Welcome back to bible study, as we discuss week one from Breaking Free by Beth Moore. We now have 350+ women participating in this study, and it’s exciting to know that so many of us are breaking strongholds. This week we focused on untying the cords of the yolk. If you missed the audio/video sessions, Beth introduced two key concepts. She defines a stronghold as “anytime you are preoccupied by a destructive thought process” and “anything which exalts itself over the truth and scripture of God.” Bondage, in Beth’s description, is “anything that hinders us from the fullness God has called us to be.” Our ten-week bible study will focus on these two concepts and how to break free from the bondage of our strongholds. Beth reminds us on page 26 of the workbook that “acknowledging the slavery is a crucial starting place toward authentic freedom.” Let us pray for one another as we journey from bondage to freedom, using the bible as our GPS navigation system. God’s Planning System.
How We Seek Shelter (from last week’s online discussion)
- I tend to seek shelter in food, eating until I feel totally satisfied. I also distancing myself from family and friends. I close in and watch tv and just let life pass me by.
- I seek shelter by not showing up. When things are troubling me I tend to lie and make excuses for why I can’t come to church or show up with friends.
- I seek shelter in my home. I go to work, church when I can ( I work a lot of Sundays), and I recently realized that is about the extent of it. I used to be a lot more involved in church activities but over time I have faded out. I find myself curling back up into my little protective shell and don’t reach out for fellowship.
- I seek shelter by saying I will begin tomorrow and thinking/letting myself believe I will. This is an endless vicious circle that I am so tired of. Very worn from it all.
- I seek shelter in my home or like Scarlett O’ hara is credited to saying ” I will not think about this today I will think about this tomorrow.”
- I like many other of the women here seek shelter by hiding, burying the pain and not dealing with it till it becomes a problem.
- I seek shelter by shying away from the problem and from almost everything. I tend to “shut down” and keep to myself.
- I seek shelter by running away. I believe that if I was in the right place in my walk with HIM I wouldn’t be in situations that called for me to run away.
- Shelter to me is being safe in life. Safe in my job. Safe in my family. Don’t get me wrong, I think security is a good thing, but I think I tend to not attempt a task because it can prove to be risky of failure.
- Sometimes I seek shelter by ignoring the elephant in the room.
- I seek shelter by whining and adding more to my schedule. You know, because then I have a good reason for being disorganized and not having enough time, I am over committed! Only recently have I realized this is what I do.
- I seek shelter by not allowing anyone to be close to me, I feel that people will find a way to somehow hurt me and so I usually don’t want to be around people.
- By procrastinating I seek shelter. Putting it off another day because I am intimidated or overwhelmed.
A common thread in how we seek shelter as women…we’re not seeking Jesus. During our Breaking Free bible study, we will seek freedom as we discover our strongholds and give them over to Jesus.
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV
Thanks to Sunny Girl for sharing this comment “I just wanted to point some thing out.. At the beginning of the study we are instructed to read Isaiah 61:1-3, I just wanted to point out that this is Jesus talking. You will notice as you read, Jesus is referred to as “Lord” and God is “God” Keep an eye out for the capital letters… Isaiah 61:1 He (God) has sent Me (Jesus) to heal the brokenhearted ect…. When I first started reading this I thought it was God talking to us, then I noticed the capital “Me” and realized it was Jesus’ talking to us about His mission when He comes to earth. Hope your day is filled with sun shine smiles
Prayer Requests
Our Prayer Wall has many requests, so please visit the page during the week and pray for these women who are asking for your help. If you have a prayer request for our prayer wall, post a comment on the wall.
Beth Moore Quotes
- God hates pride because it dethrones Him and puts ourselves at the center of our universe.
- Pride, in itself, can lead to captivity.
- God often calls the unworthy.
- God is the glorious initiator of reconciliation.
- We can be faithful to God and still be attacked by the enemy.
- Faith is tested by what we do with fear.
For Next Week
- Read Week Two in your book.
- Listen to Audio Session Three or Video Session Three (optional due to cost)
- Check in with your Small Group Leader for prayer requests and fellowship
Group Discussion- Answer one question or as many as you like
- Find one scripture verse that would help you resist pride. Use www.BibleGateway.com type in a keyword, such as “pride” or “success” and post your verse below as a comment. Let’s see how many verses we can find!
- Instead of looking to God, we often look to humans to guide our choices. Why do you think we make this choice at times? (bottom of page 17 )
- Can you think of a few potential disasters from which Christ saved you? (page 25)
- Share a favorite moment from this week’s study.
Please post your comments below…we all learn when we share together.
God is good, always!
PS- if you want to add a photo beside your email name, use Gravatar.com its free.
Help! Feeling a little lost and confused….do I read the book first or the workbook?? And, why do they appear to duplicate each other? This is my first Beth Moore study, so please forgive my ignorance. I just feel like I have books everywhere! LOL! Thanks, and God Bless!!!
This might help you:
http://www.womensbiblecafe.com/2011/11/your-first-beth-moore-bible-study/
You don’t need the book, just the member workbook for this study.
Hello Everyone.. I am just curious, has anyone else been going thorough some spiritual warfare since starting this study? Remember: freedom is not a word that satan likes. He likes to keep us surround with our past, guilt, shame, discouragement and doubt. But Jesus says, keep walking with Me, I have defeated the devil, I died on the cross for the sake of your freedom. You receive the victory, but I am the Victor.. Praise God…
Yes, myself and most of the small group leaders have been under intense spiritual warfare. We’ve been praying for the members of our groups as we know the women are experiencing this too. It the battle heats up, put a request on the prayer wall or Facebook wall so others can cover you with prayers.
Well said! Satan definitely does not want us to be free of the strongholds that keep us bound. He wants to keep us bound and defeated–to keep us from being the Christians we should be. He is not happy anytime we even attempt to grow closer to our Lord. And he is not going to give up or let go easily.But praise God! “Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!”
The scripture that I found that would help me resist pride is Psalm 10:4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
2. Instead of looking to God, we often look to humans to guide our choices. Why do you think we make this choice at times?
Because sometimes our flesh is so weak the Holy Spirit is hard to recieve. We get so stuck in seeing what others have done we don’t see the power of our God. I think about the strength and faith that David had in believing and confessing to God at all times. But when feared Saul he ran initially instead of doing what he had always done which was trust and believe God through everything.
The verse I found is: Proverbs 11:2
English Standard Version (ESV)
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.
King Uzzziah did what was right in the sight of the Lord and he sought the Lord his God. However, 2 Chrionicles 26:16 says, ” But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God”.
The verse I found regarding pride is Proverbs 11:2. Humility helps you resist pride….being humble is an admirable trait.
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility, comes wisdom.”