How can I apply the Word to my life?
· In what areas of your life do you need an increase of faith? Share it with the group.
· Share something that you are earnestly praying for.
· Share one situation where God demonstrated His power in your life.
· Pray for an increase of faith in God to receive breakthroughs in your life.
· Pray for people (classmates, teachers/professors, relatives, etc.) to encounter God's faithfulness in their lives.
· Pray to God to receive fresh and new perspective for a seemingly impossible situation that you are facing.
WEEK 1: Valley of Ditches
______
· Share a subject in your school that gave you a hard time.
· Was there ever a time when you gave up on a situation? Share the story.
When you're driving or walking towards a dead end, the best choice is always to turn around or look for another path. In this story, the three kings, King of Israel, Judah & Edom, encountered a dead end where they can neither turn back nor look for another path. Their army, along with all their animals and livestock are too tired to move due to lack of water supply. Having no water and an army that can't function near the enemy's stronghold is a recipe for defeat; but despite all these, God, in His greatness, delivered them & even gave them victory.
· God is not limited by our situation
And he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I will make this dry streambed full of pools.’ For thus says the Lord, ‘You shall not see wind or rain, but that streambed shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your livestock, and your animals.’ ” -2 Kings 3:16-17 ESV
Difficulties, storms & trials are inevitable in every person's life. Sometimes, we are even put in situations where seemingly there is no way out. There are no signs or even a glimpse of hope. Just like the Israelites, they couldn't see any signs of winds or rain.
______
· God is not limited by our weakness
“This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand…” - 2 Kings 3:18 ESV
We all fail. But God is not limited by this fact. Just as He is very graceful to the undeserving King Jehoram of Israel who expressed great lack of faith, God is also very graceful to us. Paul writes to Timothy that "...if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:13 ESV)".
God's faithfulness gave the Israelites the power to win over their enemies. And for us, his faithfulness despite our faithlessness gives us victory over our failures.
______
· God is limitless
This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand, and you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree and stop up all springs of water and ruin every good piece of land with stones.”
-2 Kings 3:18-19 ESV
If there is one word to describe the Israelites given the countless times they have fallen into sin, it would be undeserving. We often complain, groan and waiver in our faith but God showed His limitless grace in this: He saves sinners like you and me by sending Jesus. He was undeservingly nailed on the cross, and punished for something He did not do. He received the penalty of sin that we are supposed to bear, all because of His relentless love. Because of this, we can now live a new life in God that is far beyond the limits of this world.
______