We are deeply loved, completely forgiven, fully pleasing, and totally acceptable, and complete in Christ.

Transcription

1 The Power of Life and Death Objects of His Affection Chapter 4 We are deeply loved, completely forgiven, fully pleasing, and totally acceptable, and complete in Christ. Search for Significance by Robert McGee

2 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. I Samuel 12:21

3 Big Idea: You ll find God is the only one who can define your significance and declare your value as you go to the depths of your story (past, present & future) allowing God s heart to become embedded in every chamber of your heart.

4 Negative View of God Positive View of God The Preoccupied: Believer has a positive view of God but a negative view of Self. Tend to feel not good enough, guilty, shamed, and "bad." Worry God will reject (not love them) or abandon them due to their sinfulness / unworthiness. Crave intimacy with God but this intimacy is shaded/obscured with a need to "perform" for God to secure His favor and continued presence. The Secure: Believers have a healthy view of themselves and God. That is, they would have little fear or concern that God would abandon them. God is experienced as trustworthy and dependable. A keeper of His promises. Thus, intimacy with God is sought and longed for. The Fearful: Believers have a negative view of themselves and God. They are chronically caught between fear of abandonment by God yet they reject intimacy with God at the same time. They crave intimacy but are afraid of finding that as they are pulling away or drawing close that they are unworthy and God is not interested. Negative View of Self The Dismissive : Believers have a positive view of themselves and a negative view of God. Thus, these believers will be more selfreliant and less willing to rely or depend upon God. God is deemed to be "unpredictable," "unreliable," or "untrustworthy. This groups tends to think they can only rely on themselves and are fiercely independent. Positive View of Self by Richard Beck, college professor and experimental psychologist

5 Anxiety I feel angry with God for not responding to me when I want / how I want. I worry a lot about my relationship with God. I fear God does not accept me when I do wrong. I crave reassurance from God that God loves me because I m not sure I am loved or lovable. I am jealous at how God seems to care more for others than for me. I prefer not to depend too much on God. Statements above indicate anxiety that you will be abandoned, left, or discarded / **Preoccupied thinking** I am uncomfortable being emotional in my communication with God. I just don t feel a deep need to be close to God. I am just fine. I can handle it. Statements above indicated a need to avoid relational commitment, dependency, or intimacy / **Dismissive thinking** Avoidance by Richard Beck, college professor and experimental psychologist

6 Progression of Our Relationship with God Potter Clay Isaiah 64:8 Shepherd Sheep Isaiah 40:11 & John 10:14 Father Child Isaiah 49:15; 66:13 & John 1:12 Friends John 15:12-15 Lovers Isaiah 54:5; 62:5 & Revelation 19:7-8

7 LIFE Situations, Experiences, Encounters and Relationships ACT SAY & DO Thoughts Emotions Beliefs God s Truth

8 Circling Back/Checking Ourselves Be honest with yourself and a trusted friend about your emotions and thoughts Trace your thoughts and emotions back to their source and try to IDENTIFY your belief(s). Consciously REJECT the false belief and REPLACE it with God s truth.

9 For though we live in the world, we do not wage ware as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

10 REMEMBER: Change happens over time. Old habits and patterns have deep roots. They will fight for life. We must realize we can t achieve growth by self-effort. Only through the Holy Spirit working in us will we gain the needed insight and strength to persevere through the battle. In order for this new awareness and direction to take hold we must soak up God through his word and allow it to LODGE deeply in our hearts and minds. We must confront the lies we ve adopted, replace them with truth, and embrace this new way of living.

11 We are deeply loved, completely forgiven, fully pleasing, and totally acceptable, and complete in Christ. Search for Significance by Robert McGee Key Points: Living as His beloved comes as we discover and embrace an accurate perception of ourselves, God, and others based on God s truth. Chasing after applause of others or accumulation of things will never satisfy your deep longing for love, significance or value. God presents opportunities, in our ordinary everyday life, to embed his heart into our hearts allowing us the chance to live fully alive. It s a process of going to the depth of your story which allows God s heart to become embedded in every chamber of your heart and every aspect of your life.