GROWTH QUESTION #1
Who would like to share a highlight, praise report, or testimony from this week?
“Winning the Battle Within”
MEETING AGENDA
- OPENING PRAYER – Ask one person to open the meeting in prayer.
- GROWTH QUESTIONS – Ask everyone the Growth Questions.
- ATTENDANCE – Take attendance through the DG Attendance System.
- TODAY’S LESSON – Go over this week’s DG lesson.
- GIVING – Encourage everyone to give on the App.
- CLOSING PRAYER – Ask for prayer requests and pray.
GROWTH QUESTION #2
What did you learn from this week’s sermon?
GROWTH QUESTION #3
What was your most important accomplishment this week?
TODAY’S PASSAGE:
Romans 7:14-25 NLT 14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS
What did you learn from what we just read?
TRUTH #1
Every one of us fights an internal battle!
- Anything we give ourselves to, we become addicted to.We may say, “this is it,” but we do it again, and again, and again because our sinful nature has taken over.
- Our sinful nature is our flesh (human nature) that urges us to do what is wrong because it is attracted to sin.
- The problem is that all sin comes with bondage.
- Everyone of us has a human nature, but God has given us a way to overcome this lower nature by giving us His nature which is the power to overcome sin.
INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS
Have you ever experienced this type of internal battle?
TRUTH #2
Giving in to our sinful nature leads to death.
- Sin and death go together. The result of acting on a sin is that it produces death.
- Death:(thanatos) misery of the soul arising from sin which begins on earth but lasts and increases after death of the body in hell; Separation from God and all His blessings on earth and for eternity; Great mental and emotional distress, extreme unhappiness, destruction, ruin, bondage, addiction.
- The Devil offers us temporary relief that ultimately destroys us.
- Sin leaves us with long term depression and extreme unhappiness.
- Wrong choices always lead to death and right choices always lead to happiness, success and life. Choose wisely.
Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT) - 19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”.
INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS
Why does sin always lead to bondage and death?
TRUTH #3
Jesus Christ is the answer.
- Winning the battle within starts with giving our lives to Jesus Christ.
- After giving our lives to Jesus, we must study and obey His teachings.
- The ones who build their house on the rock are those who hear the teachings of Jesus and put them into practice.
- Winning on the inside, leads to winning on the outside.
Romans 6:16-18 NLT – 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS
What is required for one to be transformed from being a slave to sin to being free to live a life of righteousness?
CLOSING QUESTION
What is one thing you have learned from today’s lesson?
GIVING
Those who give to the poor will be repaid by God Himself.
Proverbs 19:17 (NLT)
If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord — and he will repay you!
Encourage everyone to give their tithes and offerings.
CLICK HERE TO GIVE
PRAY
QUESTION #1
Who are you praying for to be saved?
QUESTION #2
Who can you invite to the next meeting?
QUESTION #3
What are your prayer requests?