Breaking Free - Chapter 47: The Display of His Presence

Breaking Free - Chapter 47: The Display of his Presence

1. What is the difference between making your goal to win and making your goal to win Christ?

Making your goal to win, is just fighting the fight, your focus is more on the battle.  When you make your goal to win Christ, your focus moves off of the battle, onto Christ.  No matter what happens in the battle, you have attached yourself to Christ, not willing to be separated from Him.  The only real way to win, is to win Christ!!


2. Do you expend more energy fighting the enemy or seeking the Lord's presence? Why?

Hmmm, I think that I spend more time seeking God's presence, but I know that there have been times when I have spent time fighting the enemy more, and I've learned that it is a quick way to wear yourself out.  The best thing we can do is attach ourselves to God and let Him fight the battle for us.


3. What has God done in your life through this study?

This study has been a wonderful time of learning about the things that hold us captive, but more importantly we've learned about the truths and promises in God's Word that will help us break free!  I am so thankful for the work God has done in my life through this study, and I pray that you have been touched and change by the powerful truth of God's Word.  

Thank you for joining me, for this great study! God has great plans for you, remember to trust and lean on Him...hold on to Christ, and you will win!

Breaking Free - Chapter 46: The Display of Satisfaction and Peace

Breaking Free - Chapter 46: The Display of Satisfaction and Peace

1. Why do unhealed old wounds serve as flags showing the enemy our areas of vulnerability?

Beth compared it to a golf course, big green meadows with little holes, marked by flags so that the golfers know where to aim the ball for.  When we have unhealed wounds, they act like those little flags saying to the enemy, "Here, over here! This is a weak spot; this is the where they will be most easily distracted."


2. In what way can a satisfied believer display God's splendor in a way that no other can?

A satisfied believer, will be so satisfied, that they cannot help but pour the overflow, out of their life, into others.  They will be the most compassionate people around!


3. What would God have us fast from so we can reach out to the oppressed?

Our own comfort!



4. What might the peace of God in the soul of a person look like at its most beautiful moment?

Joy!  Deep joy even though the circumstances may be dire, the peace of God fills their lives and brings with it a pure deep joy!

Breaking Free - Chapter 45: The Display of His Glory

Breaking Free - Chapter 45: The Display of His Glory

1. How could your struggle to break free become the steps to the very gates of heaven?

When we surrender to God, and allow Him, to work in us and through us, to bring the victory, He will take the very things that held us captive and make them into the stepping stones that lead us out of captivity, into the glorious freedom He has for us.  As we overcome we rise up, and draw closer to God than ever before.


2. What specific spoils have you taken away from your struggles against the enemy and to do the will of God?

This blog, Satan tried to isolate me, make me feel like there was nothing I could do for God's Kingdom, but when I took those lies of the enemy to the Lord, and asked Him for help...He gave me the idea of this blog, and now I am able to speak truth and life and encouraging words to people around the world.  I know that if I am obedient, God will use it, all for His glory. Oh, yeah, and the huge bonus...I get to spend more time with Jesus, and grow in my relationship with Him.  :-)


3. How can you reinvest the plunder from your past struggles to bring gain for the kingdom of God?

No matter what the plunder is, if you surrender it to God, He will show you how to invest it, and then all you have to do is be obedient.  

Breaking Free - Chapter 44: The Display of His Renown

Breaking Free - Chapter 44: The Display of His Renown

1. What beauty have you seen when you could look at the testimony of a friend's life and see God's truth displayed?

The beauty of peace, hope, joy, and love flowing out of what would seem to be dire circumstances...When God is at work in a life and His love and truth shines through, there is nothing more beautiful!



2. Why do "people who know God well want God well-known"?


 Once you get to know how good and great God is, and you see how His love and power have transformed your life to be so much more than it was...you want other people to come to know Him so that they too, can be changed by the awesomeness that is our God, but more than that you want them to know God, to have a relationship with God, because there is nothing greater!


3. Do you presently have a yearning for the presence of God?

Yes!!


4. How can you grow in the yearning to know God?

The more time you spend in God's presence and in studying His Word, the more you will yearn to know Him.


5. What is the difference between a lust for God's power and a yearning for His presence?

When you lust for God's power, you are just wanting to see the great things God can do for you, but when you yearn for His presence it is more about the relationship you have with Him, and spending time with Him.

Breaking Free - Chapter 43: A Planting of The Lord

Breaking Free - Chapter 43: A Planting of The Lord

1. In what ways has doing this study been an exercise in loving God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength?

This study has walked us down a path that exposed the ancient ruins and helped us to rebuild them, it has taught us how to re-wallpaper our minds with truth and how to make our thoughts come into obedience to Christ. Every step of the way down this path to freedom we have had to learn to surrender each and every part of our lives to Christ, all of this has been an exercise in loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.


2.What would you trade for being called a display of God's splendor?

There is so much in life we think is important, but all of it fades away when I think of being called a display of God's splendor...nothing would compare to that!



3. How do you feel when you think of God's "[rejoicing] over you with singing"? When you think of Him being proud of you?

That is one of the most amazing ideas, it just thrills me, and yet I feel so unworthy!

Breaking Free - Chapter 42: Taking Thoughts Captive

Breaking Free - Chapter 42: Taking Thoughts Captive

1. Why does God generally refuse to take away a temptation or a controlling thought?

Because if He just removed them, we would not appreciate it, and probably would forget to praise Him for deliverance.  He wants us to work with Him to remove them, so that when we look back we will say, "Wow, I could not have done that with God, look what God has done!"


2. How can you develop a list of specific truths to offset satanic lies that support a stronghold?


By searching God's Word for scriptures that speak directly to the stronghold you are dealing with.


3. What value do you see in recording your specific truths on "Truth Cards"?

The truth cards are a valuable tool for taking with you wherever you may go, and you always have the scripture on hand and ready in case you need them.


4. Why must we be especially vigilant to avoid sources of deception when we are fighting a spiritual battle?

What goes in, is what comes out!  When you are fighting a spiritual battle it is imperative that you fill your mind up with the truth from God"s Word, and make sure you are not letting deceptive things in that will hinder your progress.  Beth says this "God's Word is your truth serum. The more you use it, the clearer your mind will become."


5. Do you believe that working on our thought lives is the only thing that will keep them from working on us? If so, why?

Yes!  I look at it as a hiker going up a steep incline, if they loose their forward momentum, gravity takes over and it becomes increasingly difficult to keep from going down backwards.  Working on our thought lives is that forward momentum that keeps us going in the right direction.