Faith Deliverance Church of God In Christ (New Believers Study Guide Material) The Becomers Lesson 1

Transcription

1 Faith Deliverance Church of God In Christ (New Believers Study Guide Material) The Becomers Lesson 1 What happens to a person after becoming a Christian? This lesson, The Becomers, answers this question. We believe the new convert has just been freed to start actualizing gifts and potentialities which have always been God s will inherent in his life. As a new convert, you are a Becomer in process, a Christian on the move toward deeper and more honest relationships with people, with God, and with yourself. Conversion, then, is only the beginning. Through a study and analysis of selected scriptures, participants will: Discuss God s promises concerning new converts Understand several signposts (things you will know and have) for Christian development and growth Commit to live in the expectancy of Christ s return The Becomers Now that you have believed in Christ s work on the cross and have received Him as Savior God s Promise to You Eternal Life 1 John 5:11 13, John 3:16 Forgiveness Colossians 2:13 1 John 1:9 Sonship Galatians 3:26 John 1:12 Things You Should know Facts, not Feelings Colossians 2:6 Inner Witness 1 John 4:13 Romans 8:16 New Creation 2 Corinthians 5:17 Things You will Have Hunger for Bible Study 1 Peter 2:2 Desire for Holy Living 1 John 2:3 Love for Others 1 John 3:12 Desire to Tell Others Acts 4:20

2 Learning to Pray Lesson 2 Prayer is simply conversing with God, talking to Him, listening to Him, and being in His presence. It includes sharing your thoughts, feelings, doubts, complaints, hopes, and joys. Prayer involves confessing sin, worshipping God, committing yourself to obey Him, giving thanks, making requests for yourself and others, and just being available to God. Admittance to the school of prayer is by an entrance test with only two questions. The first question is: Are you in real need? The second question is: Do you admit that you are helpless to handle that need? No wonder we rush to school! Our thirst is deep; our eagerness to learn is enormous. What good news it is that our very inadequacy is the master key swinging wide the door to His Holy Adequacy. Through a study and analysis of selected scriptures, participants will: Understand the amazing dialogue between God and His people Realize the purposes, hindrances and ways of increasing effectiveness in prayer at the beginning of their intimacy with Christ Learning to Pray Philippians 4:6 7 Purposes for Prayer 1. Satisfies inner needs 2. Guidance 3. Deal with worry 4. Converse with God 5. Defeat Sin Increasing Your Effectiveness 1. Be well rounded 2. Be systematic 3. Be constant 4. Be specific 5. Be persistent GOD HINDRANCES MAN 1. Not Praying in faith James 1: Not Asking Matthew 21:22 3. Asking For Wrong Reasons James 4:3 4. Unconfessed Sin Psalm 66:18 5. Marital Problems 1 Pet 3:7 6. Request not in God s will 1 John 5:14, 15

3 Going to Church Lesson 3 One of the oldest structures of the Christian society is the church where every member is the pastoral responsibility of a single shepherd and/or a group of under shepherds. Some Christians feel that the empirical church is involved in such grave betrayal of true Christian faith that the only way to live Christ like is to go out from the church and start again. Certain individuals may have experienced a real vocation to make such a radical break with the past. Yet, when we are face to face with the non church world, the attempt to make such a break will avail us nothing. We cannot deny our own past; we are what the history of centuries has made us. Whatever we try to make of ourselves, the Gospel will always take the shape of the vessel in which it is carried. Theologically, we have been discovering anew that the church is not an appendage to the Gospel; it is itself a part of the Gospel. Though the church of Jesus Christ has unfortunately been divided, unmistakably slandered and unmercifully persecuted, it has withstood trial and torture. It will continue to do so until the great day of Jesus return. To help the church stay strong, we must help the members of the church body learn to be overcomers able to handle all the problems thrown our way. Through a study and analysis of selected scriptures, participants will: Take into full account the church s multifaceted distinctiveness Evaluate why and where they should go to church Going to Church A. What is the Church? 1. Body of Christ 1 Cor 12: Local and Universal B. Why is it Necessary 1. Teaching 2. Service 3. Organization 1 Cor 14:33 4. Fellowship Heb 10:25 5. Worship C. Why Should you Go? 1. Above reasons 2. God commands you to Heb 10:25 3. Keeps you from extremes 4. Counsel of mature believers is available D. Where Should you Go

4 1. Preaches the Gospel 2. Warm and Friendly 3. Members seem spirit filled 4. Emphasizes missions 5. Evangelical In doctrine Power for Living Lesson 4 Christianity was born into a world of trouble. The Roman world of the first century was awash in demoralization and evilness. Today, we can see thought provoking parallels between the period of decline of the Roman Empire and our own time. After the resurrection and His many appearances, Jesus made it plain to the disciples that they were going to need His power for living to cope in such a disintegrating society. Therefore, he instructed them to wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit came upon them. Most of us begin by thinking of the Holy Spirit as an influence, something ghostly, floating, ethereal that produces a warm and loving feeling in us. We further perpetuate this misconception by using the impersonal pronoun it when speaking of the Spirit. He is rather a Person one of the three persons of the Godhead. Through a study and analysis of selected scriptures, the participants will: Discuss the Holy Ghost as power for living Explore how to receive the Holy Ghost Understand how the Holy Ghost meets personal needs Being Filled with the Spirit Eph 5:18 Christ in You Gal 2:20 Controlled by Spirit Eph 5:18 Control Not Maturity Desire: Matt 5:6 Surrender: Rom 12:1 Obedience 1 John 2:3 Confession 1 John 1:9 Meet Conditions/Continuous Power/Ask for Power/Trust God for it John 10:10, John 15:15 Gal 5:22, 23 Acts 1:8

5 Obedience Lesson 5 In the New Testament, faith is obedience; unbelief is disobedience (Rom 6:17; 10:16), Christian obedience means initiating God s Holiness (1 Peter 1:15), Christ s Humility and Love (John 13:14, 34), and submission to divinely instituted authority structures (Rom 13:1, Eph 6:1) Through a study and analysis of selected scriptures, the participants will: Learn an in depth definition for obedience Discuss a five step process to obedience Obedience 1 John 2:3 What? 1. Doing God s will from the Heart 2. Not: _Serving God on our own terms _Asceticism _Legalism Why? 1. Because of God s love and worthiness 2. Because it proves your love 1 John 5:3 3. Because God Demands it How? Step 1 Know God s command 2 Tim 3;16,17 Step 2 Draw on God s Power to obey Phil 4:13, Acts 1:8 Step 3 Have the Right attitude Delight to do God s will Ps 40:8, Do it Carefully Deut 26:16 Be Sincere Step 4 Learn to deal with temptations 1 Cor 10:13 Temptations Lesson 6 The bible uses the same words for testing and tempting. God tests His people to prove and strengthen their faith, trust, and loyalty. Trials strengthen spiritual muscles and form us into people fit for Heaven. However, Satan s goal in tempting us is to damage our trust and drive us to despair and rebellion. In reality, we tempt ourselves to sin when we toy with our corrupt desires, and Satan helps. God never tempts us to sin. He uses circumstances that He knows will test us for our good. Our aim is to grow stronger in trials rather that crumbling under them.

6 Through a study and analysis of selected scriptures, the participants will: Identify sources of temptation Discuss conditions for victory over temptation Temptation: Are not Sin James 1;14,15 Can be dealt with 1 Cor 10:13 Have three sources World, Flesh, Satan 1 John 1 2:15, Gal 5:16, Rev 20:7 10 Conditions for Victory Be Alert 1 Cor 16:13 Be Filled Eph 5:18 Be Quick James 1:14 19 Know Escapes 1 Cor 10:13 Obey by Faith Col 2:6 Pray Matt 26:41 Discerning God s Will Lesson 7 Leading and obeying are essential, but they must flow from discerning God s will through growing, intimate relationship with Him. One must understand Jesus authority in every area, diligently seek to learn His teaching, and actively seek to do what He does. Through a study and analysis of the selected scriptures, the participant will: Discuss practical steps toward finding God s will List four (4) benefits of discerning God s will Discerning God s Will Key Verses Jeremiah 29:11, Rom 12:2 1. It is Good 2. It is acceptable to us 3. It is our welfare 4. It is perfect for us 1. Definite Guidance Isa 30:20, God gives us wisdom to find it James 1:5 3. God will give us the desire to do his will Phil 2:13

7 4. Built in Warning Device peace of Christ Col 3:15 Practical Steps Toward Finding God s Will Step 1 Be Filled Eph 5:18 Step 2 Study the Bible Ps 119:105 Step 3 Be Obedient 1 John 3:22 Step 4 Counsel with Mature Christians Prov 11:14 Step 5 Pray often Matt 7:7,8