The Restriction Has Been Lifted
Pastor Steven Furtick
Conversation Starters
Looking for a way to get the group talking? Try one of these conversations’ starters.
What are your plans for the holidays? (Leaders: This would be a great time to plan to attend church on Christmas Eve together with any eGroup members who don’t have people to celebrate with)
What’s your favorite Christmas movie?
This past Sunday was our Promise Year-End Offering Sunday. Share your word that God gave you for 2023.
Sermon Reflection
Help transition the group to the discussion with one of these questions.
What stood out to you from this week’s message?
What from the message encouraged you/challenged you the most?
Sermon Discussion
Select 1-2 themes from the sermon to discuss with your eGroup.
Read Exodus 40:36-38. “God is consistent, but He is not predictable.” God’s love for us is always the same, but sometimes he leads us in different ways in different seasons.
Share about a time God did something a different way in a different season.
God is not predictable. How does this help us lean on Him more?
What is God leading you through right now that may feel unpredictable, but you are trying to trust Him through?
Read Exodus 40:33-34. Moses finished the work, and the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses Finished, and the Lord Filled. Blessings don’t come from good intentions, they come from commitment.
Share about a time where having “good intentions” wasn’t enough.
Can you think of an example where actually following through on good intentions made the difference in a situation?
What steps has God already shown you to take that you can commit to doing right now?
Read Luke 5:17-25. The friends of the paralyzed man saw they couldn’t get through the door, so they lifted him to the roof to get their friend to Jesus. The limits that others put on you, or you put on yourself, are a lie. We may have come in feeling restricted, but the restrictions have been lifted.
What are some common restrictions you believe today that can stop you from accomplishing your goals?
What is something that you feel like God has given you a passion/calling to do recently?
What false restrictions can come up when you’re working towards this? (Leaders: this would be a great time to pause and pray over those things right now)
Activating Faith
Challenge your group to keep activating their faith. Make this a part of your eGroup time or send this activity to them after you meet.This week, Pastor Steven shared about how he gets a haircut when he feels stuck trying to figure out what he’s going to preach about. The haircut, to him, is a symbol of his commitment to show up on Sunday. And when we commit, God shows up. On a piece of paper, write down one area of your life that you’re committing to seeing God move through (it can be healing a relationship, or building your quiet time, your family pursuing financial peace, etc). And write down one step that He has given you to start taking towards that goal. Now, on the bottom of that paper, write “I’m Committed.” Hang this paper somewhere you will see every day, or write a reminder in your phone to pop up daily, “I’m Committed.” Let this reminder be your daily commitment to focus on the thing that God is giving you to work towards.
Prayer
Close out your group with prayer using one of these options
An Interactive Prayer
As you close in prayer this week, have every person share their Word for 2023. At the beginning of your prayer, have each person pray about the Word of the person to their right. Go around the circle praying for each other about each person’s specific Word. Once everyone has been prayed for, close out the prayer circle.
A Guided Prayer
God, thank you that your love for us is always the same. We thank you that through your son, Jesus, our restrictions to you have been lifted. Help us to trust that your presence is with us this week, even in times when we don’t feel you. Help us to let you lead us in the new areas of our life that you are revealing to us. And help us to commit to the things you are calling us to. Amen.
Additional Resources
Want to help your group go deeper after you meet? Send them one of these resources that relates to the sermon topic.
Our God is the same God He has been forever. Listen to “Same God” as a reminder of God’s consistency when facing unpredictable circumstances.
“Moses finished, the Lord filled.” God blesses things we commit to finishing, not just good intentions. Check out this video from our Elevation+ YouTube Channel to hear Bishop T.D. Jakes and Pastor Steven talk about what God has given us to do.
As we look forward to 2023, take some time to watch our Elevation Church Vision Night.