My Epic Journey

Here is the teaching outline for our final week in The Battle Within series:

THE BATTLE WITHIN session 4: Hook and Jab

Bottom Line: We are tempted to pursue the right thing the wrong way.

INTRODUCTION

There is a specific temptation for those who tend to be driven, ambitious and perfectionists.

TENSION

Our desire, our lust to achieve our goals tempts us to take shortcuts that are not a good idea.

At some point you are going to have an opportunity to take a giant step forward, but in order to take that giant step forward, you’re going to have to compromise something you value.

In that moment of decision you’re going to discover who you really are and whose you really are.

TRUTH

We are going to be tempted to pursue the right thing the wrong way.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me” (Matthew 4:8-9 NIV).

The issue is your peace. Can you say, “I am exactly where God wants me to be, I am doing exactly what God wants me to do”?

The issue is whether or not you trust God. Can God be trusted, or do you have to take matters into your own hands?

You’ll never accomplish the will of God by abandoning the principles of God.

“When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Deuteronomy 6:10-12 NIV).

APPLICATION

“Get away from me Satan, for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only’” (Matthew 4:10 NIV).

What or whom do you want so much that you are ready to violate your conscience and God’s Word to get it?

Just because it seems like the best thing, just because it’s logical, just because it’s what I prayed for, dreamed of—that doesn’t make it God’s will.

Would you be willing to trust your heavenly Father in and through those details?

CONCLUSION

Don’t trade what’s important for what’s immediate. Because if you do, you’ll never know what God might have done on your behalf.

Here is the programming outline for Week 4 of our Outflow series:

Supply List:

• 8×14 inch paper (one per student)
• Different colored markers (lots)
• Dry Erase board and markers

Connection Game:

Students find a partner. They are given 30 seconds to share answers to the questions below. After 30 seconds, they switch to the other partner answering the question. Students will then change partners and re-do the process.

• Who was your childhood friend and why? (change partners)
• Who is your favorite relative and why? (change partners)
• Who is your wackiest relative? (change partners)
• Which family member is hardest for you to talk to about God? (change partners)

Read Acts 1.8

• What is your Judea?
• Who falls into that category?
• What is the best way for us to reach our Judea?

Video Clip—Week 3

• Where are you friends in the “process” of becoming Christians?
• How can you be there for them and help them as they go through the process?

Practical Activity—Spiritual Timeline

Hand out 8×14 paper and copies of personal timeline. Give students time to think and then construct their own personal timeline.

Divide students into pairs and have them share their personal timeline.

Man, did the morning come early today, or so it felt.  Showers, breakfast (fruity dinobites and chocolate marshmallow mateys) and off the church for our morning session.

John Hopler challenged us concerning the Law and our understanding of it in today’s world.

Afterward the students had evangelism training and our adult leader’s headed outside to discuss what we needed to do that day to make it impactful for our students as a whole.  After much prayer and thought we decided it best to scrap the day’s agenda and work on building relationships with God and with each other.

We got back to the condos and after lunch we headed outside with a challenge to spend one on one time with God (we call it SOLO time).  The students and leaders spread out along the resort property and used different avenues to connect with God.

We then quickly paired up the teens guys with girls for 15 minutes to discuss what they just experienced and then 15 minutes with someone of the same sex.  The result–Godly bonding!!!!

And then it happened!!!!  an hour of unadulterated EPIC fun.  I can only explain it by saying that it was amazing and you got to look over the pictures to appreciate how much fun we had.

Dinner, which was Italian, was broken down and teamed up again:

Brad and Kelly

Ryan and Anna

Kevin and Traci

We then headed over to the church for our last session of the night which was taught by Cris Philips.  He tackled the very difficult topic of Hell.