Faithful Step #2: Believing in God's Power

Mission Statement:

“Faithful Steps” is dedicated to helping individuals overcome temptation through the power of Jesus Christ. Grounded in the promise of 1 Corinthians 10:13, we believe that God is faithful and will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, but will always provide a way out so that we can endure it. Our mission is to guide and support each participant in discovering and embracing this divine escape, fostering a community of faith, accountability, and transformation. Together, we journey towards spiritual victory and a deeper relationship with Christ.

Step:

We believe that only Jesus, who is God manifest in the flesh, can restore us to sanity.

Scripture:

Philippians 2:13 KJV 1900

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Objective:

To understand and acknowledge our powerlessness over temptation and recognize the need for the strength and help of the Holy Ghost.

1. Opening Prayer:

Begin with a prayer asking for God’s guidance and the Holy Ghost's presence to open hearts and minds to the lesson.

2. Introduction:

- Share a personal story or testimony or ask someone to share about a struggle with temptation and the realization of the need for God's help.

- Explain that this lesson focuses on the first step of our journey: admitting our need for help and recognizing our powerlessness without God.

3. Understanding God’s Power at Work in Us:

- **Scripture Study:** Read and reflect on

Philippians 2:13 KJV 1900

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

- Discuss how this verse emphasizes that it is God working in us, both to desire and to do what pleases Him.

- "To will": This refers to our desires, intentions, and inclinations. God influences and shapes our inner desires so that they align with His will. This means that any genuine desire to do what is right, to follow God’s commands, or to resist temptation is initiated by God’s work in us.

- "To act": Beyond just influencing our desires, God also empowers our actions. He gives us the strength, energy, and ability to carry out what He has called us to do. This means that our capacity to live out God’s commands and to walk in His ways is not something we generate on our own but is a direct result of God’s empowering presence in our lives.

- Looking back at verse 12 of Philippians 2 we see that we should work out our own salvation! This means actively pursuing a life that reflects salvation and the transformation it brings!

Philippians 2:12 KJV 1900

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

- **Discussion Questions:**

- What does it mean for God to work in us "to will and to act"?

- Have you ever experienced a time when you tried to do something on your own, only to realize you needed God's help?

4. Jesus: God Manifest in the Flesh

- Scripture Study: Read 1 Timothy 3:16 to reinforce the belief that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh.

1 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

2 Corinthians 5:19 ESV

19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Hebrews 4:15–16 ESV

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

- Illustration: Demoniac of Gadara

Mark 5:1–20 ESV

1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. 14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

- Jesus moves with purpose! The only reason he went to the other side was to deliver this man!

- He restored sanity and order into the life of the demoniac. He was naked and driven by thoughts that weren’t his own, but Jesus stepped in and the demoniac the man ran and worshipped Jesus!

- **Discussion Questions:**

- Why is it important to believe that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh? (In regard to temptation)

- How does understanding this help us trust in His power to restore us?

5. The Role of the Holy Ghost:

- Scripture Study: Read Acts 1:8, where Jesus promises that we will receive power when the Holy Ghost comes upon us.

Acts 1:8 KJV 1900

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

- In this passage, we find that the Scripture teaches us that the Holy Ghost gives us power (in the originial dunamis that we get our word dynamo from).

- This dynamo is a device that that generates power from a source. Most dynamo’s have been replaced by alternators today. However, it takes the primary crank shaft to turn the pulley on the alternator and provide the power to the rest of the electrical components! Whatever power we need is provided through God’s crank shaft spinning our power generators so that we can continue to work and function as God intended when He filled us with the Holy Ghost!

1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV 1900

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

- Group Activity:

- Have participants reflect on moments in their lives where they felt empowered by the Holy Ghost.

- Invite a few to share their experiences and how it helped them overcome challenges.

6. Believing and Trusting in God's Power:

- **Interactive Activity:**

- Give each participant a piece of paper/notecard and ask them to write down an area in their life where they feel powerless.

- Encourage them to pray, asking God to work in that area through the power of the Holy Ghost, and to believe that He can bring restoration.

- **Group Prayer:**

- Lead a prayer asking for God’s power to be manifest in each person's life, especially in the areas where they feel weak or powerless.

7. Conclusion:

- Summarize the key points:

- God is the one who works in us to will and to act according to His good purpose.

- Jesus, who is God manifest in the flesh, is the only one who can restore us to sanity.

- The Holy Ghost empowers us to live victoriously over temptation and to fulfill God’s purposes.

- **Action Step:**

- Encourage participants to commit to seeking the Holy Ghost's help daily through prayer, Scripture reading, and continued fellowship (not necessarily daily).

8. Closing Prayer:

Conclude with a prayer asking for the Holy Ghost to empower everyone in their struggles against temptation and to remind them of God's constant presence and assistance.