13]]
4. Confronting fears can be daunting. Think of a fear you have been avoiding. What practical steps can you take this week to confront it head-on, like David did with Goliath? [[22:21]]
5. The armor of God includes the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit. Which piece of armor do you feel you need to strengthen in your life, and how can you do that? [[24:19]]
6. The "Nevertheless Principle" helps shift our perspective from despair to hope. Create a "nevertheless" statement for a current challenge you are facing. How can this new perspective change your approach to the situation? [[35:29]]
7. Setbacks are part of the journey. Reflect on a recent setback you experienced. How can you view it as an opportunity for more healing and learning rather than a failure? [[39:28]]
Devotional
Day 1: Recognize the Battle You're In
Life is a series of battles for your soul, and understanding this is crucial for spiritual growth. Victory is not achieved in a single moment but through a series of small, cumulative wins that weaken the enemy and strengthen your faith. This perspective helps you stay committed to the long journey of spiritual growth. Recognizing the battle means being aware of the spiritual warfare that surrounds you and understanding that every challenge you face is an opportunity to grow closer to God. By acknowledging the ongoing nature of these battles, you can better prepare yourself to face them with faith and perseverance. [10:58]
Ephesians 6:12 (ESV): "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
Reflection: What are some of the spiritual battles you are currently facing? How can you remind yourself daily that these battles are opportunities for spiritual growth?
Day 2: Use the Right Strategy
Employing the right strategies, such as the "STP" method (Stop, Think, Pray), can help you navigate moments of collision between your old and new selves. This method encourages you to interrupt negative patterns, reflect on God's truth, and seek His guidance, thereby fostering a more profound transformation. Using the right strategy means being intentional about your spiritual practices and making conscious decisions to align your actions with God's will. By stopping to think and pray, you can break free from old habits and embrace a new way of living that is rooted in faith and guided by the Holy Spirit. [20:13]
Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "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."
Reflection: When you face a challenging situation, how can you incorporate the "STP" method to ensure your response aligns with God's truth and guidance?
Day 3: Confront Your Fears
Like David running toward Goliath, confronting your fears head-on is essential for spiritual growth. Avoiding or delaying difficult tasks only increases their intimidation. Facing them promptly can lead to quicker resolutions and less accumulated fear, making it easier to move forward in faith. Confronting your fears means trusting in God's strength and promises, even when you feel inadequate or overwhelmed. By taking bold steps of faith, you can overcome obstacles and experience the freedom and victory that come from relying on God's power rather than your own. [22:21]
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Reflection: What is one fear that has been holding you back? How can you take a step of faith today to confront and overcome that fear with God's help?
Day 4: Put on Your Armor
The full armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6, is essential for spiritual battles. Each piece, from the belt of truth to the sword of the Spirit, serves a specific purpose in protecting and empowering you. Knowing and using these spiritual tools can help you stand firm against the enemy's attacks. Putting on your armor means being proactive in your spiritual life, equipping yourself with God's truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. By doing so, you can face any challenge with confidence and resilience, knowing that you are fully prepared and protected by God's power. [24:19]
Ephesians 6:13-17 (ESV): "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
Reflection: Which piece of the armor of God do you feel you need to focus on strengthening in your life? How can you intentionally put on this piece of armor each day?
Day 5: Embrace the Nevertheless Principle
The "Nevertheless Principle" helps you reconcile painful experiences with God's greater truth. By acknowledging your pain but affirming God's promises, you can shift your perspective from despair to hope. This practice is not about blind optimism but about grounding your experiences in the reality of God's unwavering love and truth. Embracing the "Nevertheless Principle" means choosing to trust in God's goodness and faithfulness, even when circumstances are difficult. It involves declaring God's truth over your life and allowing His promises to shape your outlook and actions, leading to a life of hope and resilience. [35:29]
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV): "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
Reflection: What is a painful experience you are currently facing? How can you apply the "Nevertheless Principle" to this situation and declare God's truth over it?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "You know, as Christians, we'd like to say that only God has shaped our hearts. And the truth is God is in the heart shaping business. We're all glad for that. But at the same time, there are other things that shape our hearts, pain, trials, tribulation, suffering, even trauma in our lives. And they shape our hearts in such a way that we have what the book calls sore spots. Ouch. We have these sore spots in our lives that get triggered and we start to feel that pain in day-to-day situations." [02:30] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The Bible teaches that there's actually other things that hinder us. Besides the sin in our lives. And you know, in church, we talk a lot about the sin part. And we should talk about that because you do have sin in your life that is hindering your heart. And I would not be doing my job if I didn't say you need to work on that. You're like, you need to, you need to give that to the Lord. You need to repent of that. You need to turn from it and your life will look different." [04:26] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "All truth is God's truth. Say it with me. All truth is God's truth. So we don't avoid, right? The field of psychology altogether, because we think it stands opposed to our faith because if truth comes from it, all truth is God's truth. And I love that." [06:30] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Whatever God has for you, whatever God has for your life, whatever God has for your marriage, whatever God has for your ministry or your business, whatever God has for your children, that's worth fighting for, right? Whatever God has for you, it's worth fighting for. So even though there's going to be a battle, there's going to be opposition, don't go down without a fight." [10:20] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Friends, the battle isn't over when you have an aha moment. The battle doesn't end with an intention to live unhindered. You're signing up for, like Eugene Peterson says, a long obedience in the same direction, a new direction. In fact, Dr. Charity Byers says it like this, cumulatively, the ground you take each time you battle for your heart will add up to unhindering your life." [21:11] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Friends, when it comes to your heart, don't stop one step short. God never does. Healing and growth is rarely instantaneous. It probably won't be one light bulb moment that changes everything for you. It will probably be a series of moments that compel you to surrender your old normal and embrace the new normal more and more. Over time, it's doubtful that one encounter with God will erase every untrustworthy intuition that you have because of the ways you've been hurt in your life. It'll take many moments of remembering the truth of God and the authority of what he has said about you and your life that finally makes it stick in your heart and not just in your head." [17:36] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "You need to recognize the battle that you're in. You just need to know, friends, that you're going to be taking on a series of battles that are going to be fought on behalf of your soul. And you have to be ready to stay the course. No war is going to be won in a moment. One decisive battle is not responsible for ultimate victory, even if that is what gets the glory in the history books. War is won through a series of battles whose triumphs accumulate to collectively weaken the enemy and push back its territory." [10:58] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Friends, listen, what you experienced is real. Nevertheless statement tells our hearts what you experienced is real. Nevertheless, God has something better for you than that. Friends, God's truth. It's the ultimate power to define our hearts. The nevertheless principle isn't a game of trading realism for blind optimism. It's about inviting God to power up our lives into every experience that needs redefined meaning. This is what unhindered faith should do. Our minds are renewed when we see through God's perspective, not our own. It turns rejection into pursuit. It turns defeat into victory. It turns hopelessness into hope. It turns fear into trust." [38:12] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Don't give up when you have a setback. Now notice I didn't say if you have a setback. I said when you have a setback. You know, a setback can get easily misinterpreted as an invalidation for all your healing and growth. We think, well, I guess it wasn't real. I guess I'm just not capable of changing. I guess God's not really gonna bring healing into my life. And that's not true. Friends, setbacks are simply opportunities for more healing and more learning. If you start redefining setbacks as collisions and see them as opportunities and not detractors, your attitude toward them dramatically changes." [39:28] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Don't stop when you get uncomfortable. And notice again, I didn't say if. Don't stop when you get uncomfortable. The old normal has felt safe. It's so comfortable to you. It is so attractive, like your favorite song. You know it by heart. You can sing it in your car and in your shower, right? But the new normal for your heart feels like a new book that you've never read. The binding feels stiff. You don't know how it's gonna end. You don't even know if you're gonna like it, right? But as you try to embrace that new normal, even though your mind may try to convince you to go back to what it's always known, back to the old, back to the comfortable, you might even be tempted to pick up the old normal again, and just go back to the past and live there in the comfort of it. But don't listen to that. Don't listen to that lie. You can trust God to write a better story for your life." [41:16] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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