SG Bible Study #7
Suggested Opening Song:
In heavenly armour, we’ll enter the land
The battle belongs to the Lord
No weapon that’s fashioned against us will stand
The battle belongs to the Lord
And we sing glory, honour
Power and strength to the Lord
We sing glory, honour
Power and strength to the Lord
When the power of darkness comes
in like a flood
The battle belongs to the Lord
He’ll raise up a standard
The power of His blood
The battle belongs to the Lord
When your enemy presses in hard,
do not fear
The battle belongs to the Lord
Take courage my friend, your redemption is near
The battle belongs to the Lord
Sharing as desired on an individual
basis (Optional)
Yet another two weeks have come and gone since the last time you
met together as a group. How has the days gone by? Thrilling? Devastating?
So so? Business as usual? Mountain top experiences? Still in the valley
of darkness?
Prayer
‘[14] This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if
we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. [15] And if we know that
he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him.’
1 John 5:14,15
Scripture
Introduction:
Someone once said, ‘The Christian arena is not a playground but a
battlefield.’ It is statement made in the light of the fact that Christianity
is a struggle between light and darkness, good and evil, Satan and God.
And because of such a reality, you and I can be sure that as we journey on in our Christian pathway, seeking to do that which pleases God, that we can be sure of opposition, trials, and rough edges along the pathway of life.
However commendable our tasks may be, there will be obstacles which we have to expect. What we need to know therefore is not just the fact that there will be satanic opposition but to know how best to face opposition that comes our way.
Discussion:
1. Opposition should not surprise us.
a. Can you think of some Old Testament saints
who had to contend with opposition?
b. How about some New Testament saints?
c. Do you see Jesus suffering the same fate?
d. What does this say about opposition in the
life of Christians?
2. Compare chapter
a. Do see feel as it that there is again
(we saw this in previous study) an incremental degree of opposition faced?
b. What we see here is that of opposition hitting
the mental faculties. Not exactly something resulting in physical injury.
Which is more damaging? Physical or mental torture?
3. Read verses 2,3.
a. We are taught that goals should be S.M.A.R.T.
S________; M________; A________; R_______; T________. You think this is really smart planning?
b. What were the mental accusations? Do you think
that seeing it the way it was described, that indeed, the goals of the Jews
were far from smart? If so, what does this say to us?
4. Prayer can suppress opposition.
Suppose you are facing some unwanted opposition in your extended
family. There is some kind of jealousy going around, with perhaps a brother-in-law
or a sister-in-law making life difficult for you. Would you:
a. Try evading the issue. Discuss this avenue of facing opposition.
b. Fight for your rights. Discuss this avenue of facing opposition.
c. Pray.
Which was what Nehemiah did – verses 4,5. Discuss this avenue
of facing opposition.
5. If someone comes to you and say,
‘As godly Christians, our duty is simply to pray in times of opposition. Would
you:
a. Consider that this is so true.
b. Consider that this is being impractical.
c.
Consider that prayer is important, however . . . . See verse
9.
Devotional Reflection:
Are you facing some kind of opposition in your office, family, school,
etc? Nehemiah, that great man of God had also to contend with opposition.
Even our Lord, was not spared. Jesus knows what it is to face opposition.
You can take it all to the Lord in prayer.
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