God has given you supernatural peace, but you have to activate it.

“If the enemy steals our rest, we’ll become stressed instead of blessed.” -Pastor Buddy Cremeans

• What’s one of the coolest gifts you’ve ever received?
• What makes the Christmas season stressful?
• What is one holiday tradition you have?
• Do you prefer high action/chaotic movies & TV shows, or calmer, more peaceful ones?

• What ways is the stress of the holidays a distraction from God’s peace?
• How do you look at your present circumstances knowing that God’s peace is already within you, it just needs you to activate it?
• Why does God ask us to trust Him and embrace peace?
• How can un-dealt-with stress affect you physically and spiritually? How can finding God’s peace benefit both areas?

• Do you practice a Sabbath? If yes, how do you protect that one day a week from being interfered with? If not, what can you do to create a day of rest, and hence, counteract stress?
• Is there a situation that makes your feel “too stressed to be blessed” going on right now? Tell the group about it and brainstorm how you can activate peace in this area.
• What is a common situation that causes you stress and what can you do to alleviate that stress?
• What are some steps you can take toward regularly activating God’s peace in your life?

Dear Jesus, thank you so much for giving us peace amidst the stress of this world. We trust you, believe in you, and thank you for always being good to us. We choose to activate your peace now. In your name we pray, Amen.

• One of the biggest factors that inhibits one from practicing a Sabbath is time management. To make time for a Sabbath requires intentionality on the other six days. Write out a typical schedule of your typical week. It won’t be perfect, but make sure you are being detailed. Find gaps where you could rearrange plans/meetings, and eliminate time wasters so that you can create one day of rest where you have no other commitments.
• As Pastor Buddy said, God has given us his supernatural peace, but we have to activate it. This week, begin creating a habit of activating his peace. Anytime you begin feeling stressed, do these 4 things.

1. Choose not to worry,
2. pray about it,
3. tell God what you need,
4. thank God.

Now, activate your force field of peace!

• Sit and right out a list of the blessings you have in life. Include things we often take for granted such as food, clothing, shelter and add on relatives, friends, co-workers who are a blessing in your life. Whenever you feel the stress mounting, review this list and pray over it, so God can help you stay focused on the blessings, not the stressings.

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