Session Four: Fighting for Your Home Part 2

SHARE YOUR STORY

Open your group with prayer. This should be a brief, simple prayer, in which you invite God to be with you as you meet. You can pray for specific requests at the end of the meeting or stop momentarily to pray if a particular situation comes up during your discussion. As we have said in previous lessons, sharing our personal stories builds deeper connections among group members. Your story may be exactly what another person needs to hear, and listening to others’ stories is an act of love and kindness to them—and could very well help them to grow spiritually. Begin your time together by using the following questions and activities to get people talking.

1. What is something you can thank God for now that you weren’t so thankful for at the time?

2. Last week you stated a step you would take this past week.

Report your progress to the group.

3. Share one prayer request and one thing you want to thank God for. Spend some time praying about what you’ve shared. (See

Share Your Story in Session Two on page 37)

4. Take some time for each person to share about how they’re doing on the challenge of inviting the people on the Circles of Life diagram to church or your small group. What specific conversations are you praying about for the weeks to come?

WATCH VIDEO SESSION 4

HEAR GOD’S STORY

READ EXODUS 17:8-16.

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

1. What was the relationship between Moses’ staff and the Israelites’ fight with Amalek?

2. How was Moses able to hold his hand up until sundown?

3. Moses had Aaron and Hur to support him during the battle. Who supports you?

4. The battle at Rephidim was symbolic, in that,

Moses’ actions on the plain above impacted the battle below. The plain above represents your prayer life. How does your prayer life impact your fight? Why is it easy to get involved in the fight and avoid prayer? What is the result?

STUDY NOTES

REPHIDIM, verse 8, Located between Wadi Refayid in SW Sinai, Rephidim was the Israelites last stopping point before they reached Mt. Sinai.

AMALEK, verse 9, or the Amalekites, were a nomadic tribe who descended from Esau. The Israelites were descended from Esau’s brother, Jacob.

THE LORD IS MY BANNER, verse 15, is the name Jehovah-Nissi in Hebrew. This name represents how Moses’ hands were held up during the battle similar to how a banner is held aloft in a battle.

CREATE A NEW STORY

1. In the video, Roger shares how “a hand upon the throne” represents acknowledging the hard things in the past that brought you to the place you are today. What hard things have brought you to where you are today?

2. Why do you need to remember things that you’d much rather forget?

3. In the video, Roger mentioned three enemies that everyone faces: the world, the flesh, and the devil. How are these enemies impacting your life right now?

4. What can you do to intentionally dwell on the “higher plain” this week?

5. Each of you in the group has different gifts and abilities. And every small group has tasks and roles that need to be done.

How could you serve this group—perhaps with hospitality or prayer, by organizing an event, research or study of a topic, or inviting new people?

6. Spend some time praying about those you know who might respond to a simple invitation: to come to a church service, to join your small group, or even to just have coffee and talk about spiritual matters. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind people you can pray for.

7. Groups grow closer when they serve together. How could your group serve someone in need? You may want to visit those who are homebound from your church, provide a meal for a family who is going through difficulty, or give some other practical help to someone in need. If nothing comes to mind, spend time praying and asking God to show you who needs your help. Have two or three group members organize a serving project for the group, and then do it!

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

If you feel God nudging you to go deeper, take some time before the next meeting to dig into His Word. Explore the Bible passages related to this session’s theme on your own and jot your reflections in a journal or in this study guide. A great way to gain insight on a passage is to read it in several different translations. You may want to use a Bible app or website to compare translations.

READ EPHESIANS 6:10-20.

1. What is the whole armor of God? Why is the importance of putting on the whole armor of God?

2. Who are you having a difficult time with? Could this be a spiritual battle?

3. Which part of the armor of God is lacking in your day to day life?

READ EPHESIANS 3:14-20.

4. According to this verse, how do you receive

God’s strength?

5. What does it mean to be “rooted and grounded in love?”

6. What is the biggest thing you’ve ever asked

God for or ever thought about? What could God do that is “far more abundant” than that?

DAILY DEVOTIONS

DAY 1. READ MATTHEW 6:13

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Respond: What is tempting you right now? Pray for God’s deliverance.

DAY 2. READ JOHN 16:33

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. Respond: Where do you need God’s peace in your life?

DAY 3. READ GALATIANS 6:14

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Respond: What does it mean to you to be crucified to the world?

DAY 4. READ GALATIANS 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Respond: How well is Christ living in you?

DAY 6

Reflect on the verses from this past week, and use the following space to write any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at in this session and during your Daily Devotions time this week.

DAY 5. READ 1 THESSALONIANS 5:17

pray without ceasing Respond: How can you make prayer your first response?

Session Five

Fighting for Your Church and God’s Glory

MEMORY VERSE: ROMANS 12:5 So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

INTRODUCTION

The church is the place where the Word of God is proclaimed and where the people of God gather to be built up in order to be sent out. The church is described as the body of Christ and the bride of Christ. We know all of these things about the church. But what if we understood the church to be the gathering point to be fueled up and filled up for the fight of our lives? What if it became the place where we pulled in, opened up the gas tank and made sure the fuel line was inserted so that we could be prepared for the road ahead as we live for the glory of God?