Road to Recovery: Making Changes

Study Questions for Road to Recovery, Week 5
Making Changes

Have you ever “volunteered” for something that was demanding? Share about it.
Why did you do it?
What was the ‘payoff’—what did you get out of it?
The “Voluntary” element of Christianity is important. I must VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE to submit to God.
It seems that many people who believe in Jesus as “Savior” don’t want to embrace Him as “Lord”…they don’t want to “submit” to Him fully…why do you think this would be?
RECOVERY STEP #5: “I must voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my Character Defects.”

Have you identified the “issue” or issues that God might want you to work on during this series?
If you can, share with the group.
Read Matthew 5:6. What do you think it means to ‘hunger and thirst’ for righteousness? How have your ‘issues’ made this “hunger” and “thirst” more powerful?

There are 3 main areas that we choose to blame for our character defects, ‘issues’ and sinful behavior:
Our Chromosomes: Our DNA and the way we’re made definitely influence us.
Our Circumstances: The way we’re raised, the kind of environment we grew up in and live in now… …definitely makes a difference.
Our past Choices: The things we’ve chosen to do—the people we’ve hung with, the places we’ve gone, the standards we’ve adopted—these have also had an impact on us.
Which of these 3 areas have had the most influence in your life—especially over the “issues” God is dealing with in you right now?
Which of these 3 areas provides an excuse for your sins?
All of these play a role in our ‘issues’, sins, character defects and temptations…but NONE of them are ‘responsible’ for our current sins! (In the sense that they provide an excuse, so that we are not responsible.)
These “3 C’s” can make it very difficult to change…but read Philippians 4:13;…God has all the strength we need in order to live a life of freedom and victory!
HOW are we to gain victory?
First, in cooperation with God! Read Galatians 5:16-25: It is in cooperation with God’s Holy Spirit that His “fruit” is produced in my life. The fruit is FROM HIM!
Second, it may be a question of FOCUS (from Rick Warren)
*Focus on one defect—one hurt, habit, or hang-up, one sin—at a time:
*Focus on one victory—one temptation to overcome—at a time:
Read 1 Corinthians 10:13. Can you describe a time when you’ve clearly ‘heard’ the voice of God telling you to get away/get out of a tempting area, and have complied? Tell about it!
*Focus on GOD’s Power, not ‘my willpower’.
Read Ephesians 3:20; 2 Peter 1:3. What are the only limitations to God’s power in our lives?
How can we grow more, so that His power can work more in our lives?
*Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want.
Read 2 Corinthians 10:5; Philippians 4:8. Often, we focus so much on NOT doing/wanting something that we forget to focus on what we DO want—i.e., to please Christ! What are some of the things that you, personally, can focus on (Phil. 4:8) that will help you overcome?
*Focus on Progress, not Perfection.
We can only stand because of God’s GRACE. Jesus was the only Perfect person, ever. You will never be perfect in this life, and the Lord does not demand this from you! When the voices come trying to shame you because of your imperfections, stand on His grace!