REALLIFE STUDY GROUP

“Born Destiny”

 

 

ICEBREAKER:  What makes a baby cute to you?  Were you a cute baby?  Have you ever told someone their baby was cute but you really thought “Oh my God, help him or her?”

 

DEFINITION:  Destiny

An anointed divine appointment

 

OUTLINE: 


5 Gates of Transformation

First Gate:     The Spirit Gate

Second Gate: The Inner Prison

Third Gate:    The Expectation of People

Fourth Gate:  The City Gate

Fifth Gate:    The Church Gate

 

TEXT:  Acts 12:5-24; Psalm 24

 

STUDY GROUP QUESTIONS:

1.    Acts 12 explains that the church offered constant prayer for Peter while he was in prison.  During times of crises how important do you think constant prayer is?  Name one person in your life that has been a prayer warrior on your behalf?

2.    Peter was imprisoned and chained between two guards and an angel appeared, shined a light on him, struck him in the side and told him “get up quickly” while helping him up.  But Peter still was not fully aware of what was happening.  What do you think it would take for God to get your attention?

a.    A still small voice

b.   An audible voice

c.    A lightning bolt of thunder

d.   A crisis

e.    A raise

f.     ­                                                                                       

3.    Peter could have gotten mad at the angel for shining light on him.  When was the last time you got frustrated with God and why?

a.    When he shined His light on me and exposed a wrong attitude

b.   When He did not respond on my time schedule

c.    When He allowed me to be put in an imprisoning condition that I did not think I deserved

d.   When He told me to do something I did not think I could do even though He said He would help me

e.                                                                                           

4.    Many times our destiny is tied to the trials, injustices and difficulties we face and more importantly how we respond to them.  What injustice in our society angers you the most?

a.    Poverty

b.   Prejudice

c.    Abortion

d.   Disrespect

e.                                           

5.    In our story, the first gate represents your spirit or heart, and opening the door to Jesus to be Lord of your life.  The second gate symbolically represents the inner conflicts and voices in the prison of your own mind.  How do you deal with your own personal pain?

a.    Scream and yell

b.   Withdraw & hide

c.    Ignore & deny

d.   Watch TV & sleep

e.    Smoke & drink

f.     Fast & pray

g.    Eat & eat some more

h.                                           


6.    In our story, the third gate represented the expectations of people.  Peter had to be freed from the expectation of the Jewish people.  Who in your life have you had to learn to balance loving them but not being controlled by their expectations?

7.    Once these first three gates were forced open, then the gate to the city opened on it’s own for Peter.  The gate of the city represents opportunities that will just open for us after we deal with our stuff.  What gate of opportunity are you waiting on God to open for you?