day one There is no better place to find our true selves “As God’s child, I am….” than the Bible. There are verses upon verses that tell us exactly who we are as children of Daughter, do not lose yourself to the God. Take some time to meditate on each ways of the world. Choose to seek who of these verses. Let Him speak to your heart. God has called you to be. No matter Then write down what His Word reveals about how far you are from finding who you your identity. are in Christ, God is gracious and loving. He waits for you to realize and understand 2 Corinthians 5:17 your true identity. 1 Peter 2:9 Ask God how you can progress in your journey to finding your identity as a child of John 15:5 God. He will begin to reveal mindsets and ideas in you that need pruning Jeremiah 1:5 and/or growing. Become quiet before Him, and write down anything He tells you. Romans 6:6 2 Corinthians 5:20 49
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day two day two God’s path for us always leads to being shaped, What personal flaws kept Cain from loving refined, and molded by Him. We start out one his brother instead? What motivated him to way; but once we give our lives to God, He act in sin? asks us to let certain things go, to work towards discipline, to break habits, temptations and How did God respond to Cain’s sin? How do strongholds. By Christ we have been saved and you think this affected Cain? forgiven; but we are called to be made new so that we can love and serve as genuinely and Not one person on this Earth is born able to authentically as we can. fully and authentically love as God wants us to. We are weak without God. Luckily, Read the story of Cain and Abel once we give Him our hearts, He works (Genesis 4:1-16). alongside us to conquer our weaknesses one by one. Maybe you’ve heard His voice Do you see any of Cain in yourself? before… He calls us out in our flawed Write down similarities. moments. He gives us choices to do right or wrong. If you don’t hear Him now, begin Do you tend to compare your “lesser” sins to to ask Him to speak to you, to refine you and Cain’s “greater” one? change you. Watch as He reveals areas in your life that need pruning. It’s difficult and uncomfortable; but it is absolutely worth it, and so very necessary, to continue your jour- ney as a daughter of God. 51
week four In what ways does God equip us to fight our Identify your struggles and temptations, bondages and imperfections? noting the things you feel God is calling you to work on and refine right now. Write Read Romans 8:1-10, more than once if you them down, and call them out. Let those need to. Let these verses soak in. Accept the evil spirits know that you are aware of them. fact that there is freedom from strongholds Acknowledge the mindsets and thoughts that through our Heavenly Father. need changing. In believing and confessing these promises, Read 1 John 3:8-9. are there steps you can take right now towards authenticity? In what ways has God’s graceful hand delivered you personally from your worldly In order to pursue true authenticity, and self? to love like Christ does, we’ll have to endure hard things. The enemy will come Use these verses to confess freedom over against us, and we will go through difficult your imperfections and advancement towards situations. This is because Satan wants to authentic love. stop us from progressing on our journey of becoming like Christ; but God will use these Humbly choose to be shaped and molded by hard times to shape you into who He’s calling Christ. Make hard situations an opportunity you to become. It will be painful at times, and to become stronger, wiser, and more loving. you’ll want to search for comfort in worldly Believe that, in Him, you can break chains that things. Choose to lean on God. Trust in Him hold you back. Take heart in the fact that a life as He guides you through it. You will come out lived with Jesus always takes you to a higher the other side a new person. place! His story will always end in victory. Read 1 John 3:11-12. Give your struggles over to God in humble Read John 15:1-4. honesty, and pray that He would give you guidance and strength to continue on your path of overcoming them. Thank Him for already delivering you from these things! 52
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week four day 3 One of the most pressing questions we face Here are a few verses that reveal the core of as Christians is, “What is my purpose?” In what God puts on all of our agendas. Read other words, what is the thing that God has them and identify what we are called to do. called us to do? What is our agenda before 1 John 3:23 we go to be with Jesus? It feels like we have to figure out our purpose as soon as we 1 Peter 4:10-11 possibly can, or we could miss it. Daughter, this couldn’t be further from the truth! Matthew 28:19-20 God’s calling for us stretches all throughout our Hebrews 12:1-2 lives. Until we’re no longer here on Earth, there is still work for us to accomplish. Many of us believe that God has one big assignment for us to do that can be boiled down to a few defining moments; but, in reality, our purpose lasts from our first breath to our last. 54
day three Before any career, job, or dream that He has Why are you passionate enough about God’s placed in your heart, He first calls you to love plan to pursue a life serving His kingdom? and serve others, furthering His Kingdom by What has He done for you that you are thankful making disciples and spreading the Gospel. enough to give your life to Him? It’s important to know the reason you are choosing to walk on In what ways are you currently loving others this journey in order to be truly authentic. and growing His Kingdom? How can you begin to shift your focus more Where are you in listening to the Lord’s voice on doing so? and letting Him guide your everyday life? One of the biggest traps we can fall into when One more very important thing to be aware of is pursuing our calling is comparing our calling turning your calling into an idol. Do not put your purpose before your Heavenly Father. This is so and our success to others. You may have easy to do, especially in our culture today, which many people in your life that make you think, is so wrapped up in actions and successes. You “I should be as influential as she is.” or “Why are most importantly a child of God, and above am I not as successful as her?” “She’s definitely all else, He wants you close to Him. Choose to on the right path… I’m falling behind.” seek Him first and let Him add everything else to you. Don’t waste your time focusing on what others are doing! The calling God has for you is Live your life as though you are in the midst of intricately unique. The timing and measure of your calling, because you are! You are never too your success will not be the same as others. You old or too young, too financially unstable, too may not appear as important as other people, addicted, too overwhelmed, or too ANYTHING because society looks at the exterior of your to begin asking God: “How can I live out my purpose, but God values the authenticity purpose today?” He will use you in ways you of your heart. The amount of people you never thought were possible. And as we walk influence will mean nothing to Him if you out our purpose, God does promise to sustain aren’t doing it with the right motives and with us, sometimes through material and earthly gifts, a genuine love. but always through His presence. 55
week four Pray this prayer over your life-long journey of finding your unique calling: Dear Heavenly Father, Create the desire in me to submit my life to You, and carry out Your plan. Show me Your deep, authentic love so that I may have the passion and the zeal to show it to others. Guide my steps, and give me what I need to pursue my calling. Remind me that all of my life is to glorify You and expand Your Kingdom. Work miracles through me. Thank You for the exciting ride that You have placed in front of me! I cannot wait to see how You work through my actions. Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever! Amen. 56
week four day four In order to grow in practicing real authenticity, We all crave to be loved. We desperately we need to strengthen and broaden our long for the feeling of being acknowledged knowledge of God’s love for us. The only and important to other people. Striving way we can genuinely share His love for love and approval, however, can be is by understanding the depth and the extremely exhausting. Many times, we beauty of what He has done for us, how He seek satisfaction and fulfillment in the love feels about us, and even who He is. God is we experience from the world. Friends, love. What does that mean? God takes us on family, spouses and significant others… a journey of experiencing and understanding followers on social media, men in search Him and His love in new and more tangible, of physical attributes, and anyone else you powerful ways. might seek out for the feeling of approval... no one has the capacity to love in the way that Read 1 John 3:16-17. our Heavenly Father does. No doubt, there are people who do love you, but God’s love is Read Philippians 2:3. what you are truly longing for. Unlike our ability to love, God’s love doesn’t ask you to Read Matthew 5:39-42. be anything, it doesn’t hold you to a certain standard, and it doesn’t go away. Ever. His Read 1 John 4:7-10. love goes so much deeper than the love that anyone or anything could ever give us, or that Look at these verses, not only in light of how we ourselves could express to others. we should love others, but how you long to be loved and treated as well. Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, the ultimate definition of love. 58
day four Upon reading this verse, take into consider- We must have the desire to seek out His love ation that those characteristics of love are who in order to experience it. Sometimes, it’s hard God is. We may aim to love in these ways, but to want to search for it. From getting up in God is unmistakably, without fail, the perfect the morning to spend time with Him, to fully picture of love. taking advantage of worship at church, it is a choice we have to make every day. We Compare your capacity to love to God’s cannot rely on our own feelings and emotions capacity to love. Write down the contrasts. to motivate us. Sometimes, we must search for His love even when we don’t want to. Luckily, We cannot understand or fully experience His if we ask God to give us daily glimpses of His great love. I encourage you to try and even love for us, He will show us; and it will become comprehend a love who forgives those gradually easier to pursue as He reveals the crucifying Him, even in the midst of His a overwhelming beauty of His affection for you gonizing pain. It is beyond what we can personally. fathom, but He will show us glimpses of His love when we ask Him. We are on a lifelong What is your current experience and journey to grow in our acknowledgement understanding of God’s love for you and His of His deep affection for His children. children? Read Luke 23: 32-39. How does God’s love for you inspire you to love others? Understand that our Lord still shows us this same compassion for our sins now and Pray and ask in your own way that God would forever. continue to show you the depths of His love. Ask Him for the desire to pursue Him and We grow in our understanding so that we can know Him more. grow in our authenticity. Experiencing His love inspires us to love others to the best of our abilities, to see them as He sees them. It also leads us into a life of peace, joy, and passion. 59
week four day five Everyone in this world has the ability to receive guilt of our sins. To avoid the guilt, we tend and acknowledge the gift of God’s grace, but to compare our flaws to someone else’s not everyone chooses to do so. We are all on “bigger” flaws, or we try to make up for our different paths to discovering— through sins by doing good things or commiting our own faults and imperfections— the selfless acts. Sometimes we simply just ignore undeserved gift we have received of being the fact that we are corrupt and continue to made right before God’s eyes. What makes do what our flesh wants. It’s hard to rest easy us daughters of the Most High is believing knowing that we are not able to be perfect, that He sent Jesus down to Earth, and Jesus and our sins can’t be balanced out with our sacrificed Himself for us. We must admit good deeds. It’s important that we wrestle the fact that we are sinners in need of a with the idea that we are truly unworthy of the savior. Do you ever think about how much good we receive. you need God? It takes time and effort to fully experience the depths of His goodness, and Read Romans 3:20-24. understand the act of grace that has occurred so that we can live with Him in heaven one What things that are difficult for you to day. Without His grace, we would not be His fully accept are justified through Christ? children. Write them down. Read Ephesians 2:8-9. Once we are able to realize that there is nothing we can do to deserve the great love Take as much time as you need to and goodness of Christ, we have to come to understand that your sins are not able to be a place of being able to be okay with that. justified through your own actions. We are not our own savior, God is. This world doesn’t rely on us or our ability to be perfect, Where would you be without Jesus? How therefore, we aren’t called to be perfect. We would your story look different? are called to be saved and made whole by the One who is. God is the light and the center It can be extremely strenuous and burdening of creation, and we are made to glorify and to fully acknowledge the weight from the praise His goodness. 60
day five Read 1 John 3:19-22. Our lives as true daughters will consist of us continually pursuing Him and Him God did not save you from your sins so that pursuing us. We praise and acknowledge you could feel guilty about your brokenness. Him as good, holy, and worthy of our thanks, He wants you to feel free in the fact that you are while seeking to further His Kingdom and made new, even though you may not deserve know Him more. He reveals new levels of it. Don’t let the enemy steal your peace with authenticity in a life lived with Him, and pours condemnation, guilt, or shame. When we are out blessings and favor on us so we can confident that Jesus’ blood covers all of our keep reaching others. Wherever you are in iniquities from our first day on Earth to our your walk with God, do not compare it to last, we are boldly choosing to trust in His others. Your life has already been uniquely complete goodness instead of our own thought out in order to praise Him and reach attempts to save ourselves. Depend on His others. righteousness instead of making yourself appear righteous. Have peace and rest, How has God’s grace worked in your life? because His grace is enough. How does your deliverance affect your Read 1 John 3:23-24. authenticity towards others? Through His wondrous posture of grace Pray that God would continue to show you and compassion towards us, we are led to authentically spread His grace and compassion new depths of His powerful grace. Give Him towards others. The world is full of people who are too ashamed to come to their Heavenly the things that you cannot justify yourself, Father because of what they have done. It is our job to tell others the good news of our and confess that you depend on His ultimate redemption. You may do this through your own testimony of being redeemed from your goodness more than your own ability to be sins, or through the sharing of the Gospel. good. Ask Him how you can use your own God will continue to reveal His grace to you as you continue on your walk with Him. That grace will work in your life as God pours into you more and more every day. story to show others how they have also been delivered from their sins. Thank Him and praise Him in your own way. 61
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table talk A Group Guide to Authenticity As you walked through this week, what were some things that made you think about the way you’re currently living life, good and bad? Where are you on your walk with God, and on your journey of pursuing authenticity? Where do you see God leading you? What are things that are keeping you from progressing towards Christ? How do you tend to justify your wrong actions? Why is it important to defeat and move past our weaknesses and sins, rather than choosing to make room for them in our lives? Explain the significance of feeling and experiencing God’s love and grace towards us. How has your personal deliverance from sin inspired you? What were verses from the homework that spoke to you in light of any area of your growth? What is your current understanding of your identity versus your purpose? How are you currently showing the authentic love, story, and grace of God to others? Describe the specific passions that God has given you in order to do so. Where are you in terms of leaning on and focusing on God instead of yourself or the things of this world? What are your thoughts on the fact that we will never stop growing while living as daughters of Christ? 63
5 What does it mean to be authentic anyway? Who determines what the real and authentic you looks like, acts like, and reacts like? Our own disposition? Culture? Our family and friends? Perhaps it might be more of a temptation to allow others to tell us how we should act and react. Wisdom requires us to return to the Creator’s notes to see what it was that He intended to begin with. As created and beloved daughters, we do not have the power to determine our worth or our standard of authenticity. Only our loving Father and Creator can do this. We are the real article, a genuine handiwork of God! Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.” God has created us to be valuable according His purpose. This week, we will be looking at what standard of authenticity God has for us as followers of Christ. There are a set of schematics proving our authenticity as His daughters. These characteristics might be different than you think. Let’s journey through God’s Word together to find out what they are. 64
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week five day one There are many religious groups that are around. Some of them proposed that Jesus considered cults by orthodox standards of was a man but not God, others said He was God Christianity because they do not rightfully and a spirit, but not a man of flesh and blood. identify Jesus. They would be considered a This was preposterous to John, because he had false sect of Christianity. In the same way, we physically walked and talked with Jesus. cannot rightfully identify ourselves as beloved daughters while not rightfully identifying who How quickly society forgot about the physical Jesus is. This is why we talk so often about the Jesus! While we cannot forget about the Real Jesus at Church on the Move. If we don’t humanness of Jesus, we cannot fail to really know who He is, we can never really remember that He was also God. John pointed know who we are as His followers. this out in John 1:1-3; 14. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Read 1 John 4:1-3 and put your thoughts the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the below. beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that There are tests proving authenticity and has been made…the Word became flesh and genuineness. For instance, diamonds are the made his dwelling among us. We have seen hardest surface on Earth and can cut glass. his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, Gold withstands fire. In the same way, we can who came from the Father, full of grace and test our authenticity as believers based on truth.” God’s Word. Who is the Word of God? During the time John wrote 1 John, there were some false teachings about Jesus floating Read Romans 8:11. Who lives inside of us according to this Scripture? What does this 66 statement mean to you as a believer in Christ? The doctrine that states that Jesus is fully
day one God and fully man is called the doctrine of lives in you, you are able to overcome! What incarnation. God came down and entered are some things that need overcoming in flesh and dwelt among us. your life? What does the doctrine of incarnation mean for you personally, in your everyday life? Because of Jesus’ completed work here on Take a few minutes today to meditate on how Earth, Jesus dwelt among us and now His Christ in you helps you to overcome every Spirit dwells in us. As authentic daughters of obstacle that the world and the enemy of the Father, we are God containers! We can Heaven might place in your way. Knowing think like He thinks and do the very things who Jesus is, and the fact He lives in us, is one He would be doing if He were still here in the of the most important identifiers as His child. flesh. In fact, in a way He is here in the flesh, because He is in you! According to 1 John 4:4, because Christ now 67
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day two day two We are in this world, but we are called to have Write down some ways that you are tempted a different point of view than this world. We to “go with the flow” of culture. do not ultimately belong to this kingdom, but to one that is greater and eternal. Our Read 1 Peter 2:9. citizenship to this Kingdom changes our Who has God called you to be? perspective. When we identify with the Real Jesus and Read 1 John 4:5. What are your first thoughts allow Him to be our primary goal, we are regarding this verse? called “chosen,” “royal” and “holy!” These are God’s thoughts about our authentic and true It is so easy to flow along with culture. Culture selves— the daughters God has called us to often tries to dictate where our thoughts lead. It be. We are called out of the culture of the takes far more effort to fight against the current. world and into His glorious light as precious Salmon swim upstream in order to spawn. They and beautiful! have a goal greater than themselves as their focus, and the goal will leave a legacy after What is the result of our belonging to God they go to that “big pond in the sky.” In order to according to 1 Peter 2:9? complete their destiny, they have to put in the effort to swim in the opposite direction of How does this change the way you view other fish – against the current of the stream.The yourself? culture of this world can be like that. If we allow it to carry us, we will never reach our Try and set aside time today to rejoice in the objective of becoming more like Christ. fact that God lives in you and wants to trans- form you into an authentic representative of Read Isaiah 55:8-9. What do these verses say His love and light in this world. to you about natural thinking verses God’s way of thinking? 69
week five day three It might sound crazy, but losing your Proverbs 23:7a in the KJV says, “As a man mind can be a good thing! Yesterday, we thinketh in his heart, so is he…” Write in your looked at how we are to become different own words what this means. from the world. We shouldn’t look the same way the world does. We should Read 1 Corinthians 2:16. go against the flow of common culture because it is not headed in the same direction We know that God’s thoughts are higher as we are. We belong to a different Kingdom. and better than our thoughts, and we are commanded to live outside the culture of this Take a look at Romans 12:2. What is the world. It may feel like an impossible request result of not following the world’s culture? to ask of us, but in 1 Corinthians 2:16, we are How does this happen? promised that God has given us the very thoughts of Jesus! Because He abides in us, According to this Scripture, how can we know we can think His thoughts! the will of God? Read 2 Corinthians 10:5. What does this Transformation should be a natural part of the Scripture say we are to do with thoughts that Real Jesus journey of discovering our authentic are different from God’s thoughts? selves. When we submit our lives to Him, we are giving Him rule and reign, not only with our Jesus has given us a great gift in the Word actions, but also in our thoughts. Ultimately, of God. Any time we are concerned that we thoughts become words, and words become are straying from our authentic self, we can actions. Paul understood that the only way we compare our thoughts to God’s Word. His can see lasting transformation in our lives is Word becomes our True North or the compass by working on our thought life. for everything that we do. 70
day three Have you ever known someone so well that you Write a prayer today thanking God for giving just know how they will think about something? you His mind through His Word. Commit to Him This is our quest as His daughters! Our quest that you will compare your thoughts to His. is to know our Father so well that we know His Thank Him for transforming you through this heart on a subject. How can we get to know experience. Him that well? God’s Word shares with us the very heart of God. It is not just words on a page, but it is His love letter left for us, His beloved daughters. When we need help understanding what is written on the pages of the Bible, we can ask Him and He will show us the truth about ourselves and the world around us. He will give us the courage to become obedient to His estimation of our worth rather than false beliefs we might hold about ourselves. 71
week five day four Jesus boiled down the Law into two The Father demonstrated this kind of love commandments, and both of them are about when He sent His Son to pay a debt that wasn’t love. The first is all about loving our Father His own. You are probably familiar with John with everything we are. “The second is this: 3:16. God sent His Son because of His love ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no for the world. This famous verse shares a clue commandment greater than these” (Mark with how we can love the world as well. 12:31). Read John 15:13. What does it mean to lay Read 1 John 4:7-12. How does this passage down one’s life? relate to Jesus’ words in Mark? Here’s a good test: We will never be willing God’s love in us is proof of His habitation in to die for Christ if we are unwilling to live our lives. When we walk in Him we are able to for Him. In the same way, we will never be walk in love beyond our natural ability. Some willing to lay down our lives for others if we are people are easy to love, while others are more unwilling to lay down our own agenda and difficult. However, His love is without partiality. give our time, talent, and treasure to take care Therefore, when we allow Him to help us, we are of others. God’s love shining out to the world able to love impartially too. In fact, this is one around us is evidence that we have made our of our greatest witnesses to a hurting world. dwelling in Him and that He, in turn, dwells in Genuine and authentic love does more to us. We can show the world around us the very show the character of God than a library full character of God by allowing His love to flow of words. through our lives. “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and Read John 13:34-35. According to these His love is made complete in us” (1 John 4:12). verses, how does the world know that we are authentic Christ followers? How can you allow God’s love to become complete in your life today? 72
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day five day five There are times when we are afraid to truly love. What keeps you from loving others freely? Perhaps love will require honesty, vulnerability, Read Romans 12:9-10. What comes to mind or personal sacrifice. Loving this way puts when you think of genuine love? everything on the line. It gives unselfishly even if it means owning the risk of rejection. But Read 1 John 4:19-21. this is how Jesus loved. Jesus loved without considering His own needs. He was able As beloved daughters, we are called to be like to do this because He knew a secret: “Love our Father. We cannot hate what He loves. In never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8). He is love fact, we are told that we are hypocrites, exemplified. Jesus gave His life for His friends, or inauthentic, when we say that we love God and the whole world. but hate our brothers and sisters. One of the greatest proofs toward authenticity as a According to Webster’s dictionary the believer is to walk the love walk. definition of the word “proof” is: “a test applied to articles or substances to determine Read 1 Corinthians 13. Write down attributes whether they are of standard or satisfactory of love according to this passage. quality.” Write a prayer to your Father asking Him to Read 1 John 4:16-18. How might we be reveal ways that you can be a better example made perfect or “satisfactory in quality” in of His love to your world. our love? 75
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table talk A Group Guide to Authenticity What hope does it give you that God lives in those of us who are in Him? In what ways do you believe that pop culture attacks our authenticity? What thoughts throughout the week did you recognize as outside of God’s Truth for authentic believers? What fears have you had about loving more authentically? What did the Holy Spirit reveal to you from 1 John 4 about authenticity? 77
6 Here we are at week 6. We have unpacked the importance of authenticity, we have identified what is holding us back, and we have turned our attention inward to discover who we are in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. All of this deep soul work is just the beginning of our wholehearted journey of authenticity. We are called to walk in freedom and fullness all the days of our life. The filter, the image, the performance we display for the world must fall to pieces so we can rebuild beauty with God. The load may feel heavy at times, but we have the Savior on our side. We are overcomers because we are made in the image of God, the One who has overcome the world. No doubt, trouble, or insecurity can overtake us. We are daughters of the Most High, and called to walk in the freedom that is rightfully ours. Let’s finish this study strong, walking in step with our Savior.
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day one day one On our journey of authenticity, we want Is there a specific memory from your journey nothing more than to simply see the right that has proven your obedience and love for things. We do not want to be consumed with Jesus? stories, situations, or scenarios that steal our energy and rob us of joy. Re-read verse 5. Write the verse below. Read Psalm 119:18. Who overcomes the world? Write the verse below. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes. We are not overcomers through our willpower and personal strength. We are overcomers Read 1 John 5:1-5. because we are made in the image of God, the One who has overcome the world. Re-read verse 3. Write the verse below. What words would you use to describe an Our obedience to God demonstrates our love overcomer? for Him and for His people. You, daughter, are an overcomer. 81
week six day two Jesus identifies with us by becoming one What characteristic or role of the Holy of us, a human being. Reflect on this for a Spirit means the most to you at this time in minute. God’s Son, Jesus, came to Earth fully your life? Why? man. He lived a blameless and sinless life, amidst the brokenness of the world. Jesus then How does the Holy Spirit help us live a more took all sin upon Himself, defeating death and authentic life? rising again. Incredible, isn’t it? What a gift we have in Jesus. But Jesus told His disciples that Describe a time you felt the Holy Spirit the gift didn’t stop when He returned to the nudging you toward vulnerability. Father. In fact, He told them the gift multiplies by Him going to the Father. Re-read verse 11 and 12. What do verse 11 and 12 teach us about Read 1 John 5:6-12. eternal life? What significant role does the Holy Spirit play in this passage? We have eternal life through Jesus Christ. We do not have to work for freedom. We do not How did John describe the Holy Spirit? have to live a perfect life to experience freedom. We do not need to worry because Jesus paid it Read John 14:25-26. all once and for all. We have freedom from our What did Jesus say the Holy Spirit would wholehearted choice to believe in the crucifixion remind them of? and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God doesn’t want us guessing or wondering about our Before Jesus went to the Father, He comforted salvation. He wants us to know. As His beloved His disciples with an incredible gift: His Holy daughters, if we are trusting in Jesus, then our Spirit. salvation is settled. 82
day two If you are at the point in your journey that Heavenly Father, I admit, I am a sinner in need you have been waiting for an invitation of a savior. I believe You are God’s One and to open the gift of eternal life, this is your Only Son who took my sin and shame upon invitation. Jesus is madly in love with Yourself. You died and rose again, defeating you. Your name was on His lips when He death and the enemy once and for all. Come took your shame, brokenness, sadness, into my heart. Take over my mind. I want the anxiety, and sin. Acknowledge our Heavenly life that You have designed. Amen. Father today. He wants nothing more than to wrap you in a huge hug, and walk this life out with you. 83
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day three day three When we are walking with God, we are Psalm 34:17 walking with a trusted friend. And this trusted Psalm 55:17 friend is Someone who wants to talk with us and Psalm 116:1-2 hear our heart. We experience the freedom and fullness our trusted Friend supplies when we are praying honest prayers. Read 1 John 5:13-17. Journal your thoughts below. When we approach God in prayer, what is our The confidence we have in prayer comes from confidence based on? the fact the Father is listening. How can you be sure that God will hear and Read and write Ephesians 3:12 and answer your prayers? Hebrews 4:16. How do these verses agree with what John is instructing believers regarding prayer? The enemy loves to twist our thinking to Daughter, be bold. Be brave. Be you. God wants believe God doesn’t actually hear our prayers. to hear from you today. Write a prayer of Look up each of the verses given. Journal your confession and thanksgiving below. Stop thoughts about each verse,and the truth of God trying to carry everything alone. Open the hearing us. door to freedom, confession, and grace. 2 Chronicles 7:14 85
week six day four John has some reassuring words for us today. Re-read verse 18 and write it below. Let’s jump right in. We are called to keep the words and Read 1 John 5:18-20. commands of God. And He promises to keep What stood out to you? us. Our soul, our story, our struggle. It’s all kept safe in the arms of the Almighty. John writes 3 things we know. Journal them Re-read verse 19 and write it below. below. Jesus has broken the chains of slavery and What has the Son of God given us? bondage that have been wrapped around our soul from Satan, and even from ourselves. Read Ephesians 1:17-18. Speak it aloud with The bondage we find ourselves in can be confidence, assurance, and a heart wide self-inflicted or Satan-inflicted. But sometimes, open. a sin holds us so tightly, we need God to intervene and rescue us. Write about a time you were struggling with a certain sin, and the Holy Spirit would not allow you to continue. 86
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day five day five Daughters who are consumed with the believe we are not worthy of freedom. But patterns of this world are led away from we know the reality of our identity is the the heart of God. We lose sight of our freedom we have in Jesus. He has delivered us authenticity, our real, true self, in the eyes of from bondage. We have no time or room for our Heavenly Father. John closes out his letter false gods because of the overwhelming and with an important reminder. never-ending love and greatness of God. Read 1 John 5:21. Daughter, don’t let any desire, pleasure, behavior, or belief get in the way of your How do you define an idol? relationship with the adorning Father. Your adorning Father. Take a look back at the An idol can be: letter you wrote yourself at the beginning of this journey. You belong. You are held. You are Anything that substitutes for true faith free. Anything that robs Christ’s fullness Any human idea claiming to be more authoritative In what new ways has God revealed Himself than the Bible to you? Any loyalty that replaces God at the center of our lives Any false or functional god How is God fueling your journey of authenticity? Given this definition, what relationships, behavior, or pleasures have you set your What idols is He prompting you to guard heart on that have taken the place of God in against? your life? Take a minute to breathe deeply. Daughter, When we get real with our God and ourselves, use the fresh revelations you have received we can clearly see the things that are robbing to show up wholeheartedly, live authentically, us of freedom and fullness. Idols that have and step out courageously today and every consumed our hearts, leaving no room for our day to come. Heavenly Father, are the very places we need to invite God into. The enemy wants us to 89
week six table talk A Group Guide to Authenticity Share your biggest takeaways from this week. What new learning did you gain? What does obedience mean to you? How have you seen obedience play out in your life? Disobedience? What is most important to you about the Holy Spirit? Why? Tell about a particular time you felt the Holy Spirit working. Discuss your prayer life. Do you feel you are heard by God? Why or why not? Share the promises and truths you learned this week about God hearing His daughters. Discuss Ephesians 1:17-18. What resonates with you? 90
Look back at your Day 5 homework. Which definition of idol do you identify with the most? How does it make you feel that the space an idol takes up in your heart leaves less space for God? Find the letter you wrote to yourself at the beginning of your journey. Read it aloud to your group. How has God shown up for you on this journey of authenticity? In what ways did God work that are exceedingly and abundantly beyond what you were imagining? 91
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