Week 7 - TRUST
CONNECT
What are you thankful for?
What challenge are you facing?
Have there been any answers to prayer?
Pray for each other.
Did anything stand out to you from last week’s follow-up Bible readings?
Last week you replaced lies with God’s truth. How has your week gone in terms of freedom from this lie and freedom in God’s truth? Are there any other lies you need to replace?
How did your “I will …” statement from last week go?
How did your sharing goal from last week go?
How’s your memory work coming along?
John 8:31-32 (NAB)
31 Jesus said to those who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, 32 you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
DISCOVER
Let’s start with a review. We’ve worked through these freedom truths and freedom responsibilities:
OBEY
Obedience leads to freedom while disobedience leads to bondage, so obey the Lord and be free.
RESIST
Jesus resisted Satan by reciting the truth of God’s Word, so resist Satan by reciting the truth of God’s Word.
FORGIVE
God has forgiven you, so forgive others.
RUN
We are to be holy as God is holy, so run from temptation and sin and run to God for help to be holy.
RENOUNCE
Involvement with evil spiritually pollutes us, so renounce (openly confess and verbally reject) any current and past involvement with evil and in Jesus’ name break its power over your life.
REPLACE
Satan uses lies to control our lives, keeping us in bondage, so replace these lies with God’s truth and find freedom.
And now …
TRUST
God has not given us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control, so step out in faith and boldly follow Jesus.
Ask God to speak to you as you read His Word.
Matthew 6:19-34 (NIV)
19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Have someone retell the passage in their own words.
What stands out to you in this passage?
What does this passage say about God (The Father, His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit)?
What does this passage say about people, including ourselves?
What does this passage say about the life God invites us to live?
Digging Deeper
Why does Jesus discuss finances and fear at the same time? Why do trust and generosity go together?
Psalm 56:3-4 (NLT)
3 When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in you.
4 I praise God for what he has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
Why does trusting in God overcome fear?
Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
What does it mean to fear God? Why is the fear of God the beginning of wisdom? Why does the fear of God overcome all other fears?
Truth & Responsibility
This week’s freedom truth is:
God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).
This week’s freedom responsibility is:
So step out in faith and boldly follow Jesus.
Not Able but Enabled
You won’t be able to overcome your fears on your own. That’s why we support each other. But more importantly, that’s why we rely on Jesus. God never intended for us to live the Christian life in our own strength. Instead, He calls us to stay connected with Jesus so we do everything through His strength (See John 15:5). Then what we could never do on our own, we do through our relationship with Jesus.
Philippians 4:13 (ESV)
I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me.
Acts 18:9-10 (NLT)
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you.”
Notes on FREEDOM
As always, what’s shared here must stay here. Please practice strict confidentiality.
Satan doesn’t want you to be free. And he’ll do everything he can to discourage and distract you. For example, you may experience mental oppression as you go through today’s freedom exercises. Thoughts like, “This isn’t going to work” or “God doesn’t love you” or “Don’t believe this stuff or this person” may come to you. Resist these lies and trust God’s truth. If you’re experiencing mental oppression, it’s important to tell the others in the group so they can pray for you and help you stand firm on God’s truth.
These freedom exercises may take some time, maybe more time than one week’s meeting. Especially if you have several people working through these exercises, it may take more than a week. There’s no need to rush. Just take the time you need.
These freedom exercises may bring up some very personal and painful issues. Going through these exercises will give you greater freedom in Christ. You may, however, need additional help from a Christian support group, pastor, counsellor or therapist. Your group can help you discern if you need additional help.
Feel free to modify the prayers below to fit your situation and communicate your heart.
Fear Finder
What follows is adapted from The Steps to Freedom in Christ by Neil Anderson
Pray this discernment prayer out loud:
Dear heavenly Father, I come to You as Your child. I put myself under Your protective care and acknowledge that You are the only legitimate fear object in my life. I confess that I have been fearful and anxious because of my lack of faith in You, and too often I have relied on my own strength and resources. I thank You that I am forgiven in Christ.
I choose to believe the truth that You have not given me a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore, I renounce any spirit of fear. I ask You to reveal to my mind all the fears that are controlling me. Show me how I have become fearful and the lies I have believed. I desire to live a responsible life in the power of Your Holy Spirit. Show me how these fears have kept me from doing that. I ask this so that I can confess, renounce, and overcome every fear through faith in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Here’s a list of some possible fears:
Fear of Satan
Fear of death
Fear of disease
Fear of not being loved by God
Fear of never being loved
Fear of not being able to love others
Fear of marriage or not getting married
Fear of having children or not having children
Fear of divorce
Fear of rejection
Fear of disapproval
Fear of embarrassment
Fear of sharing your faith
Fear of failure
Fear of financial problems
Fear of not having enough
Fear of bankruptcy
Fear of being too generous
Fear of going crazy
Fear of losing a loved one
Fear of the future
Fear of confrontation
Fear of being a victim of a crime
Fear of losing my salvation
Fear of committing the unpardonable sin
Fear of specific people, animals or objects (list)
Other fears the Lord brings to mind (list)
Now focus on a fear.
What are you afraid of?
When did you first experience this fear?
What events preceded this first experience?
What lies feed this fear?
How has this fear prevented you from living by faith in God?
How has this fear prevented you from doing the right thing?
How has this fear compelled you to do the wrong thing?
How has this fear compromised your witness for Jesus?
“Like a bend in a fishing pole tells us that there is something hooked under the surface of the water, repeated and exaggerated bends in our emotions and reactions tell us something has been hooked under the surface in us. There may be a fear lurking in our hearts that’s controlling our responses.”
Faith Builder
What truth speaks to your fear?
If possible find a passage from the Bible that addresses this fear.
What practical actions will you take to overcome this fear?
How about filling out an index card or making a calendar event alert with this fear and this truth to trust?
Pray this prayer out loud:
Lord, I confess and repent of the fear of _______ (name fear). I have believed the lie of _______ (name lie). I renounce this lie, and I choose to believe Your truth that _______ (name truth). I also confess any and all ways this fear has resulted in living irresponsibly or has compromised my witness for Jesus.
I now choose to live by faith in You, Lord, believing Your promise that You will protect me and meet all my needs. Help me with a practical plan to face my fear and overcome my fear living in the freedom of Your presence and power. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Be Generous
As we have seen in Jesus’ words in Matthew 6, finances and fear often travel together. A great way to overcome financial fear is to faithfully support God’s Kingdom work and generously give to others. Trust God to provide for all your needs so you in turn can be generous with your treasure (money), time and talents.
How is God calling you to be generous?
You may find Biblical Giving helpful.
LIVE
What truth have you discovered from today’s Bible passage(s) and conversation?
What would stop you from believing and obeying this truth?
How will you live out this truth this coming week? Finish this statement: “I will ….”
Who else needs to hear this truth? How could you share it with them?
When will we meet again?
Who will facilitate that meeting?
Pray for God’s help as you seek to follow Jesus this coming week.
FOLLOW-UP BIBLE READINGS
Here is the reading and the Bible passages you are encouraged to read this coming week:
BUDDY SYSTEM
Connect with your buddy this week and ask each other these questions:
How are your readings going?
How’s your “I will …” statement coming along?
How’s your sharing goal coming along?
How can I pray for you?