Hey friends, so sorry this post is late! Internet issues š
These were really enlightening and helpful chapters! Alright, here are week three’s discussion questions:
Chapter 8 Breaking Bondages
*This chapter discussed major areas of bondage, such as:
- generational sin
- unforgiveness
- grief and disappointment
- addictions
- rejection and negative self-image
- illicit sexual activity
- occult involvement
Were you surprised to learn that these areas could be places of bondage?
*Compare and contrast living in bondage versus walking in freedom. On page 132, the authors list the ways that we can walk free from bondage. Which of these areas might you need to work on?
Chapter 9 Fighting for Your Children
*How do you see the battle raging for our children in culture today? How are children today seemingly more at risk than ever before?
*How does prayer play a huge role in fighting for your children? How can you grow this area of your life (ex: praying specific scriptures, being more fervent in prayer, etc.)?
Chapter 10 Fighting for Your Marriage
*Ruthanne and Quin suggest that if a woman suspects her husband is having an affair, she should first go to God in prayer (pg. 157). Why would it be beneficial to not confront the husband first?
*”Reconciliation can begin even when only one partner takes the initiative (pg. 163). Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
Scripture of the Week
1 Peter 3:1-12
Nehemiah 4:14
Galatians 5:1
Prayer of the Week
Father God, thank You for giving us Your holy Word. May we meditate on it and hide it in our hearts so that we might be able to call forth the scriptures we need at any time. Help us to have wisdom to know how to fight for our children and our marriages. Thank You for fighting for them as well. We can take heart that we are not alone in this battle. Help us to be free from the bondage that might chain us and help us to walk in true freedom. We know You long for Your children to be free! Thank You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
For Next Week
*Finish “Spiritual Warfare” by reading Chapters 11-13
Itās amazing to me how quickly we let ourselves become burdened or bound by things that are out of our control or simply donāt matter. Perhaps because we find ourselves worrying about things that do matter, itās easier to let worry leak into areas that donāt. Control – or the illusion of it – is a powerful thing. Ironically, being in control often confines us even more, creating an additional, different burden or bondage we are left to deal with.
As foreign as the concept of freedom may be to us, in Christ, we are called to it. I think being free is a nice idea, but figuring out what that looks like – actually being played out in real life – is something else. The truth is, weāre not capable of being free on our own. Thatās why, I think, the concept is so hard to grasp.
The enemy will do whatever he can to keep us discouraged, disappointed, burdened, and in bondage. From reading this book, Iām becoming more aware that when I start feeling the weight of life, thereās a good chance Iām being spiritually attacked. And the fight isnāt necessarily going to let up. This can be discouraging because we want comfort and peace and ease and convenience. But we have to understand we can still have these things, but they look differently when weāre not the focus and trying to do things in our own strengthā¦but doing them in Christās.
āTo fight well you must walk in the power of God.ā (Page 138) Therefore, the question really isnāt, āAre we going to fight?ā but rather, āHow should we fight?ā
So far, Iām not fighting very well, if Iām being honest. Iām allowing the enemyās tactics to distract, discourage, and desensitize me into thinking fighting wonāt make a difference. It wonāt make an impact if itās done in my strength, but done walking in the power of God? Absolutely!
I think it is so important to not see our fight as a response, a reaction. When one is on the defense, one tries to protect oneself out of feelings of insecurity or being threatened. Iām not saying go looking for and confront the enemy and start tackling issues youāre not a part of. What I am saying is we need to remember weāre not defenseless against the enemy! We can stay in worry – which is exactly what the enemy wants – or we can choose to fight, as difficult as that can be. When we focus on āpraying the Word of Godā¦instead of just āpraying the problem,āā (Page 141) this helps us fight effectively. Itās so empowering to know God doesnāt leave us to fight alone. āThe LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you.ā (Deuteronomy 1:30) This gives me comfort and peace. This gives me freedom.
Oh the familiar weight of trying to be in control! You’re right – it is an illusion. And we still want to fight for it! It sounds so silly when we read it in black and white like this but so much more difficult when we’re going about our daily lives and things seem to be going haywire! It is such bondage though, to try to control things and feel the disappoint that inevitably comes when things don’t happen as we plan or when we are faced yet again with our lack of control. This happened to me the other day and I had a total meltdown with tears and everything over a train making me late. I had been trying so hard to be on time and it just totally threw me. My plans are so fragile (and my feelings even apparently more so!) and it’s so hard to continue on day after day. The enemy knows this! And when we walk in our power we are so weak and make such easy targets. We have to fight and I think we are just looking at the wrong opponent(s). That’s where keeping our eyes on Jesus helps and knowing He is with us to help us from these tactics and bondages. I’m so glad I can rely on His strength and that He never tires or grows weary!