Living Exchange Interior ESV Lesson Directly

PART 1
The Foundations of
Living the Exchange
LESSON 1
MY NEW INHERITANCE
Understanding What I Inherited When I Received Christ
A child of God, a joint-heir with Jesus!—this is what you became when you placed your
faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. A vast inheritance became yours. After World
War II, Holocaust survivor Roman Blum moved to New York City, amassed a fortune as
a real estate developer, and died at the age of 97. However, with no will and no surviving
relatives, Blum’s $40 million inheritance was left to no one. Unlike Blum, God has made
His inheritance readily available to you, and you can discover its riches in the pages of the
Bible.
• He has saved you from the penalty of sin, which is eternity in the lake of fire.
• He is saving you from the power of sin, which until now has kept you from being
able to break away from sinful living.
• He will save you from the very presence of sin by giving you an eternal home in
Heaven.
The moment you made your great exchange with Jesus, the first and last of these gifts were
settled once and for all. The gift of the power to defeat sin in your life was also given to you
at salvation, but you access this gift by faith. You might say this victory is in your spiritual
“bank account,” but you need to “write checks” against your account in order to experience
its benefits.
The story is told of a wounded Civil War veteran who was known for talking about
his friend “Mr. Lincoln” as he wandered from place to place begging because he could
no longer work. When challenged by a stranger to prove that he really knew the beloved
president, he pulled out a tattered piece of paper. He was embarrassed to admit, “I’m not
much for reading, but I know that is Mr. Lincoln’s signature.” When the stranger read the
frayed paper, he discovered that it was a generous pension, signed by Abraham Lincoln
himself. He was walking around as a beggar although the president had provided for his
every need. As a Christian there is no need for you to live spiritually bankrupt. Jesus has
made perfect provision for your spiritual inheritance. Let’s investigate this vast inheritance
to see how you can come into full possession of all that is already yours in Christ.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
DAY 1
Your inheritance was given to you through the exchange Jesus made for you on the cross.
He took your death penalty upon Himself and gave you His eternal life. He took your
sins and gave you His righteousness.
These gifts are actually byproducts of Jesus’ life. You now have “Christ in you, the
hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). He has given you new life, and your new life is His
life. The apostle Paul said his old life had been crucified with Jesus; however, he was still
alive (Galatians 2:20). He claimed the life he was living was not his own, but Christ was
living His life in him. Living the Exchange is about learning to live out of the resources of
Christ’s life and invest your inherited resources in God’s eternal Kingdom.
1. What did Jesus become in your place, and what did you receive as a result?
2 Corinthians 8:9 You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was
rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become
rich.
2. What have we become as a result of this exchange?

Romans 8:15–17 You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry,
“*Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children
of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.
*Abba is an Aramaic term of endearment used as a personal name in the family circle,
similar to our word daddy.
3. When Paul prayed for the Christians in Ephesus, what were his three requests?
Ephesians 1:16–19 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my
prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the
Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your
hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called
you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the
immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the
working of his great might.
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My New Inheritance
Paul prayed that God would open the eyes of their understanding because even though
this inheritance is real, it is invisible. The vastness of your inheritance is overwhelming.
4. God has given us several pictures of the resources that became ours through the
exchange Jesus made with us. Read the following, then answer this: does His provision
sound sparse or plentiful?
Isaiah 12:3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
John 7:38–39 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart
will flow rivers of living water.” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those
who believed in him were to receive.
Mark the most meaningful Scripture or statement in today’s lesson.
Imagine inheriting $100 million. What changes would this make in your life?
In what ways do you think your inheritance in Christ will change your life?
If you were going to talk to God about what you have learned today, what
would you tell Him? Record your response in the form of a prayer.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
Daily Bible Reading:

Read John 1, and ask God to speak to you as you read. Though you will not hear an
audible voice, often something in the passage will touch your heart or the words will
seem to “jump” off the page. You’ll probably “hear” better if you read with a pen in your
hand. Record at least one thing God shows you. Think of this as a conversation with
God. He speaks to you through His Word, and you respond to Him by recording what
He is teaching you.
Let these questions help you apply God’s truth to your life. As you read, remember to
worship your God today. As the invitation from the timeless Christmas carol suggests, “O
come let us adore Him!”
Application—Are there any principles to apply or promises to claim?

Dependence—Are there any steps of faith I should take today?
Obedience—Are there any commands to obey or sins to forsake?
Relationship—What is God revealing to me about Himself?
Example—Are there any examples to follow or warnings to heed?
Daily Scripture Memory:

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without
looking.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old

has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Daily Prayer Time:

If you’re studying in a group, pray for everyone on your Class Prayer List. If you’re
studying with a friend, make a list of people the two of you would like to pray for and
pray for them.
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My New Inheritance
DAY 2
In this lesson we will look at three aspects of your inheritance and how you can come
into full possession of what is already yours in Christ Jesus:
• Your Positional Standing—He has saved you from the penalty of sin.
• Your Practical Success—He is saving you from the power of sin.
• Your Permanent Sanctuary—He will save you from the very presence of sin.
Your Positional Standing

Your standing with God is a gift of grace. When you put your trust in Jesus, He saved
you from the penalty of sin and gave you a perfect standing with God through Christ’s
credited righteousness. Through His righteousness you now have a personal relationship
with God.
1. Will those who have chosen to depend on God for eternal life ever face
condemnation? ______________Why?
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who
sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from
death to life.
2. Write the promises of God found in these verses:
Romans 4:5 To the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the
ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in
him we might become the righteousness of God.
Based on these promises, when we take Christ’s offer, we receive His righteous record
and thus meet His holy standard. This chart from The Exchange Bible study shows this
exchange:
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
T H E E XC H A N G E
‘s Jesus’
Record Record
Lying Holy
Stealing Just
Coveting Accepted
by God
Alienated
from God Free to live
with God
Write your name in the blank above. Now cross out your name and write “Jesus.” Cross
out Jesus’ name on the other side and write your own.
This is the reality of the exchange He made with you! On the cross, in your place, Jesus
suffered the consequences of a lying, coveting thief, though He was perfectly innocent.
He has given you the freedom to have a full relationship with God as your Father and to
be accepted by Him because of Jesus’ holy, just nature.
3. Read the following passage about Abraham, the first patriarch of the Jewish people.
Romans 4:20–25 He grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully
convinced that aGod was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith
was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him”
were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us bwho
believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who cwas delivered up for
our trespasses and raised for our justification.
a. How secure is your standing with God?
b. What is required to have God’s righteousness credited to your account?
c. What did Jesus do to give you this standing with God?
This perfect standing with God is real and extremely valuable to you. Righteousness
counted to us means that when God looks at you, He sees the perfect righteousness of
Jesus instead of the sinful record you have earned through your actions.
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My New Inheritance
Describe your position in Christ and at least one of its benefits.
Can you ever lose this position? Why? (Refer to question #1, page 7.)
Think back to the exercise earlier in this lesson. Describe your thoughts as you
crossed out your name and wrote Jesus’ name in its place.
How were your thoughts different as you wrote your name in Jesus’ place?
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
Read John 2, and ask God to speak to you as you read. Record at least one thing God
shows you. Think of this as a conversation with God. He speaks to you through His
Word, and you respond to Him by recording what He is teaching you.
Let these questions help you apply God’s truth to your life. As you read, remember
to worship and adore your God today.


looking.

Daily Prayer Time:

studying with a friend, pray for the people on your list.
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My New Inheritance
DAY 3
Your positional standing is the foundation for the daily victory over sin God provides for
you as you follow Him.
Your Practical Success

Jesus is saving you from the power of sin and is giving you His grace to obey God’s Word
and overcome sin. The power of sin is the domination it has over you, and grace is God’s
supernatural enabling through His indwelling Spirit.
NOTE: This lesson is an overview of the internal dynamics of living out of the exchange
you’ve made with Jesus. Each of the next four points will be expanded in lessons 4–7.
Lessons 8–12 will provide practical glimpses of living the exchange as it is expressed
externally in everyday life.
The Internal Dynamics of Living the Exchange

The Futility of Self—Understanding the Inability of My Flesh to Please God
1. Note the true state of man’s nature without Christ.
Romans 3:10–12 As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one under-
stands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become
worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
a. How much righteousness is in man’s nature?
b. Does anyone have the ability to understand what God expects of him?
c. Who seeks after God on his own?
d. Is there anyone who has the innate ability to look good in God’s eyes?
2. Can we please God through our own abilities?
Romans 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
The New Testament word flesh often refers to the abilities of our human nature, and not
just the body in which we live. These fleshly abilities are often contrasted with the potential
we have when God’s Holy Spirit supernaturally empowers us.
John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.
This enabling from God is called grace. Just as grace makes it possible for us to go to
Heaven, grace also makes it possible for us to overcome the weaknesses of our own flesh.
The Fullness of the Savior—Understanding the Promise of Christ’s Life in Me

3. Can we have victory over sin? Why?
Romans 6:14 Sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law
but under grace.
4. What does God promise to always provide?
2 Corinthians 2:14 Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal

procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him
everywhere.
Who provides for this victory?
The first picture in this verse is of a Roman triumphal parade after a victory. When the
Roman army won a battle in a distant land, they marched the spoils and sometimes
even the captives of war down the streets of Rome to demonstrate that they had won the
victory. Jesus has already won the victory for us through His death and resurrection. He
now promises to put that victory on parade in our lives.
The second picture is the diffusing of the beautiful fragrance of Christ through our
lives. Though invisible, this powerful, invasive aura of God in our lives is His plan to
show the world Who He is. Both victory and this beautiful fragrance of Christ are part
of our inheritance and are possible only through Him.
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My New Inheritance
Think of a sin you may be struggling to overcome. Write it in the blank if you’d
like. The enemy thrives in the dark, but bringing your struggles into the light
is often the first step to overcoming them. Now that you have trusted Christ as
your Savior, can you have victory over that sin?
(Consider discussing this with your Bible study leader when you meet to discuss
this lesson.)
What do you think Jesus’ victory put on parade in your life would look like?
In what ways would the fragrance of Christ emanating from your life change the
way you impact people for Jesus?
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE

Word and you respond to Him by recording what He is teaching you.
worship and adore your God today.


Review 2 Corinthians 5:17 and try saying it without looking.

Daily Prayer Time:

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My New Inheritance
DAY 4
The Foundation of Surrender—Counting God Trustworthy and Surrendering

to His Will
1. What two gifts are promised in this verse?
Romans 5:1–2 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by
faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
How do we access these gifts?
The word hope means to look forward to something with confidence that it will happen.
Romans 3:23 teaches that sin causes all of us to “fall short of the glory of God” but
Romans 5:2 tells us that when we live by faith we can expect to see the God’s glory
demonstrated through our lives.
Verse 6 of the same chapter reminds us that we were without strength when Jesus
found us. The phrase much more is used five times in Romans 5 to refer to the abundant
grace God is giving us in the ongoing work of the gospel. His life exchanged for ours is
the source of this lavish grace. We access this ongoing grace the same way we accessed the
gift of justification—by faith.
God wants us to trust Him to the point that we submit our lives to Him. A songwriter
heard a new believer telling his story of coming to Christ. The new believer concluded his
story by admitting that there was much he didn’t know, then adding, “I’m just going to
trust, and I’m going to obey.” Those inspiring words prompted the songwriter to pen the
beloved song “Trust and Obey.”
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word

What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey. 1
1. Trust and Obey in the Public Domain
As we take steps of faith and obedience, God meets us with His grace.
• Surrendering by Faith—Trusting God enough to submit your life to Him
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
2. What kind of sacrifice is God seeking?
Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present
your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual worship.
a.
b. What do you think a living sacrifice is?
Only God is holy and only Jesus is acceptable to Him. This living sacrifice is impossible
apart from the mercies of God. We can be holy and acceptable to God only when we
are living in dependence on Him. Just as He gives grace for eternal life when we trust
Him for salvation, He gives grace for daily living as we live by faith. The word acceptable
means well-pleasing. Hebrews 11:6 teaches that “without faith it is impossible to please
him.” God gives “the immeasurable greatness of his power” to those who trust Him
(Ephesians 1:19).
• Living by Faith—Living in dependence on God moment-by-moment
3. How does God expect us to live?
Hebrews 10:38 “My righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my
soul has no pleasure in him.”
It’s hard to say what comes first, Faith or Surrender. We can’t surrender to God without
trusting Him for strength to do so, but we don’t actually trust Him if we aren’t willing
to submit to Him. The decision to trust is the decision to surrender, and the decision to
surrender is the decision to trust.
We can experience God’s power in our lives only when we give Him the right to rule
as Lord over our lives. Many people want to use God as a servant or a genie to manipu-
late and fulfill their own desires. That’s not the way it works. We must present ourselves
to Him to be used as His servant. He is ready to enable us do what He desires.
Are you willing to present your life to God and live as His servant? This is crucial if
you are to experience His strength in your life.
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My New Inheritance
The Filling of the Spirit—Experiencing the Realities of God’s Grace

4. Who lives in us now that we are saved?
1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.
In Ephesians 5:18, God commands “do not get drunk with wine, … but be filled with the
Spirit.” Just as alcohol influences the person who is drunk, the Holy Spirit will influence the
person who is “filled” with Him.
The External Expression of Living the Exchange

5. What is the purpose for God’s grace?
2 Corinthians 9:8 God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all
sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
Sanctification is the process of God making you holy like He is holy. This process began
the day you received Christ as your personal Savior and will continue for the rest of your
earthly life. God is committed to your sanctification because you belong to Him. In fact,
Romans 8 teaches that your sanctification is the focus of His current work in your life.
He will never stop this work until you receive your “glorified” body in Heaven (Romans
8:29–30).
Your progressive sanctification directs glory to God because He is the One Who is
changing you to be more and more like Him. The words sanctification and consecration are
often used interchangeably. One of the outcomes of your sanctification will be that you
become more and more fruitful in your service for God’s Kingdom.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
What do you think it means to surrender something or someone to God?
Can you trust God enough to surrender your life to Him?
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My New Inheritance



Review 2 Corinthians 5:17, and try saying it without looking.

Daily Prayer Time:

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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
DAY 5
Your Permanent Sanctuary

The animals in a wildlife sanctuary are safe from many of the dangers animals outside the
sanctuary face. This analogy gives us a tiny glimpse into the glories of Heaven where we will
be permanently safe from the dangers and effects of sin. Because you’ve trusted Christ to
save you, He has promised you an eternal home in Heaven where you will be saved from
the very presence of sin.
1. Where did Jesus say He was going?
John 14:1–3 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In
a
my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I
go to prepare a place for you? And if bI go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
a.
b. What did He say He was preparing for those who believe in Him?
2. Where does the believer go as soon as he dies?
2 Corinthians 5:8 We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the
body and at home with the Lord.
The Bible teaches that we will have new incorruptible bodies in Heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:53–55 This perishable body must put on the imperishable,

and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the
imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying
that is written “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
God Himself will wipe away all tears. He plans to do away with death, pain, and sorrow,
all of which have their origin in sin.
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My New Inheritance
Revelation 21:3–4 I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the
dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his
people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every
tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning,
nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Praise the Lord, friend; if you have placed your trust in Christ, someday God will give
you a new sinless body and let you live with Him forever in a place without sin.
3. Are you 100 percent sure that all your sins are forgiven and that you’re going to
Heaven?
If you answered yes, in the space provided on page 25, tell the story of how you came to
this knowledge. This story is called your testimony.
APPLICATION
God promises His special blessings to those who will act on what He teaches in His
Word.
James 1:22–25 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks
intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at
once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of
liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be
blessed in his doing.
In this lesson you have learned that God promises you victory over sin as you begin
stepping out on His promises and surrendering your life to Him. In the lessons to come we
will investigate these matters more thoroughly. For now, will you ask God to continue to
make you willing to have Him work in your life toward this end?
In the space below write your request in the form of a prayer.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
What do you think Heaven will be like? Use your imagination.
What was the most freeing truth you have learned this week?
Here’s mine—Jesus wants to put His victory on parade in my life.
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My New Inheritance




Daily Prayer Time:

Weekly Theological Terms:

Each week we’ll learn a couple of theological terms you may encounter as you listen to
preaching or read Christian books.
• Condemnation—the judicial pronouncement upon a guilty person

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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
Revelation 20:14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is
the second death, the lake of fire.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus.
• Righteousness—the quality of judicial correctness; being perfectly right with God;

fulfilling a contract completely or perfectly
Romans 3:10 As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one.”
Psalms 145:17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who
believes.
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My New Inheritance
PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENT
Write your personal testimony. This is your story of how you came to know Christ as
your personal Lord and Savior. Your story should have three parts:
Pre-salvation—Your life before Christ
Point of salvation—The point in time you put your trust in Christ alone and began a
relationship with Him
Post-salvation—How your life has changed. What is different?
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LESSON 2
MY BIBLE
Understanding the Foundational Nature
of the Word of God
One of God’s greatest gifts to mankind is the Bible. Before we continue our study on
living out of the inherited resources of our regenerated spirit, let’s look at the role God’s
Word plays in Christian living. A newborn’s dominating desire is for his mother’s milk.
It contains all the nourishment a baby needs for strength and growth. This paints a great
picture of what the Word of God is to a growing Christian (1 Peter 2:2). Everything we
need for spiritual strength and growth is found in the Bible. A healthy Christian hungers
for and nourishes himself from God’s Word regularly. Study this lesson carefully because
it will lead you to a healthy appetite for the Bible and a vibrant approach to gaining its
spiritual nourishment.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
DAY 1
What Is the Bible?

The Bible is the complete, authoritative revelation of God’s person and truth to mankind.
It is all we need to know about Who God is, who we are, and how we can have a full and
satisfying relationship with Him.
1. What is God’s Word?
John 17:17 bSanctify them in the truth; ayour word is truth.
a.
What does God’s Word do?
b.
This verse is from the last recorded prayer of Jesus before His crucifixion. The word
sanctify means “to purify or to set apart for a special use.” Jesus asked God to use the
Bible as the means by which His followers might be made holy for His service. When
Jesus declared the Bible to be truth, He declared it to be the absolute last word in any
matter.
2. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness through what means?
2 Peter 1:3–4 His divine power ahas granted to us all things that pertain to life
and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and
excellence, bby which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so
that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature.
a.
b. What was given to us that allows us to become partakers of God’s divine nature?
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My Bible
The Bible is so complete that God promises great judgment upon the person who
attacks it.
3. What are the two things God warns us not to do to His Word?
Revelation 22:18–19 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this
book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this
book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God
will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in
this book.
We must remember that when a person receives God’s gift of eternal life, “he does not
come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). This passage in
Revelation does not teach that one can lose his eternal salvation, but it clearly shows
God’s attitude toward altering His Word. Anyone who purposely chooses to disregard a
particular truth from the Bible is guilty before God. It is imperative to have a healthy
respect for the absolute authority of God’s Word.
4. What does the Bible say about God’s credibility?
Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before
the ages began.
There may be times when what you read in the Bible doesn’t seem to be true based
on what you are experiencing. Our limited view is not the final authority on truth. It
is important at such times to remember that the Bible is the definer of truth. Learn
to judge your circumstances in the light of the Bible and not to judge the Bible in
the light of your circumstances. Our emotions are not a good gauge of truth and can
deceive us at times, making us feel that the Word of God is not true. The great reformer
Martin Luther wrote this poem to remind himself of the reliability of the Bible and the
unreliability of his own emotions:
Feelings come and feelings go,

And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God
Naught else is worth believing.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
Letting your experiences guide you through life is like a butterfly flitting from flower
to flower with no real direction or goal. You flutter from experience to experience never
really knowing where they will take you in life. It is better to use the Bible as your
roadmap and follow its leadership. You will still have a lifetime of great experiences, but
all the while you will be growing deeper and deeper in your relationship with God.
What would happen to an infant who wouldn’t eat or ate very little?
What do you think will happen to you if you develop a habit of daily reading and
obeying God’s Word? What if you don’t?
We have all experienced times in which we have doubted God’s Word. Remember
Martin Luther’s poem and record how you can judge that experience by the Word
of God.
If you were going to talk to God about what you have learned today, what would
you tell Him? Record your response in the form of a prayer.
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My Bible

Word and you respond to Him by recording what He is teaching you.


Read Psalm 119:9–11 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
Psalms 119:9–11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it
according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from
your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin
against you.
Daily Prayer Time:

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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
DAY 2
1. The Bible is described through many analogies. Find the following word comparisons
in the verses below and circle each one. Take a moment with each verse to consider
how the Bible and the object compare to each other.
Fire • Sword • Mirror • Lamp • Milk

Meat • Seed • Hammer • Water • Light
Circle the words when you find them.
Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of
water with the word.
Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that
breaks the rock in pieces?
1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you
may grow up into salvation.
Hebrews 4:12 The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and
discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
James 1:23–24 If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man
who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes
away and at once forgets what he was like.
1 Peter 1:23 You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable,
through the living and abiding word of God.
Ephesians 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God.
1 Corinthians 3:2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it.
And even now you are not yet ready.
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2. What is the purpose of the Bible as it is revealed in each of the following passages?
2 Timothy 3:15 From childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writ-
ings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good
work.
2 Corinthians 3:18 We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
3. How long will the Word of God last?
1 Peter 1:23 You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable,
through the living and abiding word of God.
How Did We Get Our Bible?

4. Who controlled the men who spoke and wrote the Scriptures?
2 Peter 1:21 No prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke
from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
5. How much of the Bible is inspired by God?
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
Just as air is breathed out of living creatures, so the words of Scripture flowed directly
out of the living God. Inspiration is the supernatural process by which God used men
to write down without error the exact words God chose to communicate His truth to
mankind.
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What are some words that describe the Bible?
What have you learned that has strengthened your confidence in the Bible?
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Read Psalm 119:9–11 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
against you.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 3
Learning to Depend on the Bible

1. Circle the four ways in which the Bible is profitable.
The Bible:
teaches us what is true, (teaching)
points out our disobedience to the truth, (reproof)
helps us make necessary corrections, (correction)
and then shows us how to stay right. (training in righteousness)
2. Record the words that describe the life of a person who knows and gives himself to the
truth of the Bible.
Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that
is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will
have good success.
Psalms 1:2–3 His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day
and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its
season and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
3. How valuable is the Word of God?
Psalms 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter
also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
4. How did the earth and the heavens get here?
Genesis 1:3, 9 God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. . . And God said,
“Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the
dry land appear.” And it was so.
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2 Peter 3:5 They deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago,
and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God.
Though the word of God referred to in this verse is God’s spoken voice, the word of
God recorded in the Bible is the spoken word of God written down. It is from the same
source and has the same creative life-giving effect on our lives.
5. What is the most important reason God wrote the Bible?
John 20:31 These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Romans 10:17 Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6. What is necessary to please God?
Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would
draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek
him.
Faith is not simply understanding something and agreeing that it is true. Faith is a
personal choice to depend on that truth. We can please the Lord only by genuinely
believing the Bible. Real obedience is the result of truly depending on the truth of the
Word of God.
Jesus is called “the Word” in two different books of the Bible and is equated with “the
Word” in many others. Jesus is the living Word and the Bible is the written Word. In a very
real sense when you read and believe the Bible, you are partaking of Jesus.
7. What did Jesus call Himself, and what did He say men must do to experience His life
in them?
John 6:51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of
this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world
is my flesh.”
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Just like it is not enough to look at bread to receive its physical benefit, it is not enough
to simply read the Bible or listen to others talk about it. You must choose to rely on it
before you can experience its benefits.
What are some ways you believe you would benefit from spending more time in
God’s Word?
Is there anything you need in life that is not addressed in the Bible?
How is the Bible different from self-help books?
Is it enough to simply read the Bible or listen to sermons about the Bible?
What are some ways you can begin to experience the benefits found in the Word
of God?
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Review Psalm 119:9–11, and try to say it without looking.
against you.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 4
How to Study the Bible

1. How often should you study the Bible?
Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that
is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have
good success.
In your own words write what it means to meditate.
Some might say that meditation is emptying your mind of everything and letting an
inner voice speak to you. The Hebrew culture had a strong tradition of oral rehearsal of
history and literature. The phrase “shall not depart from your mouth” indicates saying it
over and over in an attempt to memorize. The Hebrew word meditate means to murmur,
to ponder, or even to imagine. The idea is to actively think about or contemplate the
truths of God’s Word. God promises that His Spirit will divinely lead us to truth (John
16:13). He does so using the words of Scripture, and He expects our mind to actively,
not passively, pursue His truth.
2. Why should you memorize God’s Word?
against you.
3. What word picture is used to describe memorizing the Bible?
James 1:21 Put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with
meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
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The implanted Word paints the picture of grafting a new branch into a grapevine or a fruit
tree. The new branch becomes an actual part of the living plant and allows the old plant
to bear the good fruit of the engrafted branch. God wants us to graft His Word right into
the very fabric of what and how we think and, thus, begin to change the fruit we bear.
4. How does God want us to approach the Word of God?
1 Peter 2:2–3 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by
it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is
good.
The word pure means tested and found true and wholesome. Down through the centuries
men and women have been strengthening their lives by satisfying their appetites from God’s
Word. If you will join them, you too will taste for yourself the wholesome goodness a steady
diet of the Bible will bring to your life.
5. Can the Bible mean one thing to one person and something totally different to
another?
Why?
2 Peter 1:20–21 Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes
from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the
will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
The phrase someone’s own interpretation mentioned in this verse is not aimed at the reader
so much as it is a record of how the Bible got to us. The Bible is not the private opinions
of human writers but the revelation of God. As such, it contains a message from God
that must be discovered without putting our own ideas or thoughts into it. Because it is
not a human book, we can’t take what we want and discard the rest. It is a divine book,
and God promises to supernaturally enable us through reading and believing His Word.
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What steps should you take to begin meditating on the Bible?
Do you find that you have an appetite for God’s Word?
If we fill up on junk food we won’t have much of an desire for even the best
food. I have a rule for myself—No breakfast before Bible. I find that if I start
my day with “other things,” my mind isn’t always hungry for God’s Word. What
are some ways you could develop a craving for spending time with God in the
Bible?
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against you.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 5
Many of the books in the New Testament are letters written by the apostles and are
called epistles. Peter ends his second epistle with a warning not to be led astray by error
or to fall away from a firm commitment to God. In the last verse of the book he gives an
antidote to this problem: As long as you are growing, you’re not likely to fall away from
your love for God.
2 Peter 3:18 Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
1. Read the introduction to this book in which Peter urges believers to be consistently
growing.
2 Peter 1:1–4 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who
have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours aby the righteousness of our
God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you bin
the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to
us dall things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him
who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us
e
his precious and very great promises, so that through them fyou may become
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in
the world because of sinful desire.
a. The phrase like precious faith indicates that his followers had obtained a faith of
equal standing with Peter. How?
b. How can you ensure that grace and peace increase in your life?
c. The Greek word translated “knowledge” means a precise and thorough knowledge
that comes from personal acquaintance. What do you think is the source of such
knowledge?
God revealed Himself to us in the Bible so that we can know Him.
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d. How much of what we need for life and godliness comes through knowing Jesus?
e. What kind of promises are found in the Bible?
f. What does God promise to those who step out on His promises?
2. Whom must we depend on to help us understand the meaning of the Scripture?
1 Corinthians 2:12–13 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but
the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given
us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but
taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
Some have called this tutelage from the Holy Spirit illumination. It is as if the words He
wants us to understand and apply to our lives are lit up and sometimes seem to jump
off the page at us. Each opportunity you take to spend time in your Bible provides an
intimate moment with God. As you spend time with God your relationship with Him
will grow. Don’t forget! God is not a concept to learn about. He is a person to get to know
intimately!
APPLICATION
3. James 1:22–25 teaches that we should never just hear what the Bible teaches; we must
also do it. Note the picture here. What does God teach that you must do before you
receive the blessing of the Word of God?
James 1:22–25 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks
intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at
once forgets what he was like. But the one who alooks into the perfect law, the law
of liberty, and bperseveres, cbeing no hearer who forgets but a ddoer who acts, he
will be blessed in his doing.
a.
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b.
c.
d.
You have learned that the Bible is the foundation of your Christian life. It is through the
Bible that God speaks to you. No doubt God wants you to make some decisions about
your attitudes and actions toward His Word. Would you bow your head and ask Him to
lead you to these changes?
Maybe He desires for you to carve out a daily time to read the Bible, or maybe
He wants you to commit to memorize Bible verses. It may be that He wants you to
be hungrier for His Word or to see it as absolute, not relative, truth. Perhaps He is
burdening you to attend church regularly to hear His Word taught and applied to your
daily living. Has God tugged at your heart concerning any of these issues? Perhaps you
should look back over the lesson and allow Him to remind you of anything else He
wants you to do.
Write a prayer to God expressing your resolve concerning the areas He has revealed
to you.
Write a strategy for engaging in God’s Word. (What specifically will you do? When,
where, etc.)
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against you.
Daily Prayer Time:

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• Inspiration—breathed out by God; the influence exerted by God to ensure the
inerrant communication of His words through the human writers of Scripture.
• Sufficiency—the quality of being adequate to the proposed end; enough for any given
circumstance or situation. The Bible contains all that is needed for every aspect of
human life.
2 Peter 1:3–4 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life
and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and
excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so
that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature.
Psalms 19:7–9 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony
of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and
righteous altogether.
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Read Matthew 4:1–11.
With what three words did Jesus begin each of His answers to Satan’s temptation?
As you grow to know God’s Word and draw nourishment from it, you are growing to
know and draw nourishment from God Himself.
On page 50 you will find a Bible reading schedule you can use to mark the passages
you have read. Mark what you have already read on the schedule.
Page 51 is a pictorial view of the entire Bible. Ask your Bible study leader to explain
anything you don’t understand.
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BOOK CHAPTERS (Mark when read)
Matthew 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Mark 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Luke 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
John 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Acts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Romans 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
I Corinthians 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
II Corinthians 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Galatians 1 2 3 4 5 6
Ephesians 1 2 3 4 5 6
Philippians 1 2 3 4
Colossians 1 2 3 4
I Thessalonians 1 2 3 4 5
II Thessalonians 1 2 3
I Timothy 1 2 3 4 5 6
II Timothy 1 2 3 4
Titus 1 2 3
Philemon 1
Hebrews 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
James 1 2 3 4 5
I Peter 1 2 3 4 5
II Peter 1 2 3
I John 1 2 3 4 5
II John 1
III John 1
Jude 1
Revelation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
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“The New is in the Old concealed. The Old is in the New revealed.”
OLD TESTAMENT (39 books) NEW TESTAMENT (27 books)
ABOUT 400 YEARS BETWEEN TESTAMENTS
Looks forward to Christ's sacrifice on the cross Based on the work of Christ finished on the cross
HISTORY POETRY PROPHECY HISTORY TEACHING PROPHECY

17 books 5 books 17 books 5 books 21 books 1 book
Law 1 Job Major Prophets Gospels Paul's Letters Paul's Letters
1 Genesis 2 Psalms 1 Isaiah 1 Matthew 1 Romans Revelation
2 Exodus 3 Proverbs 2 Jeremiah 2 Mark 2 I Corinthians
3 Leviticus 4 Ecclesiastes 3 Lamentations 3 Luke 3 II Corinthians
4 Numbers 5 Song of 4 Ezekiel 4 John 4 Galatians
5 Deuteronomy Solomon 5 Daniel 5 Acts 5 Ephesians
6 Philippians
History and Minor Prophets 7 Colossians
Government 1 Hosea 8 I Thessalonians
1 Joshua 2 Joel 9 II Thessalonians
2 Judges 3 Amos 10 I Timothy
3 Ruth 4 Obadiah 11 II Timothy
4 I Samuel 5 Jonah 12 Titus
5 II Samuel 6 Micah 13 Philemon
6 I Kings 7 Nahum
7 II Kings 8 Habakkuk General Letters
8 I Chronicles 9 Zephaniah 1 Hebrews
9 II Chronicles 10 Haggai 2 James
10 Ezra 11 Zechariah 3 I Peter
11 Nehemiah 12 Malachi 4 II Peter
12 Ester 5 I John
6 II John
7 III John
8 Jude
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LESSON 3
MY BAPTISM AND CHURCH

MEMBERSHIP
Understanding Public Identification with Christ and
Joining a Bible-Believing Church
Congratulations on your decision to receive Christ’s exchange! The decision itself was
completely voluntary and private, but it is impossible to keep such a decision hidden.
In fact, God has designed a public identification with Jesus that not only allows you to
show others what He has done in your life but also ties you together with other believers
who have made the same decision. This public identification is baptism, and church
membership is your ongoing bond with other believers.
The Bible teaches that when you became a Christian, you became God’s child. You
are now part of a family of believers. God is your Father, and all other believers are your
brothers and sisters in Christ. God’s plan for each of His children is to have a home
where he or she receives and gives encouragement to live for Him. This lesson is about
baptism and how to find, join, and thrive within a church family.
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DAY 1
The Meaning and Importance of Baptism

Imagine the tenderness and devotion that a groom feels as he slips his bride’s wedding
ring on her finger. The ring is an enduring symbol of their love for each other. It marks
her as a married woman whose heart belongs to him. Similarly, your baptism is a symbol
of your union with Jesus. It identifies you as a Christ-follower, a Christian. It shows that
your heart belongs to Him.
The New Testament was originally written in Greek and was later translated into
English. The word baptize is a transliteration of the Greek word baptidzo (băp-tēd´-zō).
The translators created an English word from the Greek word rather than directly trans-
late its meaning, which is “to dip, to immerse, to place under, or to overwhelm.” Baptism
is a picture of being placed into the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It testifies
to others that you have participated in the gospel. Both baptism and church membership
are important steps for the Christian.
1. What is necessary to be saved from sin?
Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Ephesians 2:8–9 By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not
your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one
may boast.
Do either of these verses indicate that baptism is necessary for salvation?
It is extremely important for believers to be baptized, but baptism is a part of your walk
with the Lord after salvation.
2. What is the source of forgiveness of sins?
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.
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My Baptism and Church Membership
3. What three promises did Jesus make to all who put their trust in His finished work for
salvation?
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him
who sent me has aeternal life. He bdoes not come into judgment, but chas
passed from death to life.
a.
b.
c.
What are you trusting for your eternal salvation?
Is baptism or church attendance required for salvation?
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Read Hebrews 10:24–25 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without
looking.
Hebrews 10:24–25 Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good
works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one
another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 2
While Jesus was on earth He gave His disciples very clear instructions about what to
do once He returned to Heaven. These instructions, recorded in each of the first five
books of the New Testament, have long been called the Great Commission. It is the job
description for the church, God’s chosen body of believers.
Matthew 28:18–20 gives the most detailed record of these instructions. Jesus has
commissioned every believer to these tasks.
Matthew 28:18–20 Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and
on earth has been given to me. aGo therefore and make disciples of all nations,
b
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
c
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with
you always, to the end of the age.”
The Great Commission gives us three basic responsibilities for the church. This three-
fold mission is sandwiched between two powerful truths. The first truth is a self-
proclamation of Jesus’ complete authority, which became obvious when He conquered
the ultimate enemy—death—and rose from the grave. The second truth is the promise
of His presence as we go about the work He gave the church to accomplish during this
age. As we labor in the power of His presence, He receives the Glory.
1. List the basic work of the church.
a.
b.
c.
“Go therefore, and teach all nations” means that we are to go to every people group in
the world and make disciples, or followers, of Jesus by giving them the gospel. Lesson 12
expands on this first concept. The next main work of the church is to gather these converts
into a family of believers who have all identified themselves as His followers through public
baptism. The third charge to the church is to train those believers to obey Jesus’ teaching.
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As a new believer you have already taken the first important step of God’s plan for
this age! You have become a follower of Jesus. Now He wants you to continue following
Him by taking further steps of faith as He leads you.
2. According to Matthew 28:18–20, what is the next step you need to take?
If you answered, “To be baptized,” you are right. Once you have been scripturally
baptized after your salvation, your next step is to become part of a Bible-preaching
church. If you are currently a member of a Bible-preaching church, your next step is to
become actively involved in helping fulfill the Great Commission in your church.
On the first day of this lesson we began discussing the meaning and importance of
baptism. Let’s consider that further. What exactly is baptism and what does it mean?
Romans 6 teaches about spiritual baptism and is a crucial passage when considering
these questions. Scripture speaks of baptism in two ways, spiritual and physical. Spiritual
baptism is the act of being placed into the spiritual body of Jesus. Through Jesus we
experienced the benefits of His death and resurrection. Physical baptism is a picture of
spiritual baptism.
3. How does the external picture of baptism show the internal event that has already
taken place in your heart?
Romans 6:3–5 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized [placed]
into Christ Jesus were baptized [placed] into his death? We were buried therefore
with him by baptism [immersion] into death, in order that, just as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of
life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be
united with him in a resurrection like his.
4. Since spiritual baptism is being placed into the body of Christ through the death,
burial, and resurrection of Jesus, which mode of baptism—sprinkling or immersion—
best shows this picture?
The best picture is immersion, in which a believer is placed under the water and then
raised back out.
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5. Why did John choose to baptize in Aenon?
John 3:23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was
plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized.
The work of the church taught in the Great Commission is making disciples
through giving the gospel, assimilating those who come to Christ into the
church through baptism, and teaching believers to follow Jesus through obeying
Him. How are you currently involved in this work?
How would you like to become more involved?
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Read Hebrews 10:24–25 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without
looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 3
1. The book of Acts records the beginning of the church. Answer these questions about
each of the following verses:
a. Who was baptized?
b. What happened before they were baptized?
Acts 2:41 bThose who received his word were baptized, and there were added that
day aabout three thousand souls.
a.
b.
Acts 8:12 When bthey believed Philip as he preached good news about the
kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, aboth men and
women.
a.
b.
Acts 8:36–38 As they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and athe
eunuch said, See, here is water; what does hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said,
If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, bI believe that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and
they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized
him. (kjv)
a.
b.
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Acts 16:30–33 He [athe jailer] brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to
be saved?” And they said, “bBelieve in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you
and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who
were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their
wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
a.
b.
What pattern do you notice?
In every situation baptism followed the decision to believe.
2. According to these Scriptures, how soon after salvation were people baptized?
Many were baptized the same day they were saved. Of all the conversions recorded in
Scripture, the longest time between salvation and baptism is three days (the apostle
Paul—Acts 9:1–18). If you have been saved, nothing should keep you from being
baptized.
3. Have you been scripturally baptized since you were saved?
4. I f baptism is a command from the Lord, what would be indicated by a believer’s

refusal to be baptized?
James 4:17 Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Baptism is gladly identifying with Jesus. One might liken it to the symbolism of wearing a
wedding ring. On our wedding day, my wife gave me a simple gold wedding band. I wear
it to identify myself as belonging to her. Our vows before God and men are what joined
us to each other. My ring simply symbolizes that the marriage took place. I don’t wear it
to be married. I wear it to show that I am married. What if I put my wedding ring on the
finger of my nine-year-old granddaughter? Does it now hold any symbolism? No. She’s
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not married. Baptism prior to salvation is as meaningless as my granddaughter wearing my

wedding ring. Salvation must precede baptism for baptism to mean anything.
What if I took my ring off? Would I still be married? Yes! The ring doesn’t make
me married. It only shows others that I am married. In a similar way, if a person doesn’t
get baptized it doesn’t make him unsaved. It makes him disobedient. What if I were to
take my ring off, lay it on the table in front of my wife, and curtly inform her that I
wasn’t going to wear it anymore? Would this hurt our relationship? Yes! While not being
baptized doesn’t change your standing with God, it does damage your relationship with
Him. God wants you to show the world you belong to Him by being baptized and
joining a Bible-believing church family. What a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate
your love for Him.
What does it mean to be placed into the death and resurrection of Jesus?
Do you want to be identified as belonging to Jesus?
If you have not been scripturally baptized since your decision to trust Christ as
your Lord and Savior, are you willing to take that step?
Based on what you’ve learned, what should a person do who was baptized before
he began his relationship with Christ?
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Review Hebrews 10:24–25 and try to say it without looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 4
The Importance of Church Membership

Picture a fire burning brightly in a cozy fireplace. What happens if you take one of the
logs out of the fire and set it on the hearth? The log will stop burning, start smoking, and
make a mess. It loses its usefulness. If you return the log into the fire where it belongs,
it will soon burn brightly and warm the room. The church, like that fireplace, was
designed to help you stay close to God and useful for Him. Many times believers who
neglect church lose their zeal and make a mess of God’s plan for their lives. What kind of
Christian do you want to be? Your commitment to your church will help you become a
healthy, fulfilled believer.
Hebrews 10:21 teaches that Jesus is the leader of the church. His church family
is called the house of God. The following passage lists some of the benefits and
responsibilities of being a part of this family.
Hebrews 10:21–25 Since we have a great priest over the house of God, alet us
draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled
clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. bLet us hold
fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
And clet us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, dnot
neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but *encouraging one another,
and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
*Encouraging gives the picture of coming alongside a fellow church member to

strengthen or build him up.
1. In your own words describe the two benefits of a strong church family.
a.
Church attendance can help change the way you view sin, begin to rebuild a healthy
conscience, and help you live a pure life in this sinful world.
b.
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When you attend church regularly, you’ll probably find yourself becoming more
consistent in your Christian life. Both of these benefits come as you learn to obey God
by trusting Him and His promises.
2. In your own words describe a church member’s responsibilities.
c.
You know what it means to provoke someone to frustration. Consider a place where
people provoke each other to love and good works. Not everyone in church lives this
way, but this is what God wants for you.
d.
We all need to faithfully attend church so that we can encourage one another. The closer
we get to the Lord’s return, the more important our participation in our local church
family becomes.
Church is not only where you learn from God’s Word, it’s where you fellowship
with other believers who are going through similar life experiences. No wonder God told
believers not to neglect church. He wants to give you lifelong friendships with people who
will help you and whom you can help. God wants to give you a sense of belonging as well
as a sense of purpose and fulfillment. It’s often through church that Christians discover
God’s plan to use them to help build His eternal Kingdom. Why don’t you decide right
now to begin faithfully attending church? You’ll be glad you did.
Most Bible-preaching churches have Sunday School, Bible studies, and prayer
meetings in addition to Sunday services. Take advantage of these opportunities. The
more you’re involved, the more you will grow and mature in your faith. The church is
God’s plan for reaching the world with the gospel. God wants to use you to help fulfill
His Great Commission by becoming involved in a Bible-preaching church.
3. How often do you think the Lord would have you attend church?
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Write the benefits you will experience by being actively involved in church.
How would faithful involvement in a good church change your life?
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Review Hebrews 10:24–25 and try to say it without looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 5
1. In the first church, what immediately followed salvation and baptism?
Acts 2:41 Those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that
day about three thousand souls.
Church membership is available only to people who have been saved and baptized. In
fact, the wording of this verse indicates that it was their baptism that placed these new
believers into the church. The next verse shows four activities of the early church. We see
their devotion to these four activities in the words they continued steadfastly. This wasn’t
sporadic activity; it was something they took seriously.
2. List the four activities of the early church.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to
the breaking of bread and the prayers.
• Teaching—authoritative teaching or doctrine

• Fellowship—intimate joint participation in a common community
•B reaking of bread—remembering the Lord’s death and resurrection and enjoying
fellowship with each other
• Prayers—corporately approaching the throne of God
3. What dangers do you need to be careful of when choosing a church?
Galatians 1:6–8 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called
you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is
another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel
of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel
contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
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2 Timothy 4:3–4 The time is coming when people will not endure sound
teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers
to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and
wander off into myths.
4. What two offices of leadership were given to the local church?
1 Timothy 3:1, 8 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of

overseer, he desires a noble task. … Deacons likewise ….
Overseer is one of three names given to the pastor—overseer [bishop], elder, pastor. The
three titles point to the pastor’s job description. He is to oversee the church and lead
by example, while spiritually feeding and caring for the people. The title deacon means
to serve. The role of the deacon is to assist the pastor so that he has the freedom to give
himself to the ministry of God’s Word and prayer.
5. What purpose do the pastor and evangelist fulfill in the church?
Ephesians 4:11–12 He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds
and teachers, to equip the saints [believers] for the work of ministry, for building
up the body of Christ.
The pastor’s role is not to do all the work in the church. He is to equip the people of
the church so that they are organized, trained, motivated, and equipped to do the work.
Church is a “team sport,” and the pastor is the coach.
6. What should be your attitude toward the leadership of the local church?
1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among
you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem [value] them
very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
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Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch
over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy
and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
APPLICATION
James 1:22–25 promises God’s special blessing on those who take action on what His
Word teaches.
7. What is a critical ministry for every Christian?
Mark 16:15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel
to the whole creation.”
Acts 1:8 “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you
will be my [Jesus’] witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
end of the earth.”
This Great Commission is Jesus’ last command to His disciples. It is recorded in all four
Gospels and here in the book of Acts. The fullness of this command is fulfilled in the
context of the local church.
In this lesson you have seen that God’s plan for you is that you join a local church by
publicly identifying with Him through baptism. If you’ve not been scripturally baptized,
are you willing to do so now? _________
Are you willing to join and actively participate in a Bible-preaching church?
Write your resolve to obey in a prayer.
If you are not willing to be baptized, can you identify what is holding you back?
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It’s always wise to count the cost of our decisions. How will your choice to follow Jesus
in baptism and/or church membership affect your life?
What consequences might you face if you choose not to follow Christ in baptism and/or
church membership?
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Review Hebrews 10:24–15, and try to say it without looking.
Daily Prayer Time:


• Baptism—to dip, to immerse, to place under, or to overwhelm. Spiritual baptism
is being placed into the body of Christ through participation in the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. Physical baptism is one of the two ordinances of the
church; it is a public identification with Christ through immersion in water.
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Colossians 2:12 Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also
raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from
the dead.
• Church—the body of Christ consisting of all the redeemed of this church age; the local
church is a body of believers who meet regularly to affirm the truth, edify one another,
strengthen themselves, and be equipped to do the work of the ministry through
preaching and practicing the ordinances.
1 Timothy 3:15 If I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the
household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the
truth.
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Take the initiative and tell your Bible study leader that you want to be baptized. He can
help you discuss baptism and church membership with your pastor.
In the space below write in your own words why you are glad you became a
Christian and want to show the world you belong to Jesus.
What ministries in the church interest you?
Your Bible study leader can introduce you to the leaders of those ministries.
Questions To Ask When Joining a Church

1. What does this church believe?
• 1 Timothy 3:15 “. . .pillar and buttress of the truth.”
• What a church believes is demonstrated in what they do.
• Discernment is not just listening to what they do say but also taking note of what
they do not say.
2. Who is the pastor?

• Can I follow his character?
• Can I heed his preaching?
a. Is it true to the Word of God?
b. Is it clear and understandable?
c. Is it substantial and sufficient?
Am I willing to call this man my pastor?
3. Where is this church headed?

• Take note of where it is currently, but also look at the direction of the toes of the
ministry.
• A church that does not appear to be moving forward may in fact be moving back-
ward.
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Is this a church I can stay in long-term?
4. What is the philosophy of ministry?

• Why do they do what they do?
Is this a church where I can serve?
5. How are decisions made in this church?

• Are the decisions based on biblical principles?
• Is the philosophy of ministry considered when making decisions?
Is this a church where I can trust and follow its leaders?
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PART 2
The Internal Dynamics of
Living the Exchange
LESSON 4
THE FUTILITY OF SELF

Understanding the Inability of the Flesh to Please God
In lessons 1–3 we’ve taken a brief look at the amazing inheritance God has promised
in His Word and provided through the exchange. In lessons 4–7 we’ll study the inward
dynamics of living out of this exchange. We’ll see our need for this inheritance and how
we can claim it. Lessons 8–12 will give practical glimpses of living the exchange as it is
expressed in everyday life. These lessons will consider how our inheritance in Jesus can
transform vital areas of our daily living, showing us what a Spirit-filled life looks like.
This lesson is actually the bad news, but it sets the stage for understanding the
amazing power of God’s presence in our lives. As you complete this lesson please
remember Christ’s promise:
2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.
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DAY 1
Scripture uses the word flesh in different ways. The vast majority of the time it is used to
describe the innocent, created body. Hebrews 10:20 even uses the word flesh to describe
the sinless body of Jesus. Yet sometimes it is used to describe the antithesis of spiritual
things, as in the following examples.
1. What is warring against the spirit in our lives?
Galatians 5:17 The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of
the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you
from doing the things you want to do
2. In this passage the apostle Paul describes a battle raging in his own life. What was
battling against his desire to do what’s right?
Romans 7:20–23 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but
a
sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right,
evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see
in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me
captive to bthe law of sin that dwells in my members.
a.
b. According to this passage, where is the law or principle of indwelling sin?
The word law in this context refers to that which binds, controls, or influences. Not only
does this law of sin dwell in our innocent created body, but when we give in to these
impulses to sin, we imprint ourselves with a lasting pattern of sinful behavior. Imagine a
visual illustration of this internal reality. Doing right is like a straight and narrow path on
the top of a ridge, and sin is like a village down in the valley below. As we sin we develop
well-worn paths away from God’s straight and narrow way. Over time we make it easier
and easier to sin and we find it increasingly more difficult to do what is right.
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3. The new spirit God has created in us delights in the law of God and is willing to do
right, but what is weak?
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
The picture emerging from these verses is clear. Though our flesh was created innocent
and is not sinful in itself, it is indwelt by sin and has been patterned by our sinful
behavior. Without God’s intervention our flesh is not able to meet God’s expectations.
The flesh at its worst leads us away from God and at its best it cannot please God.
As children we developed most of life’s coping mechanisms by leaning on our human
abilities. As adults we continue in these patterns when we try to control or manipulate
people and circumstances to meet our needs. All humans, whether saved or unsaved, can
improve the flesh; but that is not spiritual living. What God has promised Christians is
the gift of “victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Record a time in which you experienced the weakness of your own flesh.
What are some ways that you find yourself trying to control or manipulate your
environment or the people around you?
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Review Matthew 26:41, and try saying it without looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 2
The Recognition of the Problem

Many ask, “If God really is powerful and has given me power over sin, why am I not
experiencing this power to overcome my temptations?” Let’s look at a few verses that
strike at the root of the problem.
1. Is God unable to hear our cries for help and save us from ourselves?
Isaiah 59:1–2 Behold, athe Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but byour iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he
does not hear.
a.
b. What is the problem?
2. What kind of sin causes the Lord not to hear us when we pray?’
Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have
listened.
God cannot be compartmentalized. He is not going to give us victory in one area of our
lives while we rebel against Him in another area. When we consciously harbor sin, God
sees our rebellion. It begins to separate us from His enabling strength.
3. The word world also has various meanings throughout the Bible. What does it mean in
this verse?
1 John 2:16 All that is in the world—athe desires of the flesh and bthe desires of
the eyes and cpride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
a.
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b.
c.
4. What do we become when we live life trying to satisfy the lust of the flesh, the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life?
James 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is
enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself
an enemy of God.
5. Why is the fleshly mind at war against God?
Romans 8:7 The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not
submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
Can you remember a time in your life when you were holding onto a sin that
you knew was wrong? How did it affect your relationship with God? Write a
brief account of that experience.
This world pulls us toward the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life. In what areas of your life do you feel this pull?
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Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 3
The Problem of Giving in to the Sins of the Flesh

Today we’ll look at the futility and harm of trying to live out of the resources of our flesh.
In 1 John we saw three areas in which depending on our flesh can cause us to sin and to
be separated from the power of God.
1 John 2:16 All that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the
eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
Sensual Sins: The Lust of the Flesh

1. As believers it is incongruous for us to participate in the sensual sins that surround us.
How does this type of sin affect us now that we are joined to Christ in salvation?
1 Corinthians 6:13–18 The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord
…. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the
members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not
know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is
written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes
one spirit with him. bFlee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is
outside the body, but the sexually immoral person asins against his own body.
a.
b. What does God ask us to do to keep from committing sensual sins?
In Matthew 5:28 Jesus told His followers not to even look on a woman to lust after her
because lust produces a deadening effect on spiritual life.
Romans 8:13 If you live according to the flesh you will die.
Death, in this case, is separation from God. Clearly we do not lose our eternal salvation,
but we damage our close, life-giving relationship with God. We lose our zeal and desire
to please Him. Sensual sins of the flesh come in many different forms; for example,
pornography, inappropriate entertainment, binge eating, drunkenness, and illicit drug
use, just to mention a few.
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Materialistic Sins: The Lust of the Eyes

2. What is God’s warning in these verses?
1 Timothy 6:9–10 Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a
snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and
destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this
craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with
many pangs.
Notice, it is not money that produces every type of evil, but the love of money.
3. What step can we take to avoid sensual or materialistic sins?
1 Corinthians 5:11 Now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who
bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an
idolater, *reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
*Reviler—someone using abusive language
4. Which of these sins seems less damaging?
Ephesians 5:3 Sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be
named among you, as is proper among saints.
Covetous means “hungry for more.” The idea it presents is craving for what God has
chosen not to give you. We will investigate this more in lesson 11, but this prevalent sin
in American culture is another deadening influence on our spiritual lives and is shown to
be as damaging as the other sins listed in this verse. Materialistic sins of the flesh come
in many different forms; for example, living outside our means, excessive debt, not being
content with what we have, and the list could go on and on.
Note: With all sin the most destructive problem is its progressive nature. Romans
6:19 teaches that when we yield to sin, that sin has an energy of its own, moving us
deeper into sin.
Relational Sins: The Pride of Life

The sins that result from the pride of life always hurt our relationship with God, and they
often hurt our relationships with others. Most of us struggle with these sins: being quick
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to anger, snipping at people with our words, manipulating or trying to control others,
looking down on those who are different than we are, talking about people behind their
backs, refusing to forgive, and bitterness.
5. It may appear that these are “little sins” compared to some we have looked at. What
does the Bible say about the sin of bitterness?
Hebrews 12:15–16 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no
“root of *bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
that no one is sexually immoral or unholy.
*Bitterness—unforgiveness
No two people are exactly alike. Each of us is tempted with sin in a different
way. Which category of sin is hardest for you?
How does that temptation manifest itself in your life?
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Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 4
Romans is a letter written by the apostle Paul and teaches us about man’s nature and the
righteousness God gives to overcome the problem of sin in our lives.
• Romans 1–5 shows the power of the gospel for redemption.

– Chapters 1–3 demonstrate man’s depravity, or how bad man is.
– Chapters 4–5 teach that only God’s grace can rescue us from our chains of sin
and destruction.
• Romans 6–8 shows the power of the gospel for sanctification.
– Chapter 6 teaches that God’s salvation saves us from the power of sin in daily
living.
– Chapter 7 demonstrates our inability to overcome the law of sin that resides in
our flesh.
– Chapter 8 reassures us that we can live for God in this lifetime, utilizing God’s
Spirit as our functional source.
Both in redemption and in sanctification God does all the saving! He asks us to take
steps of faith, but even these cannot be taken without Him. Jesus said:
John 15:5 Apart from me you can do nothing.
6. Let’s take a look at Romans 7 to see how powerless our flesh is to conform to God’s
holy standard.
Romans 7:18–24 I know that anothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.
For I have the desire to do what is right, but bnot the ability to carry it out. For I
do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now
if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but csin that dwells within
me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I
delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law
waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to dthe law of sin
that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from
this body of death?
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a. Does anything good reside in our flesh?
b. Can the flesh help me do what is right before God?
c. What dwells in me that causes me to sin?
d. What do you think the law of indwelling sin is?
The law of indwelling sin reminds me of the law of gravity. Gravity is the constant pull
toward the center of the earth. This law can never be broken. The law of indwelling sin
is the constant pull within each of us toward sin. This principle dwells in everyone and
cannot be broken or outgrown as long as we live here on earth.
No wonder Paul cries out in such anguish!
Romans 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of
death?
However, the next verse is filled with hope.
Romans 7:25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself
serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Because of the laws of aerodynamics, the upward lift created as air flows over the upper
and lower surfaces of a wing at differing speeds, allows a winged aircraft to overcome the
law of gravity when it achieves sufficient speeds. Just as the laws of aerodynamics can
overcome gravity, the law of righteousness found in Jesus Christ can overcome the law of
indwelling sin.
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Write down some good things you’re not doing now, but you think you should
do.
What keeps you from doing those things?
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Review Matthew 26:41 and try saying it without looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 5
The Problem of Attempting to Live the Christian Life in Our Own Strength
Our weak flesh leads us to sin, and leaning on our human strength to overcome sin will
only result in failure.
We know that no one can earn salvation from sin and hell. Even if a person were to
spend a lifetime trying to be good enough to get to Heaven, it would not be enough.
The problem is that many believers act as if the road to sanctification (becoming holy in
thought and deed) can be earned through self-effort.
Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being
perfected by the flesh?
The flesh cannot produce spiritual living.
1. Is the flesh profitable for sanctification?
Romans 8:5–8 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the
things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the
things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind
on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to
God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the
flesh cannot please God.
2. What does God say about the person who trusts in his self-effort?
Jeremiah 17:5 Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and
makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.”
3. What is going to happen to the Christian’s works that are done through self-
dependence?
1 Corinthians 3:11–15 No one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the
Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what
sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation
survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss,
though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
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Trying to do good things through the resources of the flesh is counterproductive.
4. What is the result of Bible-based teaching done in dependence on the flesh?
2 Corinthians 3:6 The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
In the context of the passage, letter refers to truth apart from the effective work of the
Holy Spirit. Even Bible preaching can be done in the energy of the flesh, and according
to this passage, that kind of ministry can do great damage.
How many parents have tried to correct a child (a good thing) out of the energies of
their own flesh and ended up with a “will against will” argument that hurts rather than
helps the situation? God didn’t design us to live independently of Him, and when we try
to do so, we will always end up with problems. (A good book on the subject is War of
Words by Paul David Tripp.)
Depending on self apart from God is sin.
5. What does the Bible call anything that is not done in dependence on the Lord?
Romans 14:23 Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
No one has the ability to live independent of God. Before you were saved, everything
you did was in your own strength and apart from Him. No wonder one proverb teaches
that even “the plowing of the wicked, is sin” (Proverbs 21:4).
The Reason for This Dilemma

6. Why would God leave us in such frail human bodies?
2 Corinthians 4:7 We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing
power belongs to God and not to us.
7. What is the result of experiencing earthly difficulties and human frailties?
2 Corinthians 4:11 We who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
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God created us as His image bearers, but sin badly marred our capacity to bear His image.
God’s image is being restored in believers through the gospel’s ongoing work in us. Ephesians 3
teaches that God’s eternal purpose for us is to demonstrate the character of God through
our lives.
APPLICATION
Word teaches.
In this lesson you have seen that sin is harmful to the Christian life, and we have no
ability to overcome its overwhelming influence by our own self-efforts. Our only hope is
found in the Lord. In the next few lessons we will look at the grace He provides to give
victory over sin. The first step to this victory is to admit the weakness of your flesh and
choose to look to God as your only real source for triumph over sin. Will you do this
today?
In the space below, write your resolve in the form of a prayer.
Write about a time you tried to do something you thought was right, but went
about it in a fleshly way and ended up making the problem worse.
For example: I tried to work through a disagreement with my neighbor, but lost
my temper and he ended up stomping off.
How would you apply the truths from today’s lesson to that incident?
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Daily Prayer Time:


• Flesh—The word flesh is used in different ways in the Scripture. Though our body was
created innocent and is not sinful in itself, it is indwelt by sin and has been patterned
by our sinful behavior. Without God’s intervention our flesh is not able to meet God’s
expectations. The flesh at its worst leads us away from God and at its best it cannot
please God.
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Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the
flesh, to gratify its desires.
Galatians 5:17 The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the
Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from
doing the things you want to do.
• Temptation—a ploy of the flesh, the world, or the devil to pursue the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. It is not a sin to be tempted; even Jesus was
tempted. Sin is when we yield to temptation.
Matthew 4:3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God,
command these stones to become loaves of bread.
Hebrews 4:15 We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without
sin.
James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for
God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
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Ask God to show you areas of your life where sin is still reigning. These categories of sin
might help you examine your heart:
• Sensual Sins
• Materialistic Sins
• Relational Sins
Psalm 139:23–24 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know
my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way
everlasting!
Use the space below to record what God shows you.
How is the Lord leading you to pray about these problems?
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LESSON 5
THE FULLNESS OF THE SAVIOR

Understanding the Promise of Christ’s Life in Me
In the last lesson we learned that in this lifetime we will never outgrow the flesh’s negative
influences. Like the constant pull of gravity, our flesh never goes away. Although we can
do nothing to make the flesh better, the Lord has promised to give us victory. This lesson
focuses on the amazing victory that God provides for us through our exchange with
Christ. We are now in Christ, and the Spirit of Christ is in us. Everything Jesus is, He is
in us.
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DAY 1
The Promise of Victory

1. What does God always provide?
2 Corinthians 2:14 Thanks be to God, who bin Christ aalways leads us in *triumphal
procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
*The phrase triumphal procession means that Jesus puts the victory He won over sin and
death on parade in our lives. The phrase spreads the fragrance means that Jesus displays an
invisible aura of His life through us everywhere we go.
a.
b. Where do we find God’s victory?
2. What kind of life did Christ promise to those who follow Him?
John 10:10 I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
3. What kind of work did Christ promise those that believe on Him?
John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works
that I do; and agreater works than these will he do, because bI am going to the
Father.
a.
b. Why?
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The Fullness of the Savior
When Jesus went back to the Father, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell every believer.
“Greater works” is probably referring to the cumulative work that the Holy Spirit enables
believers all over the world to accomplish rather than just the work Jesus accomplished
during His human life.
4. How much fruit does Jesus promise to those who abide in Him?
John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him,
he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
5. Describe the victory God promises.
Galatians 5:16 bWalk by the Spirit, and ayou will not gratify the desires of the
flesh.
a.
b. What is your part in accessing this victory?
6. Is Christ able to keep you from falling back into sin?
Jude 24–25 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present
you blameless … now and forever.
7. What has God done for us?
Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred
us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.
8. Who gives us both the desire and ability to do the things that please God?
Philippians 2:13 It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his
good pleasure.
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These promises of victory over sin and power for ministry don’t remove our tendency
to do wrong. One hymn writer said it this way, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; Prone
to leave the God I love.” In lesson 4 we discovered that the law of sin still resides in
the believer. This law of sin hinders holy living even when we want to do what is right
(Romans 7:18–24). Jesus does not promise to remove the influences of the flesh and
the world; He gives us strength to overcome them. For example, a person with myopia
has trouble seeing objects at a distance, but corrective lenses can drastically improve
his vision. Though the problem is not removed, as long as he wears his glasses, he can
overcome the effects of myopia. But his glasses only help him when he is wearing them.
As soon as he takes them off, his vision problem returns.
Romans 13:14 Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to
gratify its desires.
In the same way, when we’re trusting Jesus, He gives us the ability to refuse the desires of
our flesh even when we still feel them.
Which was your favorite promise of victory? (Questions 1–8) Describe what you
like about that promise.
What are some new desires God has given you since you began a relationship
with God?
What sinful habits or desires would you like to overcome?
Do you believe Jesus can give you the ability to have victory over that
temptation? ________________
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Read John 10:10 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may
have life and have it abundantly.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 2
The Person of Victory

1. Who gives us the ability to overcome the influences of the world that pull us away
from God?
1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who
is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
2. What does this verse say about your ability to live victoriously?
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
who loved us.
In these last two verses, the root of the word translated “overcome” and “more than
conquerors” is the Greek word nike. It means “to prevail” or “to win the victory.”
3. In a spiritual sense, where and what is Christ today?
Colossians 1:27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are
the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
4. Who is still alive and living His life though us?
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but
Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son
of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Paul writes that he died with Christ on the cross; however, he was still alive. His
explanation of this paradox was that the life he was living on earth was actually Christ
living His life through him. Hudson Taylor was the founder of China Inland Mission.
His life touched thousands in China and Europe, and his ministry is still impacting
millions in Asia today. He called this “not I, but Christ lives in me” principle “the
exchanged life.”
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5. How does one live this exchange Paul wrote about?
Galatians 2:20 The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me.
Living the exchange is the continuing work of the exchange Christ made with us at
salvation. He traded places with us, bearing the punishment of our sin on the cross and
making us “the righteousness of God” in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Our regenerated
spirit has been recreated after God “in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).
The gift of our new nature is the lasting result of that exchange.
In Galatians 3:1–3 Paul chides the Christians in Galatia for striving to live their
lives for Christ in the flesh after receiving salvation as a gift through grace. Christ wants
to give us the power of His life. Our responsibility is to live “by faith in the Son of
God.” You may be struggling to get rid of a sin that seems to be overwhelming you. Paul
taught, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Christ will live His life in
you as you choose to depend on Him as your functional source. Paul made it clear that
he was the one who was living, yet it was Christ Who was living in him. Living together
with Jesus is your path to overcoming your battles with the flesh. As you trust in Him
and take steps to obey Him, He will faithfully give you strength for each step.
In your own words, describe what “Christ lives in me” looks like to you. (Refer
to questions 1–4, page 107.)
Paul said:
Philippians 3:10; 13–14 That I may know him and the power of his
resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death; …
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it [perfection] my own. But one
thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus.
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Do you feel like Paul? He seems to be saying, “I’m not there yet, but I’m
pressing on.” Describe what you think pressing toward the prize would look like
in your life.
If you were going to talk to God about what you have learned in this lesson,
what would you tell Him? Record your response in the form of a prayer.
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Read Matthew 1, and ask God to speak to you as you read. Record at least one thing
God shows you. Think of this as a conversation with God. He speaks to you through His


Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 3
You’ve probably seen a blacksmith put a piece of iron into a fire. What was once cold,
dull black, and rigid becomes hot, glowing red, and malleable. The fire changed the very
characteristics of the iron. What is now seen is the effect of the fire on the iron. Nothing
about the makeup of the iron changed. When the iron is removed from the fire, it will
return to its former state. This plain piece of iron illustrates the power of living a Spirit-
filled life. Christ is like the fire. We are like the cold, unbending iron; but when we live
out of the energy and strength Christ provides, He transforms us. What people see is not
just us, but Christ in us. This is the power of the gospel.
Jesus illustrates this same truth in John 15 by making an analogy of the Christian life
and a vine, where He is the vine and we are the branches. We have no innate ability to
bear fruit, but He does. When we abide in Him, we produce fruit. Just as the sap from
the vine produces the fruit through the branch, Christ produces life through us. When
Christ becomes our functional source, we are living the Christ-life.
1. What does Christ offer to those who believe in Him?
John 7:38–39 “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart
will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit.
Imagine the strongest river you’ve ever seen. The work of the Holy Spirit of God flowing
through your life is like that river. Faith is the key that opens the floodgates of Christ’s
Spirit flowing through your life.
2. What does the Son give to those who live in Him?
John 8:36 If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Jesus promises genuine freedom. Is there anything in your life that seems to be holding
you captive? Are there any vices or habits that you would like to quit, but can’t seem
to stop doing? The word indeed means to be actually, really so. Jesus wants to give you
freedom that lasts.
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3. From what does Jesus deliver us?
Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age,
according to the will of our God and Father.
4. Whose life is clearly seen in the life of one who chooses to identify with the gospel
through death to self?
2 Corinthians 4:10 Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life
of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
The word manifest appears often in the Bible. To manifest Christ is not just to be
like Christ, it is to show Christ through your life. Imagine a room without any light,
windows, or doors. That would be a dark room! If you place a light in the middle of the
same room, immediately the room would be filled with light. The room itself doesn’t
change—if you turn out the light, the room would return to darkness. Our lives have
the awful characteristics of darkness with no ability to produce light. But when we place
Christ at the center of our lives, He changes our lives from darkness to light. This is more
than becoming Christ-like. This is the very life of Christ shining through us! This is what
it means to have the life of Jesus made manifest in our bodies.
Which of the illustrations in today’s lesson helped you the most? Explain what it
helped you to understand.
What are some ways that you think Jesus wants to show Himself to the world
through your life?
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Review John 10:10, and try to say it without looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 4
We have seen that it is possible to manifest Christ through our earthly lives. Today we
will learn how to access the grace God longs to give us for daily living.
The Pursuit of Victory

1. How can our lives show Jesus to the world around us?
Romans 5:1–2 Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith
into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
*Faith that accesses justification has three essential elements: understanding, agreeing,
and depending. No one can believe something they don’t understand. They also don’t
believe it if they understand it, but don’t agree. It is the last element that becomes the
critical element for most people. A person must place their dependence in the finished
work of Christ on the cross to receive His free gift of salvation.
The faith that accesses sanctification has the same three elements as the faith required
for salvation. While faith for salvation changes our position, faith for daily living changes
our practice. The essence of faith for Christian growth can be expressed this way:
• Know that Jesus has already won the victory over sin and death.
• Embrace His victory as your own.
• Step out in faith on these truths.
* This information is expanded in The Exchange: An Inquirer’s Bible Study and God’s
Exchange for You. Both are available at www.exchangemessage.org.
KNOW THE TRUTH—Understand what is true about you now that you are in Jesus
2. Circle the key words know or knowing in the following passage:
Romans 6:3–10 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized a[placed]
into Christ Jesus were baptized [placed] into his death? We were buried therefore
with him by baptism [immersion] into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised
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from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united
with him in a resurrection like his. We know that bour old self was crucified with
him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would
no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we have died with Christ, cwe believe that we will also live with him. We
know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer
has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the
life he lives he lives to God.
Record the three things we are supposed to know.
a.
When you were placed into Christ at salvation, you were placed into His death and
resurrection. You now have the ability to live a new life.
b.
The old you is dead. You no longer need to be enslaved to sin. You have been freed from
sin’s domination over your life.
Our old man refers to our unregenerate spirit, what our inner person was before we
were saved. Body of sin points to the influence sin still has in our lives. Might be destroyed
means rendered inoperative by removing its power to control.
c.
You were raised together with Christ and are now spiritually alive with Him. His
resurrection from the dead gave Him permanent power over death.
Imagine yourself as a slave under a tyrannical master, enduring forced labor, bad
treatment, and horrible living conditions. Now imagine being purchased at great price
and set free (redeemed) by a loving, generous landowner who lives across the road.
He invites you to live with him and work for him. He has excellent living conditions,
marvelous wages, and an affable personality that makes working for him a delight. This
is what Jesus did for you! The only difference is that you died to sin’s mastery over you
because you participated in Jesus’ death on the cross. You have been given the very life
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of Christ through His resurrection. Sin’s control over you is broken. Yes, your old master
still lives across the road, so to speak. He often calls out to you with demands to do his
bidding. You can walk back to those squalid conditions, but you don’t have to anymore.
Sin has no right to you! You’re now free to live for your new master, Who, by the way,
will reward you handsomely.
EMBRACE THE TRUTH—Count these things to be true about yourself
3. Circle the key word reckon.
omans 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves adead to sin and balive to God
R
in Christ Jesus.
The word translated consider is an accounting term. It represents the same Greek word
translated “imputed” several times in Romans 4. Just like God counts our faith for
righteousness, we are to count what happened to Jesus as having happened to us. What
is true about His death and victory over death became true about us when we made the
exchange with Him. Now we have to change the way we think about who we are.
4. According to Romans 6:11 what two things are you to consider true about yourself?
a.
You are dead to sin and don’t have to sin anymore.
b.
You are alive to God and have the ability to have an intimate relationship with Him
through Christ’s life in you.
The day you embraced the gospel, Christ accomplished in you what you could never
have done for yourself. He didn’t just die symbolically for you. He died literally in your
place! You received the full benefit of all that Christ did. All that Christ is, He is in you.
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Look back over Romans 6:3–11 (refer to questions 2 and 3, pages 116-117),
and write down the truths that impact or encourage you the most.
What changes should you make in the way you think about yourself?
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Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 5
Before you were saved, your sin kept you from a relationship with God. As a result of
the exchange, your unregenerate spirit is now gone. The old you died with Christ on the
cross. In its place is your new, regenerated spirit that is perfectly related to God through
the resurrection power of Jesus. This new birth did not affect the flesh or the law of sin
in your members. These will still vie for control of your actions. It did, however, free you
from being enslaved to them and open a way for you to relate to God with complete
confidence.
1. What are you now invited to do?
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that
we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
2. What kind of a person are you now?
2 Corinthians 5:17 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed
away; behold, the new has come.
You now have the privilege of allowing Jesus to live through you, producing godliness in
every aspect of your life. Though you can still choose to sin, never forget that through
faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, you have the power to live apart from sin and
please God.
STEP OUT ON THE TRUTH—Live by the power of the truth
Knowing a fact and even embracing it as true doesn’t impact the way we live until we
take action on it. We have been emancipated from the tyranny of sin and have a new
life in Christ. God wants us to step out and live in the power of that truth. In his book
The Great Exchange, Jerry Bridges makes this statement: “As we continue in union with
Christ, transforming power is provided as we depend on the Holy Spirit’s enablement in
our ongoing battle against sin’s presence in our lives.”
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3. Circle the key word yield in the following passage. You should find it five times.
Romans 6:12–19 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal [temporal] body, to
make you obey its passions. aDo not present your members to sin as instruments
for unrighteousness, but bpresent yourselves to God as those who have
been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for
righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since cyou are not under law
but under grace. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under
grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as
obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads
to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God,
that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the
standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from
sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because
of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves
to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your
members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
a. No longer should I yield my members to _____________________________
b. God wants me to yield my members to _______________________________
c. What enables you to have victory over sin now that you are a Christian?
Paul teaches that just as sin carries us along in a seemingly irresistible riptide current,
grace carries the Christian along who chooses to yield to the Holy Spirit’s influence by
taking steps of faith to obey. We will discuss this further in the next lesson.
The essence of faith is knowing that Jesus has already won the victory over sin and
death, embracing His victory as your victory, and stepping out on those facts through
obedience. Faith is like a switch in an electric fan. When a fan has access to electricity in
the wall, the motor draws on the power of that electricity only if the switch is turned on.
In the spiritual realm, grace is the energy that enables us to function in Christ’s dynamic
power and faith is the switch that connects us to God’s grace.
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APPLICATION
James 1:22–25 promises God’s special blessing to those who take action on what His
Word teaches.
In this lesson you have seen that God has promised you victory over sin through
your relationship with the crucified and risen Savior. You don’t have to work up the
willpower to overcome sin. Your role is (1) to understand that Christ’s death and
resurrection broke the power of sin in your life, (2) embrace His victory as your victory,
and (3) begin making choices to depend on that reality by taking steps of obedience. You
have the power as part of the inheritance you received in salvation. The only question is,
will you trust Christ’s power enough to step out in His victory today?
Write your resolve in the form of a prayer.
What steps of faith do you think God wants you to take?
What circumstances sometimes cause you to doubt God and turn off the
switch of faith?
What happens when you stop trusting God?
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Daily Prayer Time:


• Holy Spirit—The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God that indwells every believer in this
age. Here are some of the ways He works in us: He fills, empowers, leads, motivates,
helps, convicts, and emboldens. The Bible clearly teaches the Trinity of God—One
God in three persons. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.
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2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
• Sanctification—the process whereby God progressively makes us holy like He is holy;

set aside for service to God.
John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain
from sexual immorality.
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Explain your understanding of the Christ-life verses simply trying to be Christ-like.
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LESSON 6
THE FOUNDATION OF
SURRENDER
Counting God Trustworthy and Surrendering to His Will
God has a plan for you to live in victory over the sins that still plague you. This plan is part
of your inheritance in Christ. In lesson 4 we learned the futility of the flesh and the problems
sin causes in the life of a believer. In the last lesson we learned that Jesus is the answer and
has provided us with overcoming power through His life. This lesson features the key that
unlocks God’s power—counting Him trustworthy and surrendering to His will. Jesus prayed,
“Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). When He surrendered to His Father’s will
and went to the cross, He experienced resurrection power. Even so, it is only as we die to our
own will that we experience the power of Christ’s resurrection in our lives.
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Day 1
John Paton was a missionary to the natives of the New Hebrides islands. In November of
1866 John and his family moved to the small island of Aniwa. Because the highest point
was only three hundred feet above sea level, rain clouds rarely formed over the island.
The heavy dew from the humid climate made the island lush, and food was abundant.
However, the people often faced a shortage of drinking water because there was no natural
source of fresh water, and the porous nature of the land made water storage difficult.
When John decided to dig a well, the native people thought he was crazy. In all their years
of living on the island, fresh water came only from the sky. John assured them that God
had placed water in the ground, and he began digging to prove it. At a depth of thirty feet
he hit a spring that provided fresh water for the island for years. During all the years of
rationing, the water had been there; but it went undiscovered until they dug for it.
Like that water hidden in the earth, God has placed rivers of living water in every
believer (John 7:38). His eternal purpose for mankind is that we demonstrate the fullness
of His character as His Spirit flows from our inner man. Sanctification is the process
whereby God makes us progressively more holy. He is the One Who sanctifies. He is
trustworthy! Our part in this process is to count Him trustworthy and give ourselves over
to His ongoing work.
1. What are the three elements of faith we learned about from Romans 6? (Feel free to
look back at pages 115–122.)
K_____________THE TRUTH—U________________what is true about you

now that you are in Jesus.
E______________THE TRUTH—C_______________these things true about

yourself.
S________________OUT ON THE TRUTH—L________________by the

power of the truth by yielding and doing what is right.
Faith is the essential key to drawing from the vast wells of your salvation. You must know
and embrace the truth. But you’re not really trusting until you actually depend on Christ
by taking steps of faith. Yielding your life to God is critical. Those who miss this last
element of faith will fail to draw precious water from the wells of salvation. Do you trust
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God enough to step out on His promise to give you victory over sin? As we take steps of
faith He meets us with His grace.
2. Review this passage from last week. What do you think yield means in these verses?
Romans 6:13, 19, 22 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for
unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought
from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. I
am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you
once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to
more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to
sanctification. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves
of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
We are instructed to stop presenting our bodies to sin and instead present them to God.
When we surrender to His will, trusting His power to give us victory, we can say no
to our flesh and yes to God. As we present ourselves to God, we allow His life to flow
through us.
How can you take action on what you’ve learned? Think of a sin you struggle
with and write it in the blank below. Here are a few common sins to get your
mind rolling: anger, bitterness, lying, lust, substance abuse, just to name a few.
How are you presenting your body to sin?
How can you present your body to God instead?
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Have you ever faced a problem only to realize the solution was right in front of
you? Every once in a while I go looking for my glasses only to discover they are
on my face. You have identified a problem of sin in your life. The solution to
that problem is right in front of you. It’s Christ in you. As a believer, you can
now takes steps of faith and God will meet you with His grace to overcome that
sin and do His will instead.
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Read Romans 12:1–2 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
Romans 12:1–2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to

present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what
is good and acceptable and perfect.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 2
We Must Die to the Self-life

Self-life—Trusting in Self or Living for Self
1. What must you do before you can follow Jesus?
Matthew 16:24 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up
his cross and follow me.”
Before you can follow Jesus, you must deny yourself. Another way of saying this is that
before you can say yes to Jesus, you have to say no to self.
2. Read Romans 6:16 and 19 again. These practical verses teach believers how to utilize
the righteousness which was deposited in our account when we made the exchange
with Him at salvation.
Romans 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as
obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads
to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Romans 6:19 I am speaking in human terms, bbecause of your natural limitations.

For just as ayou once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to
lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to
righteousness leading to sanctification.
a. What words indicate a necessary change in order to be able to obey God?
b. We have been slaves to sin all our lives. What can we learn about sin’s mastery over
us that can teach us how to let righteousness rule in our lives?
Sin and righteousness each have energy that influences us. In the Bible’s first mention
of the word sin it is pictured as an animal crouching at the door of temptation ready to
pounce on its prey. The message of the passage is that sin has a life of its own and will
master us unless we master it (Genesis 4:7).
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Do you remember a time when you chose to do something wrong and experienced an
energy sweeping you deeper into sin with hardly the ability to stop until it was too late?
Maybe it was a decision to voice an irritation, but you ended up saying angry words you
later regretted. Maybe you remember a time that you took a glance at something you
knew was wrong, but you got drawn into it and watched the whole thing. Sin takes you
further than you want to go, makes you stay longer than you want to stay, and costs you
way more than you want to pay.
Now that you are a believer, God’s Holy Spirit will energize you to do the things God
wants you to do when you present yourself to Him like a soldier presenting himself for duty.
You now have the ability to say no to your sinful desires and habits because you have been set
free from sin.
Romans 6:18 Having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
Sin and righteousness are battling for control over our lives, and we choose which one controls
us by presenting ourselves as its servants. Where sin already has a foothold in our lives, we
must begin by recognizing and admitting its power over us. Only then can we refuse these
selfish desires and give ourselves to God as servants to His righteousness.
3. We have already seen the continuing effect of the law of sin in a Christian’s life, but
what is the stronger law that gives us victory to overcome?
Romans 8:2 The law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the
law of sin and death.
4. Who can fulfill the righteousness of the law?
Romans 8:3–4 God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in
the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us,
who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
We can fulfill the righteousness of the law when we depend on the Holy Spirit, drawing
from His resources.
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5. What must we say no to before we can be spiritually minded?
Romans 8:5–7 Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the
things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the
things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind
on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to
God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
Can you live a righteous life? How? (Refer to question 3, page 133.)
It is natural to draw from our human resources rather than from God’s. In what
areas of your life is this true?
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Read Romans 12:1–2 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.

Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 3
Romans 8 is one of the most encouraging chapters in the Bible. In it God promises to
continue the process of conforming each of His true children to the image of His Son.
This process will ultimately culminate in the glorification of our bodies in Heaven.
Someday we will be clothed with the splendor and glory of God Himself.
1. Can anything separate us from God’s deep love and commitment to us?
Romans 8:35–39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is
written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep
to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through
him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers,
nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul interrupts his description of the ongoing work of salvation in the lives of God’s true
children by giving us a history lesson about the nation of Israel and their rejection of
God’s plan (Romans 9–11). He warns those of us who have become God’s true children to
continue on in God’s goodness lest we be cut off from His blessings (Romans 11:17–22).
At the end of that warning Paul brings us back to the call to surrender that he began
in Romans 6. The word that is translated “yield” in Romans 6 is translated “present”
in Romans 12:1. Before Paul calls us to this life of sacrifice, he reassures us of God’s
trustworthiness.
2. Can you trust God with your life?
Romans 11:33–36 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has
known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a
gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him
are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
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God is awesome and completely trustworthy. His steadfast love for you and His ability
to care for you are unquestionable. From him, and through him, and to him, are all things.
This is one of the most comprehensive statements of His greatness. Every individual who
has ever lived will bow before God one day! It is only when we present our earthly bodies
to Him that we will enjoy the benefits of giving Him glory in this lifetime.
3. What does God plead for you to do?
Romans 12:1–2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, bby the mercies of God, to
a
present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is
your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by
the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and acceptable and perfect.
a.
b. What gives a Christian the ability to present his body as a living sacrifice?
c. Describe a living sacrifice.
The word sacrifice may sound like simply giving something up, but to the world in which
Paul was writing, sacrifice could mean only one thing—death. Yet, it is called a “living
sacrifice.”
4. Circle the words that speak of death and life.
Christ who lives in me.
You learned from Romans 6 that when you were placed into Jesus the day you were
saved, you were placed into His death. Dying to self is not a new activity for you. You
have already been crucified with Christ. Your old self died with Christ the day you made
the exchange with Jesus, and you have been given His life. You must now depend on that
reality by making choices to say no to self and the flesh and to present your body to God
for His use. Those choices will begin to bring change into your life.
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5. What should happen to your relationship to this world when you present your body to
God?
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed.
6. What did Jesus teach was the cost of true discipleship?
Matthew 10:37–39 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And
whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds
his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 16:24–26 Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him
deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life
will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit
a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in
return for his soul?”
Luke 9:57–62 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will
follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds
of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another
he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”And
Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and
proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let
me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his
hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
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Luke 14:27–33 “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot
be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down
and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has
laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying,
‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to
encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is
able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for
terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has
cannot be my disciple.”
Some understand this surrender at the point of salvation, others come to it a little at a
time, but many have a point in which they choose to surrender all to Jesus. Surrender
is a decision to believe God is trustworthy and abandon every part of your life to
His control. Surrendering your life to God is not a one-time act. Because your flesh, the
world, and others are constantly vying for your loyalty, this decision is ongoing and must
be repeated over and over throughout the rest of your lifetime.
Missionary Amy Carmichael spent over forty years in India without a single trip
home to her native England. The Lord used her not only to build several orphanages
and save hundreds of children from wicked abuse in pagan temples but also to see many
longstanding immoral practices outlawed in India. She spoke of surrender this way: “In
acceptance lies peace.” Surrender is accepting this fact: Everything in my life that is out
of my control is in His control and is used by Him for my good.
Romans 8:28 We know that for those who love God all things work together for
good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Surrender is yielding everything to His control. This is not passive, but actively giving all
that I am and all that I have to Him. To refuse to take this step of consecration is to live
in suspicion of God’s power and goodness. To take this step is to choose to depend on the
fact that He is sovereign and He is good.
A song we often sing in church well summarizes this choice of your will. Will you
read it carefully and consider making it your prayer of surrender?
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All to Jesus I surrender,

All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

Humbly at His feet I bow;
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

Make me Savior wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
—Judson W. Van DeVenter 1
What areas of your life do you need to surrender to God today?
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Review Romans 12:1–2 and try saying it without looking.

Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 4
We Must Live the Christ-life

Believing His Victory to the Point of Action
1. What kind of living sacrifice does God expect from us?

Circle the verbs of command used in this passage. You should find three.
All three of the main verbs in this passage are imperatives. The first command is an active
verb. God is commanding you to present your body to Him as a living sacrifice. This is
an act of worship; it demands an active choice on your part. If you want God to use your
life, you must give it to Him. If you give your earthly life to God as Lord of your life,
He’ll take it and He’ll fill you with His grace and use you for His purposes.
The next two verbs are passive and ongoing. The phrase be not conformed means to
stop being pressed into the mold of this world. (We will discuss this concept further
in lesson 8.) The idea of be transformed is the progressive transformation into one
who is showing the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. You can’t transform
yourself. Your only hope for real change is found in God’s abundant grace. You can have
confidence in the Christian’s ability to change because God is the change agent. The
renewing of your mind is faithfully remembering that you are not your own, that you
belong to Him. As you do this He will constantly change you more and more into His
image throughout the remainder of your lifetime. Your part in this transformation is to
remember Who you belong to and with every decision you make, to present your life to
Him. (We will discuss ways of doing this in lesson 7.)
The word transform means to be completely changed from the inside out. The
English word metamorphosis comes from the Greek word that is translated “transform.”
The picture of a caterpillar spinning a cocoon and emerging as a butterfly establishes
metamorphosis as a process that involves a radical change. The change the Bible paints
of a Christian is even more radical. This unique Greek word is used only four times in
the Bible. Twice it describes Christ, and twice it describes what Christ wants to do to His
disciples.
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When Jesus was here on earth, His human body veiled His deity. Toward the end of His
earthly ministry He took three of His disciples to the top of a mountain.
2. In your own words describe what Jesus looked like.
Matthew 17:2 He was transfigured [transformed] before them, and his face shone
like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.
Mark 9:2–3 After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led
them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and
his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.
Jesus pulled back the veil and allowed the disciples to see His deity. This is similar to
what God wants to do through you. Jesus is in you, and He wants to show Himself to
the world by changing you.
3. With whom is God satisfied?
Matthew 3:17 Behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with
whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 17:5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed
them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am
well pleased; listen to him.”
4. Describe how Christ’s sacrifice impacted God the Father.
Ephesians 5:2 Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a
fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
5. How do we satisfy God?
2 Corinthians 2:15 We are the aroma of Christ to God.
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In and of ourselves we will never be holy and acceptable to God. This is why we must deny
self and yield to God. Our acceptance comes from Christ and the transforming power of
the gospel.
Just like we often peal an onion one layer at a time, God often points out our
“layers of flesh” a little at a time. Is God calling you to present some area of your
life to Him? Record your thoughts.
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Review Romans 12:1–2 and try saying it without looking.

Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 5
1. Do you ever feel that there are things in your life you know are wrong but you can’t
seem to change them?
2. What has God promised you?
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with
the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to
endure it.
a.
b. Would He tell you this if there were no real way of escape?
c. Can you personally trust this promise for your life?
As a believer you have God’s grace through Christ to live victoriously before Him. You
may not always feel as though you have the strength, but remember Martin Luther’s
poem:
Feelings come and feelings go,

And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God
Naught else is worth believing.
In the exchange with Christ, you were given the power of the crucifixion and resurrection
of Jesus, but not necessarily the feelings of that power. Your feelings are not a reliable source
of truth. You have the choice—step out on Christ’s power for victory or yield to your
feelings of defeat.
Consider the following illustration: Imagine three men walking together. Mr. Fact
knows the way to their destination, but Mr. Feeling doesn’t feel right about Mr. Fact’s
directions and wants to go another way. Mr. Faith is the one who must decide which
direction to take. If he follows Mr. Feeling, they will leave Mr. Fact behind because
facts never change. If Mr. Faith follows Mr. Fact, Mr. Feeling will come along behind
because feelings never go away. In fact, Mr. Feeling will complain all along the way; but
if Mr. Faith holds firm and keeps following Mr. Fact, eventually Mr. Feeling will change
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his mind, and they will all go along together happily—until Mr. Fact and Mr. Feeling
disagree again.
I use a couplet to help me remember that in the gospel I have the power to choose
righteous living even when I don’t feel righteous.
Act not on what you feel,

But based on what is real!
3. When is God’s grace sufficient for you?
2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the
power of Christ may rest upon me.
In the late nineteenth century a preacher was struggling with this very question. He
and his family had been on an outing to the seashore. He related this story: “My little
daughter was taken sick and died. I had to carry the little coffin in my arms all the way
home where I buried my little one with my own hands.” He was to preach the next
morning and settled on this text:
2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you.”
He continued the story: “I sat down to prepare my notes, but soon found myself
‘murmuring in my tent’ against God for all He called upon me to bear. I flung down my
pen, threw myself on my knees, and said to God, ‘It is not sufficient; it is not sufficient!
Lord, let Your grace be sufficient. O Lord, do!’”
A beautifully illustrated Scripture text hung on the wall above his table. “As I opened
my eyes I was saying, ‘O God let Your grace be sufficient for me,’ and there on the wall I
saw it—
My grace IS sufficient for you.
“The word is was in bright green; my was in bold, and you in bold. A voice seemed to
say to me, ‘You fool, how dare you ask God to make what is! Get up and take, and you
will find it true. When God says is it is for you to believe Him and you will find it true
at every moment.’ That is changed my life. From that moment I could say, ‘O God,
whatever You did say in Your Word I believe, and … I will step out on it.’”
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Will you step out on God’s Word today? Go back and read the promises on pages
146-147. (Refer to the first nine questions of lesson 5) These promises are true. You can
count on them. You can step out on them. It is really a matter of surrendering to God’s
lordship over you. Do you trust God enough to submit to Him?
SUMMARY
Imagine that God has drawn a line in the sand of time and everyone on earth must stand
on one side or the other. To the one side He promises to pour out the blessings of His
grace and to the other the scorn of His opposition. Which side would you want to be
on?
When we received Christ, we became God’s children. He is now responsible for us.
As a good father He is constantly at work in our lives. We do not influence whether He
spends His energies on us, but we do determine what kind of energy He aims at us.
1. What kind of energy is God pouring out on humans in each of these verses, and what
provokes it?
Proverbs 3:34 Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives
favor.
James 4:6 He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but
gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5 Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Resist is a military word that describes a long persistent siege on a city.

The true story of Masada in southwest Israel dreadfully illustrates a siege. The fortress
of Masada was all but abandoned by the time Jewish zealots fled there after Jerusalem’s
destruction in AD 70. Three years later the Roman governor Flavius Silva laid siege to
the fortress with the Tenth Legion. They built camps at the base with a wall to prevent
any of the one thousand plus men, women, and children trapped in the fortress from
escaping. Silva wanted to force the zealots to surrender. The construction of a rampart
against the western gates of the fortress allowed a battering ram to breach the wall.
According to the historian Josephus, all but two women, who escaped, committed suicide
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rather than surrender that last Jewish stronghold to the Romans.

Like the Roman governor, God wants those who proudly rebel against Him to
surrender. But unlike the Roman governor, God doesn’t want to conquer us; He wants to
live in an intimate relationship with us. In James 4 He pleads with those walking in pride
to draw near to Him in humble submission.
James 4:8, 10 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. … Humble
yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Pride is living as if we know better than God, and it keeps us from His grace. Isn’t it time
for you to live in surrender to Him? Humble yourself before Him today. Yield to all
His claims on your life and trust all His promises. God gives grace to the humble. Grace is
supernatural enabling from God to do His will. His enabling is real. You can count on it.
APPLICATION
James 1:22–25 promises God’s special blessing to those who take action on what His
Word teaches.
The wells of salvation are yours, yet many have forsaken the fountains of living water
for coping mechanisms and self-help programs not based in His truth. These broken
cisterns cannot work, and they grieve God. He wants you to draw near to Him and with
joy draw water out of the wells of salvation He has provided for you through the death
and resurrection of His own Son. He is waiting for you to humble yourself so that He
can pour His grace through your life like rivers of living water.
In this lesson you have seen that God expects us to step out on His Word and trust
Him. Do you trust Him enough to make Him Lord over your life?
As and act of worship, will you present yourself to Him today and covenant to renew that
gift every time you have a choice to make? ___________________
If your answer is yes, write your resolve in the form of a prayer. If your answer is no,
write the areas of your life in which you are not willing to yield to Him and ask Him to
make you willing to surrender.
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Have you ever felt God’s resisting influence in your life? ____________ __
What happened when you yielded to Him?
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Review Romans 12:1–2, and try saying it without looking.

Daily Prayer Time:

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• World—Like the word flesh, the word world is used in different ways in the Scripture.
It often refers to the created earth on which we live. It sometimes means the world of
men. It is also used to refer to the evil world system.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever
believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the
unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God
James 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world
is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes
himself an enemy of God
• Grace—the unmerited favor or gift of God; supernatural enablement to God’s will; A

great acrostic for Grace is:
God’s Riches At Christ Expense

Titus 2:11–14 The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,
upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the
appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself
for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his
own possession who are zealous for good works.
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Describe the worst thing that has ever happened to you, for example, an abusive
situation, being lied about, being hurt in an accident, losing a loved one, being betrayed
by someone you trusted.
Joseph, an Old Testament saint, was talking to his brothers about an abusive act they had
committed against him when he was a boy. He was now in a place of authority over his
brothers and they were afraid he would seek revenge. Notice his response to them.
Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to
bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Can you look back on your situation and see anything that denotes the good hand of
God in your circumstance? Record your thoughts.
First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus for you.” Will you thank God for allowing this to happen to you? Write
your resolve in the form of a prayer.
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Is there someone in this situation you need to forgive? What do you think God wants
you to do about this?
1. All to Jesus I Surrender by Judson W. Van DeVenter. Words and music In the public domain.
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LESSON 7
THE FILLING OF THE SPIRIT

Experiencing the Realities of God’s Grace
The Old Testament records the story of Abraham’s son Isaac moving his extensive herds
to a valley his father had lived in years before. Upon arrival, he discovered that an enemy
had filled in all the wells his father had dug. In desperate need of water, he deployed all
his servants to find and uncover the old wells. To his delight they discovered that one of
the wells was a natural spring. He had been living near an abundant spring but didn’t
know it existed because it had been filled with rocks (Genesis 26:15–19).
We are prone to allow the “rocks” of sin and self to block the fountain of living waters
God placed in us at salvation. Your surrender to Jesus Christ is not a one-time act that
makes you “spiritual” from that point on. To maintain the life-giving flow of God’s
Spirit, you must refuse to allow the desires of the flesh to lodge in your heart; and instead
stay committed to listening and surrendering to the voice of the Holy Spirit. The Bible
calls this the Spirit-filled life.
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DAY 1
Growth in the Spirit-filled life is the progressive peeling back of self one layer at a time
so that more of Jesus is seen. As you learn more of God’s nature, you will grow in your
understanding and experience. When you choose to embrace each new truth about God
and step out on what you’ve learned, Jesus will be seen more clearly in your life. John the
Baptist said it this way:
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
This lesson will investigate growing in grace, walking in the Spirit, and enjoying a life of
victory in Christ.
The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

1. Who is the Comforter Jesus promised to send to His disciples?
John 14:16–18 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be
with you forever, even the aSpirit of truth, whom bthe world cannot receive, because
it neither sees him nor knows him. cYou know him, for he dwells with you and will
be in you.“I will not leave you as orphans; dI will come to you.”
a.
b. Why can’t an unbeliever have the Holy Spirit dwell in him or her?
c. How did you come to know the Holy Spirit?
d. How did Jesus plan to comfort His disciples?
The word translated “another” implies “one just like Me.” The word Comforter means
“one who calls us alongside.” Jesus promised to send Someone just like Him to walk
through life with us. We come to know the Holy Spirit by receiving Christ as our Savior.
Jesus has come to us through the person of the Holy Spirit.
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The Filling of the Spirit
2. Now that you know the Holy Spirit, where does He live?
1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.
Everyone who is born again has passed from death to life and is now indwelt by the Holy
Spirit. Though He lives in you, this does not necessarily mean you are filled with the
Holy Spirit. Tomorrow’s lesson discusses being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Where is Jesus right now?
If you said in Heaven at the right hand of the Father, you’re right; but based
on His promise in John 14:16–18, where else is He? (Refer to question 1, page
156.)
What changes have you experienced in your responses to temptation now that
the Holy Spirit lives in you?
Bill was mortified when he swore at work after spilling his coffee. “How could
I do that? I’m a Christian now!” This action that had been acceptable before
salvation now brought a sense of regret and remorse.
Write about a time when you sinned and experienced shame or heartache even
though previous to your salvation this sin was an acceptable part of your life.
The Holy Spirit is making a difference in your life! One of the things new
believers face right away is being convicted over things that never bothered them
in the past. You will probably feel more sinful now that you have the indwelling
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Holy Spirit than you did before you were saved. You might even mistake the
increase of conviction as a sign that maybe you’re not saved.
It is important to stay sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit by keeping

short accounts with God. No one is perfect, but anyone can be forgiven. Begin
making a habit of quickly confessing and forsaking sin as soon as you are aware of it.
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Read Galatians 5:16 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
Galatians 5:16 Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 2
Pictures of Spirit-filled Living

1. To what does the Bible contrast being filled with the Holy Spirit?
Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be
filled with the Spirit.
What does a person have to do to be drunk with wine? The answer is obvious, he drinks
too much and the alcohol begins to influence his thoughts and actions. It is as if he
becomes another person. When we allow God’s Holy Spirit to influence our thoughts and
actions, He gives us grace to become what we could never be without Him. Some may ask,
“Will I simply become a robot without my own personality and volition?”
2. What analogy does the Lord use of the grace He gives to us regarding our speech?
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you
may know how you ought to answer each person.
When you sprinkle salt on a juicy steak, the flavors are enhanced and the steak becomes
more appetizing. It’s still a steak, but it tastes better. In a similar way, the Holy Spirit
changes us, making us better people and more useful to Him; but we still retain the
elements that make us the unique individual He created us to be.
Another illustration might be the three human authors God used to write the
Synoptic Gospels, the three that tell nearly parallel stories—Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit controlled these men as they wrote. And the
books’ similarities are striking. Yet we clearly see the unique personality, viewpoint, and
vocabulary of each individual author. The Holy Spirit’s influence over us causes us to be
active, not passive. He does not bypass our own emotions, mind, and will. He brings
each to the height of its capacity by supplying us with His supernatural ability.
3. Notice the cause and effect in these two passages. The effect is the same. Underline the
cause.
Ephesians 5:18–19 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but
be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.
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Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and
admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Being filled with the Spirit of Christ and having the Word of Christ live luxuriously in
us is the same thing. This is more than simply filling our minds with God’s Word. An
unsaved professor of religion may know the Bible extremely well, even in the original
languages, but that doesn’t make him Spirit-filled. Spirit filling involves surrendering
our will to God’s. The word picture used is one of making Christ completely at home
in our lives. We can’t tell Him that He’s welcome into our living room but not our
entertainment room. Just like alcohol influences all the thoughts and actions of a drunk
man, we are to make Christ at home in all the rooms in our “house.”
There is a supernatural oneness between Christ and His Word. God uses the Bible to
progressively reveal Himself to us. We “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ” as we learn from Him, trust Him, and yield to Him (2 Peter 3:18).
As we give Him unrestricted access to all the rooms of our lives, with each successive
truth, promise, or command, we experience a greater sense of His presence and His
power. This is similar to human relationships. A husband and wife may have a superb
relationship at the time of marriage; but as they grow to know each other better and
adjust themselves to best fit their lives together, their relationship continually grows. In
our relationship with Jesus He never changes; but as we continue to surrender to Him,
He consistently and supernaturally changes us to fit our lives to Him.
Is there an area of your life that you would like to see the Holy Spirit change?
Record your thoughts.
How would your life change if the Holy Spirit had more influence over you?
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Read Galatians 5:16 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 3
The Spirit-filled life is the supernatural result of yielding to the Spirit’s control.
1. What two things hinder the work of God’s Spirit?
1 Thessalonians 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit.
Ephesians 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for
the day of redemption
When we cease to give the Holy Spirit control of our thoughts and actions, we cease to be
filled by Him. It is important to note that if we rebel against Him through fear, unbelief,
disobedience, pride, self-reliance, or a host of other sins, we quench His work in our
lives. This grieves the Holy Spirit.
2. This is not to say that the Spirit-filled life is a sinless life. What does the Bible say
about the man who says he is perfect and without sin?
1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
No human is perfect, even when filled with the Holy Spirit. Sin will plague us as long as
we live on this earth. Only when we reach Heaven will we be completely free from sin’s
influence. We are often blind to our own weaknesses and faults. God is gracious to deal
with our sins over time and not all at once. We will constantly be learning more about
Him and ourselves until the day we die.
3. What kind of sin robs us of God’s power?
Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have
listened.
God is patient with our ignorance. As we grow, He faithfully continues to teach us more
of what He likes and what He doesn’t like. As long as we are seeking Him and allowing
Him to change us to fit with our growing understanding of Him, He will continue to
give us His grace.
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4. Do you remember what causes God to resist a believer?
James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Pride often causes us to think that we know better than God. When we say no to God
and take our life off the altar of sacrifice, God can no longer bless us with His enabling
grace. We can get stuck in a pattern of spiritual battles against God, but God is true to
His Word. He has promised to lay siege against our pride until we humble ourselves,
confess our rebellion, and turn back to Him.
5. How do we rid ourselves of sin and unrighteousness?
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Confession is more than simply telling God you’re sorry. It’s a compound word in the
Greek; literally, it would read same word. God wants us to say the same thing about our
sin that He says about it. Genuine confession has three components:
• Agreement—I agree with God about what I have done and what I deserve.
• Sorrow—I ache for the pain I have caused the Spirit over my sin.
•R equest—I ask God to forgive me. His forgiveness is conditional on my
confession.
6. What is the sign of insincere confession to God?
Proverbs 28:13 Whoever aconceals his transgressions will not prosper, but bhe who
confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
a.
b. What is the sign of genuine confession?
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The Spirit-filled life is part of the great inheritance we received the day we trusted Christ.
To obtain the benefits of our Savior’s provision, we must choose to live in surrender to
Him and in reliance on Him. Christ lives His life of victory and power through us as we
trust Him to do so (Galatians 2:20).
Recount a time in your life when you were deeply grieved.
Do you want your life to grieve God’s Holy Spirit?
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Review Galatians 5:16, and try saying it without looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 4
We have learned that we experience victory by embracing truth from God’s Word and
stepping out in faith on what God has said. We grow in spiritual victory by continuing
to learn from God’s Word and taking new steps of faith based on those lessons. This is
how we learn to walk by faith.
The Walk of Faith

1. How does the gospel affect the way we live?
Romans 1:16–17 I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for
salvation to everyone who believes…. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed
from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
2. What will happen to us when we focus our attention on the glory of God?
2 Corinthians 3:18 We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are
being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For
this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
God promises to progressively change us into His image. The gospel heard and believed
is glorious in that it redeems us from our record of sin and its penalty. In 2 Corinthians
3:18 we see that glory is added to time and time again as the gospel continues its work
in our lives by rescuing us from sin’s power and restoring to us more ability to be God’s
image bearers. We will divide this wonderful promise into four distinct parts.
Our Attitude—but we all with open face
This promise is not for the spiritually elite, but for all believers who are willing to meet
the criteria. The open face mentioned here shows that God demands our relationship
with Him be based on genuine transparency. Imagine the brash, hard-faced driver next
to you as he blares his horn and demands the right of way. In contrast, imagine the face
of a kindergartner eagerly looking into the face of her cherished teacher with the desire
to please. An open face seems to indicate an eagerness to receive God’s leadership and
help.
“It is only as we are ready … to fully live in the obedience to the voice of God and
the faith of Jesus, that our life can grow.”—Andrew Murray in Holiest of All
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This is not sinless perfection. The Lord is gracious and patient with our weaknesses and
ignorance. An open relationship with Him demands surrender to all He is revealing to us
at this point in our walk with Him.
Our Action—beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord
The word glory means brilliant light. No human can look at God’s glory and live because
His glory is so intense. First Timothy 6:15–16 calls Him the only genuine Sovereign,
the King of kings and Lord of lords Who lives in inapproachable light. In this world
God has diffused His glory to us through the prism of time. The word glass may refer to
a mirror. Though we will never see the full glory of God’s face until we get to Heaven, we
can see Him through mirrors in this life:
• In the Bible
• In other Spirit-filled Christians
• In Spirit-filled preaching
• In God’s sovereign hand through the circumstances of life
A loving husband doesn’t gaze into his wife’s face to memorize her features. He’s enjoying
her beauty. Similarly, we don’t read our Bibles just to obtain facts about God. Genuine
worship is beholding and delighting in the beauty of His holiness. Will you begin to focus
your mind on God’s glory?
Our Alteration—are changed into the same image from glory to glory
Notice that the verb is passive. God doesn’t expect us to change ourselves through our
own efforts and abilities. He has promised to do the changing. We become more faithful
as we gaze into the face of the faithful one. We become more loving by delighting in His
love (1 John 4:19).
1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.
Praise the Lord, we are in an ongoing process of being changed. The words translated “are
changed” are from the same Greek word that is translated “transformed” in Romans 12:2.
This is one of only four places this Greek word is used in the Bible, and it is the origin of
our word metamorphosis. God desires to progressively and thoroughly change us from the
inside out, from glory to glory—what a beautiful choice of words. What God did in my life
yesterday was glorious, and what He is doing today is even more so.
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Our Agent—even as by the Spirit of the Lord
The Holy Spirit, Who lives in us, changes us as we focus our lives on Him in trusting
surrender. One of my greatest confidences is the believer’s ability to change because the
Great Change Agent—God’s Holy Spirit lives in them.
3. How does God promise to give us victory over fleshly desires?
The context of this passage implies that these two things are mutually exclusive. It is not
possible to fulfill the lust of the flesh if you are walking in the Spirit and visa versa.
4. How do we walk in the Spirit?
Colossians 2:6 As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.
Walking is nothing more than a series of reiterated steps. Walking in the Spirit is
simply taking one step of faith after another. Trusting Christ to save you from sin and
hell was a step of faith. You knew you couldn’t save yourself and that He died in your
place and would save you if you chose to put your trust in Him. You can walk in the
Spirit the same way. Every time you need to make a decision or need strength to do
right, focus on Him in trusting surrender and He will give you the grace you need.
Why should you read your Bible every day?
Every morning as I read my Bible, I journal prayers of praise to God for every
aspect of His character He shows me in His Word. These intimate conversations
with God draw me closer to Him each day.
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In what ways has the Holy Spirit been changing you?
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Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 5
The process of becoming more like Christ may not be exactly what you think. God’s
strength doesn’t make us inherently strong. Our flesh will remain with us until the day
we go to Heaven. What God promises is overcoming power. Remember from lesson 4
when we likened the law of sin to the law of gravity—neither will go away. Just as the
laws of aerodynamics can overcome the law of gravity, the law of sin can be overcome
through the power of God’s Spirit.
1. In Numbers 21:6–9 a plague of snakes was killing God’s people. Read this excellent
illustration of how God’s overcoming power works.
Numbers 21:7–9 The people came to Moses and said, “… Pray to the Lord, that ahe
take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said
to Moses, “bMake a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten,
when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And
if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
a. What did the people want God to do?
b. Did God provide for the safety of the people?
c. Was it what the people asked for?
The people asked God to take away the snakes. But God’s plan was better. He didn’t get
rid of the snakes—He provided an antidote for the snakes’ poison. Those who chose to
look in faith to the brass serpent lived. The power was invisible but real. The same is true
for you. God’s power is available as you look to Him in faith and obedience.
2. To what did Jesus liken Himself?
John 3:14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man
be lifted up.
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While it may not make sense to our physical mind-set, God supernaturally provides
victory, giving His strength to everyone who will trust Him enough to step out on His
promises. While this process often involves hard work and even agonizing struggles at
times, it is only possible as we labor in His invisible but real strength.
3. The Christian life is compared to running a marathon. God asks three things of us in
order to help us run with endurance. What are they?
Hebrews 12:1–2 Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, alet us

also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and blet us run with
endurance the race that is set before us, clooking to dJesus, the founder and perfecter
of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
a.
b.
c.
d. Who initiates and completes our faith?
Notice the weights we are to lay aside are in addition to besetting sins. These weights are
not necessarily things that are wrong but things that hinder our progress. Patient running
is persistent endurance—Don’t quit! Looking to Jesus reminds us to fix our eyes steadfastly
on Him. He is the One Who has initiated our faith relationship with God and He is the
only One Who can enable us to finish the race.
4. Write your understanding of one of the following illustrations and how it applies to
your life. (Feel free to look back at your notes.)
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The laws of aerodynamics overcoming the pull of gravity (page 91)

Corrective lenses overcoming the condition of myopia (page 104)
Fire changing the characteristics of cold iron (page 111)
A bright light overcoming the darkness of a room (page 112)
The story of Mr. Fact, Mr. Faith, and Mr. Feeling (page 146)
In each illustration, what happens when we stop depending on God’s overcoming power?
You can experience a Spirit-filled life as you keep Jesus as Lord of your life, continually
surrendering your will to His. Spirit-filled living is not attained by “pulling yourself up
by your own bootstraps.” The strength to live in victory resides in the resurrected Lord
Who lives within you. You can trust Him to live His victory through you as you labor on
in the strength of His abundant grace.
5. What does Jesus ask of us, and what does He promise to give us?
Matthew 11:28–30 “aCome to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For bmy yoke is easy, and my burden
is light.”
a.
b. D
oes Jesus promise a life with no burdens? What does He
promise?
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APPLICATION
Word teaches.
In this lesson you have seen that sin is devastating to the Christian, and you don’t
have the ability to overcome its overwhelming influence by yourself. God’s overcoming
power is your only hope. Focus on Him. It is a matter of trusting the promises of God
enough to step out on them, while not allowing yourself to be deceived by sin. If you
have any sin that’s between you and the Lord, won’t you confess it right now? Are there
weights in your life that you need to set aside? While we must rely on Jesus’ grace for
victory, it’s not a just matter of pleading for victory. That can be passive. Taking steps of
faith can be terrifying, and it’s often hard work, but there is no other way. Will you trust
God enough to step out on His commands and promises today?
In the space below write your resolve in the form of a prayer.
The Christian life must always remain balanced. As you endeavor to live a Spirit-filled
life, beware of becoming too introspective. The evil one wants you to “feel” guilty
when you’re not. He wants to riddle your mind with accusations, bringing up things
from your past that are already forgiven. He is called the deceiver and the accuser of
the brethren. He has the ability to deceive you. Learn the difference between the Holy
Spirit’s conviction and Satan’s confusion. One way to tell the difference between the
two is to identify the type of conviction you are experiencing.
1. The Holy Spirit deals with us in a specific manner so that we know what the
problem is and what we need to do about it. Confession of real sin gives immediate
relief and restores the fruit of the Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:22–23).
2. Satan’s false conviction is often a general feeling of guilt and uneasiness. Sometimes
you may experience guilt concerning something in your past that has already been
forgiven. Confessing sin that has already been forgiven gives no relief and never can.
Satan wants to bury you under the load of sin that Jesus has already removed.
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Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our
transgressions from us.
We will discuss how to defeat the devil in lesson 8.
God wants to put His victory on display in your life. What an exciting truth!
He lives in you, ever-present to help you. Write a prayer of thanksgiving for the
victory God is giving you.
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Daily Prayer Time:


• Sealed—used to indicate security and permanency; ownership; the sureness of a
destination. The Holy Spirit has sealed us; we have been marked as belonging to God.
The current work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is a part of this seal and is evidence of
the surety of our home in Heaven.
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Ephesians 1:13–14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel
of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the
praise of his glory
• Faith—Faith is not just believing that God can; faith is believing that God will,
through me, to the point of stepping out on that faith. It is judging God faithful and
acting on what He says. When we take steps of faith, God always meets us with His
grace.
Romans 1:17 As it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Romans 14:23 Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw
near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
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Read Ephesians 4–5:17 and record the five ways a Spirit-filled Christian walks differently
from a Christian who is not Spirit-filled.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ephesians 5:18 states, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be
filled with the Spirit.” Read Ephesians 5:19–6:12 and record at least three areas of
life that are changed by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
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PART 3
The External Expression of
Living the Exchange
LESSON 8
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND MY

CHANGING LIFE
Being a Spirit-Filled Christian in a Sinful World
The exchange is the message of the gospel—the redemptive work of Christ accomplished
on the cross and demonstrated through the resurrection. Jesus took your sin record upon
Himself and gave you His righteousness. The transaction is complete and forever settled
in Heaven, but the work of the exchange continues. When you exchanged places with
Jesus, you received Him! All that Jesus is, He is in you.
The lessons we’ve learned in chapters 1–3 form the foundation for living the
exchange. Chapters 4–8 laid out the internal dynamics of living the exchange. We
learned that when we live in trusting surrender to Jesus as Lord of our life, He gives
us strength to do His will. This is the grace of the gospel in action. Chapters 9–11 will
begin to answer the question:
What does this life of grace look like in everyday living?
By now you have discovered that your life is different from what it was before you became
a Christian. This lesson will guide you through the changes you can expect and how you
can accommodate them.
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DAY 1
Embracing Internal Change

1. How does God expect believers to walk?
Ephesians 2:8–10 By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your
own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
2. Find and circle the five ways Spirit-filled Christians should walk. Then write a short
title for each.
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner
worthy of the calling to which you have been called.
Ephesians 4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk
as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
Ephesians 5:2 Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant
offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:8 At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Walk as children of light.
Ephesians 5:15 *Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.
*The words look carefully mean to carefully watch each step so as not to defile yourself.
Just as you would need look carefully as you walk through a corral.
a. Walk Worthy
b.
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The Holy Spirit and My Changing Life
c.
d.
e.
Another picture of the Spirit-filled life is that of taking off an old garment and putting on
a new one. It illustrates your ability to walk differently from your unsaved counterparts.
3. Describe the garment God commands you to take off.
Ephesians 4:22 Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life
and is corrupt through deceitful desires.
4. What happened to your old self?
Romans 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the
body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to
sin.
Your unregenerate spirit could never please God and is now dead. However, the residual
influence of that old nature still remains in your lifestyle. You have formed patterns of
behavior that your flesh is loath to give up. When you got saved, God rewired you, so
to speak. As a result of the exchange you made with Jesus, you are connected to God’s
vast spiritual resources; and His enabling grace flows through you as you trust and obey.
Saying no to God distances you from Him and disconnects you from God’s overcoming
power. This leaves you to resort to your own desires and resources. It’s a matter of source.
Picture two drinking cups. When you choose your own way versus God’s, you are
in effect moving your “straw” from the Spirit’s cup to the flesh’s cup. As long as you have
your “straw” in the Spirit you will draw on His power and produce His fruit. The power
of the flesh is strong, but it does not control you as your old self or unregenerate spirit
did. You have been freed from its control. Putting off the old self is embracing this truth
and choosing not to follow the residual influence of your old lifestyle.
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What are some lifestyle changes you have made since becoming a follower of
Jesus?
Are you facing struggles as a result of these lifestyle changes? Record these so you
can discus them with your Bible study leader when you meet.
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looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 2
Everyone has a functional source; it’s what we depend on for provision, stability, and
control in our lives. The Spirit-filled life is living with Christ as our functional source.
Even many who have known Christ for years are still not experiencing God’s energy for
daily living. What we are drawing on for our resources will eventually find expression
in our thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions. Time plus stress reveals our functional
source.
1. What does God call the choice to draw from your own resources instead of His?
Jeremiah 2:13 “My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the
fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves broken cisterns that
can hold no water.”
a.
b. What would you consider to be your primary “functional source” prior to your
salvation?
2. Describe the garment God wants you to put on.
Ephesians 4:24 To put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true
righteousness and holiness.
Before receiving Christ, your old self, or your unregenerate spirit, had complete sway over
your soul. You were alive to sin but dead to Christ. Your new self, or your regenerated
spirit, was born in you at the moment of salvation. Until then, your only source was
your old self, and as a result you couldn’t do anything that pleased God.
Proverbs 21:4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
Your new self is your connection to spiritual living because you have been born again,
created in righteousness and true holiness. These characteristics are divine in nature. Only
God is righteous and holy. Your new self is perfectly right with God. It is God’s seed
planted in you, and His seed cannot sin (1 John 3:9). The new self is not the Holy Spirit,
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but it is born of the Holy Spirit and is indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit. What
satisfies God satisfies your new nature. This is the new you, recreated in God’s image.
The reason you loathe the sin you still commit is because sin clashes with your new
nature.
Every new Christian has had the following experience. Perhaps you recall doing
something that was part of your old life—swearing, looking at pornography, yelling at
your children, the list could go on and on. Maybe you remember feeling horrible and
wondering, “What is wrong with me?” and thinking, “What a horrible failure.” That
was a wonderful moment! Your new nature was making its debut in its life-long
pursuit of transforming your life into the image of Christ.
We can all identify with the thoughts expressed in Romans 7:20—“Now if I do what
I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” Later in that
passage is another verse I have come to love.
Romans 7:22 I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
Through Christ’s exchange you became a new person. Your regenerated spirit—the new
you—loves what God loves and hates what God hates.
3. What truth must you now embrace as true about you?
Romans 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to
God in Christ Jesus.
Death to the old self means you are no longer connected to its controlling power. Being
alive to God means you are now connected to His power, which enables you to obey.
When you trusted Christ to save you, He realigned your relationship with spiritual life
and death. Whereas you were once dead in your sins with no ability to break free, you
are now alive to God and His holy life.
4. If one nature is old and one is new, and if one is dead and the other is born again,
which nature characterizes who you are now that you are in Christ?
5. Read the following verses and circle the changes that took place in your life the day
you exchanged places with Jesus.
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Colossians 1:12–14 Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share
in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of
darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have
redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Ephesians 2:1–7 You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once
walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the
air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we
all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and
the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God,
being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when
we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you
have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable
riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
6. Did God give you new desires when He saved you?
Time plus stress reveals our functional source. Describe how you have
experienced this axiom.
Have you ever looked at an old photograph of yourself and realized how much
you’ve changed? Can you revert back to the way you once looked?
That was the old you, lost in the past. The same thing holds true about you
spiritually. You are a new person; old things have passed away. Everything about
you has changed internally, and you have started to be transformed externally.
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These external changes will continue throughout the rest of your life. Just like
you can look back at the changes that have already taken place, in a few years
you will be able to look back at this time of your life and see how much you
have changed.
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looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 3
When you made your exchange with Jesus, you were born again (John 3:3). Your new
nature loves what God loves and hates what God hates, but your flesh is still the same as
before you were saved. When you get to Heaven, you’ll get a new body (1 John 3:2); but
until then, you will continue to feel the pull of your flesh.
1. Describe the desires and patterns that still remain in your flesh.
Ephesians 4:22 Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life
and is corrupt through deceitful desires.
The desires of your flesh are still able to deceive you into returning to your old way of life.
The word translated “lust” is closely related to the modern word thermos. The picture is of
insulating and inflaming an ungodly thought or desire until it catches fire and burns us.
2. What happens when an ungodly thought or desire is inflamed?
James 1:14–15 Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own
desire. Then desire when it has conceived agives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully
grown bbrings forth death.
a.
b. What follows?
You could call this the LSD principle. Lust, an insulated and inflamed desire, produces
Sin. This is not something that might happen when you give in to lust but something
that will happen every time. Sin always brings Death back into your life. This death is
not the end of spiritual life but the separation from its power. When you sin, you have
ceased to allow the Holy Spirit to influence you, and you cannot be filled with the Spirit
until you deal with your sin. You must put off the old self before the energizing power
of the new self can be renewed (Ephesians 4:22–24). This isn’t done through human
effort alone. It must be the work of Jesus, accessed by genuine confession of sin (1 John
1:9) and demonstrated by forsaking that sin. The remainder of Ephesians 4 describes the
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practical application of the change He can make in your life, ridding you of lying, anger,
stealing, corrupt speech, bitterness, slander, and malice.
Though sin affects your relationship with God, it does not change your legal
standing with God. God makes a parallel between a relationship with an earthly father
and our relationship with Him. A child who disobeys is not removed from the family;
but his relationship with his family is hurt. In a similar way, the sin of a Christian doesn’t
place him back under eternal condemnation, but it does remove him from intimate
fellowship with his heavenly Father.
3. What should a disobedient Christian expect?
Hebrews 12:6–7 “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every
son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is
treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
4. Why does God discipline us?
Hebrews 12:10 They disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but
he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
When you choose to disobey, you’re taking back control of your own life. You’ve decided
that you know better than God.
5. Do you remember what happens to those who are proud?
James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
It’s easy to get stuck in a pattern of spiritual battle against God. Repentance is the key
to reestablishing the flow of God’s grace through your life. Rid yourself of rebellion by
seeing your sin as God sees it, by confessing it as sin, and by looking to His grace to help
you overcome sin.
This destructive pattern comes from deceitful desires. Your new nature takes no
pleasure in sin. Sin does not and cannot satisfy. Why, then, do we return to sin? The
problem is that we are deceived.
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6. Since the problem is deceit, the answer lies in the truth. What did Jesus say about the
truth?
John 8:32 “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Describe the LSD principle in your own words.
Recount a time in your life when you have experienced this downward spiral
away from God.
Do you have desires that sometimes deceive you? When you meet this week,
discuss with your Bible study leader strategies to speak truth to yourself at those
moments of deception.
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Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 4
Our old self is gone, but its patterns still reside in our flesh. God commands us to put off
that former way of life and draw instead from the resources of our regenerated spirit.
The fact that we are required to choose between the flesh’s resources and the Spirit’s
indicates that another internal aspect exists, one that gives us the ability to make choices.
Your soul can be described as your mind, emotions, and will. This is how we work: We
consider what we should or shouldn’t do. Then we set our affections one way or the
other. We usually choose to follow the direction our affections have cast.
Emotions are misleading and difficult to control. Remember the illustration of Mr.
Fact, Mr. Feeling, and Mr. Faith. We rarely feel our way into doing the right thing, and
feelings are slow to change. The key is our will. In order to draw from God’s resources, we
must choose to believe His promises and follow the directions He has given us in His Word.
1. What does God tell you to do with your mind?
Ephesians 4:23 To be renewed in the spirit of your minds.
2. What kind of mind do you have now that you are saved?
2 Timothy 1:7 God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-
control [disciplined mind].
To have the victory God provides, embrace the truth in God’s Word and take steps of
faith based on the truth. This is how you use truth to gain freedom from the deceitful
influence of the old self.
3. What does this phrase “receive with meekness the implanted word” mean?
James 1:21 Put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with
meekness the implanted word, bwhich is able to save your souls.
a.
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b. What motivates you to implant God’s Word into your mind?
In lesson 2 we learned about this picture of grafting a new branch into a grapevine or fruit
tree. The new branch allows the old plant to bear the good fruit of the engrafted branch.
God wants us to implant His Word into the fabric of how we think. If you try to draw
from the resources of your flesh and the Spirit at the same time conflicting messages will
flood your soul. This ultimately leads to defeat. God’s Word is able to save you from this
double-mindedness. There are times when we have to preach the truth of God’s Word to
ourselves. The psalmist said it this way:
Psalms 42:11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil
within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him my salvation and my God.
4. What are we tempted to do when our minds get weary?
Hebrews 12:3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against
himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
The end of this verse could be translated lest you get sick and let go in your souls. When
life’s troubles and heartaches wear us down we are vulnerable to sin’s attack. It can
become hard to tell ourselves the truth about sin and victory. It may be that our soul is
sick. We don’t feel good when we’re sick. But when a good doctor diagnoses the problem
and prescribes the right medicine, feeling good never felt so good. The Word of God is
the right medicine for a sick soul. Allow the Holy Spirit to use God’s Word to center
your mind on Christ. I like to call this Vitamin C—Consider Christ!
5. What kind of weapons has God provided for the Christian?
2 Corinthians 10:3–5 Though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war
according to the flesh. For athe weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but
have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty
opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to
obey Christ.
a.
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b. What will the Holy Spirit enable us to do?
6. How does God want you to direct your mind?
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on
earth.
7. Who works out our salvation, and Who works in us to enable us to do it?
Philippians 2:12–13 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it
is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
What a great balance this will bring into your life! When God saved you, the internal
change He made in you was radical and complete. Now you’ve been given the
responsibility to work out the reality of your salvation, causing that internal change to
show up on the outside. The problem is, you don’t have the ability. That’s where grace
makes the difference. When you trust Him enough step out in obedience, He fills you
with both the desire and the ability to do what pleases Him. It takes both of you—Your
effort (you work out) and His ability (He works in).
What are some ways you can speak truth to yourself?
What are some ways you can engraft God’s Word into your mind?
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Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 5
Understanding Our Enemies

Since deception seems to be the problem, who is doing the deceiving? The Bible teaches
that we have three enemies that are constantly pulling us to do wrong: our flesh, the
world, and the devil. We dealt with the first two in other lessons. Now we will meet the
third enemy who is the power behind the other two.
1. Your primary enemy is an invisible spirit, nevertheless, a real person. What is his name?
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around
like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
2. Another name for the devil is Lucifer. Why did God cast him out of Heaven?
Isaiah 14:12–14 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How
you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your
heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I
will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”
These words seem like a declaration of war. Satan is God’s declared enemy. He hates
God, and he hates God’s image bearers—you and every other human on earth. The more
you reflect God’s image, the more God’s enemy will try to stop you.
3. Why does God tell us to wear His armor?
Ephesians 6:11–12 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand
against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present
darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
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4. What two terms describe the devil’s character and indicate his methods?
John 8:44 The devil … was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in
the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own
character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Understanding the Person of Victory

5. Do you remember what the key to running the race of life is?
Hebrews 12:1–2 Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the
founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus is the answer to transformed living. He is the source of all that we need as we
face life’s struggles. While diligence and perseverance require hard work, a victorious
Christian life is really very simple: keep Jesus as the focal point of your life.
6. What was Paul afraid the Corinthian Christians would lose through Satan’s deception?
2 Corinthians 11:3 I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning,
your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
7. Do you remember what God promises to those who are tempted?
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with
the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to
endure it.
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8. How can you avoid temptations?
Romans 13:14 Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the
flesh, to gratify its desires.
When we live with Jesus as the functional source of our lives, He lives His life of victory
through us.
Understanding the Life of Victory

9. What two attributes characterize the new self?
Ephesians 4:24 Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true
righteousness and holiness.
Righteousness is fulfilling God’s law; holiness is God’s perfect separation from sin. Only
God is holy, but He is in you and has recreated the new you in true holiness. When you
live out of the resources of your new nature, you are living out of the resources of His
nature:
Colossians 1:27 … Christ in you, the hope of glory.
10. To what extent does God intend your new life to be holy?
1 Peter 1:15 As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.
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11. What promise is given to those who decide to obey God by separating from evil?
2 Corinthians 6:14–17 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what

partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with
darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share
with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are
the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them
and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and
touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you.”
Consider how important it is for a doctor to wear gloves to prevent contamination.

He could ignore the obvious dangers, or he could stay away from danger by not caring
for people at all. But he chooses to both care for the needs of his patients and avoid
contamination by wearing protective gloves. The world we live in is a sinful place that is
hostile to Spirit-filled living, yet it is filled with many spiritually sick and needy people.
God does not want us to completely withdraw from the world. How can we help hurting
people if we are disengaged? His plan is to empower us to separate from sin as we serve
sinful people through the overcoming power of the Holy Spirit.
APPLICATION
Check the areas in which you’re struggling to bring glory to God because you are
pressured by the world, drawn down by your own desires, or tempted by Satan. Circle
the one you believe God would have you work on first.
r Attitudes r Drugs r Language r Music

r Bitterness r Substance Abuse r Gossip r Lying
r Appearance r Drunkenness r Entertainment r Anger
r Laziness r Gluttony r Sexual Conduct r Other___________
Read the following verses.
James 1:22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee
from you.
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Should you wait for a feeling of conviction before you obey what God’s Word says about
your attitudes, appearance, and actions? _______________________
How does this epic struggle with the enemy play out in your life?
word teaches..
In this lesson you’ve probably become more aware of lifestyle patterns from your old
self that need to be put off. You may have recognized your need to start putting on your
new self. These words put off and put on are external expressions of the dramatic change
that Jesus made in your inner life when you were saved. The person you used to be no
longer characterizes you.
Your identity is who you are in Christ now; you are a new creation. God’s grace
is what enables you to live your external life in the righteousness and true holiness of
your new inner man. Spirituality is not primarily what you do and don’t do. Spirituality
comes from embracing who you are in Christ. When Jesus lives His life through you, His
righteousness will be expressed through your life.
what would you tell Him?
You are growing in your awareness of Who God is and how you can count
on Him to change your life. Has He shown you any area in which you need His
victory? In the space provided, write your resolve in the form of a prayer.
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2 Corinthians 5:17 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed

Daily Prayer Time:


• Regeneration—new birth; the translation of a compound verb—again / birth; to be
born again.
Every human has been born physically; regeneration is to be born spiritually.
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John 3:3, 7 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again
he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must
be born again.”
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but
according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy
Spirit.
• Separation—to mark off from a boundary or line. The simple definition of holy is to
set apart from anything that is sinful. The life of the Christian is defined by separation,
both by what we are separated to and what we are separated from.
Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for
[separated to] the gospel of God.
2 Corinthians 6:17–18 “Go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says
the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a
father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
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Have there been noticeable changes in your life since you accepted Christ? This is the work
of the Lord. You can glorify Him by writing a specific prayer of praise for each area of
change He has made in your life.
As you have done this Bible study, the Lord has begun to show you areas of your life He
desires to change. Write these down and ask the Lord to show you truths from His Word
concerning each area.
Finding an Accountability Partner

In order to battle sinful habits and addictions, Jesus taught that it is necessary to employ
drastic measures (Matthew 5:27–30). You may need to restrict your access to places, people,
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and entertainment devices, just to mention a few possible measures. According to Paul, one
of the signs of genuine repentance is doing whatever it takes to rid your life of a sin that
consistently defeats you (2 Corinthians 7:10–11). An accountability partner is helpful and
often necessary to make the changes required to have consistent victory.
If you are struggling with an addiction or sinful habit, discuss this problem with
your Bible study leader. Be transparent. Sin thrives in the dark, but can’t survive in
the light. Together you can plan a strategy for victory and discuss an appropriate
accountability partner. God has a plan for your spiritual success, and the sooner you start
pursuing God’s plan, the better.
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LESSON 9

PRAYER LIFE
Accessing God’s Throne of Grace
Prayer is one of the most valuable inheritance gifts God has given us. Jesus said that
mountains can be moved through prayer. For generations God’s people have seen the
impossible become possible. Our heavenly Father desires that His children come to
Him in prayer. This is one way to cure our natural bent to trust our own abilities and
resources, because prayer demands God-dependence, not self-dependence. Prayer moves
us to see God direct our lives and provide for us. This lesson will define and describe
prayer, emphasize its importance, and discuss common hindrances to prayer. May this
lesson be the beginning of a life-long journey of prayer.
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DAY 1
What Is Prayer?
The Christian life is not made up of religious acts or personal performance. It is a
dynamic, intimate relationship with God. Communication is the most vital part of any
close relationship. God speaks to you as you read His Word, listen to preaching, and
sense the gentle prompting of the Holy Spirit. Prayer is how you maintain this vital
communication link.
Prayer is so much more than repeating memorized words; it is your lifeline to God.
Prayer is more than a duty; it is a gift—the means through which you obtain God’s
provision.
1. What does God invite us to do?
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Why does He want us to do this?
God already knows all that is in your heart, but He invites you to open your heart to
Him and give Him your burdens. He loves drawing close to you in this way, making your
relationship with Him dynamic and intimate. What an awesome gift is this invitation to
be close to Deity!
2. Jesus taught His disciples about prayer by teaching them what we have come to call
the Lord’s Prayer.
Matthew 6:9–10 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your
name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Where does God’s will originate?
How do we get God’s will down to earth?
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The Holy Spirit and My Prayer Life
Prayer is not a one-way street. It involves talking to God and listening to Him. This two-
way communication is one of the most wonderful aspects of our communion with the
Holy Spirit. As He communicates God’s will to us, He helps us align ourselves with His
will and actively participate in bringing it about.
3. Because of our relationship with Jesus, who are we?
Romans 8:16–17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with
Christ.
As an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ you have been given the privilege of
communing with your heavenly Father just as Jesus did during His earthly ministry. He
spent countless hours talking to His Father and receiving comfort and guidance from
Him. Take advantage of this inheritance gift by talking to Him and asking Him to meet
your needs.
4. What does this verse tell you about your relationship with God?
John 16:26–27 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you
that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you,
because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
Your heavenly Father loves you and will gladly hear and answer your prayers. When
Jesus was teaching on earth, He painted a picture of prayer by describing a loving father’s
provision for an impatient, hungry child.
5. He began the story with this wonderful invitation and promise. What three things are
you invited to do?
Luke 11:9–10 “I tell you, aask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you. For beveryone who asks receives, and the one
who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
a.
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b. What does Jesus promise will happen if you take His invitation?
He put an exclamation point on this teaching by saying that everyone who asks, receives;
everyone who seeks, finds; and to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened to him.
The listeners in Jesus’ day traveled many miles on foot in the surrounding wilderness.
They probably understood the following illustrations better than we do.
Luke 11:11–13 “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a
fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then,
who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Jesus asked the fathers who were listening to Him which of them would give a stone
to his hungry son who was asking for bread. The connection between two seemingly
unconnected items would have been understood by hearers of that day. A stone looked
just like a loaf of bread, a serpent moving through the water looked like a fish, and a
scorpion curled into a ball could easily be mistaken for an egg. No father would give his
hungry young child the stone he thought was bread. A good father would encourage
his son to wait patiently, knowing that he would lovingly provide for him as soon as
possible.
Luke 11:13 “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those
who ask him!”
Sometimes we ask God for physical relief from a problem, but He may want to demonstrate
His strength by empowering us to work through the problem. He is answering our prayers
by providing the Spirit’s help. Though this process is arduous, in the end He is glorified
and we become stronger. Our God answers prayer, but He loves us enough not to give us
the stone we’re asking for. Be patient; He will give you the bread you need in His perfect
timing.
Based on what you’ve read from today’s lesson, describe what prayer is to you.
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Have you ever asked for something and not received it? What did you learn
from today’s lesson that might explain what happened? Record your thoughts.
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Read Philippians 4:6–7 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
Philippians 4:6–7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer

and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 2
1. Circle the two words repeated in each of these verses.
Matthew 7:8 “Everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the
one who knocks it will be opened.”
Matthew 21:22 “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Luke 11:10 “Everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the
one who knocks it will be opened.”
John 16:24 “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will
receive, that your joy may be full.”
James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on
your passions.
1 John 3:22 Whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his
commandments and do what pleases him.
What can you expect God to do in response to your prayer?
John R. Rice wrote a book entitled Prayer: Asking and Receiving. This title reminds
us that prayer is more than just asking God for things. Biblical prayer is asking and
receiving.
2. What spiritual place do we enter when we pray?
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that
we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We are the children of the King, and He has invited us into His very own throne room
where we can find amazing grace and marvelous mercy to help us in our time of need.
And we need Him all the time! Prayer is communication with God that brings God’s
heavenly plans into our lives here on earth. It’s drawing close to Him and trusting
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Him as our loving Father. Prayer is not complete when we are finished asking. It’s only
complete as God answers our prayer.
The Importance of Prayer

3. Ephesians 6:12–19 deals with our spiritual warfare. Circle the all’s in this verse.
Ephesians 6:18 Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and
supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication
for all the saints.
Prayer plays a vital role in securing victory over the enemy. We could call this Close
Prayer Support. When a Special Operations team is about to be overwhelmed by the
enemy they can call for Close Air Support. Fire from the sky will come down on the
enemy and help secure the victory. Our Help in Heaven is standing by, listening for the
prayers of His people. The help that God sends is real and powerful. No wonder we are
instructed to—
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
4. Prayer is God’s way for you to obtain what you need. What happens when you don’t
pray?
James 4:2 You do not have, because you do not ask.
5. The early church was facing an age-old problem: too much work and too few workers.
What does the response of the apostles reveal about the importance they placed on
prayer?
Acts 6:4 “We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
The apostles appointed people within the church to meet these physical needs so that
they could devote themselves to prayer and the Word. This shows us the priority they
placed on prayer.
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6. The word prayer is used over twenty-five times in conjunction with Jesus’ earthly
ministry. Record the time of day Jesus was seen praying in these verses.
Mark 1:35 Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he
departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Luke 6:12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he
continued in prayer to God.
Prayer also promotes spiritual growth.
7. David begins this beautiful psalm by praising God that He knows every detail about
his life, from the inside out. He closes the psalm with several requests. What did
David ask of God?
Psalm 139:23–24 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know
my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the
way everlasting!
8. What is God willing to do in response to prayer?
Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your
law.
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to
all without reproach, and it will be given him.
9. Please note the benefits of prayer that are mentioned in these verses.
John 16:24 “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will
receive, that your joy may be full.”
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We learned a three-word definition for prayer—asking and receiving. How does

this definition change your view of prayer?
What are some areas of personal growth you need to start praying about?
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Read Philippians 4:6–7 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.

Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 3
How to Pray
1. Though many enjoy reciting the Lord’s Prayer, it was actually given as a model to help
us construct our own personal prayers to God.
There are eight parts to this prayer. In your own words, title each portion.
Matthew 6:9–13 Pray then like this: “Our father in Heaven,”
Address God and recognize His Sovereignty.
“Hallowed be your name.”
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
“Give us this day our daily bread,”
“And forgive us our debts,”
“As we also have forgiven our debtors.”
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Following are titles I’ve given each portion. Use this as a model to write your own
sample prayer.
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Address God and recognize His sovereignty.
Praise Him as God.
Pray to know and do the will of God.
Pray for personal and practical needs.
Confess any unconfessed sin.
You may need to ask God to reveal this to you.
Pray a prayer of forgiveness.
Pray for and forgive anyone who has wronged you.
Pray for spiritual power and for victory over sin.
Praise and adore God.
Jesus sets a wonderful pattern for us by beginning and ending this prayer with praise.
Entering God’s presence with praise exalts Him as your sovereign Lord and prepares
your heart to pray. You will find that your praise is more vibrant and your worship more
personal as you end your prayer with praise.
George Müller is remembered as a great man of prayer. In the late eighteenth century,
he started and ran several orphanages. The following is an excerpt from a biography
about him by J. Gilchrist Lawson (www.wholesomewords.org).
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Among the greatest monuments of what can be accomplished through simple

faith in God are the great orphanages covering thirteen acres of ground on
Ashley Down, Bristol, England. When God put it into the heart of George
Müller to build these orphanages, he had only two shillings (50 cents) in his
pocket. Without making his wants known to any man, but to God alone, over
a million, four hundred thousand pounds ($7,000,000.00) were sent to him
for the building and maintaining of these orphan homes. When I [Lawson]
first visited them, near the time of Mr. Müller’s death, there were five immense
buildings of solid granite, capable of accommodating two thousand orphans. In
all the years since the first orphans arrived, the Lord had sent food in due time
so that they had never missed a meal for want of food.
Müller purposed to give the church a working picture of God’s power demonstrated by
relying on God alone. When funds were low he often spent the entire night in prayer.
He scoured God’s Word for a promise He could claim and then spent the night praying,
fully expecting God to keep His promise.
2. Psalm 81:10 was one of Müller’s favorite verses. What do you think you should pray
for based on this promise?
Psalm 81:10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of
Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
God encourages us to claim the promises of His Word when we pray.
Promises predict the answers to prayer. They are the molds into which we
pour our prayers. They foretell what to expect. They shape our praying. They
motivate, direct, and determine our supplication. —Armin Gesswein
3. What are some promises you could claim as you pray?
Hosea 14:2 Take with you words and return to the Lord.
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If you can’t think of any, ask God to show you some as you read your Bible over the next
several days.
I like to call this “praying the promises.” Promises from God are invitations to pray.
These promises tell us what God wants to do. He is inviting us to be the prayer channels
through which He can accomplish His will here on earth. God’s Promises for Your Every
Need is a wonderful resource that categorizes our basic needs and gives promises from
God’s Word that address those needs. (God’s Promises for Your Every Need by A. L. Gill)
How could you use The Lord’s Prayer to model your daily prayer time?
George Müller left an amazing legacy through his commitment to prayer. What
could you do to leave such a legacy?
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Review Philippians 4:6–7, and try saying it without looking.

Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 4
1. How can you be confident that God is hearing your prayers and that He will answer
them?
1 John 5:14–15 This is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask
anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in
whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
The next logical question is, how we can know what God’s will is? The Bible is the
complete, authoritative revelation of God’s person and truth to man. It is all we need to
know about Who He is, who we are, and how to have a right relationship with Him—
including what He wants us to pray for. R. A. Torrey once said,
If we would feed the fire of our prayers with the fuel of God’s Word, all of our
difficulties in prayer would disappear.
The Bible teaches us God’s will in all the general areas of life. Still, there are areas that are
unique to your life. He also wants to show you His will for those specific concerns.
2. Who lives in you now that you are a Christian?
Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies
through his Spirit who dwells in you.
3. How does the Holy Spirit communicate to us that we are adopted into God’s family
and that we should cry out to Him as our intimate Father?
Romans 8:14–16 All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did
not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit
of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba [Daddy]! Father!” The Spirit himself
bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
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The Holy Spirit joins our new self to affirm in us that God is our Abba, Father. The
Spirit is crying out and moving us to cry out with Him. When your soul is in tune with
Him, it is stirred by the Holy Spirit to intimately cry out to your heavenly Father.
My wife and I visited the headwaters of the Jordan River in Israel. It was a holiday,
and the natural pool of water was filled with Israeli children splashing and playing in the
heat of the day. The hum of a foreign language filled our ears, but one understandable
word clearly rang out as the children cried over and over, “Abba, Abba.” It brought tears
to our eyes as we recognized the familiar intimacy of that word to those happy children.
As our heavenly Father, God longs to share this kind of intimacy with us, and His
Spirit is creating a corresponding longing within us which causes us to cry out to Him.
In the following verses the Holy Spirit works in a similar way to move our hearts to pray
according to God’s will.
4. What weakness is described in the first part of this verse?
Romans 8:26–27 The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For awe do not know what
to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with bgroanings too
deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
a.
b. What words does God use to describe how the Holy Spirit communicates in us?
The Holy Spirit knows what God’s will is. As we pray, the Holy Spirit communicates
to our spirit what we should pray. He speaks with an inner voice that is deeper than
mere words. The Spirit is not praying something different than we’re praying, nor is
He causing us to pray in a prayer language that we don’t understand. He is intimately
leading us to pray according to the will of God.
Throughout God’s Word He communicated with people through a variety of means.
Sometimes He sent an angel. Once He spoke through a burning bush. He often used
dreams. But two things were true about each instance of communication:
• The person knew it was God talking to him.

• He knew what God had said.
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God no longer speaks to us through sensational signs because we have the completed
Word of God. He now speaks to us through His Word. He has also given us the Holy
Spirit to speak to our hearts and helps us to know God’s will. Though He doesn’t speak
with an audible voice, two things will always be true:
• We will know it is God.

• We will know what He is saying.
5. How does God answer our prayers?
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how
will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
6. What do you think it means to pray in Jesus’ name?
John 14:13–14 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may
be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
We often conclude our prayers with these words, “In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.” This
is not just a formality. It is an admission that the only ground we have to stand on as
we come before God’s throne is the ground Jesus purchased. We are acknowledging our
unworthiness and claiming Christ’s worth. Only through the exchange Jesus made with
us do we have the right to call upon God.
Imagine that I have no money, so I decide to solve this problem by going to the bank,
showing my identification, and asking the teller for money. She would have to say, “I’m
sorry, but you have no money in this bank.” On the other hand, if I have a check made out
to me and signed by one of the bank’s customers, it doesn’t matter whether or not I have
money in that bank. All that matters is that the person who issued that check has enough
money to cover it. When we pray in Jesus’ name, we are not hoping we have been good
enough to merit God’s favor so that He will answer our prayer. He has sufficient “funds”
and promises to supply our need. He always keeps His promises.
R. A. Torrey also taught,
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Don’t give up praying until you get what you are asking for, or until God makes it
very clear that it is not His will to give it. 1
How often do we grow weary and quit praying, not realizing that we are on the verge of
receiving great blessings from answered prayer? God wants to use the time between our
request and His answer to build our faith, but we must keep praying.
7. What did the Canaanite woman do to demonstrate she had great faith?
Matthew 15:22–28 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came
out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is
severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples
came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He
answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came
and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to
take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the
dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O
woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was
healed instantly.
8. If we persist in prayer, what does God promise He will do?
Luke 18:7–8 “Will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and
night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, ahe will give justice to them
speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find bfaith on earth?”
a.
b. When Jesus comes back to earth, what will He be looking for from His children?
We demonstrate our faith by praying for our needs and persisting in prayer.
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How does God speak to you to show you His will for your life?
If you’ve been praying for something but feel like giving up because you’ve not
received an answer, write about how you can apply today’s lesson to that need.
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Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 5
Hindrances to Prayer
We have so many prayer promises, but many of us aren’t seeing answers to our prayers.
In today’s lesson we will study hindrances to prayer.
1. What missing ingredient leads to unanswered prayer?
James 1:6–7 Let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is
like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must
not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.
2. Why was God not answering the prayers of these people?
Ezekiel 14:3 “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts,
and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I
indeed let myself be consulted by them?”
What idols of the heart do many of God’s people struggle with today?
3. From this verse, why do God’s children not have what they need?
James 4:2-3 You desire and do not have…. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight
and quarrel. ªYou do not have, because you do not ask. bYou ask and do not receive,
because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
a.
b.
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4. Our lifestyle affects our prayer life. What is the hindrance to prayer in this verse?
1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way,
showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you[a]
of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
5. What hindered the psalmist prayers?
Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart the Lord would not have
listened.
6. Is anyone sinless?
1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
No one is perfect, but we can all be forgiven! If you have unconfessed sin in your life,
won’t you humble yourself before God, confess this sin, and ask for His forgiveness? He
promises mercy to those who confess and forsake sin.
Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who
confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
A Practical Method of Prayer

Dr. Steve Pettit has suggested this simple pattern of prayer to help you pray thirty
minutes a day. 2
Praise (10 minutes)

Repent (5 minutes)
Ask (10 minutes)
Yield (5 minutes)
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What are some things that might be hindering your prayers?
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Daily Prayer Time:

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• Supplication—a synonym of the word prayer; specifically—“a bending down” and
indicates bowing or kneeling in submission; often used in conjunction with weeping or
crying out to God.
1 Kings 8:54 As Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea [supplication] to
the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands
outstretched toward heaven.
Psalms 30:8 To you, O Lord, I cry and to the Lord I plead for mercy
[supplication].
Jeremiah 31:9 With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead
them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which
they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
• God’s Will—the purposes of God; what God wishes to be done by us. As Sovereign,
God has a specific plan for each person on earth. His will is settled and unchanging. To
seek the will of God is to seek God Himself.
Philippians 3:12–14 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but
I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I
do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies
behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the
prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
James 4:15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or
that.”
1 Peter 4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their
souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
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A prayer journal can be a wonderful help to your prayer life. Record the requests God
lays on your heart. You might want to put the date you began praying for each request
and the date the prayer request is answered. This turns those prayer requests into praises
and motivates you to keep praying for the rest of the requests in your journal.
Our God answers prayers!
Show your journal to your Bible study leader and ask him to help you learn to pray.
1. R.A. Torrey
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LESSON 10

HOME LIFE
Being a Spirit-Filled Family Member
What comes to mind when you think of home? Mom? Apple pie? The front porch
swing? Laughter? Tension? Bickering? Broken promises? Shattered dreams? Each of us
approach this subject from our own experiences—good or bad. The goal of this lesson is
to understand God’s ideal for the home so we can begin to move from our experience to
His ideal. A godly, peaceful family is one of rich treasures of your spiritual inheritance.
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DAY 1
A Description of the Home

If becoming God’s child changes anything in our lives for the better, practically-speaking,
it ought to change our family relationships! Second Corinthians 2:14 teaches that God
puts His victory on parade in the Christian’s life. He wants to show the world Who He is
through your life, and the place He wants to begin is in your home.
1. How does being Spirit-filled compare to being drunk?
Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled
with the Spirit.
Being Spirit-filled is allowing the Holy Spirit to influence our every thought and action.
The passage immediately following this verse (Ephesians 5:19–6:10) deals with key areas
of our lives that will be affected by the filling of the Holy Spirit. The vast majority of this
passage teaches us how the Holy Spirit impacts our relationships within our immediate
families. Our relationship with God is intimate, and He desires to help us with our
intimate relationships here on earth as well.
2. Who created the home?
Genesis 2:22–23 The rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into
a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of
my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken
out of Man.”
God brought Eve to Adam and created marriage in the sinless environment of the Garden
of Eden before the fall of man.
Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to
his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
* The word hold fast could be translated “to adhere or glue together.”
This unique definition of marriage is first given here in Genesis and then repeated almost
word-for-word in three New Testament passages, twice by Jesus Himself (Matthew
19:4–6; Mark 10:6–9; and Ephesians 5:31).
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The Holy Spirit and My Home Life
While the definition of marriage is widely debated in our culture, we can extract six
basic ingredients of marriage from these four unique passages. This is marriage as God
designed it.
The Six Biblical Ingredients of Marriage

• THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW FAMILY GROUP DISTINCT FROM
PARENTAL RELATIONSHIPS
Mark 10:7 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his
wife.”
• THE WILLFUL DECISION TO JOIN TWO LIVES INTO A BINDING

RELATIONSHIP
Mark 10:7 “. . . hold fast to his wife.”
• THE PERMANENT BLENDING OF TWO ENTITIES INTO ONE FOR

THE DURATION OF LIFE
Mark 10:8 “‘The two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one
flesh.”
• THE INITIATION OF AN ONGOING PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIP,

GIVEN BY THE CREATOR GOD, EXERCISED ONLY WITHIN THE
CONFINES OF THIS UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP
Mark 10:8 “. . . shall become *one flesh.”

* The phrase one flesh includes physical intimacy (1 Corinthians 6:16; 7:1–5).
• THE AUTHORIZATION OF MARRIAGE IS FROM GOD
Mark 10:9 “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
• THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF MARRIAGE IS FROM MAN
Mark 10:9 “Let not man separate.”
Marriage is a covenant relationship in which one man and one woman vow before
God in the presence of human witnesses to be faithful to an exclusive partnership that
encompasses every area of life for the entire duration of life.
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3. What truth did Jesus add to the phrase “shall hold fast to his wife and the two shall
become one flesh?”
Matthew 19:4–6 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from
the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his
father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together,
let not man separate.”
Mark 10:6–9 “From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’
‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and
the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What
therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
This additional command was not included in Genesis when God first designed
marriage. Before the fall of man it was not necessary for God to teach people not to
leave their marriages. All the sin and problems found in marriages today are due to
man’s sinful condition. Remember, the exchange Christ made with you has given you
the freedom to live in victory over sin so that your marriage can express the fruit of the
Spirit.
Galatians 5:22–23 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
4. What is added to the definition of marriage found in this Ephesians 5?
Ephesians 5:31–32 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast
to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I
am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
The church is called Christ’s bride and is made up of all the believers in this age. The
marriage of Christ to the church is a real event that is going to take place in Heaven.
Many think of Heaven as a distant, mystical place, and it remains far from their minds.
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5. Does God want Heaven to be far from our minds?
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on
earth.
God wants us to have an eternal perspective that affects each area of our lives. In fact, He
wants the earthly marriages of His children to illustrate Heaven to the people who live
around us. You have probably heard the phrase “a little bit of Heaven here on earth.” This
is what God had in mind when he designed the home.
6. What is the key to building a successful home?
Psalm 127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
Many people in our culture are attempting to change the definition of marriage.
Since God is the creator of marriage, we must look to Him and His Word to
build relationships that reflect His design. How does today’s lesson impact your
view of marriage?
What are some ways God can strengthen your home and make it a little bit of
Heaven on earth?
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Read Acts 16:31 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
Acts 16:31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and
your household.”
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 2
Roles in the Home

To make your home the beautiful place of refuge God designed it to be you must have
the ingredients God prescribed for godly marriages.
The first ingredient for a godly marriage is a godly husband.
The Role of a Godly Husband

1. Who has authority over the husband?
1 Corinthians 11:3 I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ,
the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
2. What is the husband’s role in the home?
Ephesians 5:23–24 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the
head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to
Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
3. How are godly husbands commanded to lead their wives?
Ephesians 5:25–29 aHusbands, love your wives, bas Christ loved the church and
c
gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the
washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in
splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and
without blemish. dIn the same way husbands should love their wives as their own
bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but
e
nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.
a.
b. To what extent is the husband to love his wife?
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c. What did Christ’s love for the church demand of Him? What do you think a
husband’s love for his wife should demand from him?
d. What motive should drive a godly husband?
A godly husband’s love must be selfless, aimed at building up and blessing his wife.
e. What two verbs does God use to describe the love a godly husband should have
for his wife? Briefly write your own definition of each word.
Cherish means to hold her close as dear and precious; to love her with tender love and
affection; and to bring warmth, comfort, and security into her life. Nourish means to
provide for her needs, to encourage her, and to build her up.
4. Husbands, what are five ways you can show your wife that you really love her? Make a
plan to put each of these ideas into action.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
5. In Proverbs 5:15–21 God describes His plan for intimacy within the marriage. Look
this up in your Bible and read it. In the middle of the passage He gives two commands
that involve a husband’s attitude toward his wife. How would you describe that
attitude?
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Proverbs 5:18 Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
Proverbs 5:19 Be intoxicated always in her love.
Think of this as a husband giving himself over to the deep enjoyment of the love of his
life. This is a choice to delight in her and enjoy the gift of her presence.
6. The Song of Solomon is an Old Testament book entirely devoted to intimacy in

marriage. How does this husband verbalize his choice to delight in his wife?
Song of Solomon 4:9 You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have
captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.
7. How can a husband live with his wife according to knowledge?
1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, ashowing
honor to the woman bas the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace
of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
a.
b. In what ways should a husband honor his wife?
c. Husbands and wives are equal heirs of the grace of life. Why is this truth
significant?
Malachi 2:14 speaks of “the wife of your youth,” “your companion,” and “your wife by
covenant.” A godly husband cherishes and delights in his wife, counting her as precious.
A husband who lives this way creates a home that is “a little bit of Heaven on earth.” A
wife who experiences this kind of love from her husband will not be afraid to fulfill her
God-given role in the home.
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In your opinion, how does our current culture view a husband’s role?
How does God’s role for a husband conflict with the views of our culture?
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Read Acts 16:31 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
your household.”
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 3
The second ingredient of a godly marriage is a godly wife.
The Role of a Godly Wife

1. Who has authority over the wife?
Ephesians 5:23 The husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of
the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Remember that Christ has authority over the husband. When a wife chooses to live
under her husband’s authority, she is ultimately living under God’s authority.
2. What are wives commanded to do?
Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
3. Why did God create a wife for Adam?
Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be
alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
The word fit means suitable. In other words, Eve was just right for Adam. She was given
to Adam as a helper, made especially to meet his specific needs. At the end of each day of
creation God said, “It is good.” But when He created Adam, God said, “It is not good for
a man to be alone.” Without Eve, Adam would have been incomplete. With Eve, Adam
was complete. Together they formed a perfect team.
When a wife submits to her husband she is making the choice to join his team. She
binds her life to his with the selfless motive of helping him make their home “a little bit
of Heaven on earth.” As she lives to make her husband successful, she makes their team
successful and both of them find fulfillment in each other.
4. We have already seen that a husband is to love his wife and value her as precious. What
is the wife’s corresponding role?
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Ephesians 5:33 Let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that
she respects her husband.
Isn’t it interesting that God never commands a wife to love her husband? This implies that
love is more natural to women. They need love to satisfy their hearts’ longing. This is why
it is so necessary that a godly husband love his wife. Men are initiators and women are
responders. When a man fills his wife’s heart with love, her natural response will be to love
him in return. This is God’s design.
God commands wives to respect their husbands. Because this is not second nature for
most women, this must be done intentionally. Men need the respect of their wives, and a godly
wife satisfies this God-given need. Respect means to value. God wants a godly wife to value
her husband as the most important person in her life, even more important than her children.
Respect is shown by believing in him, cheering him on, and verbally expressing appreciation
of him.
5. What special promise does God give to a woman who is married to an unsaved
husband?
1 Peter 3:1–6 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if
some do not obey the word, athey may be won without a word by the conduct of
their wives, bwhen they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your
adorning be external …but let your adorning be cthe hidden person of the heart
with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, dwhich in God’s sight is
very precious. For this is how ethe holy women who fhoped in God used to adorn
themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as gSarah obeyed Abraham, calling
him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is
frightening.
a.
b. What type of lifestyle will impact an unsaved husband for Christ?
c. Describe the inner characteristics that are commanded in this passage?
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d. Who values these inner characteristics?
e. What example does God give of this kind of life?
f. In whom was their ultimate confidence?
g. Why did Sarah call her husband lord?
Admittedly, the word lord is from a bygone era; but the teaching is clear—Sarah
respected her husband. Though various cultures express respect differently, this vital
ingredient is necessary to a godly home.
6. Wives, list at least five things you respect about your husband.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Wives, you may be surprised at the response you will get as you tell your husband the
things you respect about him. God made him to need your respect. Never underestimate
your power in the relationship. Become an expert at meeting this need and your
relationship will be revitalized with real intimacy and strength.
A husband cannot truly love nor a wife sincerely respect without God’s help. These
expressions of love must flow from a genuine relationship with God. Let me share a
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personal experience that has made a difference in my marriage. I evaluate my relationship

with God by being aware of how I am relating to my wife. When I am quick to give,
expecting nothing in return, this indicates that I am experiencing God’s provision to
the point of overflow. On the other hand, when I am easily irritated and find myself
trying to manipulate and control my wife, I know that I am walking in the flesh and I’m
probably hurting her. I constantly remind myself—
My primary relationship with God is a receiving relationship.

My primary relationships with others are giving relationships.
When you surrender to God and look to Him alone to meet your needs, you will have
all you require to give to others. One benefit of a close human relationship is that it often
gauges your spiritual health. Selfish responses indicate that you’ve forgotten to make
God your source and have begun to expect your loved one to give you what only God
can provide. It’s easy to focus on changing your spouse. When you’re tempted to try
to change your loved one, remember two things. Number one, this is impossible; and
number two, it will drive you apart. The only person you can change is you. You can
have confidence in your ability to change because the Holy Spirit is your change agent.
Center your life on Christ, and ask Him to make you the husband or wife your spouse
needs.
In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul writes to those who are single. As a single person himself,
he speaks of singleness as a gift to be utilized for God. As we have seen, those who are
married must spend time, emotional energy, and commitment to serve their spouses. If
you are single, Paul encourages you to use this time in your life to attend to the things
of God. God wants you to spend your emotional energies being concerned about and
taking care of the things of the Lord. Your investment in God’s Kingdom will be to your
eternal advantage.
1 Corinthians 7:32, 34–35 The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the
Lord, how to please the Lord. … And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious
about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. … I say this for
your own benefit, … to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
Paul also addresses the desires of many to marry. This is a noble aspiration, but only as
long as it is sought within the will of God. Paul makes it clear both in this passage and
in 2 Corinthians 6:14 that Christians are at liberty to be married only to believers. Be
patient! God brought Eve to Adam. Let God bring you a mate that shares your love for
God and your passion for His Kingdom.
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In your opinion how does our current culture define a wife’s role?
How does God’s role for a wife conflict with the views of our culture?
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Review Acts 16:31, and try saying it without looking.
your household.”
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 4
The third ingredient of a godly home is godly children.
The Role of Godly Children

1. How does the Bible describe children?
Psalm 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage [gift] from the Lord, the fruit of the
womb a reward.
2. What are children commanded to do?
Ephesians 6:1–3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),
“that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
3. From this passage about loyalty and faithfulness in marriage, why does God give us
children?
Malachi 2:15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their
union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in
your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.
4. How can parents raise godly children?
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will
not depart from it.
Biblical Child Training

5. As the head of his family, what is a godly father commanded not to do?
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, ado not provoke your children to anger, but bbring them up
in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
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a.
b. What is he commanded to do?
The father is commanded to raise children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
But this is really a two-parent responsibility. As the husband and wife work side-by-side,
they form a unified team. If you’re a single parent God has a special place in His heart for
you and your children. He will empower you to raise them as you look to Him as your
source. The child-training principles in the Bible apply to single parenting just as they do
a two-parent home.
A wonderful analogy of discipline is that of a soldier training for deployment. His
training, which takes place in a relatively controlled, safe environment, prepares him
for the hostile environment of the battlefield. A godly home is also like a greenhouse. It
provides the nutrients and warm environment necessary to prepare godly children for
a harsh world. Discipline involves appropriate chastisement when a child does wrong,
but it is so much more than that. Discipline describes the entire process of developing
children to be strong enough to face the world when they grow to adulthood. Nurture
is discipleship and is designed to build strong character into the very fabric of the child,
demanding hard work and a disciplined lifestyle.
Instruction means to set the mind just as you would set a table for dinner. You put
everything in place and get it ready for use. As you train your child’s mind, you are
building his conscience. It’s like filling his moral warehouse so that he can draw from
that warehouse to make biblical distinctions between right and wrong. This process
will prepare his conscience to continue disciplining him as he grows to maturity and
independence.
6. How would you describe biblical chastisement?
Proverbs 13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is
diligent to discipline him.
7. What is the result of loving chastisement?
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Proverbs 22:15 Folly [rebellion] is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of
discipline drives it far from him.
These words may seem harsh, but the message is simple and clear. Appropriate
punishment is part of God’s prescription for raising godly children. God is our example
of a loving Father. He is never angry or abusive in His chastisement, but He is firm and
consistent.
8. Who does God not chastise?
Hebrews 12:5–8 “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be
weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises
every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is
treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are
illegitimate children and not sons.
God designed loving chastisement to be an effective tool when used wisely. Parents
should never discipline out of anger. In fact, God calls it an act of love. Discipline
includes setting a godly example, instruction, encouragement, and structure. The goal is
to build loving, trusting relationships. Every action must flow from Spirit-filled lives. In
essence, your heavenly Father wants to raise your children through you. His ultimate
purpose is that they trust Him as Savior and bring glory to Him throughout their entire
lives.
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In your opinion how does our current culture view child-training?
How does God’s teaching on child-training conflict with the views of our
culture?
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your household.”
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 5
Family Worship
1. What are we to teach our children?
Deuteronomy 6:6–7 And these words that I command you today shall be on your
heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down,
and when you rise.
2 Timothy 3:15–16 From childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred
writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness,
2. Who should lead the home in godly instruction?
Genesis 18:18–19 “Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty
nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen
him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep
the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice.”
Genesis 35:2–3 Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put
away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your
garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to
the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I
have gone.”
Joshua 24:15 “If it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you
will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or
the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we
will serve the Lord.”
Set aside time each day to lead your family in worship. It may only take a few minutes,
but it sets the precedent in your family that Joshua set in his: “As for me and my house,
we will serve the Lord.” The method you use will be determined by the ages of your
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children, but a good starting point is to read and discuss a verse or a passage of Scripture.
Apply the Scripture to your lives, sing together, and close by sharing prayer requests and
praying. Whether you begin or end your day with family worship, make this as vital to
your daily schedule as is your mealtime.
For a good resource on this topic read Rediscovering Family Worship by Jerry
Marcellino. 1
The Sacredness of the Home

God designed the home to reflect the love and care He has for His children. It’s the perfect
place to express our loyalty and devotion to Him. When we lead our homes through the
power of the Holy Spirit we can enjoy a little bit of Heaven on earth. A statement from
a friend of mine was alarming at first. She said, “Living with my husband is like living
with Jesus.” She wasn’t being sacrilegious; she was living with a man who consistently
demonstrated the sweet, intentional life of the Spirit of Christ. May Jesus live through us
to the extent that our families see Jesus in us.
3. Remember Who Paul said was living in him?
Christ who lives in me.
The Spirit of Christ was Paul’s source, energizing his thoughts and actions. Imagine the
difference Christ could make in your home if all your actions stemmed from a Spirit-filled
life. As the Holy Spirit produces His fruit in you, the very first people who will benefit from
the change in your life will be those who live within the four walls of your home.
Questions four and five of today’s lesson discuss the permanency of marriage and
divorce. Many new believers have experienced marital conflict, some to the point of
divorce. This painful experience may be part of your history. If so, remember you now
live in God’s grace and forgiveness. If circumstances such as abuse or infidelity led to
your divorce, know that God holds you very gently in his hands. Please remember those
truths as we proceed. No matter what led to the divorce, in most cases you cannot go
back and undo your divorce, but you will no doubt find it helpful to observe God’s
instructions going forward.
Divorce is destroying our homes and hurting children and adults alike. In both
the Old and New Testaments God makes His view of divorce very clear. The book of
Malachi records a dispute between God and the people of Israel. God was moved by the
desperate tears of wives whose unfaithful husbands had divorced them and then acted as
if they had done nothing wrong. Here Malachi recounts the climax of their argument.
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Malachi 2:14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness
between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though
she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
4. How does God view divorce?
Malachi 2:15–16 Guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless
to the wife of your youth. “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces
her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the
Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”
5. What did Jesus say about divorce?
Mark 10:6–9 “From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’
‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and
the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What
therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Matthew 19:9 “And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual
immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”
No matter what your history is, resolve to honor God’s institution of marriage from this
point on so that your home can truly be a little bit of Heaven on earth.
If you are troubled by guilt and regret over a marriage failure, deal with this as you
would any other sin—confess it to God and get it right with Him. Then move on,
refusing to let Satan beat you up with the “if only’s” he wants to use against you. God
has a wonderful plan for your future.
Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for
welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
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APPLICATION
Word teaches.
If your marriage is to be permanent, you must follow God’s plan. What is your
responsibility according to the Scriptures?
What time of day would be a good time for family worship in your home?
What is the best way for you to show your view of the sacredness of marriage?
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Read Acts 1, and ask God to speak to you as you read. Record at least one thing God


your household.”
Daily Prayer Time:


• Worship—a sense of awe and devotion; the expression of reverence and adoration; to
bow down or to serve. The human soul was created to worship. In reality, our every
decision and action is worship of something. We are only whole as we worship God
through our adoration, praise, and service.
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Psalms 29:2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in
the splendor of holiness.
Psalms 66:4 “All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing
praises to your name.”
John 4:23–24 “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers
will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people
to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in
spirit and truth.
• Family—a household; an ancestry or lineage. The family was the first institution
created by God. Before government, before the church, God formed the family. Not
everyone has a spouse, but everyone has a parent. A good Christian family is one that
lines up with biblical principles.
Family can also refer to the family of God in the church. After the resurrection Jesus
called the disciples brothers and made it clear that His Father is now every believer’s
Father.
Genesis 18:19 “I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his
household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and
justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”
Joshua 24:15 “If it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom
you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the
River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and
my house, we will serve the Lord.”
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Write a description of your God-given role in your home.
Evaluate your effectiveness.
What are some ways you would like to improve as a spouse, parent, or child?
What verses can you claim that will help you improve in your God-given role?
What will make your home a happier place?
What are some areas of child rearing you need to work on this week?
1. Rediscovering Family Worship by Jerry Marcellino
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LESSON 11
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND

MY FINANCIAL LIFE
Adopting God’s Attitude toward Money
Our view and use of money reveals more about our real belief system than almost any
other gauge. You have probably seen the bumper sticker that reads, “The one who dies
with the most toys wins.” I saw one recently that puts things into perspective, “The
one who dies with the most toys still dies.” In this world of excessive borrowing and
acquiring we must remind ourselves of the biblical injunctions regarding materialism.
No matter what we are able to accumulate here on earth, we cannot take any of it with
us; yet God has given us the privilege of investing in His eternal Kingdom. In fact,
everything we do for His Kingdom will last forever. God teaches us that we are not
owners of our possessions, but stewards. He owns everything, and one day we will give
an account of how we used the funds He entrusted to us.
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DAY 1
Eternal versus Temporal

1. What is the most valuable thing ever entrusted to you?
Matthew 16:26 What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits
his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Jesus used these questions to sum up a rebuke He gave Simon Peter. The root of Peter’s
error was setting his mind on the things of men instead of the things of God. Jesus then
invited all the disciples to follow Him, telling them that such a decision would demand
self-denial in this life but would yield eternal value in the life to come. He was talking
about embracing the values of God’s eternal Kingdom instead of the temporal things
of this age. Even if we accumulate everything we think will satisfy our hearts’ desires, it
won’t be enough. Our human appetite for materialism is simply insatiable. We will gain
that which is of real value only by filling our souls with the living Spirit of God.
2. What warning does Jesus give in this parable about a foolish rich man?
Luke 12:15–21 He said to them, “Take care, and abe on your guard against
all covetousness, dfor one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man
produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have
nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my
barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years;
relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘bFool! This night your soul
is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is
the one who clays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
a.
b. What does Jesus say about a person who pursues material wealth at the expense of
his own soul?
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The Holy Spirit and My Financial Life
c. How would you describe the word covetousness?
Covetousness—wanting what God has not chosen to give you; a greedy desire for what we
shouldn’t or can’t have.
d. Why did Jesus say to beware of covetousness?
e. What contrast did Jesus make when He applied the parable?
3. We have a choice to be rich toward God or, like the rich man in this parable, to invest
all our energy and resources to accumulate things.
Take a moment to evaluate your life. How are you using your resources?
4. Will earthly riches equate to eternal riches?
Matthew 19:23–26 Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with
difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter
the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished,
saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man
this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
5. What is the danger of chasing after wealth?
Proverbs 23:4–5 Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.

When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like
an eagle toward heaven.
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6. Why does God tell us to focus on His invisible Kingdom?
2 Corinthians 4:18 As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things
that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are
unseen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:4–7 teaches that the real treasure in this world is the light that Jesus brings
into our lives at salvation. The most valuable investment we can make is showing people
“the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Why would a person deny himself to follow Jesus?
In what ways are you investing your life to become rich toward God?
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Read Matthew 6:33 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these
things will be added to you.”
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 2
The Sermon on the Mount is the longest recorded message Jesus preached. A large
portion of this important sermon deals with God’s value system (Matthew 5–7).
1. What reasons are given for pursuing eternal treasures rather than temporal treasures?
Matthew 6:19–20 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, awhere moth
and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, bwhere neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves
do not break in and steal.
2. Does your heart follow your treasure or your treasure follow your heart?
Matthew 6:21 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
We often think that what we love determines where we invest our resources, but the
opposite is actually true. The investments we make with our time, money, and talents
impact our entire value system. The next few verses warn us about the folly of trying to
pursue both temporal and eternal treasure.
3. What are the two masters mentioned in this verse? Why must you choose which one
you will serve?
Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and
love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot
serve God and money.
*When we rely on money more than God, we make security and comfort into idols of
the heart.
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4. What enables us to stop worrying about earthly needs?
Matthew 6:31–32 “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or

‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these
things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”
5. On what should we center our lives?
a.
b. What does Jesus promise when we put His invisible, eternal Kingdom first in our
lives?
Notice that the phrase all these things is used three times in two verses. Things are
important, even necessary, but not as important and necessary as Christ’s kingdom. God
knows we have only so much emotional energy to expend. If we expend our energy on
earthly anxieties and desires, we will have very little left for what is truly valuable. Jesus
sums up the passage with this verse:
Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be
anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Stewardship versus Ownership

The great eighteenth-century preacher, John Wesley, described the difference between the
temporal and the eternal this way:
“When the possessor of Heaven and Earth brought you into being and placed
you in this world, He placed you here not as an owner, but as a steward—as
such He entrusted you for a season with goods of various kinds—but the sole
property of these still rests in Him, nor can ever be alienated from Him. As you
are not your own but His, such is likewise all you enjoy.” 1
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We must learn to properly manage what the Lord places within our care.
6. Who is the real owner of all things?
Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those
who dwell therein.
Psalm 50:10–12 “Every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. If I were
hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.”
In Bible times, a wealthy landowner would often hire a steward to manage his property
and assets. In Luke 16, Jesus told the parable of a steward who abused this position of
great trust. In the process of being fired, he had to give an account of his stewardship.
Though the property was not his, he utilized his power over the master’s goods to secure
a good standing for himself with the master’s debtors so that when he was dismissed
from his job he would still have friends who could help him in his life after stewardship.
While not condoning his dishonesty, Jesus commended his shrewdness.
7. How does Jesus want us to utilize our power over the things He has entrusted to our
care?
Luke 16:8–9 “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.
For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation
than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of
unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal
dwellings.”
God wants you to leverage your earthly time, talents, and treasures to invest in people for
the Kingdom of God instead of using people to acquire things.
8. What does God require of His stewards?
1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
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What is a good motive for investing in God’s eternal Kingdom?
What changes could you make to invest more of yourself in God’s eternal
Kingdom?
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Read Matthew 6:33 five times. Then see how much of it you can say without looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 3
Jesus told another parable about a master who was going away for a long time. He made
three of his servants stewards over large sums of money called talents. Each talent was
worth about fifteen years’ wages, or $500,000–$700,000. He gave one servant five talents,
another two talents, and to the last servant he gave one talent.
1. Read the entire parable and observe what each servant did with his master’s money and
the master’s response to each of them.
Matthew 25:15–30 “To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one,
to each according to his ability. Then he went away. aHe who had received the
five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.
So also che who had the two talents made two talents more. But ehe who had
received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.
Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with
them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five
talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made
five talents more.’ His master said to him, b‘Well done, good and faithful servant.
You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy
of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying,
‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His
master said to him, d‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful
over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also
who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be
a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no
seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have
what is yours.’ But his master answered him, f‘You wicked and slothful servant!
You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?
Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I
should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him
and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be
given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what
he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In
that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
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The Five-Talent Servant

a. What did he do with his master’s money?
b. What was his master’s response?
The Two-Talent Servant

c. What did he do with his master’s money?
d. What was his master’s response?
The One-Talent Servant

e. What did he do with his master’s money?
f. What was his master’s response?
The reward each servant received is an illustration of the eternal reward given to those
who invest their earthly lives into God’s invisible, eternal Kingdom.
Giving versus Getting

2. The last words Paul spoke to the church leaders in Asia indicate the importance Paul
placed on giving. Why does God want us to give?
Acts 20:35 “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we
must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself
said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
3. What promise allows us to give generously?
Philippians 4:19 My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches
in glory in Christ Jesus.
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4. What word describes the mind-set God wants us to have?
1 Timothy 6:6–8 Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought

nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we
have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
5. Does the Bible say it is wrong to be rich?
1 Timothy 6:9–10 aThose who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a
snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and
destruction. For bthe love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this
craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with
many pangs.
a.
b. What is the root of every kind of evil?
Having money is not wrong; loving money is. In fact, God recognizes that some people
are going to be wealthier than others, and He gives advice to help them best utilize their
earthly assets.
6. How does the Bible describe riches?
1 Timothy 6:17–19 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be
haughty, nor to set their hopes on athe uncertainty of riches, but on God, who
richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in
good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus bstoring up treasure for
themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of
that which is truly life.
a.
b. When we give of our earthly goods, what are we actually doing?
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To take hold of that which is truly life is making the most of the eternal life we received in
Christ by investing our earthly life into God’s eternal Kingdom.
7. Many people have an insatiable appetite for things. To what does the Bible equate this
covetous mind-set?
Ephesians 5:5 You may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral
or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and God.
Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality,
impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
In the parable of the talents, did the master commend the servants for the
amount of money made?
Based on his commendation, what is the most important aspect of giving?

(Refer to question 1, page 279.)
How can you improve your faithfulness as a steward of your time, talents, and
treasures?
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DAY 4
The proper attitude toward money is not possible without the Holy Spirit’s enabling.
Paul equated the giving of the Macedonian churches with the grace of God. Grace is
God’s supernatural enabling to do what we cannot do without Him.
1. What about the Macedonians indicates Spirit-empowered living?
2 Corinthians 8:1–5 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that
has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction,
their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of
generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify,
and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of
taking part in the relief of the saints—and this, not as we expected, but they gave
themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
2. Who first demonstrated the grace of giving?
2 Corinthians 8:9 You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he
was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become
rich.
Notice the beauty of the exchange Christ made for us. Can you possibly give more than
Christ gave to you?
Tithing
The Old Testament baseline for giving is tithing.
3. What is the definition of the word tithe?
Leviticus 27:32 Every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass
under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the Lord.
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The first mention of any truth in the Bible often lays the foundation for the expansion
of that truth throughout the rest of the Bible. This is true of the first mention of
tithing recorded in Genesis 14:17–24. Abraham gave tithes from the spoil of battle to
Melchizedek, a type of Christ.
4. In your opinion, why did Abraham give Melchizedek a tithe?
Genesis 14:19–20 He [Melchizedek]blessed him and said “Blessed be Abram by

God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of
everything.
5. What reason did Abraham give for refusing money from the wicked king of Sodom?
Genesis 14:22-23 Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to
the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a
thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made
Abram rich.’”
Abraham recognized that God had blessed him with success. He was giving a portion of
the blessing back to God to acknowledge that everything he possessed had come from
God. The phrase “I have lifted my hand” signified a covenant made with God. As you
invest your money in the Lord’s work, you make a statement about your own personal
relationship with God, acknowledging His ownership of everything you have.
6. What sin did God accuse His people of committing when they refused to tithe?
Malachi 3:8 “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have
we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.”
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7. How does God challenge His children to tithe?
Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my
house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open
the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no
more need.”
God’s plan for caring for His house is that all His people give proportionately to His
work. He has promised spiritual blessings to those who trust Him enough to tithe. If
each church member were to give ten percent of his income to his local church, the
church would be able to invest far more in God’s eternal Kingdom. According to a Barna
Research report only 5 percent of born again Christians tithed their income to churches
in 2012, down from 9 percent in 2004. (www.barna.org2). Many believers are missing
this great spiritual blessing from God.
8. What promise does God give to those who are obedient in their giving?
Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you
use it will be measured back to you.”
The inheritance Christ is giving us is spiritual. Though these verses do not promise
physical health and wealth, they do promise spiritual health and wealth, which is far
more valuable.
9. What attitude does God desire from those who give?
2 Corinthians 9:6–7 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must
give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God
loves a cheerful giver.
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10. When should you give your tithes and offerings?
1 Corinthians 16:1–2 Concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the
churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. aOn the first day of every week, each of
you is to put something aside and store it up, bas he may prosper, so that there will
be no collecting when I come.
a.
b. What is the standard of giving mentioned here?
The Bible directs us to regular, purposeful giving in proportion to His provision.
Based on what you have learned in this lesson, what is grace giving?
What are some steps you could take to invest more into God’s eternal Kingdom?
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Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 5
Saving Versus Borrowing

According to Money-zine.com, “The latest statistics from the Federal Reserve indicate
consumer [unsecured] debt in the United States . . . reach[ed] nearly $3.6 trillion
in April 2016. According to statistics published by the Census Bureau, that works
out to over $11,140 in debt for every man, woman, and child that lives here in the
United States. Americans charged approximately $1,944 billion to their credit cards in
2009. That’s just over $12,500 in charges per cardholder. Nearly 2.5 million Americans
will seek the help of credit counselors this year, while 0.9 million individuals filed for
bankruptcy protection in 2015.” (www.money-zine.com3) We live in a “buy now, pay
later” culture, but the Bible doesn’t promote this lifestyle.
1. What does the Bible teach concerning debt?
Proverbs 22:7 The borrower is the slave of the lender.
2. What does the Bible call people who don’t repay their debts?
Psalm 37:21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is
generous and gives.
3. What are the items for which the people in this story borrowed money? What was the
result of their actions?
Nehemiah 5:3–5 “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses
to get grain because of the famine.” And there were those who said, “We have
borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. … Yet we are
forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have
already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our
fields and our vineyards”
This passage does not teach against borrowing, but it certainly demonstrates that
borrowing to get out of trouble makes a bad situation worse. The Bible promotes a “pay
as you go and save for the future” lifestyle.
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4. What words does God use to describe those who save?
Proverbs 15:6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble
befalls the income of the wicked.
Proverbs 21:20 Precious treasure and oil are in a awise man’s dwelling, but ba
foolish man devours it.
a.
b. How does God describe those who do not save?
5. What is one good motive to save as much as you can?
Proverbs 19:14 House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is
from the Lord.
Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but
the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
The Bible also promotes a strong work ethic. One of the Ten Commandments teaches
the importance of long days and long weeks of hard labor. While rest is necessary, it is
not the objective. We rest so that we have the energy to work, not work so that we have
the time to rest.
Exodus 20:9–10 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day
is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work.
6. What is the priority taught in this verse?
Proverbs 24:27 Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the
field, and after that build your house.
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If we want to live a comfortable life, we provide for our comfort through hard work.
7. What does the Bible teach should happen to people who won’t work?
2 Thessalonians 3:10 Even when we were with you, we would give you this
command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
8. What does this verse teach about hard work?
Ephesians 4:28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest
work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in
need.
God has shown us what to do in every aspect of our financial lives, and His Spirit will
enable us to make the changes that are necessary.
Romans 11:36 From him and through him and to him are all things. To him be
glory forever. Amen.
Philippians 2:13 It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good
pleasure.
APPLICATION
Word teaches. What will you do as a result of what you have learned from God’s Word?
What are some steps you could take to reduce your debt?
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What changes should you make in your financial life based on what you’ve
learned this week? Will you ask God to help you get started? _______________
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Daily Prayer Time:


• Eternal—unlimited time; everlasting; without end; never to cease. Humans are
eternal beings and everyone will spend eternity somewhere. Everything eternal is
invisible in this temporal world. We can keep that which is temporal only when we
invest it into God’s eternal Kingdom.
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2 Corinthians 5:1 We know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we
have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 Corinthians 4:17 This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal

weight of glory beyond all comparison.
• Temporal—pertaining to life on this earth, restricted to time; having limited

existence; temporary. Everything visible is temporal.
2 Corinthians 4:18 As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that
are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen
are eternal.
Matthew 16:23 “You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on
the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Hebrews 11:25–26 Choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than
to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater
wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
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Answer the following questions. If you are married, discuss your responses with your
spouse.
Are you giving as you should to the work of the Lord? Yes No
Have you prayed about what the Lord would have you do
concerning giving to missions or evangelism abroad? Yes No
Do you have a joyful spirit toward your giving? Yes No
Would you say that both your treasure and your heart are
indeed in Heaven? Yes No
Ask the Lord to show you areas of your finances He would like to change. Write down
what He brings to mind.
Make a plan to better invest your life in God’s Kingdom. If you are married, work on
this with your spouse. Carrying out your plan may take some time. Use the space below
to get started by jotting down some ideas of what you would like to do.
1. John Wesley
2. Barna web page
3. www.money-zine.com
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LESSON 12
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND

MY SERVICE
The Purpose of the Spirit-Filled Life—
Service for the King
The most exciting reality in this world is who we are in Christ. Every believer has been
recreated in Christ’s image and is indwelt with His Holy Spirit. The purpose of the
Spirit-filled life is to manifest Christ to the world. God doesn’t fill us just so that we
can be full and satisfied. He wants to pour His life into the world through us. God has
filled us with the victory of Jesus and enables us to live that victory in the face of every
imaginable opposition. What might possibly defeat us? “Tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Paul emphatically answers this
question.
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who
loved us.
God plans for us to use this victorious power to serve in His eternal, invisible Kingdom.
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DAY 1
God’s Enabling Grace

1. What is the purpose for God’s grace as it is stated in these verses?
2 Corinthians 9:8 God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all
sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
Ephesians 2:8–10 By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your
own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
2. Grace is God’s supernatural enablement to do what only God can do. What good
work was Paul energized by God’s grace to do?
Ephesians 3:7–8 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of
God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am
the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ.
3. In Galatians 2:20, Paul used the phrase “it is no longer I” to describe the supernatural
ability to live as he did. In the following verse he expresses the same supernatural
ability with the phrase “though it was not I.” What was Paul able to do that this
phrase describes?
1 Corinthians 15:10–11 By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward
me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it
was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so
we preach and so you believed.
The word preach in these last two verses doesn’t refer just to what happens on the
platform at church. God has called all of us to preach the gospel to the people in our
spheres of influence. You can give the gospel to a friend or coworker over lunch. You can
do an evangelistic Bible study with a neighbor. One woman gave her personal trainer the
Good News in between what she called “torture sessions” at the gym. The possibilities are
endless and your potential is vast.
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The Holy Spirit and My Service
God’s Call
Aren’t you glad you’ve made the exchange with Jesus? Think back to the day you trusted
Christ. What did it take for you to become a Christian? Obviously, salvation from sin
and death is a supernatural work of God, but it probably took a person using God’s
Word to show you how to receive Christ’s exchange. Now that you’ve been saved from
sin, you have the privilege to tell others the Good News!
4. Even Jesus depended on the Holy Spirit. What did the Holy Spirit anoint Him to do
during His earthly ministry?
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to
proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the
captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are
oppressed.”
5. What did Jesus promise those who follow Him?
Matthew 4:19 He said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Luke 5:10 “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”
These passages record the moment when Jesus called four fishermen to follow Him—
Peter, Andrew, James, and John. The word translated “catch” in Luke 5:10 means to
catch alive or for life. The people we “catch” belong to Jesus and have eternal life. In 2
Timothy, Paul uses this same word to describe the condition of humans who have not
repented of their sins.
6. Describe the condition of an unbeliever.
2 Timothy 2:25–26 Correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps
grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to
their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to
do his will.
a.
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b. How does Paul urge Timothy to rescue people caught in Satan’s snare?
What a vivid picture this paints. People are being held captive by the devil, ensnared
in his trap. They are being dragged to eternal death by the deception of their own sins.
Every person we meet is either held captive by the devil and headed for destruction or
has been set free by Jesus and is headed for Heaven. Jesus called these fishermen to give
up their temporal fishing nets for a more important, eternal task—to catch men for life.
In this verse God calls us to give unbelievers the truth that can set them free.
John 8:32 “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
How did you learn about Jesus?
Write the names of some people in your life who need to hear the good news
that can rescue them from Satan’s grasp. Pray for them, and ask God to open
doors for you to tell them about Jesus.
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John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you
should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask
the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
Daily Prayer Time:

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DAY 2
Imagine sitting at your loved one’s bedside and leaning in close to hear those last,
precious words. What your loved one would have to say with those final breaths would
be very important to him and to you.
1. What was Jesus’ final command to the disciples? Do you remember what this
command is called?
Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to
the whole creation.”
The Great Commission is great because of its great importance. So, why is it so
important?
2. Can anyone be saved? What must happen before someone can be

saved?
Romans 10:13–15 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are
they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And ahow are they to hear
without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it
is written, b“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
a.
b. How does God view those who tell others about His good news?
3. What piece of the armor of God provides sure footing in battle?
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Ephesians 6:14–17 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having
put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on
the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield
of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take
the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
The importance of taking the gospel to those who are alienated from God cannot
be overstated. It is necessary not only for the sake of those who are still trapped in
sin, but it also helps protect you from the enemy. It has been said that one way for a
person recovering from an addiction to avoid a relapse is to actively help others who
are struggling with addictions. The same holds true with the gospel. One means of
protecting yourself as a soldier in God’s army is by being prepared and engaged in taking
the gospel of peace to people in your sphere of influence.
4. What did Jesus say about those who are not actively engaged in evangelism?
Matthew 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather
with me scatters.
5. What has Jesus ordained you to do?
6. Earlier in John 15 Jesus told His disciples what was necessary to be a fruitful
Christian. What was it?
John 15:4–5, 8 “aAbide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by
itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the
vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears
much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. By this my Father is glorified,
that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples”
a.
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b. Who is glorified when our lives are fruitful?
Our Boldness
7. How did spending time with Jesus change the disciples’ ministry?
Acts 4:13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they
were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that
they had been with Jesus.
This boldness became a trademark of Jesus’ followers. Knowing Jesus intimately enables
us to show Him effectively and boldly to others. Shortly after this incident, the disciples
were threatened by the religious authorities never to “speak at all nor teach in the name
of Jesus.” Even though they were released under close scrutiny, they went immediately to
the church, reported the situation, and held a powerful prayer meeting.
8. We probably would have prayed for protection, but what did they pray for?
Acts 4:29–31 Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue
to speak your word with all boldness, … And when they had prayed, the place in
which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy
Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Notice the result of their prayers. God often used miraculous events in those early days
to demonstrate His pleasure, and in some cases displeasure, with His people. God may
not shake the ground when we pray, but we can expect Him to give us boldness if we ask
Him for it. Years later the apostle Paul was still asking for boldness.
9. What words in these prayer requests indicate the importance of grace and boldness in
evangelism?
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Colossians 4:3–6 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a
door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in
prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom
toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be
gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each
person.
Ephesians 6:18–20 Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and
supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication
for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my
mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador
in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
These verses in Ephesians immediately follow the listing of the armor of God. This armor
is necessary for Christians engaged in the battle for the souls of men, but so is prayer for
boldness.
Satan trembles when he sees

The weakest saint upon his knees.
Describe the importance of solid footing to a soldier and how it parallels being
prepared to give the gospel? (Refer to, question 3, page 303)
Why do you think the early church put so much emphasis on praying for
boldness?
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DAY 3
God’s Power
1. What picture did Jesus use to show the abundant power that is available to His
servants?
John 7:38–39 “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart
will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those
who believed in him were to receive.
2. What did Jesus tell His disciples to do that demonstrates the necessity of the Holy
Spirit’s power in this battle for souls?
Luke 24:49 “Behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in
the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
The New Testament is filled with examples of the Holy Spirit’s power displayed in
evangelism. One such story is found in Acts 18 when Paul first arrived in the city of
Corinth. He had faced persecution from the unbelieving religious leaders in many of the
cities he had visited, and he faced it again in Corinth. God spoke to him in a dream one
night to give him courage to continue preaching.
3. What is the normal human reaction to the fears Christians face in giving the gospel?
How did the Lord encourage Paul when he faced this fear?
Acts 18:9–10 The Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but
go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you
to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”
We all face fear when it comes to sharing our faith, but we can’t let it stop us. God told
Paul not to be afraid. Then He gave him motivation to stay in Corinth and preach
despite the danger he faced: “I have many in this city who are my people.” God was at
work drawing people to Himself. Paul’s job was to find them and give them the gospel.
Evangelism is like a great treasure hunt. God is at work around you. So don’t be afraid,
and don’t give up. Keep looking for the souls God is drawing to Himself and give them
the good news—the gospel.
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4. Read the passage below where Paul recounts his early days of ministry.
1 Corinthians 2:1–5 aI, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming
to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For bI decided to know
nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And cI was with you
in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and dmy speech and my message
were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of
power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of
God.
a. Did Paul depend on eloquent words to convince men to turn to Jesus?
b. What was his focus?
c. How did Paul characterize his abilities and emotions?
d. What characterized his preaching?
e. Why doesn’t God remove our weaknesses and fears when He gives us His power?
Second Corinthians chapters two through seven give us an unusually transparent glimpse
into Paul’s heart as he marvels that God’s amazing power is displayed through his frail
humanity. The word manifest powerfully captures the Christ-life principle as we see
Christ’s life evidenced in Paul’s life in spite of his personal weaknesses and fears
(2 Corinthians 2:14-7:6).
5. How would you describe the fragrance of Christ in this passage?
2 Corinthians 2:14–16 Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in

triumphal procession, and through us spreads the afragrance of the knowledge
of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are
being saved and among those who are perishing, bto one a fragrance from death to
death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
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a.
Christ’s fragrance is the invisible, powerful aura of Christ in the Spirit-filled Christian’s
life.
b. In what two ways is this aura of Christ perceived?
We cannot dictate how people will perceive the aura of Christ in our lives. We can only
determine to live in such a way that we diffuse this fragrance. To some the fragrance of
Christ in our lives is as attractive as the fresh smell of spring. To others this fragrance is as
repulsive as the smell of death. Some will be drawn to hear the message of the gospel as
we emanate Christ. Others will reject Him. This must have been what Jim Elliott had in
mind when he said,
Father, make me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to a decision. Let me not be
a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or the
other on facing Christ in me. 2
6. When we know Christ intimately we can show Him effectively to others. What else is
necessary before unbelievers can come to the saving knowledge of Jesus?
2 Corinthians 2:17 We are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of
sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
A peddler or a huckster would place the best apples on the top of his basket, hiding the
rotten apples beneath. Paul had nothing to hide. He was determined to preach the truth
about Jesus in the power of God because he trusted the power of the Word. As Spirit-
empowered believers we must boldly speak the good news of the gospel.
In chapter 4 Paul continued discussing the power of the gospel, emphasizing the
urgency of not hiding the good news of Jesus.
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7. Who will suffer if we hide our gospel witness?
2 Corinthians 4:3–7 Even if our gospel is veiled, ait is veiled to those who are
perishing. In their case bthe god of this world has blinded the minds of the
unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God. For what cwe proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ
as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light
shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But dwe have this treasure in jars of
clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
a.
b.Who is the god of this world in this passage?
We know that ultimately God is the Sovereign of this world, but this verse is speaking of
the one who has usurped God’s place in the hearts of most humans.
c. How do we combat his evil intent?
d. Do you have what it takes to let people see the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ?
Our human lives are as fragile and weak as a clay pot, but we have the treasure of Christ’s
life living in us. God allows weak vessels to carry this powerful treasure so that it will be
clear that the power is from Him, not from ourselves.
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8. How did your life change when Christ saved you?
2 Corinthians 5:17–20 aIf anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old

has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through
Christ reconciled us to himself and bgave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is,
in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses
against them, and centrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are
ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on
behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
a.
b. What ministry did God give you when He reconciled you to Himself through
Jesus’ exchange?
c. What has God entrusted to us that enables us to accomplish this ministry?
d. What human position does God use to help us see our role in dealing with the
lost world?
An ambassador is an official representative sent to live in a foreign country to represent

the leader of his homeland. Our eternal citizenship is in Heaven, and Christ has sent
us to represent Him to those who are not yet fellow-citizens. Notice the urgency and
passion Paul exercised in his role as Christ’s ambassador. God wants us to carry this same
passion as representatives of Christ, pleading with people to be reconciled to God.
The next verse is one of the clearest expressions of the exchange Christ offers the
world.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no
sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
312
9. Will you answer God’s call to be His ambassador and tell those around you about this
wonderful exchange?
We’ve looked at several illustrations of God’s power at work in and through us:
rivers of living water, Paul’s personal experiences, fragrance of Christ, treasure in
earthen vessels, and ambassadors.
Which of these illustrations helped you the most? What was impacting about it?
God created every human to have a close relationship with Him, but sin has
separated us from Him. As we call people to be reconciled to God we are
making this plea: “Come back to God!” We have been assigned the prestigious
position of ambassadors for Christ. How should this position affect your daily
life?
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE



Review John 15:16, and try saying it without looking.
Daily Prayer Time:

314
DAY 4
The Need to Be a Gospel Witness

1. Who is the only way of salvation?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me.”
Acts 4:12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under
heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
The Courage to Be a Gospel Witness

2. What promise were the disciples given that would enable them to take the gospel to
the entire world?
Acts 1:8 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the
earth.”
3. What does the Holy Spirit provide to replace our fears?
2 Timothy 1:7 God gave us a spirit not of fear but of apower and blove and cself-
control.
a.
b.
c.
God knows that you will face fear when you give the gospel. Remember that His victory
does not remove your weakness; it overcomes your weakness through a stronger law.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
God’s power and love flow through a Spirit-filled Christian. When God’s Spirit prompts
you take a step of faith to give the gospel, He will meet you with His grace.
The Motive to Be a Gospel Witness

4. Who does God want to save?
1 Timothy 2:3–4 God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come
to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is
patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach
repentance.
Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears
say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the
water of life without price.
5. What does God want us to expect when we give people the gospel?
John 4:35 “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’?
Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest”
Many believers plant gospel seeds but never reap a harvest. In other words, they talk
to people about the gospel but fail to see people put their trust in Christ. Often this is
a faith issue. They don’t really believe people will get saved. This passage teaches that a
good “soul farmer” expects to reap. That’s why he plants seed. God wants us to share the
gospel, expecting to reap a harvest.
6. What does the Bible say about a person who leads others to Christ?
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures
souls is wise.
316
Think about the word capture as this verse uses it. Only the Holy Spirit can capture
and win a soul to Christ. He’s the real soulwinner. But as we work in partnership with
the Holy Spirit, He uses us to help bring people to Christ, and a soul plucked from
destruction is the greatest victory we will ever win!
God called us to be determined disciple-makers. Our responsibility is to plant the
seed. The Holy Spirit brings forth the fruit. If we anticipate the Spirit’s work and stay
engaged throughout the process, we’ll be prepared for and have the privilege of reaping.
Mark 4:26–29 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed
on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he
knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the
full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because
the harvest has come.”
Why the Gospel Works

7. How is the gospel of Christ described in this verse?
Romans 1:14–16 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to

the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in
Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation
to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Because we’ve been set free from the chains of sin that once bound us, we owe others the
opportunity to understand the gospel so they too can be set free. Like Paul, we must be
prepared and eager to share the gospel. We need not be ashamed of the gospel because it
is inherently powerful to bring people to saving faith.
8. What does the Holy Spirit do when we tell people about sin, judgment, and the
righteousness Jesus offers us in His exchange?
John 16:8 “When he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and
righteousness and judgment.”
The Bible is a self-authenticating book. The Holy Spirit uses its message of sin,
judgment, and righteousness to convince people of its truth.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
9. What three activities were the responsibilities of the servants in this parable?
Matthew 22:9–10 “‘Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast
as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all
whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.”
We aren’t called to be salesmen who convince people to buy into our religion. The gospel
is powerful. God calls us to go, find people, and invite them to put their trust in Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is the One Who does the convincing.
10. In Mark 4:1–20 Christ compared giving out the Word of God to sowing seed. What
principles of sowing are found in the following passages?
Psalm 126:5–6 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who
goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
2 Corinthians 9:6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Galatians 6:9 Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if
we do not give up.
11. The apostle Paul knew that not everyone he preached to would be saved. What was
his expectation, and what was he willing to leverage to achieve this objective?
1 Corinthians 9:22 I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might
save some.
Discipleship is the intentional leveraging of all that I am so that others may

become more like Jesus Christ. —Evangelist Will Galkin 3
318
He is no fool who gives that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot
lose. —Missionary Jim Elliot 4
Why can you have confidence that articulating the gospel will bring some to
saving faith? (Refer to question 8, page 317.)
What would you think of a farmer who consistently planted seeds, but never
harvested a crop? How does this analogy apply to evangelism?
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE



Daily Prayer Time:

320
DAY 5
How to Share the Gospel

1. Read Acts 22:1–15. What experience did Paul use to witness to others?
2. Your story of coming to faith in Christ is a powerful tool to introduce your friends to
Jesus. It should include three important elements:
a. What were you before you met Jesus?
Luke 5:32 “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Luke 19:10 “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
I knew I was .
b. What did you do to become God’s child?
John 1:12 To all who did receive him [Jesus], who believed in his name, he gave
the right to become children of God,
I received .
c. How has your life changed since you trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior?
My life is now .
Use the outline above to write your story in the space provided at the end of this lesson.
You wrote your personal testimony in lesson 1, but this time write it out as you would
tell it to an unbeliever. Paul’s verbal testimony is recorded three times in the book of
Acts. Each time his story is concise and compelling. Be concise, but give enough details
to make your story compelling.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
3. Share your story with someone before you meet for your next Bible study. Record the
results below.
Conclusion
The Exchange ministry offers several resources that can help you introduce your friends
to Jesus. In each resource, God is introduced as a divine person with definable attributes.
Understanding God’s characteristics will help your friend understand how he relates to
God.
The four attributes of God that are featured in The Exchange resources are:
• God is holy and cannot tolerate our sin.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
• God is just and cannot overlook our sin.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death.
• God is loving and has reached out to us.

He has provided a way for us to be close to Him that satisfies His holy and just
nature.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew
no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
• God is gracious and offers salvation as a gift.
John 1:12 To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right
to become children of God.
322
The Exchange: Inquirer’s Bible Study

This four-lesson Bible study is designed to help your friend understand Who Jesus is and
how he can have a relationship with Him. Your friend will study each lesson on his own.
Then the two of you can meet over coffee or a meal to discuss that week’s lesson. If your
friend doesn’t have time to do the lesson, don’t worry! You can do it together when you
meet. You’ll enjoy this natural, relational way of sharing the gospel.
The Exchange Leader’s Guide gives you discussion questions and useful information to
help you lead this study. Both books can be purchased at www.exchangemessage.org .
Even if you are a new believer, you can lead someone to Christ.
Cathy Watt was miraculously saved on February 12, 2012 after having spent
the majority of her forty years addicted to drugs, alcohol, bulimia, and anorexia.
Shortly after her conversion, Cathy’s pastor’s wife invited her to do The
Exchange: An Inquirer’s Bible Study. Cathy invited her daughter to join the study.
She writes, “You opened up doors for me that I never knew existed. You created
a path that my daughter was willing to explore, and because of your obedience
to scripture coupled with your hearts’ desire to see lost souls saved, my daughter
gave her life to the Lord.” As a brand-new believer Cathy began using The
Exchange Bible Study. Time and time again, God has used her to see many
friends come to know Christ as Savior.
Giving the Exchange

This is a twelve-lesson course in relational evangelism and discipleship, designed to study
under the guidance of a teacher in a local church or ministry. You will learn to identify
divine appointments, connect with people through compelling conversations, turn those
conversations to the gospel, and articulate the gospel. The final lesson teaches you how to
assimilate new believers into your local church.
The Exchange App

This is an interactive, digital gospel app that allows you to share the gospel electronically
by sending a link via Facebook, text message, e-mail, etc. It has two modes: Reader Mode
and Presenter Mode. In reader mode your friend simply reads the message of the gospel
for himself. In presenter mode you can use the app as a presentation tool to help you
explain the gospel. As your friend is reading, he can message you with questions. Find
the app at app.exchangemessage.org.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
Check out The Exchange website for other pamphlets, videos, and gospel tools:
exchangemessage.org.
Find Five
God wants to use you to reach the people in your sphere of influence. Use the following
acrostic to help you identify five people in your life who need to hear the gospel. Refresh
this list frequently. After identifying these people, strategically move your relationship
from the surface to soul-level. Once you and your friend are engaged in a soul-level
conversation, it’s much easier to turn that conversation to the gospel.
Friends and Family

Associates and Acquaintances
Neighbors
Strangers you meet
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
APPLICATION
Word teaches. Paul wrote about one family who approached ministry with amazing zeal.
1 Corinthians 16:15 I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of

Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves
to the service of the saints.
324
Devoted themselves to the service of the saints! These words paint a powerful picture of
commitment to God’s work. God wants to use you! Throughout your life you will
encounter people that God is drawing to Himself. Are you willing to let God use you?
Remember, as you take steps of faith to give the gospel, He will meet you with His grace.
Write your resolve in a prayer.
What steps should you take to become more effective at giving the gospel?
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE


Relationshi—What is God revealing to me about Himself?

Daily Prayer Time:


• Redemption—to buy back; to release by paying a ransom price, especially of the
purchasing of a slave with the objective of freeing him. We were slaves to sin with
no means of escape. Jesus purchased us with His own life and set us free.
326
1 Peter 1:18–19 Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited
from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with
the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
• Justification—the act of pronouncing one righteous; the establishing of a person

as just by acquittal of guilt.
Romans 3:24 Are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus, . . .
Romans 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the
law.
Romans 4:22, 24–25 His faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” … It will
be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
Ask your Bible study leader to help you find a ministry where you can begin to serve
God.
God wants you to become an integral part of a local church. Discuss with your
Bible study leader ways you can become involved in ministry. Begin by writing down
ministries that interest you. Ask God to lead you.
2. Jim Elliott quote

3. Evangelist Will Galkin, from his video series.
4. Jim Elliott quote
328
My Story
How I came to know Christ (Refer to questions 2-3, page 321-322.)
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LIVING THE EXCHANGE
What’s Next?
Thank you for investing time and energy into Living the Exchange! May it begin a
lifelong pattern of living out of the marvelous exchange Jesus made possible when He
willingly exchanged His life for yours. A disciple of Jesus is a learner! So, this is just the
beginning. Immerse yourself daily in God’s Word, become involved in your local church,
and take advantage of the plethora of Christian resources that are available. Remember,
relationships are not static. They either move closer or further apart. May you set an
upward spiritual trajectory that draws you closer to God until the day you see your
Savior face to face.
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PART 1

2. What have we become as a result of this exchange?

Mark the most meaningful Scripture or statement in today’s lesson.

Daily Bible Reading:

Application—Are there any principles to apply or promises to claim?

Daily Scripture Memory:

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old

Daily Prayer Time:

Your Positional Standing

2. Write the promises of God found in these verses:

a. How secure is your standing with God?

b. What is required to have God’s righteousness credited to your account?

c. What did Jesus do to give you this standing with God?

Mark the most meaningful Scripture or statement in today’s lesson.

Describe your position in Christ and at least one of its benefits.

Daily Bible Reading:

Application—Are there any principles to apply or promises to claim?

Daily Scripture Memory:

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old

Daily Prayer Time:

Your Practical Success

The Internal Dynamics of Living the Exchange

1. Note the true state of man’s nature without Christ.

a. How much righteousness is in man’s nature?

c. Who seeks after God on his own?

2. Can we please God through our own abilities?

The Fullness of the Savior—Understanding the Promise of Christ’s Life in Me

4. What does God promise to always provide?

2 Corinthians 2:14 Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal

Who provides for this victory?

Mark the most meaningful Scripture or statement in today’s lesson.

Daily Bible Reading:

Application—Are there any principles to apply or promises to claim?

Daily Scripture Memory:

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old

Daily Prayer Time:

The Foundation of Surrender—Counting God Trustworthy and Surrendering

How do we access these gifts?

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word

• Surrendering by Faith—Trusting God enough to submit your life to Him

2. What kind of sacrifice is God seeking?

b. What do you think a living sacrifice is?

• Living by Faith—Living in dependence on God moment-by-moment

3. How does God expect us to live?

The Filling of the Spirit—Experiencing the Realities of God’s Grace

The External Expression of Living the Exchange

Mark the most meaningful Scripture or statement in today’s lesson.

What do you think it means to surrender something or someone to God?

Can you trust God enough to surrender your life to Him?

Daily Bible Reading:

Application—Are there any principles to apply or promises to claim?

Daily Scripture Memory:

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old

Daily Prayer Time:

Your Permanent Sanctuary

1. Where did Jesus say He was going?

2. Where does the believer go as soon as he dies?

1 Corinthians 15:53–55 This perishable body must put on the imperishable,

Mark the most meaningful Scripture or statement in today’s lesson.

What do you think Heaven will be like? Use your imagination.

Daily Bible Reading:

Application—Are there any principles to apply or promises to claim?

Daily Scripture Memory:

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old

• Righteousness—the quality of judicial correctness; being perfectly right with God;