Review this week's message.
Key Thought: Train your mind to focus on the positive and starve the negative.
Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.
· If God is for you, who can be against you?
· What are common ways you hear people talk down to themselves?
· Why do some people tend to focus on negative things?
Start thinking. Ask a thoughtful question.
· How does our language shape our belief in ourselves? Of Jesus?
· Why is it vital to find the positives in what seems like our defeats?
· How does hearing words of encouragement help you?
Start sharing. Choose questions that create openness.
· What is feeding your mind whether positive or negative? Share what you’re focusing on, then discuss what must change, if anything.
· What could happen when you speak yourself up in God’s truth and BELIEVE it?
· We learned what we feed, grows. How are you feeding yourself?
Start praying. Be bold, and pray with power.
Dear Jesus, thank you for loving us. YOU are our world. No one and nothing can take Your place. What may seem like defeat for us today is truly a setup for something greater for tomorrow so that YOU are glorified! Help us to focus on whatever is true, honorable, pure, and noble. YOU paid the ultimate price for our salvation at the cross. Help us to never lose sight of this and to live our lives for YOU! Thank you, Jesus that the victory is ours through YOU! Help us to remember that, and be encouraged daily. In Your precious name we pray. Amen.
Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.
· Go around the room and take turns speaking encouraging things about each other.
· Write a self-affirmation. Include memories of times when God gave you victory over a tough circumstance or a miracle. Make it a goal to read your list out loud to yourself daily and keep a journal of how things are changing in your life.
· Read Romans 8:31 out loud to yourself every morning for the rest of the year.
· Be prepared to offer help to those in need. Identify some resources you can hold onto to share with others, such as scriptures that offer hope, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255,) Crisis Text Line (Text “HOME” to 741741,) local resources, etc.
Scriptures
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 ESV
“...take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV
“But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” Luke 11:28 NIV
“...let the weak say, I am strong.” Joel 3:10 KJV
“David was greatly distressed; for the people [spoke] of stoning him…but David encouraged himself in the Lord hisGod.” 1 Samuel 30:6 KJV
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31ESV
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 ESV
“Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other…” Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT
“…encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” Thessalonians 5:11 NLT
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12 NLT
“Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.” Ecclesiastes 11:2 ESV