Step 6: Prepare for Change
Selected Scripture
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Review:
We are in a series looking at the 12 steps from AA through a Biblical lens as we look at the pathway of freedom in Christ and following Him whole heartedly. A phrase we are going to hear over and over is, “If you want to change your life, take it one step at a time (in other words, foundations matter!). This week we looked at the 6th step: Preparing for the change God can work in our lives…
The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…
o What did you learn about God?
o What did you learn about people?
o What did you learn about yourself?
o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?
Reflection:
Personal Experience:
Show this VIDEO. Where in our lives have we been the “monkey who would not let go” and got trapped? Tell the story and your reflections on that experience.
Group Discussion:
When we are saying “Not yet, God”, why are we saying that. Discuss our excuses, and then read the following passages. How do these Scriptures help us to challenge our own excuses? (James 1:6-8, Hebrews 3:13-19, Prov 27:1, Prov 28:13, Luke 14:18-20, Jer 17:9-10, Luke 9:23)
Have someone share about a time they hit rock bottom. We all have a story like that, so let’s discuss what changes in the brokenness as we reflect on the following passages. (Ps 34:18, Matt 5:3, Ps 51:17, Jonah 2:7, Luke 15: 17-18, James 4:10)
How have you seen your daily habits (good or bad) shape your character? Read the following scripture passages and discuss how these inform our habits (Ga 6:7-9, Col 3:17, 1 Tim 4:7-8, John 13:15, Eph 4:22-24, Rom 13:14, Ps 1:1-3, Heb 10:24-25, 2 Peter 1:5-7, Rom 2:4, Rom 8:38-39, TItus 2:11-12)
There are SO MANY places we can go to have someone tell us who we REALLY are. At the end of the day, we get to choose where we will anchor our identity; which voice defines our significance, judges our agency, governs our relationships… Discuss how these verses inform that choice of “Where will we anchor our identity?” (Eph 6:10-11, 2 Cor 10:5, Rom 8:15-16, Gal 4:7, Eph 2;10, 1 John 2:16, 1 John 3:1, Phil 1:6, )
Application:
We are not defined by our defects; we are defined by the intention of God our Creator! If we are designed to be always and only who we are in Christ, let’s commit this week to rooting out those things that distract us from that living relationship of life IN Christ by HIS Spirit within us!
Prayer:
Spend some time in prayer asking God to work in us the will and the power to turn from death to life!
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