Mind Games | Part 2

The weekend doesn't have to end. Keep Talking with this week's guide.

Ryan

August 16, 2021

Start Talking - Find conversation starters for the group or with a friend.

With the Olympic Games having just finished, what is your favorite moment of these games?
Pastor Ryan reminded us of Pastor Todd’s statement from last week: “What if we took every thought captive instead of being held captive by every thought?” Have you been doing this over the past week? What have you noticed about your thought life as a result?

Keep Reading - Read the scripture and ask a question to get the group thinking.

Read these Scriptures out loud:

2 Corinthians 10:3

This verse makes it very clear that spiritual war is a reality for every Christian – everyone is engaged in a battle. However, God has given us spiritual weapons with divine power so that we can be victorious in these battles, which begin in the mind, in our thought life.
How have you personally experienced victory over a battle in your life, using the weapons God has made available to you? If you can’t think of anything, what is a battle you’re currently fighting, and what weapons do you see that God has given you to be victorious?

1 Samuel 17:40-50

This passage describes the battle between David and Goliath; take a moment to read this again.
Pastor Ryan pointed out that although David was a mighty warrior and is described as a man after God’s own heart, he also struggled in areas of mental health just as we do, highlighting various passages from the Psalms, written by David. How does this perspective of the person of David impact you as you think about the “Goliaths” in your life?

Keep Talking - Choose questions to create openness.

1. The Battle Belongs To The Lord

While Goliath had confidence in himself and his own strength, David placed his confidence in God. David had insight beyond the physical confrontation in front of him to recognize that there was a spiritual component to the battle, and he also recognized that the victory God would give him was not just for his benefit but for all of Israel – all of God’s people.
Think about the Goliaths in your life right now. Have you been trying to fight them on your own, or have you recognized the spiritual battle that’s going on and turned it over to God? Additionally, although we all want to win our battles for our own sakes, God always has a bigger picture in mind. How could winning your battle benefit the others around you?

2. The Battle Is Not Just Spiritual

In 1 Sam. 17:45-47, David makes a powerful spiritual declaration, but he doesn’t stop there – David also picked up physical tools required for the battle, his sling and five smooth stones. We also see this same spiritual truth in the New Testament [read James 2:14-17].
What does recognizing that your battle is not just spiritual look like for you? What physical tools – perhaps therapy, counseling, medication, or simply getting into community with God’s people in Groups or the Dream Team – do you need to pick up so that you can win your battle?

3. There Will Be Other Battles

We need to be aware that there will always be other battles. Before David fought Goliath, he fought and killed lions and bears that attacked his father’s sheep (1 Sam. 17:34-37), and David also fought many other battles after Goliath. Each battle that David fought increased his faith in God and prepared him for the next battle to come [see David’s statement in 1 Sam. 17:36].
What battles has God already brought you through, and how did those battles develop you and increase your faith in God?

Keep Moving/Going - Commit to a step and live it out this week.

Pastor Ryan challenged us to share our struggle with someone and to start each day by declaring Scripture over our lives. Find someone this week whom you trust to share your struggle with; don’t fight in secret. Also, take advantage of the other resources we’ve made available for you to continue to grow; text MIND to 441-441 or click this link: MIND GAMES.
Pick one of this week’s key Scriptures and make it a reminder in your phone. Spend a few minutes repeating it and thinking about it each day.
S.O.A.P out the Scripture this week.

Keep Praying

Keep Praising

“Glorious Day” – Passion

Or check out our "Faith Over Fear" playlist on Spotify and Apple Music.

Keep Up with What's Happening at Christ Fellowship.