The Sounds Of Silence: You Have Stayed Long Enough Series

INTRO:

- The text today gives us a picture of a journey...

- Perhaps parallels a journey many of us face...

A. God saves us, brings us out of slavery and sin

B. Yet He desires us to go into blessing and fullness of life

C. There is a Jericho...

...or walls built around our emotions that prevent us from going in

...One side of Jordan desert

...One side fruitful / vegetation

D. You have stayed long enough...

...it's time to tear down walls

- They had come out of Egypt (limiting...restricting)

- But had not gone into Canaan (fullness)

- They had come out of Egypt

- But Egypt had not come out of them

- Jericho...was tightly shut up (silence)

„X No one went out

„X No one came in

-Three things to consider:

1. The Silence

2. The Stones

3. The Shout

1. THE SILENCE

For many reasons people hold their pain inside.

They're not sure how to handle the pain

They usually resolve to "The Silent Treatment"

But don't be fooled by the silence.

There is a storm brewing under the silence.

EXAMPLE: The teapot

- Silence is often associated with emotional pain

- Many times you don't even have the skills to communicate

- Because you were always told to shut up!

- Sometimes it's born out of an overbearing parent / spouse

„X Home of an alcoholic...If I just stay quiet

„X Excessively busy

„X Over dominate

„X Controlling

„X Loud / Yelling

- when we grow up without affirmation or approval

- Silence replaces the ability to express emotions

„X The alcoholic couldn't give approval...

„X Because he was always drunk

„X The preoccupied parent couldn't give approval...

„X Because they were too busy

„X The over controlling parent couldn't give approval...

„X Because they were too busy correcting

- Silence often comes because they don't know

„X What or how to say

„X Their feelings are tangled and confused

- Silence can come from the threat of our abuser...

„X "If you tell anyone, terrible things will happen..."

„X The abuser convinces you that you deserve it.

- When someone you trust...hurts you...and then says "don't say anything"...that's entrapment

o Jericho = tightly shut up

- There is now no way to vent your negative emotion

- Then Silence...aloneness...depression...fear...sets in

- Anxiety is birthed out of silence

- Silence happens when you're afraid that the pain of not being believed is greater than what happened.

- You may be married to this person

- I wish they would talk...

„X But Jericho is tightly shut up

„X I can't get in

„X He won't come out

- Don't run in the cave after the sleeping silent bear...you will get hurt

- But provide a safe place for Superman to show he is really only Clark Kent!!!

- And not judge him...preach to him...or mother him.

„X ...just be a sounding board for the silence to be broken

„X Because not it's time for your Jericho to shut up!

2. THE STONES

>>>Forest Gump Video Clip

- Sometimes there's not enough stones

o They hurt you feel punctures deep into your soul

o And causes you to start building walls of protection

o Ancient cities had walls to keep out invaders...

EXAMPLE: Nehemiah

o Invaders that ravage and ruin the land

o Emotionally you build walls to keep from being ravaged and ruined

-they are a defense mechanism

-I won't love anyone...

-I hate all men...

-I will never fall in love again...

...all walls

...tightly shut up

...letting no one in

...no one out!

o The problem with building walls

o Is that while it keeps evil out...

o ...It also keeps others that want to love you...out

o Walled cities completely dictate people's lifestyles

...when they could come and go

...when they could do business

o Totally dependent on when the gates were open

* Today: Husband and Wife

Father and Son

* What to communicate

* But one has to guess

* When the other's gate is open

* When they are approachable

o All I want to hear is..."I love you"

o But your lips remain sealed!

THE BLOCKS YOU BUILD WITH INCLUDE:

1. Temper

2. Depression

3. Fear

4. Doubt

5. Negative

6. Cynical

7. Bitterness

8. Suspicion

9. Worry

10. Anxiety

EXAMPLE: Illustration

...build with these blocks

...and hide behind them

-The devil will always supply the mortar

MORTAR: Insecurities

Hurts

Weakness

Fears

-Now we have...

A. The woman who won't talk to her husband because...

...every time she spoke as a child she was told to shut up and sit down!

...stupid!

B. The man who is silent and passive in his home...

...because his mother was over protective

...was rejected by a girl

C. The man who wants to show compassion but can't...