Pacific Church

1. Don’t be DISILLUSIONED by DISOBEDIENCE. 

Joshua 7:1 NIV 

But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. 

Joshua 7:2-9 NIV 

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 

Joshua 7:4-5 NIV 

4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. 

2. Don’t Stop at the SORROW, Invite His SEARCHING 

Joshua 7:6-9 NIV 

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring these people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?” 

Joshua 7:13 NIV 

13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them. 

Psalm 139:23-24 NIV 

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

3. Don’t Forget that He REPURPOSES our REGRETS 

Joshua 8:1- 7 NIV 

1 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. 2 You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.” 3 So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night 4 with these orders: “Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert. 5 I and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them. 6 They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are running away from us as they did before.’ So when we flee from them, 7 you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. The Lord your God will give it into your hand. 

Questions: 

1) Have you ever experienced a time in your life where the Lord supernaturally produced a “victory” in your life? How did it impact you? 

2) As a Believer, how do you generally react when you make mistakes? What role does the Lord play in this process? 

3) Describe any past regrets that the Lord has repurposed and is using to help others today.

1. The Cutting and Consecration 

Joshua 5:2-3 NIV 

2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth. 

Joshua 5:8-9a NIV 

8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. 9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” 

2. The SIDES and STANCES 

Joshua 5:13-14a NIV 13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” 

Joshua 5:14b-15 NIV 

14…Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” 15 The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. 

3. The SEEING and the SHOUTING 

Joshua 6:1-2 NIV 

1 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. 2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 

Joshua 6:3-5 NIV 

3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” 

Joshua 6:10 NIV 10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” 

Questions: 

1) What do the phrases “consecrate yourself” and “set apart” mean to you? What are things in your life that you consider “sacred”? How do those sacred things impact you regularly? 

2) Have you ever found yourself fighting a battle that was never intended for you? How did it play out? What lessons from that experience helped shape you? 

3) What is something that God has promised you that hasn’t come to fruition in your life? How do you manage God’s timing on a daily basis?

2 Peter 2:22 NIV 

Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud." 

1. Your Witness Bears Weight 

Joshua 2:1 NIV 

Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. 

Joshua‬ ‭3:2-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.” 

2. Consecration Brings Clarity 

Joshua‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” 

3. Further Means Feet-In 

Joshua‬ ‭3:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: “When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.” 

Joshua‬ ‭3:15b-16a;17‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

15… As soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away... 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.” 

Joshua‬ ‭4:1-3:7b‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight. 7… These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” 

Questions: 

1. What does the term, “being a witness for Jesus” mean to you? Have you seen others in your life impacted by your Faith? 

2. Have you ever noticed that when you quiet yourself and focus, it’s easier to hear God's voice? Describe a situation where this strategy was successful. 

3. What does “stepping out in Faith” mean to you? What areas of your life are you applying this truth to today?

Luke 19:10 

NIV 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. 

1. Jesus’ Narration 

Luke 19:1-2 NASB 

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man called by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. 

Luke 19:3-4 NASB 

3 Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. 

2. Jesus’ Invitation 

Luke 19:5 NASB 

5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 

Luke 19:6 NASB 

6 And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. 7 When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 

3. Jesus’ Salvation 

Luke 19:8 NASB 

8 Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” 

Luke 19:9 NASB 

9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 

“Salvation” is actually “Salvation of God” - What is “salvation of God” in Hebrew? “Ya - Shewa” - “Yeshua” = Jesus 

Luke 19:10 NASB 

10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. 

Questions: 

1. Have you ever considered the fact that God not only designed you, but has a plan for your life? Have you discovered your purpose? 

2. Jesus is inviting all of us into a relationship with him, even before we “clean ourselves up”. How has this resonated with you in the past? Maybe this is the first time you’ve heard this, how does it resonate with you now? 

3. Describe your “salvation experience”. If you haven’t said yes to Jesus, is it something you’d consider on this Easter 2023?

Matthew 21:1-3 NIV 

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 

Matthew 21:6 NIV 

6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 

1. The end of the race is when we get our reward. So keep obeying Jesus. 

Luke 19:35-38 NIV 

35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the Highest!” 

John 12:13 NIV 

13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 

John 12:17-18 NIV 

17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 

Zechariah 9:9 NIV 

9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 

Luke 19:41-42a NIV 

41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, 

Matthew 23:37 NIV 

37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 

Luke 19:42b-44 NIV 

42…“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” 

2. The end of the race is when we get our reward. So keep believing Jesus. 

Matthew 21:10-11 NIV 

10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” 

3. The end of the race is when we get our reward. So keep serving Jesus. 

Matthew 27:22 NIV 

22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 

Questions: 

1. Have you ever had a season in your life when you felt sure God was leading you in a certain direction, but it didn’t make sense “in the natural mind” to you? What did you do and what was the result? 

2. We know God will “make all things right” in the end of time, judging evil and rewarding the faithful. But we also know there are many blessings on our journey with Him now. What are some blessings you’ve experienced? 

3. What are some safeguards we can have in place to keep us strong and faithful when we’re obeying God’s call and non-believers are against us?

Hebrews 11:30-31 NIV 

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. 

Joshua 2:8-11 NIV 

8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. 

1. REALIZE THAT GOD SEES YOU WHERE YOU ARE 

2. REALIZE WHAT GOD IS OFFERING YOU 

Joshua 2:12-14; 17-18 NIV 

12 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” 14 “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.” 17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 

3. REALIZE THAT GOD IS NOT AFRAID OF YOUR PAST 

Hebrews 11:31 NIV 

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. Discussion 

Questions: 

1. Before you became a believer, what were your impressions of God? Did those views change? How and why? 

2. Knowing that God has so much to offer to all of us, how have you experienced this in your own life? Describe a few of the new found blessings that you've received from the Lord. 

3. As a believer, how do you manage thoughts about and experiences from your past? Is it something that you use to help others? If not, why? What are ways you can grow in this area?

Joshua 1:1-4 NIV 

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 

1. Courage always involves an ASSIGNMENT (mission) 

Joshua 1:2 NIV 

2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 

2. Courage requires ASSURANCE (trusting fully in the Lord) 

Joshua 1:5,9 NIV 

5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 

3. Courage grows through ADHERENCE (commitment) 

Joshua 1:6-7,9 NIV 

6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 

4. Courage matures through APPLICATION (of the Word of God) REINFORCEMENT: strengthen or support an object or substance, especially with additional material. 

Psalm 56:3-4 (NLV) 

3 When I am afraid, I will trust in You. 4 I praise the Word of God. I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can only a man do to me? 

Joshua 1:7-8 NIV 

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 

QUESTIONS 

1) Courage always requires an assignment. Have you experienced this in your life? Describe a scenario where you felt stronger and more courageous after completing a mission. 

2) What does it look like for you to fully trust in the Lord? What areas of your life require you to emphasize this even more. 

3) What verses in Scripture encourage you to be stronger? How has God’s Word made you a more courageous person?

Joshua : Strong & Courageous // Giants

2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 

1. The GIANT named “PAYMENT”, not the one named “POSSESSION” 

Numbers 13:1-3 NIV 

1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.” 3 So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites. 

Numbers 13:26-27 NIV 

26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 

2. The GIANT named “PESSIMISM”, not the one named “POSSIBILITY” 

Pessimism: the tendency to see, anticipate, or emphasize only bad or undesirable outcomes, results, conditions, and problems 

Numbers 13:27-28; 31-33 NIV 

27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there. We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them. 

Numbers 13:28,33b NIV 

28 "...the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large 33… We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes and we looked the same to them!" 

Numbers 13:30 NIV 

30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 

3. The GIANT named “PANIC”, not the one named “POISE” 

Numbers 14:1-4 NIV 

1 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” 

Numbers 14:6-9 NIV 

6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” 

Questions: 

1. Has there ever been a time in your life where you believed you had to pay a penance of some kind to be accepted by God? How did that impact your view of Him? 

2. Pessimism always starves faith in the Believer. Have you ever experienced this reality in your own life? How have you been able to manage the “giant of pessimism” in your walk with the Lord? 

3. Panic leads to irrational thoughts which leads to dangerous decisions. What are two strategies you use to combat panic in your life?

Exodus 17:8-9 NIV 

8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” 

1. Learn to See Opposition as Opportunity 

Exodus 17:13 NIV 

13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 

Exodus 17:14 NIV 

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” 

2. Learn to Treasure the Training 

Exodus 24:13 NIV 

Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. 

Hebrews 12:5b-7 NIV 

5 “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. 

3. Learn the Differences in Denial and Discernment Denial: The action of declaring something to be untrue Discernment: the ability to judge well. 

Exodus 32:2-6 NIV 

2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. 

Exodus 32:15-19 NIV 

15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.” 18 Moses replied: “It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear.” 19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 

4. Learn to Cultivate Your Craving 

Exodus 33:11 NIV 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. 

Questions: 

1. Have you ever experienced a season in your life where you felt a disconnect from God? How would you describe it? Can you identify what makes you feel connected to the Lord? 

2. How have you navigated opposition in your life? What have been some of those outcomes? 

3. Like Joshua, training is often required to reach goals. How has the process of preparation looked for you and how has it changed you?

1. Am I encountering fear or am I operating in it? 

Proverbs 9:10 NIV 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV 

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

2 Timothy 1:6-7 NLT 

6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 

Galatians 5:16-18; 22-23 NIV 

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

2. Is what I’m dwelling on lining up with God’s Truth? 

1 Peter 5:7-8a NIV 

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV 

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 

1 John 4:18-19 NIV 

18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. Isaiah 26:3 NLT You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! 

3. What am I thanking God for? 

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV 

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Psalm 56 

1 Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. 2 My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me. 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise — in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 5 All day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin. 6 They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps,hoping to take my life. 7 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape; in your anger, God, bring the nations down. 8 Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll — are they not in your record? 9 Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me. 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise — 11 in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? 12 I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. 13 For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. 

QUESTIONS 

1. What’s the difference between experiencing fear and operating in it? How can you know one from the other in your own life? 

2. Do you have accountability in place for your thought life and what you dwell on? If yes, What does that look like? If no, what might that look like for the future? 

3. We understand that gratitude is powerful. What are 2 habits you can put into place in your daily life to help you to be more openly thankful?