Main Idea:

1.Face your _____________________ and embrace your _________________________.

2. Work out your __________________ and engage God’s ________________________.

3. Deal with the __________________ and experience God’s _______________________.

TALK ABOUT IT:

1. Share about something you were afraid of when you were a little kid.

2. Read Joshua 1:1-6 and discuss. What are some of the difficulties Joshua was facing? What kind of feelings would he have had?

3. Read Joshua 1:6 and Psalm 138:8. How does a connection to your sense of purpose help you push through when you’re afraid? What is the specific sense of purpose you can connect to in your life to help you push through?

4. Read Psalm 119:28, Isaiah 41:10, & 1 Samuel 30:6 and discuss. What are some areas in which you feel weak? How are you learning to find strength from God in regard to those things?

5. Read 2 Peter 1:3-4 and discuss. How does holding on to what God has said strengthen you? What is at least one promise from God’s Word you are holding on to?

6. Read Joshua 1:7-9 and discuss. In what ways have you struggled with discouragement - and what has helped you break free from it?

Pastor John recommends:

“Rising Strong” by Brené Brown

“Start”by John Acuff

Main Idea:

Stand firm in__________________believe

and__________________believe in!

TALK ABOUT IT:

1. Read 1 Timothy 6:12 and discuss. Share about a person you know who is an example of ‘fighting the good fight of the faith’.

2. Read Isaiah 7:9 and discuss. What patterns, habits, disciplines and choices help you to actively stand firm in your faith?

3. Read Psalm 40:2, Psalm 89:2, Exodus 14:13, Psalm 119:89, 2 Chronicles 20:20 and Acts 3:16. Five elements of what Christians believe were shared in the message; which of these is especially meaningful for you?

4. Read 2 Corinthians 5:7 and 2 Corinthians 13:5 and discuss. What is the basis of your faith?

5. Read 2 Timothy 4:7 and discuss. As you check your stance - is there any area of your faith where you do need to run a little further, or fight a bit harder, or exercise stronger belief?

Main Idea:

Guard your ___________________ so you

can grow in God’s ___________________.

Guard ‘em:

1. ______________________

2. ______________________

3. ______________________

4. ______________________

5. ______________________

TALK ABOUT IT:

1. Share a positive highlight from the week.

2. Read Proverbs 4:23 and discuss. Why is it so important to guard your heart?

3. Read Proverbs 4:20 & Mark 4:20 and discuss. What steps do you need to take to guard this gate better?

4. Read Proverbs 4:21-22, 2 Cor. 10:5, 1 Cor. 2:16 & Romans 13:14 and discuss. How have you experienced the detriment of not guarding this gate? Do you have an approach to this gate that is helping you make progress?

5. Read Proverbs 4:24, Matthew 15:18-20 & Psalm 141:3 and discuss. Give an example of where you actively guarded this gate and how that helped you - or where you didn’t and it was harmful. What step will you take to tend to this gate?

6. Read Proverbs 4:25, Psalm 101:3, Luke 11:34-36, & Psalm 119:37 and discuss. Why is this gate such a difficult one in our times? How have you found victory at this gate? What step would you consider taking to tend well to this gate?

7. Read Proverbs 4:26-27 and discuss. How have you experienced the positive effects of guarding this gate well?

Main Idea:

Walk out ___________________ because

you know that ______________________!

TALK ABOUT IT:

1. Share what your favorite sport is and the best kind of ‘win’ you can see in that sport.

2. Read Ephesians 6:10-13 and discuss. How often are you aware of the spiritual battle going on behind the scenes? How does it change your perspective to remember that your struggle is not with other people?

3. Read Ephesians 6:11-12 again. Who is our enemy and how does he fight? Where do the enemy strikes come from?

4. How have you personally seen strategies or schemes of the enemy at play? Are there any particular strategies or schemes of the enemy that you seem to easily get hit with?

5. Read Ephesians 6:13-17 and discuss. How does the ‘full armor’ serve to protect believers? Share about each of the six parts of the spiritual armor and the value of each one. Share which part of the armor you need to get better at ‘putting on’.

6. Read Ephesians 6:18-19 and discuss. What did you learn about prayer and the connection between prayer and spiritual victory?

7. Read Romans 14:11, Revelation 5:13 & 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 and discuss. How does the eternal victory of Jesus fuel you for the fight you face now?

MESSAGE NOTES:

TALK ABOUT IT:

1. Identify a godly family that you admire. What is it about this family that inspires and encourages you?

2. Read Ephesians 6:1-9 and discuss. Describe your relationship with your parents growing up. What did

they do well? Were there any rules that frustrated you?

3. Read Ephesians 6:1-3 and discuss. What does it mean for children to honor their parents? Why shouldkids obey their parents? What kinds of things can parents do to elicit obedience from their kids?

4. Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and discuss. As a parent, what are 1 or 2 things you want your kids to know about God? What are you doing to demonstrate that aspect of God's character to your kids?

5. Read Ephesians 6:4 and discuss. As a group, list 10 ways a parent can exasperate their kids. Which one of these is the greatest struggle for you?

6. Read Ephesians 6:4 again and discuss. What are 5-10 things parents can do that help a child feel loved and affirmed (the opposite of 'exasperated')? Which 1-2 of those will you emphasize this week - and how?

7. Read Ephesians 6:5-9 and discuss. Even though these verses DON'T apply directly to families (no, your kids are not your slaves! :) ) - are there any principles here that could augment your family experience

Main Idea:

Be __________in _______________ and

___________ for the Journey.

TALK ABOUT IT:

1. To whom does this text compare our relationship with?

2. The opening verse, 21, calls for submission in marriage. To whom is this call?

3. Read 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 and discuss. Who is asked to give or yield to their mate? Why is the “ask” made? Who specifically wants to destroy the relationship in this text?

4. Fill in the blank. A woman is to treat her husband with ______________ and a man is to lavish her with

____________. What does that look like for you?

5. What are some practical ways we can submit or surrender ourselves over to our spouse?

6. Read Ephesians 5:15-20 and discuss. List at least three things that Paul would like us to do?

7. In verse 18 we are told to be, “filled with the Spirit”. What does that look like and how do we do it?

8. How do you allow the Holy Spirit to work in your marriage?

9. What are some practical, spiritual things a married couple can do to include God in their everyday life?

Main Idea:

Ditch the______________ and

live out the _______________!

TALK ABOUT IT:

1. Share about a moment when you were in the dark about a subject and what happened when someone shed some light on it.

2. Read Ephesians 5:1-2 and discuss. What does it mean to imitate God? Who do you know that lives that out in your sphere? What does a life filled with love look like to you? What are ways that we can sacrificially love those around us?

3. Read Ephesians 5:3-7 and discuss. In what ways do these shameful sins affect the way we see ourselves? How do these sins affect our relationships with one another? How do we actively engage in verse 7 and what are ways that we can safeguard ourselves from falling into these sins?

4. Read Ephesians 5:8-14 and discuss. In what ways are we grateful to no longer be full of darkness? What does it mean to now be “people of light”? How does exposing the darkness within ourselves benefit us?

5. Read Ephesians 5:15-20 and discuss. Who do you know that is living by the Holy Spirit’s power? What are ways that you can live fueled by the Holy Spirit? In verse 20 it says to “give thanks” to God the Father. How does gratitude play a part in living full of the Spirit of God?