Printer Friendly Copy         Listen to Message

Message: Prayer of Deliverance
Week of August 23
, 2009

Thematic Focus
Gain perspective on the things that are out of control in your life.

Main Points
Experiencing God's power of deliverance includes:
·  Understanding our weaknesses
    - When am I vulnerable?
    - Where am I vulnerable?
    - With whom am I vulnerable?

·  Creating a plan of avoidance
·  Guarding your heart
·  Turning our focus elsewhere
·  Including others in our journey
·  Praying for God's deliverance

Scriptural Lens:
·  1 Corinthian 10:1-13
·  Proverbs 4:23, 26-27
·  Romans 12:21
·  Psalm 50:15

 

 

 

Pursuing clarity
Use the following structure to guide your personal reflection and/or discussion:

Opening Prayer
Take a moment to recognize Christ’s presence with you.

Opening Reflection
Identify some of the different ideas people associate with temptation.

Scriptural Focus
Take time to read the suggested Scriptures.

Group Discussion
Use these questions to reflect further:

1. How would you characterize being vulnerable? How does it relate to temptation?
2. Give some examples for how with pre-planning a person could avoid temptation.
3. What does it mean for a person to "guard his or her heart?"
4. What are some examples of where a person may give the devil a foothold?
5. Why do you think it is that we don't call on God for help and deliverance?
6. Why is turning your focus elsewhere better than trying to resist temptation?
7. When it comes to temptation, why do people try to go it alone?
8. Whom do people often turn to when facing temptation?

Adjusting Focus
Take some time to answer the following questions:

How well do you understand what makes you vulnerable? When? Where? With whom?

What intentional plans can you make to avoid your places of vulnerability?

How do you need to tend to your emotions?

Exhausted                0 1 2 3 4      Energetic
Discouraged            0 1 2 3 4      Encouraged
Pessimistic              0 1 2 3 4      Hopeful
Bored                       0 1 2 3 4      Challenged
Spiritually empty      0 1 2 3 4      Spiritually alive
Alone/distant            0 1 2 3 4      Close to others
Insecure                    0 1 2 3 4      Secure
Unsure                      0 1 2 3 4      Confident
Bitter and angry       0 1 2 3 4      Forgiving
Sad                           0 1 2 3 4      Happy
Like you've failed     0 1 2 3 4     Successful

Note: The lower your score the more vulnerable you are to temptation.

What do you need to pray for God's deliverance from?

What steps can you take to change your focus?

Who do you need to include on your journey?

 

 

Maintaining Focus
How is God's Spirit prompting you to grow on the faith journey? A step I will take to pursue a healthy life:

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________   

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen

 

 
 
  Davison Free Methodist Church
502 Church Street
Davison, Michigan 48423
810.653.6108