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Prayer IS the Battle Digging Deeper Questions P.R.A.Y.E.R. Week 3/6 In our fast-paced culture, it’s easy to be impacted by the sermon you hear at church on Sunday... only to forget about it by Monday. To make this message “stick” we created these Digging Deeper Questions so you can process and apply what you heard at church. Take some time this week to go through these questions by yourself, in your small group, with a friend, your family, or your roommate. 1. Icebreaker - Think back to when you were a teenager. Which local high school was your school’s rival when it came to a particular sport? Have fun with this question! 2. Is there anything you heard in this week’s sermon or experienced in this week’s service that was an “a ha” moment, something significant for you? 3. Read Ephesians 6:10-13. In Fervent, Priscilla Shirer writes, The Ephesians of Paul’s day didn’t need much convincing of the fact that their real problems weren’t on the physical side of things. . . Today, however — in Western culture, at least — our innate tendency is to underestimate Satan’s power. Even his presence is something imagined as make-believe, no more than a phantom wearing a red jumpsuit and a pitchfork, a monster hiding in the closet. We’ve made him no more than a caricature instead of the treacherous, conniving, hell-bent, personalized menace he truly is. As a result, we sort of give him room to scheme and scare at will, while we run off firing off at anyone and everyone except him. What phrase stood out to you the most in what you just read?Do you tend to underestimate Satan’s power?Why or why not? 4. Prior to Sunday’s sermon, did you tend to believe that God answers every prayer in one of three ways: “Yes,” “No,” or “Not Yet”? In Sunday’s sermon, that prayer model was challenged as incomplete because it does not account for the role that angels and demons play in answered prayer. Keeping Daniel 10 in mind, discuss how spiritual warfare might impact whether or not a prayer you pray is answered. 5. Keeping the quotations from Frank Peretti’s novel This Present Darkness in mind, discuss how prayers might positively impact the spiritual battle we are engaged in.Conversely, discuss how Satan and his demons may get the upper hand when you don’t pray. 6. In The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson writes, Now let me ask you a sequential question: When did the breakthrough happen for Daniel? Was it the moment Daniel started [praying] on day one? Or was it the moment he had prayed through and experienced the angelic breakthrough on Day 21? The answer is both/and. Every breakthrough has a genesis and a revelation, literally and figuratively. There is a first breakthrough and a second breakthrough . . . ‘The moment you began praying, a command was given’ [Daniel 10:12]. This one revelation has the power to change your perspective on prayer. It will inspire you to dream big and pray hard. What are your thoughts on Batterson’s perspective? Digging Even Deeper Questions Here are some additional questions for personal reflection 1. A key strategy to winning any battle is to know who you are fighting. Spend some time reading and reflecting on what the Bible says about the enemy in2 Corinthians 4:4John 8:44John 10:10Zechariah 3:1-2 1 John 5:192 Corinthians 11:14 Ephesians 2:1-2Digging Even Deeper Questions2. For 2,000 years, Christians have struggled with unanswered prayer. What have been some prayers that have gone unanswered in your life, ones you either prayed for yourself, a loved one, or a friend that you desperately wanted God to answer? Spend time reflecting and be specific in your response. How did those unanswered prayers affect your faith and your view of God, either positively or negatively?Digging Even Deeper Questions3. Read Ephesians 6:12. In Fervent, Priscilla Shirer writes, The real enemy isn’t your husband. Or your teenager. Or your brother’s wife. Or your mother-in-law. Or the weather. Or the traffic. Or your sweet tooth. Or whatever powder keg of frustration really gets under your skin and sets you off before you can think straight. The real enemy — the capital-E ‘Enemy’ — Well… you know who it is. Think of some recent situations in which you treated loved ones, other people, or circumstances as the enemy, and spend some time repenting of those thoughts or actions. web: Facebook: search “The Eastside Vineyard Church” e-mail: info@ blog: dankopp. Suggested Resources Below is a list of resources that will help you dig deeper into P.R.A.Y.E.R. ? War Room (movie) ? Priscilla Shirer - Fervent: A Woman's Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer ? Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick - The Battle Plan for Prayer: From Basic Training to Targeted Strategies ? Frank Peretti - This Present Darkness (novel) ? Chip Ingram - The Invisible War: What Every Believer Needs to Know about Satan, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare Suggested Bibles We teach from the Bible on Sundays and encourage you to read the Bible throughout the week. Here are a few recommended versions of it: ? Quest Study Bible ? CSB Study Bible ? Teen Life Application Study Bible ? Kids Quest Study Bible APPENDIX WEEK III Digging Deeper QuestionsQ1 N/AQ2 N/AQ3) Ephesians 6:10-13?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)Christian Warfare10?Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.?11?Put on the full armor?of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil.?12?For our struggle is not against flesh?and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,?against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil,?spiritual forces in the heavens.?13?For this reason take up the full armor?of God, so that you may be able to resist?in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.Q4) Daniel 10?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)Vision of a Glorious one10?In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia,?a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar.?The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.2?In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.?3?I didn’t eat any rich food,?no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over.?4?On the twenty-fourth day of the first month,[a]?as I was standing on the bank of the great river,?the Tigris,?5?I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen,with a belt of gold?from Uphaz[b]?around his waist.?6?His body was like beryl,[c]?his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches,?his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.7?Only I, Daniel, saw the vision.?The men who were with me did not see it,?but a great terror fell on them,?and they ran and hid.?8?I was left alone, looking at this great vision.?No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale,[d]?and I was powerless.?9?I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep,[e]?with my face to the ground.Angelic Conflict10?Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees.?11?He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God.[f]Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet,?for I have now been sent to you.”?After he said this to me, I stood trembling.12?“Don’t be afraid,?Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.?13?But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael,?one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.?14?Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days,?for the vision refers to those days.”15?While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless.?16?Suddenly one with human likeness touched my lips.?I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless.?17?How can someone like me,?your servant,[g]?speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”18?Then the one with a human appearance touched me again and strengthened me.?19?He said, “Don’t be afraid,?you who are[h]?treasured by God.?Peace to you; be very strong!”As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”20?He said, “Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.?21?However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth. (No one has the courage to support me against those princes except Michael,?your prince.Q5) N/AQ6) Daniel 10:12?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)12?“Don’t be afraid,?Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.APPENDIX WEEK III cont’d Digging Even Deeper QuestionsQ1) 2 Corinthians 4:4?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)4?In their case, the god of this age?has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,[a]?who is the image of God.Q1) John 8:44?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)44?You are of your father the devil,?and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer?from the beginning?and does not stand in the truth,?because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature,[a]?because he is a liar and the father of lies.Q1) John 10:10?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)10?A thief comes only to steal?and kill and destroy.?I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.Q1) Zechariah 3:1-2?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)Fourth Vision: High Priest and Branch3?Then he showed me the high priest Joshua?standing before the angel of the?Lord,?with Satan[a]?standing at his right side to accuse him.?2?The?Lord[b]?said to Satan: “The?Lord?rebuke you, Satan! May the?Lord?who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”Q1) 1 John 5:19?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)19?We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one.Q1) 1 John 5:19?Good News Translation (GNT)19?We know that we belong to God even though the whole world is under the rule of the Evil One.Q1) 1 John 5:19?Amplified Bible (AMP)19?We know [for a fact] that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] lies in the power of the evil one [opposing God and His precepts].Q1) 1 John 5:19?Living Bible (TLB)19?We know that we are children of God and that all the rest of the world around us is under Satan’s power and control. Q1) 2 Corinthians 11:14?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)14?And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.Q1) Ephesians 2:1-2?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)From Death to Life2?And you were dead?in your trespasses and sins?2?in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world,?according to the ruler of the power of the air,?the spirit?now working in the disobedient.Q2) N/AQ3) Ephesians 6:12?Christian Standard Bible (CSB)12?For our struggle is not against flesh?and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,?against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil,?spiritual forces in the heavens.Q3) Ephesians 6:12?Good News Translation (GNT)12?For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.Q3) Ephesians 6:12?The Voice (VOICE)12?We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against?supernatural powers?and demon princes that slither?in the darkness of this world, and against wicked?spiritual armies?that lurk about in heavenly places. ................
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