Walls: Why Everybody's Stuck (and Nobody Has to Be)
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Walls
WALLS by Ryan Rush â Break through the walls that are holding you back. We sometime have a wall of fear, disappointment or worry that will interfere with our walk with God and other things in our life. Do you have a wall that is keeping you back? Ryan tells of his wall and how he worked on tearing it down, and give examples from other people and how they handled their wall. Ryan advice will inspire you to face your wall and help you overcome it.
June 28, 2011
Promises over walls
Walls, why everybodyâÂÂs stuck (and nobody has to be), by Ryan Rush is the latest book IâÂÂve received from Tyndale House for reviewing.
Rush is a pastor, and the book uses a system of âÂÂFaith Breakthroughsâ from his church to help people to overcome areas in their life where they have settled for less than what God has for them.
He defines walls not as our circumstances, but as our unhealthy mindsets which may have formed, in many cases from those circumstances.
The essential message is to find what God promises on the topic, and focus on those promises rather than on our current way of seeing the situation based on emotions and flesh based perspectives.
In a way, it seems a bit overly simple. A bit like itâÂÂs advice youâÂÂve heard many times before, but broken down more into steps and presented in a more inspiring way. But then, even if weâÂÂve heard the solution of relying on GodâÂÂs promises instead of our perspectives before, itâÂÂs still not something most of us are good at.. so while it seems simplistic at the same time it seems like solid ground to work from.
ThereâÂÂs not a whole lot of specifics on how to actually make the change, as he admits itâÂÂs different for everyone. He doesnâÂÂt go a whole lot into offering specific promises to use either, instead encouraging you to use various resources including talking to other people to learn to seek out for yourself what God says and choose on your own what promise to claim as yours over the situation. And he does also go into a discussion on the difference between promises made to a specific biblical person at a specific time, and those that are applicable to everyone from God.
Some of the resources that are suggested are listed on a website for the book, which is mentioned pretty often throughout the book. While there isnâÂÂt a whole lot on the site yet, I think that may be more a factor of the book still being really new.
The Your Breakthrough section of the site has a series of videos that give a short overview of the various parts of the book, which would probably be a good starting point to watch before reading even to have a good idea where things are going.
The site also does have some interesting information, including a chart of various attributes of God and what walls result from issues in those specific areas and what is needed to overcome them, and another chart showing various attributes and points we should reach on our journey in the various areas.
There is also a quiz that is on the site that will give you an area where you might have walls to be considered. This actually made me laugh when I first took it, because while it was right on as far as naming a specific area IâÂÂve been working against issues, this area wasnâÂÂt something that had been on my radar at all while reading the book.. in spite of my having had a good number of areas in mind.
The book is well written, inspiring, and easy to read, with lots of examples to make it easily understood including many involving the authorâÂÂs own struggles in areas of his own life.
March 8, 2011
This book is a must read for all Christians!
The following is my review of the book Walls by Ryan Rush.
*All Bible verses are quoted from the NLT unless otherwise indicated.
The premise â a Faith Breakthrough . . .
âÂÂA Faith Breakthrough is the act of overcoming a life barrier by learning to trust in, and intentionally pursue, God and what He has promised you.â (ch 1 p 6)
The inconsistency (within Christian households struggling to live as they should) â confusion about how to fix the problem . . .
âÂÂThe inconsistency is rarely a defiant act of hypocrisy, but instead a sense of confusion about how to fix the problem or an inability to see that problem at all.â (ch 1 p 7)
The answer â Tear down the walls that are keeping you from living life as you should.
âÂÂIf you were made for a breakthroughâÂÂfor a âÂÂrich and satisfying life,â as Jesus Himself saidâÂÂthen that should happen naturally. You donâÂÂt have to attain some great stature or learn some secret to enjoy it. You only need to tear down the walls that are keeping you from it.â (ch 1 p 10)
In the second chapter the author opens up with a brief discussion about the building of the Berlin Wall and itâÂÂs affects on the people. This prompted me to review a little history and get a better feel of what he was trying to get across. If you would like to do the same click here.However, I donâÂÂt think the pictures adequately describe the frustration that the people of East and West Germany felt while being separated from loved ones.
Perhaps the author puts it best when he states: âÂÂThere were rising sentiments of shock, grief, anger, confusion, and helplessness. The presence of these unseen emotions was every bit as real as the wall dividing their city.â (p 15)
Here we address what we cannot see and understand the magnitude of such walls.
âÂÂThese walls are inescapableâÂÂwe canâÂÂt just close our eyes to make them go away. These are walls we must face and find a way to break through . . . or suffer the loss of freedom that will always plague us until we do.â (ch 2 p 16)
Through the story of his daughterâÂÂs illness the author explains what it was like to feel walls going up around him. How often have we found ourselves in such a state? One where we began to feel life closing in on us imprisoned by fear and confusion?
âÂÂI had been speaking on breakthroughs for several years by the time that doctor walked in, but suddenly those breakthroughs seemed as far away as the rejoicing that is supposed to come with the arrival of a child. Instead I could almost feel the walls going up around me.â (ch 2 p 19)
This is where the chapters that follow will prove of greater significance. In chapter 3 we discuss defining our walls: âÂÂA wall is an unhealthy mind-set that keeps you from living life as God intends.â (p 21) We discuss trust: âÂÂWhen we fail to trust what God has promised us, the situations in which we live can seem overwhelming and hopeless. Such a mind-set can bring the most optimistic of people in the world to an absolute standstill.â (p 22) We discuss faith: âÂÂFaith is believing God will do what he said he will do, regardless of timing or circumstances [. . .] the strength of your mind-set will be directly related to the strength of your faith.â (p 23)
Then, we move on to what walls are not:
âÂÂWalls are not are circumstances. ([. . .] They are not our problems themselves.)â (ch 3 p 24, paraphrase mine) The author explains on page 26 how âÂÂPaul saw his circumstancesâÂÂeven the negative onesâÂÂas doorways to move past wallsâ in Philippians 4:11-12.
For more visit: http://heresmycuplord.com/bookshelf/walls/
January 24, 2011
Helpful in overcoming destructive mindsets
Ryan RushâÂÂs book, âÂÂWALLS: Why EverybodyâÂÂs Stuck (and nobody has to be)â defined walls as a unhealthy mindset that keeps you from living life the way God intends. He equates every negative and destructive thought as a BRICK that your building your wall. Our thoughts are extremely powerful. Proverbs 23 says, âÂÂAs a man thinks⦠so he becomes,â and Rush is right when he teaches that a lot of us put ourselves in prisons of our making by our destructive mindsets. Rush gives many examples of walls (doubt, fear, shame, bitterness, anger, resentment, etc. ) that people face. What adds a lot of credibility to the book is how RushâÂÂs honesty with the battles and struggles that he has faced and is currently facing with walls in his life.
He explains how itâÂÂs the power of a PROMISE (from GodâÂÂs Word) that is the ultimate tool to tear down these WALLS (unhealthy mindsets). Rush describes his book as a nutritional plan for your mind and spirit. I would have to agree. The Word of God is full of life, truth, and power âÂÂand PROMISES. The book guides the reader in understanding the power of a promise and how to apply GodâÂÂs promises in your life. He points out that there almost always comes a time when GodâÂÂs Promises are tested and how the biggest issue then becomes whether or not you will trust God.
I appreciate the fact that not only does Ryan uses examples from his own life and people within his church, but uses examples out of Scripture of individual people who faced and overcame wall in their own lives. I also like the way that he draws a correlation that just as individuals have walls that limit their ability to truly experience life⦠churches often have walls as well.
I love the practicality thatâÂÂs built into this book. Each chapter ends with discussion questions and a worksheet that you can apply the lessons learned into your own life. He also has designed an interactive website where people can connect with one another and share and pray for one another.
I received this book free from TYNDALE as part of their Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade CommisionâÂÂs 16 CFR, Part 255: âÂÂGuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.âÂÂ
January 8, 2011
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