REALLIFE STUDY GROUP

"Got Attacks?"

ICEBREAKER: What is your favorite candy?

INTRODUCTION: Everybody suffers attacks in life. Attacks come in many different forms. There are spiritual, physical, emotional, mental, financial, relational, and vocational attacks, just to name a few. The Bible says many are the afflictions of the righteous but The Lord delivers him from them all. The enemy uses the strategy of attacking us to get us to ask the wrong questions. Questions like, why do these things keep happening to me? Does God still love me? So in this lesson we will look into the questions we should be asking and make a plan for how we should respond when we are in a season of attacks.

CONFESSION:

· I was designed by God with a supernatural ability to bounce back after every attack.

· No weapon, no strategy, no conspiracy, no attack formed against me shall prosper.

· Attacks only cause me to remember that my God is my strength, my shield and my shelter!

· I can outlast, outlive, and outwit every attack of the enemy by the grace of God.

· I was created to fight like Samson, worship like David, dream like Joseph, pray like Daniel, lead like Joshua, build like Noah, preach like Paul, love like Jesus!

DEFINITIONS:

Attack: to act violently against (someone or something) to try to hurt, injure, or destroy (something or someone),

to set upon or work against forcefully,

to assail with unfriendly or bitter words

to begin to affect or to act on injuriously

to criticize (someone or something) in a very harsh and severe way

OUTLINE: What Questions Should I Be Asking When I Am Under An Attack?

1. It's not a question of if you will be attacked but when

Attacks come right before your greatest breakthroughs and sometimes right after your greatest victories

2. It's not a question of how you will be attacked but rather how will you respond

Attacks always require a response of faith in God

3. It's not question of how long will it last but how long will you trust God

Attacks are allowed to show you how strong you can become in God

4. It's not a question of who will be attacked but rather if God be for you who can be against you

Attacks come against everyone. If you are breathing you will be attacked. You may be thinking I am not even a threat. The devil hates the image of God and you were created in His image.

5. It's not a question of why you are being attacked but where

Where will the attack happen? Where have I given the enemy an open door?

Attacks sometimes come because we have given him access at some point.

The Strategy of an Attack

1. To delay your progress or development

2. To surprise you and confuse you

3. To make you think God doesn't love you or care

4. To test your stamina, your resolve and your level of commitment

5. To overwhelm you because attacks often come from every side and come in waves

6. To steal your focus and blind your vision

7. To break your will

8. To wear you out

9. To steal your joy and your praise right out of your mouth

10. To drain your strength and paralyze you with fear

11. To steal, kill and destroy

TEXT: James 1:2-15; 1 Peter 4:12 GWT ~ Dear friends, don't be surprised by the fiery troubles that are coming in order to test you. Don't feel as though something strange is happening to you.

STUDY GROUP QUESTIONS:

1. Identify someone in the Bible that was attacked.

2. Describe a time when you felt like you we're under attack.

3. People usually do one of three things when attacked: They run, they collapse/do nothing or they fight. Which one do you most often do?

4. Tell us one thing you've learned when you have been under attack.

5. The enemy only has the right to attack us when a door has been opened to him. Name a behavior that gives the enemy right to gain access to us.

6. Describe a mental attack the enemy uses against you?

7. How do you counterattack the devil's attacks?

PRAISE REPORTS & PRAYER REQUESTS:

ACTION POINT: This week I will look for patterns or seasons in which attacks take place in my life.