What personal barriers might hinder you from fully coming to Jesus for life? John 5:40 – The Heart of the Problem “yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.” Jesus speaks to people who had every religious advantage, yet still resisted the very Life-Giver. The same Word, accurate and literal, diagnoses the barriers that can still lodge in any heart. Potential Personal Barriers • Pride—clinging to self-sufficiency instead of childlike dependence (James 4:6; Proverbs 16:18). • Unbelief—questioning the trustworthiness of Christ’s promises (Hebrews 3:12). • Love of Sin—preferring darkness because deeds feel safer unexposed (John 3:19-20). • Religious Formalism—resting in knowledge or rituals rather than in the Person they point to (John 5:39). • Fear of Man—valuing human approval over God’s approval (John 12:43). • Worldly Attachments—possessions, status, or pleasures that capture the heart (Mark 10:21-22; 1 John 2:15-17). • Self-Righteousness—believing one’s own morality is enough (Luke 18:11-14; Romans 10:3). • Woundedness—past hurts or disappointments projected onto God’s character (Psalm 34:18). • Delay—intending to come later, unaware that tomorrow is not guaranteed (2 Corinthians 6:2; James 4:13-14). How Scripture Exposes and Removes These Barriers • The Word shines light, revealing hidden motives (Hebrews 4:12). • The Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). • Grace invites honest confession without condemnation (1 John 1:9; Romans 8:1). • Truth sets free from lies that hold the soul hostage (John 8:32). Because Scripture is wholly true and literal, its diagnoses and cures can be trusted without reservation. Practical Steps to Surrender the Barriers 1. Acknowledge specifically whatever barrier the Spirit brings to mind (Psalm 139:23-24). 2. Agree with God’s verdict about that barrier—call it what He calls it. 3. Turn from it and turn to Christ, trusting His finished work (Acts 3:19; Ephesians 2:8-9). 4. Immerse the mind in truth daily; renew thinking with Scripture (Romans 12:2). 5. Walk in ongoing fellowship—accountability with believers who point back to Jesus (Hebrews 10:24-25). 6. Keep the eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:1-2), until every barrier bows before His greater glory. |
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