Debauchery (Gk aselgeia) - license, lack of restraint
Idolatry (Gk idwlolatria) - worshipping idols
Witchcraft (Gk farmakei÷a) - magic including drugs and spells
Lev 19:31; Deut 18:9-14
Hatred (Gk ecqra)
Discord (Gk eris)
Jealousy (Gk zhlos)
Fits of rage (Gk qumos)
Selfish ambition (Gk eriqeia) - base self seeking
Dissensions (Gk dicostasia) -
Factions (Gk airesis) - creating independent groups within the church
Envy (Gk fqonos) -
Drunkenness (Gk meqjjh) - applies to any intoxication
Orgies (Gk kwmos) - drinking parties with unrestrained indulgence
How to fight
Advice from Ephesians - Eph 4 - 5
Cultivate time in God's presence
Alone with God - personal worship and devotional time
Keep coming back
Moses and the fading of God's glory - Ex 34:28-35; 2Cor 3:1-18;
Be continually filled with the Spirit (because we leak) - Eph 5:18
Cultivate time with other believers
Without the Church you have no ministry - Phil 2:3-4
Some people have isolated themselves from the body
Others have isolated themselves from pastoral leadership
The Church is the body with pastoral leadership - Our Lord never envisioned his Church any other way. - 1Cor 12:27-31; Eph 4
You should either be part of a congregation that has a pastor or you should be looking for one to join. Otherwise you're deceiving yourself.
Be transparent
Confess your sins - James 5:13-18
Submit to one another - Eph 5:21
Pursue trust - deliberately establish and build trusting relationships
Life group - accountability and disclosure
It's more than a 90 minute weekly meeting - it's a lifestyle!
Informal gatherings
Set your mind on what the Spirit wants - Rom 8:5-6
Find out what the Spirit wants - Eph 5:8-10
Pray
Read your Bible
Choose to focus your thoughts on these things
Stop thinking about the things of the flesh - Rom 8:5-6; Rom 13:14
Put them off until later (e.g. delay that first drink/hit/sexual encounter)
Stay away from problem situations
e.g. the young couple who wouldn't listen to our advice
Base your decisions on God's Word rather than on personal pain relief
Spiritual: "What does the Father want me to do today?"
Carnal: "What will make me feel good today?"
Renew your mind - Rom 12:1
Change your inputs
Fearlessly examine your "coping mechanisms" in the light of scripture
Overcome temptation
Recognize that God is helping you - 1Cor 10:13; Heb 2:18
Faithfully hide God's Word in your heart - Psalm 119:9-11
Fight - Heb 12:3
Submit to spiritual authority - Heb 13:7; Heb 13:17
be accountable
be transparent
Your fight is not just for yourself!
Bring resurrection power to your brothers and sisters!
Help your brothers and sisters - Rom 15:14; Col 3:16; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:24-25
Your are your brother's / sister's keeper - Gal 6:1-2; James 5:19-20
Pray for your brothers and sisters
If, when you pray for someone, all you can pray is for God to bless him/her then you’re not maximizing your effectiveness. You must learn enough about the people you pray for to make your prayers for them effective.
Believe that you receive. Change the way you view (visualize) the people you pray for. Leaders must lead in prayer first!
Admonish and encourage your brothers and sisters
Don't leave this to the pastors!
We will always have new spiritually immature people coming church.
Some people develop defenses against the Bible because it's been used as a weapon against them in the past.
What to do when your brother fails
If your brother sins against you . . . - Mat 18:15-22
Restore your brother gently - Gal 6:1-5; 1John 5:1-18
Don't leave this burden to your pastors or life group leaders.
We are a fathering ministry.
Everyone must do 2Tim 2:2
Teach sanctification for disciple makers.
We focus on leaders!
The faithful must do more than just hold on;
They need to multiply themselves.
They must identify faithful people who they can mentor - 2Tim 2:2
You should either be mentoring someone, or praying for God to show you someone to mentor.
Doug Hall's "Chaos Code" ministry model
Steps
Observation
Positive Regard (fall in love with the people)
Relevant Communication
Meet Perceived Needs
Meet Basic Needs
Multiplication
This has many applications:
Breaking into new cultures / sub-cultures
Breaking into new groups within your own culture / sub-culture
Ministering to your brothers and sisters
The fruit of your victory
Not because of your righteousness - Deut 9:1-8
Only the faithful / believing will enter God's rest - Heb 4:1-11
Don't miss God's grace - Heb 12:1-29
Sanctification: Becoming like the Father
Hang out with God like Enoch. - Gen 5:21-24; Heb 11:5
Resurrection and Faith
Faith is essential to pleasing God - Heb 11:6
Supernatural expectations - Heb 11:1 and rest of chapter
Glider pilot
Sources of lift: thermals, ridge lift, mountain wave, convergence
Glide ratios: 30:1; 50:1; 70:1
A very special glider: The Gimli Glider
Discussion Questions / Topics
Reflect on Lev 19:31; Deut 18:9-14
Have you ever been curious about any of the occult practices listed here?
Have you ever consulted a medium, spiritist, psychic, or "roots worker"?
Have you ever consulted your horoscope or astrological chart?
Have you ever experienced any spiritual difficulty as a result of occult activity?
Reflect on Ex 34:28-35; 2Cor 3:1-18
Have you ever experienced a "glowing" feeling after spending time in prayer?
How long does your sense of God's presence last after you finish praying?
How does your time spent in prayer affect you?
Reflect on James 5:13-18; Eph 5:21
Have you ever confessed any of your sins to another believer?
Have you established trusting relationships with other believers? Why or why not? How about with the believers in your life group? Why or why not?
What can the other members of your life group do to enhance your openness and transparency with them? What can you do?
Reflect on Rom 8:1-17; Gal 5:16-26 (repeated from last week)
According to Gal 5:16-26 what fruit does the Spirit want to produce in us?
According to Gal 5:16-26 what actions characterize the sinful nature (flesh)?
Describe some ways in which you set your mind on what the Spirit desires.
Describe some ways in which you set your mind on what the flesh desires.
Which of the two occupies more of your thoughts?
What would help you to focus more on what the Spirit desires?
Reflect on Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:14; Philip 4:8 (repeated from last week)
What comes to mind when you read Rom 12:1?
Have you been transformed by the renewing of your mind? In what ways?
Do you take control of your thought life? In what ways?
Works Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings (repeated from last week)
Review the current prayer partnerships in your life group.
Make sure that everyone has someone to pray with on a weekly basis.
These can be long-term assignments or your can rotate them.
If you rotate them, the assignments should last at least one month.
Review the list of people you are praying for in your life group.
Make sure that everyone knows who to pray for and how to pray for them.
Make sure that the people who need salvation are getting prayed for every day by the members of the group.
Review each person on the list of people you are reaching out to.
Has anyone invited him/her to lunch/dinner or some other informal activity along with at least one other life group member?
Has anyone invited him/her to a life group fun event?
Has anyone invited him/her to a life group meeting?
