Contents

DEVENIND O PERSOAN
A DESTINULUI 2 (GHIDUL

8
9

LEADERULUI)
Introducere

11

Cum s foloseti acest ghid

Sfaturi utile n conducerea unei discuii
Recunoate-L pe Dumnezeu cnd ai binecuvntri i
biruine
Binecuvntarea de a primi asigurarea Proteciei Divine

21

29
41
51

i rsplata primirii Promisiunilor Sale prin credin

Discernerea cilor lui Dumnezeu n a face Voia Lui
Progresnd n mplinirea Destinului
Depinznd de Dumnezeu pentru a-I ajuta pe cei din jur
s i mreasc credina

67

Introducere

Biblia ne spune c Dumnezeu are un scop i un plan pentru viaa noastr.

El ne-a ales nainte de ntemeierea lumii! Chiar nainte de a ne fi nscut,
Dumnezeu a avut viziunea persoanei care vom deveni, i lucrurile bune pe care le
vom face pentru mpria Lui. (Efeseni 1:4, 2:10)
Cu alte cuvinte, El ne-a creat cu un destin n minte. Ce minunat!
Dar ce este destinul?
Este destinul un loc?
n viaa lui Avram, Canaanul a fost un loc special care a
simbolizat destinul su. Dumnezeu i-a promis lui Avram ara
Canaan. Cu toate acestea, intrarea n Canaan, nu a nsemnat i
mplirea destinului pentru Avram. De fapt, s-a dovedit a fi doar
nceputul cltoriei pentru mplinirea destinului. n m o d clar,
destinul lui Avram nu a fost un loc.
este destinul o cltorie?
Avram s-a ndoit de ara Canaan, i a tot cltorit. Unele cltorii
l-au dus n anumite ocoliuri, care l-au ndeprtat de destinul su.
Destinul lui nu a fost cltoria n sine.

Introducere

Destinul este scopul unic, special al lui Dumnezeu pentru

vieile noastre.
Mari trziu, Dumnezeu i-a descperit lui Avram c el va deveni
tatl multor neamuri. Acesta a fost planul unic al lui
Dumnezeu, scoplul special pentru viaa lui. Avram va lsa o
motenire a binecuvntrii pentru milioane de f descendeni.
Aceasta ar fi rolul lui major contribuia fundamental a vieii
sale.

Destinul este scopul principal al lui Dumnezeu pentru viaa

noastr. Destinul fiecrei persoane este unic, depinde de
circumstanele vieii noastre, de timpul n care trim, de
darurile unice pe care le avem i de planul suveran al lui
Dumnezeu.- Robert Clinton, The Making of a Leader
Pentru a descoperii i pentru a-i mplini destinul, Avram a trebuit
s porneasc n cltorie, pentru a pune o motenire tangibll
dat de Dumnezeu. Pe parcurs, Dumnezeu l-a nvat adevruri
preioase care i-au transformat viaa i caracterul, astfel nct s
termine cu bine, mplinindu-i scopul (destinul) n planul etern
al lui Dumnezeu.
n acelai fel, Dumnezeu ne nva pe noi i ne lefuiete
caracterul nostru, astfel nct s putem termina bine. De la natere
fiecruia dintre noi Dumnezeu pune fundamentul suveran n vieile
noastre, a caracterului nostru, a vieii noastre interioare, a
fiinei noastre.
Dumnezeu este foarte preocupat de binele nostru. Pentru a ne
mplini destinul depinde de bunstarea fiecruia dintre noi.
Doar dac suntem transformai n felul nostru de a fi, scopul lui
Dumnezeu poate fi mplinit total n viaa noastr.

Lucrarea spiritual eficient curge prin fiina noastr.

Robert Clinton, Facerea unui lider
Studiind cltoria lui Avram le va da liaderilor i prinilor
spirituali din grupa voastr de lideri o nou perspectiv a felului
n care Dumnezeu lucreaz n viaa lor. Cnd ei ncep s vad
lucrurile din perspective lui Dumnezeu, vor fi mai determinai
s rmn n ascultare i s-i mplineasc destinul lor n Hristos.
Ce pai practice poi face pentru a te asigura de eficiena
acestor discuii?
Studiaz Scriptura rugndu-te.
Pune-I pe cei din condurerea grupei de lideri s pregteasc fiecare
capitol.
Roag-te pentru discuii care schimb viei.
Faciliteaz astfel nct s ncurajezi oamenii s mprteasc sentimentele
i gndurile.
n afara ntlnirilor grupei de lideri vorbete cu diferite persoane
pentru a afla ce le-a vorbit lor Dumnezeu cu privire la destinul lor.

Introduction

Notes

Cum s foloseti acest ghid

1. Perspectiv: Aceasta este premisa de baz sau adevrul de

cheie al ntregului capitol.
2. Objective: F din acestea obiectivele tale pentru discuii.
Msoar eficiena sesiunii dup ct de bine au fost atinse
aceste obiective.
3. nceprea discusiei: Aceasta este o activitate sugerat pentru
nceperea sesiunii.
4. Verst de memorat: Acest verset capteaz esena fiecrui capitol.
ncurajaz grupa de lideri s se dedice n a memora versetul de
la fiecare capitol.
5. Repetarea versetului memorat: La nceputul fiecrui capitol
verific versetele memorate n capitolul predent.
6. ntrebri: Nu este necesar s treci prin fiecare ntrebare.
Este mult mai important s atingi obiectivele discuscuiilor pe
care le facilitezi. Folosete principiile de la L.A.M.P.A. pe care
le-ai nvat n pregtirea liderilor de grup pentru a fi un bun
facilitator.
7. Pregtirea: ncurajeaz-i pe cei din conducerea grupei s se
pregteasc dinainte pentru a fi gata s rspund
ntrebrilor i astfel s contribuie activ la discuii.

CTEVA SECRETE CARE AJUT LA CONDUCEREA

DISCUIILOR
Secrete cu privire la punerea ntrebrilor
ntrebrile bune sunt cheia pentru discuii vibrante i care schimb viei.
Poi pune diferite ntrebri cnd facilitezi o discuie. ntrebrile pot fi de
trei feluri:
ntrebri de nceput
ntrebri de orienta
ntrebri aplicative
Caracteristicile ntrebrilor de nceput:
Iniiaz discuii profunde
Determin scopul i profunzimea discuiilor care duc spre
rspunsurile ateptate
2. Caracteristicile ntrebrilor de orientare:
Ajut la deschiderea participanilor, ilustreaz i clarific
discuiile
ncurajaz membrii grupului s mearg dincolo de
propriile observaii.
3. Caracteristicile ntrebrilor aplicative:
Acestea fac legtura dintre cunoaterea bibliei i viaa de
zi cu zi, cu alte cuvinte vor ajuta s bate n cuie diferena
pe care noua nelegere o va aduce n via de mine.
Orice discuie din Cuvntul lui Dumnezeu sau trire
cretin nu este de folos dac ntrebrile aplicative nu sunt
puse astfel nct s-i fac pe oameni s se gndeasc la
implicarea noii cunoateri
ntrebrile ntlnite n seciune ntreab-te sunt exemple
de astfel de ntrebri aplicative.

1.

Mai multe remarci cu privire la ntrebri:

ntrebrile bune sunt cele deschise, nu cele nchise. Sunt

astfel formulate nct s necesite mai mult dect un
rspuns cu da sau nu
ntrebrile bune sunt simple i scurte, uor de neles.
ntrebrile trebuie s fac referire att la
e s aib legtur cu lucrurile care i preocup pe
participani.

Notes

Poi
rsp
une
unei
ntre
bri
cu o
alt
ntre
bare.
Evit
s
pui
ntre
bri
care
s
aib
un
rsp
uns
prev
izibi
l.

otes
Chapter 1

Recunoate-L pe Dumnezeu
cnd ai binecuvntri i
biruine
Perspective:

Verset de Memorat:

Dumnezeu este sursa biruinei i a binecuvntrilor.

Proverbe 4:23
Pzete-i inima mai mult
dect orice.

Obiective:
1. Realizm c de multe ori experimentm teste i ispite n timpul
biruinlor i a binecuvntrilor.
2. Determin s menii o inim bun i s l recunoasc s menin o
inim curat i s recunoasc pe Dumnezeu ca surs a tuturo
biruinelor i binecuvntrilor.
nceperea discuiei:
OPTIUNEA 1 (ntrebare): Ce faci tu cnd
Ai terminat oa prezentare/proiect i eful tu/ colegul vine la tine
i-i spune, Ce bun a fost prezentarea/proiectul pe care tocmai lai fcut! Care ar fi reacia ta?
Pune aceast ntrebare grupului i d-le timp s rspund.
ORI
OPTIUNEA 2 (activitate): Rsturnarea/ rostogolirea
1. toi s stea n cerc.
2. ncepe prin a pune un obiect pe podea.

Chapter 1

3. Persoana de lng tine va trebui s adauge un alt obiect peste

cel pus de tine.
4. Fiecare persoan va mai aduga obiecte peste primul pn cnd
unul din grup face ca toate obiectele s se rostogoleasc.
Pioi s repei odat sau de dou ori acest joc ct timp sunt entuziasmai.
Not: Asigur-te c obiectele folosite nu se pot sparge sau
prea valoroase. Ex. Poi folosi: pantofi, portofel, cri, cutii mici
ntreab:
Ce ai observant n timpul acestei activiti?
(a) riscul de a se rostogoli crete pe msur ce grmada este tot mai
mare.
(b) Ceea ce poate face grmada s se rostogoleasc poate fi un
obiect foarte mic care este pus chiar la printre primele. La fel
este adevrat n via.
(Pentru ambele opiuni )
Facem legtura cu discuia spunnd:
Cnd experimentm binecuvntri i biruine, suntem responsabili
pentru cderea n pcatul mndriei. M n d r i a p o a t e fi o
atitudine ascuns a inimii care poate prea mic i lipsit de
importan, dar care te poate ruina.
Ca i oameni ai destinului, trebuie s nvm cum s facem fa
succesului, pentru c Dumnezeu ne-a promis c ne va binecuvnta!
(Gen 12:1-3) Deci noi trebuie s ne pregtim s tim cum s facem fa
presiunilor i ispitelor care apar atunci cnd suntem binecuvntai.

Introducere /recapitulare
V amintii ce s-a ntmplat n viaa lui Avram?
- a auzit chemarea destinului.
- a evaluat costul ce trebuia pltit pentru
a-L urma pe Dumnezeu.
- S-a oprit la jumtatea drumului n Haran.
- a ajuns n ara promis.
- a gsit foamete n ar, i bazndu-se pe
strategia sa a decis s coboare n Egipt
pentru o vreme.
- n timp ce se afla acolo, l-a minit pe
Faraon i ca rezultat, a pus-o n pericol
pe Sara i a adus blestem asupra casei lui
Faraon.
- apoi a prsit Egiptul pentru a se
ntoarce n Canaan. S-a ntors la locul
dependenei de Dumnezeu.
- n acest timp, Avram i Lot s-au
mbogit i slugile lor au nceput s se
certe
. Avram l-a lsat pe Lot s aleag unde
dorete s triasc. Lot a ales s
mearg lng Sodoma, i Avram n
Canaan, unde Dumnezeu din nou i-a
confirmat c va motenii ara.
Acum s vedem ce urmeaz...

scop / Note
Revizuiete viaa
lui Avram i ce a
dus la acest
eveniment.

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Launseaz ntrebarea / Comentarii

Scop / Note

Comentariu: s citim pe rnd cte 3

versete din Gen. 13:18-14:16.

S ne obnuim cu
acest incident din
viaa lui Avram.

Comentariu: Lot a fost rpit i Avram

s-a dus s l scape. Avram i-a salvat pe cei
din Sodoma i le-a recuperat toate bunurile lor.
Imediat ce el s-a ntors de la acea btlie, a
fost ispititi. Care a fost ispita lui?
Pune-i pe membrii grupei s citeasc pe
rnd cte 3 versete din Gen. 14:17-24.
Pune pe cineva s citeasc coloana despre
mpraii sodomei.
ntrebarea 1
ntrebare: s mprtim situaii n care am
experimentat o astfel de ispit de a ne
mndri. Cum ai fcut fa?
(renun la aceast ntrebare dac ai
folosit la nceput opiunea 1.)

mprtete
experiene
personale.

ntrebri orientative / Comentarii

ntrebare: Cum echilibrm tensiunea dintre a accepta
laudele din partea celor din jur i a recunoate
dependena de Dumnezeu aducndu-I lui glorie? Cnd
i cum intr mndria n inima noastr?
Comentariu: A-L glorifica pe Dumnezeu nu
nseamn doar a fi modest spunnd, O, slav
Domnului! A fost Dumnezeu, nu eu. Poate c spunem
asta dar cu toate acestea srbtorim laudele din inim.
Este i o parte a acceptrii recunoaterii din partea
celorlali, dar fiind permanent contieni c
Dumnezeu e cel care ne-a dotat cu anumite daruri
care ne ajut s facem anumite lucruri .
Comenteaz: Sunt 2 lucruri pe care trebuie s le facem
atunci cnd avem o reuit i suntem biencuvntai:
- s-I recunoatem meritul lui Dumnzeu s
punctm c El este cel care ne-a binecuvntat i nea mputernicit. (Punctul 1 de la pag. 13)
Avram a tiut c nu a fost o btlie ctigat de
oamnii si i nici datorit strategiei sale
ingenioase ci a fost Dumnezeu.

Scop/ Note
Exploreaz mai
departe.

Recapituleaz cele
2 lucruri
importante n
timpul
binecuvntrii i a
biruinei.

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

ntrebri de orientare / Comentarii

Un alt rzboinic care a tiut acest lucru i l-a
recunoscut pe Dumnezeu ca sursa biruinei sale. S
citim recunoaterea din Psalm 44:3-8.
-

Al doilea lucru pe care trebuie s-l exersm

discernmnt. (Partea 2 pag. 14 i 15)
Pe lng recunoaterea lui Dumnezeu, Avram a
trebuit s exerseze discernmntul. I s-au oferit
bogiile Sodomei. El a trebuit s discearn dac va accepta.
Cnd suntem binecuvntai de Dumnezeu,
devenim recipient ale ateniei, a laudei i a
beneficiilor. Cnd asta se ntmpl, trebuie s
exersm discernmnt. Aceptndu-le ne va face
s-L iubim mai mult pe Dumnezeu, ori va ne va
produce dualitate i ne va face s ne obligm fat
de altcineva i s nu mai depindem doar de
Dumnezeu?
Asta nu nseman c nu ar trebui s acceptm o
promovare sau un salariu mai mare! Problema
este cui i suntem recunosctori, i acceptnd
recompensa ne compromitem integritatea i
supunearea fa de Dumnzeu?

Scop / Note

ntrebri aplicative / Comentarii

ntrebarea 2
Comentariu: n contextual lumii modern s ne uitm
la situaia lui Iacov.
ntrebare: Ce ai fi facut dac erai n locul lui
Iacob?
Rspuns posibil:
- Iacob ar fi putut s i explice efului su care sunt
convigerile sale i s ofere alternative care nu
sunt imorale, ex. Un tur al oraului, un concert,
shopping.
- Problema apare atunci cnd angajatorul nu este
deschis s alternativele propuse.
- Iacob este ispitit s accepte oferta care i
compromite principiile de credin.
ntrebare: rspunsul tu te mputernicete s-i
pstrezi cele e 4 principii pe care Avram le-a
demonstrat?
(principiile se gsesc scrise n pag. 13 to 16. Acestea
sunt:
- S-l recunoti pe Dumnezeu ca surs a
binecuvntrilor i a binecuvntrilor
- Pzete-i inima mai mult dect i demonstreaz
integritate
- Fii o persoan a crei supunere nu poate fi
cumprat
- fii zelos n a scoate evidena Gloria lui
Dumnezeu pentru binecuvntarea din viaa lor.)

scop / Note
aga-te de o
aplicaie practic a
acestui principiu
folosind un caz de
studiu

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

ntrebri aplicative / Comentarii

scop / Note

ntrebare: personal te-ai luptat cu

problema mndriei? C e a i f c u
c nd ai fost ispitit s te mndreti?

Introdu
importana
rezolvrii
problemelor pe
care le avem cu
mndria din
inimile noastre.

Comentariu: a rezista pcatului mndriei

este o lupt constant a fiecrui lider. Este
o provocare permanent.
Dac crezi c nu mai eti tentat de pcatul
mndriei e foarte posibil s cazi cnd te atepi
cel mai puin ! n cuvintele spuse de Pavel,
astfel dar, cine crede c st n picioare,
s ia seama s nu cad! (1Cor. 10:12)
Putem face ceva pentru a evita s cdem n
pcatul mndriei. Avram a decis dinainte s
l onoreze pe Dumnezeu. A decis n inima
lui ca toat Gloria s i-o dea lui Dumnezeu.
Acesta este secretul biruinei noastre.
De aceea versetul pe care trebuie s l
memorm n acest capitol este:, Pzetei inima mai mult dect orice. (Prov. 4:23).

Scoate n eviden
relevana
versetului de
memorat.

ntrebarea aplicativ / Comentarii

scop / Note

Pentru a deveni o persoan a destinului, trebuie decizi

dinaainte i s i setezi inima i mintea, c
Dumnezeu este sursa tuturor biruinelor i
binecuvntrilor tale. El este cel ce ne nvrednicete,
pentruc ne iubelte i El face s strluceasc faa lui
peste noi Este dreapta Lui, Faa Lui i braul Lui
favoarea Lui care ne mputernicete pe no!
Isus a spus: deprtai de Mine nu putei
face nimic. (Ioan 15:5)
ntrebrile 3 & 4
Comentariu: s ne mprim n grupe de 2 i
3 i s mprtim rspunsurile la ntrebrrile
3 i 4 de la pag. 18. mprtii care este
btlia personal cu problema mndriei i a
integritii
S ne rugm unii pentru alii pentru a omor
orice dorin de a ne ridica n slvi pe noi nine
i s ne setm s-L glorificm pe Dumnezeu
pentru toate biruinele noastre.

S fim dispui s
ne rugm unii
pentru alii i s
dm socoteal de
slbiciunile
noastre.

Chapter 1

Receiving Gods Assurance

of Protection and Reward

Perspective:
God protects and rewards those who honour Him.
Objectives:
1. Be convinced that God protects and rewards those who
honor Him.
2. Release our fears to God and receive His assurance.
Discussion Starter: OPTION 1:
FEARS
1. Give each person a piece of paper.
2. Instruct them: Write down a fear you had or still have, and
then fold the papers.
3. Mix the papers up and redistribute to everyone, making
sure that no one has received their own.
4. Each person take turns to read out what is written on the slip
of paper, and makes a guess whose fear it is. The rest of the
group can participate in the guesswork too. (To make it more
challenging to guess, no one confirms or denies if the guess is
correct)
5. After everyone has read out the piece of paper and made a
guess, everyone owns up to their fear.
Have two or three people talk about how their fear affects or
affected them (in the past).

Chapter 2

Have you memorized

Proverbs 4:23?
Tick here if you can
quote it from memory.
Memory verse:
Hebrews 6:10
God is not unjust; He will not
forget your work and the love
you have shown Him as you
have helped His people and
continue to help them.

Chapter 2

Link to the topic by saying:

Fear can paralyze us, cause us to run away, and rob us of our
peace of mind. Fear, in a very real sense, can also rob us of the
promises of God.
To become people of destiny, we need to identify our fears and
overcome them. If not, our fears will prevent us from living in the
liberty God wants for us and will hinder us from loving and serving
God wholeheartedly.
OPTION 2: OOPS, I TOLD A LIE
1. Instruct everyone: Share three things about yourself two true
statements and one false statement. (eg. I am an only child; I
cant swim; I like seafood)
2. Each person takes turns to share, and the group tries to guess
which statement is the lie.
Link to the topic by saying:
The better we know the person, the more we are able to
distinguish what is true and what is false about the person. In the
same way, as people of destiny, we need to know God
and understand the nature and character of God. In this way, we
will not fall prey to the lies of the enemy. The lies of the enemy
can create fear in us, causing us to be anxious and intimidated.
Even though we have made a decision to honor God, we may be
seized with fear fear that God will not be faithful, fear that God
will not bless, fear that God will not protect us, fear
that God will forget us. Such fears prevent us from living in the
liberty God wants for us and hinder us from loving and serving God.

Introduction
Let us recall what has happened in
Abrams life:
- Lot was kidnapped and Abram went to
his rescue.
- Abram rescued the people of Sodom and
recovered all the plunder.
- Immediately, Abram acknowledged that
God was the One who had given him
victory.
- When the king of Sodom offered him all
the riches of Sodom, Abram did not
accept the plunder, because he did not
want to become obligated to the king.
He did not want the
king of Sodom to say, I made Abram
rich. He wanted God to receive all
the glory from his life.
Now lets see what happens next

Purpose / Notes
Review Abrams
life up to this
point.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Launching Questions /Comments

Purpose / Notes

Appoint someone to read the paragraphs

on page 22 (right column).
Appoint someone to read What could
Abram have been afraid of? on page
22 (left column).
Question 1
Question: Have you gone through a
similar experience?
- After making a bold stand for God, you
are seized by fear (fear of ridicule,
rejection, persecution); or

Share personal
experiences of
fear and anxiety
after having
honored God.

- After honoring God at some cost to

yourself, you wonder whether God will
really bless you, reward you and be
faithful to fulfill His promises.
Share your experience. What were the
thoughts that went through your mind?
How did you handle your emotions?
Guiding Questions / Comments
Comment: In the midst of Abrams fear and
anxiety, God ministered to him by
revealing Himself to Abram: I AM your
Shield and I AM your Reward. This
revelation of God this truth about Gods
character calmed Abrams fears.

Purpose / Notes

Guiding Questions / Comments

In the same way, when we are seized by
fear or plagued by doubt, the character of
God is being called into question. At this
point, we must either put our faith
in the character of God (His faithfulness
and integrity), or we will be misled by a lie.
If we believe a lie that is opposed to the
knowledge of God, we will become afraid.
Think about the earlier situations you have
shared, or other situations where you find
yourself reacting in fear. Fear can be
traced to a root usually, it is a lie about
the character of God.
Perhaps we may be faithfully serving God,
but there is a doubt lurking at that the back
of our minds: Is God really faithful? Will
God really honor me?
To break free from fear and deception, we
have to identify the root of our fear. The
root is usually a lie that we have believed
in.
Example of lies:
- God is unable to protect me/my
family.
- My studies/career/finances will
suffer when I honor God.
- God will forget what I have done for
Him.

Purpose / Notes

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Question 2

Give time for

everyone to
reflect and identify
the root of their
fear.

Question: What are some lies that you

are believing in, consciously or
unconsciously, that either make you
afraid or hold you back from fully
trusting God?
This could be something told to you by
someone, something that you read, or
perhaps, a fear that took root in you as you
observed certain situations around you.
Whatever it is, lets ask God to reveal this
to us individually, and lets take a
moment to jot this down in our book,
under Question 2.

Chapter 2

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Comment: Jesus said, If you hold to My

teaching, you are really My disciples. Then
you will know the truth, and the truth will
set you free. (John
8:31-32).
The truth about Gods character will set us
free from fear. For example, some of us
may be afraid that God will not bless us in
our studies/career/finances
even when we have honored Him. But
Hebrews 6:10 says, God is not unjust; He
will not forget your work and the love you
have shown Him as you have
helped His people and continue to help
them.
If we hold on to this truth, and put our faith
in Gods character (that He is faithful and
just, and will not forget us), then we will
break free from fear and gain a new level
of faith, confidence and liberty.
Let us now read and receive the promises
of God so that we will be set free from our
fears, and be filled with faith and
confidence.
Appoint people to read the verses on page
25 and 27 aloud, and then the passage on
page 26 (one person to read one
verse/paragraph each). Have them read
slowly, so that each person can absorb
what is being read, and meditate on it.

Read Gods promises

aloud.

Chapter 2

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Question: Out of these verses, which one

is especially relevant to you? Underline it,
share it with the group and explain why
this verse is relevant to you.

Have them share

the relevant
verse or truth.

Note: Members do not have to be

restricted to the verses mentioned.
They may also recall other verses in the
Bible that are relevant to their situation.
Comment: Throughout this week,
memorize the verse that is relevant to
you. Allow Gods truth to renew your mind
and build up your spirit man.
Comment: When our assurance is based
on the very character of God, we need
not be afraid. God will honor
those who honor Him. He will bless the
righteous. He will reward those who
earnestly seek Him. God will do what He
has promised! Now let us pair up
to pray and declare these verses into
each others lives.
Then, as a leadership carecell, lets pray
that we will be a people who know our God
and have confidence in Him.
Optional: After most of the people have
finished praying, lead them in singing a
song that declares the faithfulness of God.

If they are
comfortable,
encourage them to
share their fear as
well.
Note: Some
members
(including yourself)
may have deeprooted fears that
need further
counseling
and prayer. For
such cases, get
help from your
pastor.

Receiving Gods
Promises by Faith

Perspective:
Gods promises are to be received by faith.
Objectives:
1. Acknowledge our struggles in believing Gods promises.
2. Receive Gods help for our unbelief.
Discussion starter: DO YOU
SEE IT?
Prepare in advance:
- Seven pieces of paper with specific statements written on them
(This will be sufficient for 14 people. If there are more than 14
members in your leadership carecell meeting, prepare more. It
is alright to use each statement more than once)
- Sufficient blindfolds for half the group.
Before the meeting starts, ensure that you have seven pieces of
paper, each containing one of the following statements:

Chapter 3

Have you memorized

Hebrews 6:10?
Tick here if you can
quote it from memory.
Memory verse:
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what
we hope for and certain of what
we do
not see.

Chapter 3

1. Faith is the pause between knowing what Gods plan is and

seeing it actually take place.
2. Faith is the no-mans land between the revelation and the
fulfillment of your destiny.
3. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what
we do not see.
4. Faith is simply believing that God will do what He has
promised.
5. The fulfillment of Gods promises depends on Gods ability
and faithfulness, not ours.
6. All of Gods promises are to be received by faith.
7. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
Give the following instructions:
1. Everyone, find a partner.
2. The younger person in the pair will be the blind person and the
older will be the guide. (Give each pair one blindfold.)
3. The guides should now blindfold your partners. (After the
blindfolds have been put in position, proceed with
instructions.)
4. You will be placing 7 pieces of paper in various locations in the
meeting place.
5. The objective of this game: the guides are to lead your
blind partners to the pieces of paper.
6. But before you start, guides must take note of a few rules:
you cannot touch or hold your partner and lead them to the
locations;
you can only walk beside them and give them
instructions;
you must not do anything that would harm your partner.
(Now proceed to place the pieces of paper around the room before
getting them to start. Avoid placing the pieces of paper near
breakable items.)

Chapter 3

The activity ends when either:

All seven pieces of paper have been found; or
All blind persons have found at least one piece of paper.
Ask:
(a) How did it feel to be blindfolded during the search? (Lost, dark,
confusing, etc.)
(b) Did you trust that your partner knew where the pieces of paper
were?
(c) Did you trust that your partner would instruct you to move to the
right spot?
(d) How did those of you who were guiding the blindfolded partners
feel?
(e) What made finding the paper difficult or easy? Eg.
It was easy because I know my partner was watching over me;
It was difficult because it was just too noisy and I
couldnt hear what my partner was saying;
I was so lost and felt I wasnt getting anywhere near a piece of
paper, and so I gave up altogether.
Lead into the topic of discussion by saying:
Faith is believing in someone and in what he or she says though we
cannot see it with our physical eyes.
Though the blind partners could not see the pieces of paper, they
had to have faith:
in their partners that he or she would lead them to the right
locations;
in me that I would actually have prepared the pieces of paper
and placed them around the room.

Chapter 3

Our faith in someone depends on how well we know a person and how
trustworthy we perceive that person to be. In the previous chapter,
we put our faith in the character of God His love, His faithfulness and
His integrity.
However, even when we trust the person who is leading us, faith
can become difficult when:
- we cannot hear the person clearly
- when there are distractions
- we cannot see what is ahead of us, and thus feel lost and
discouraged.
To become people of destiny, we must become people who walk by
faith and persevere in faith people who live in the realm
of the promises of God, even though we cannot see the visible
manifestation as yet.

Introduction
Comment: Please hold on to the slip of
paper as we will read aloud the truths
about faith later.

Purpose / Notes
Review Abrams
life leading up
to this event.

Let us review where Abram was at this

point in his life:
- After rescuing Lot and all of the people
and riches of Sodom from the kings,
Abram was afraid that they might
retaliate and cause harm to his family.
- God came to assure Abram that He was
His Shield and His Reward. God
promised to protect and bless him.
How did Abram react to this? Lets see
Launching Questions / Comments
Appoint someone to read
Genesis 15:1-4.
Comment: God had promised Abram that
he would have many descendants. But
Abram could not see any physical
manifestation or fulfillment of that promise
he was still childless. Abram struggled to
believe God.
Yet during this encounter with God, Abram
was honest with God. And because he was
honest with God about his doubts, it
opened the door for God to help him with
his unbelief.

Purpose / Notes

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Launching Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Question: Why is it difficult for Christians

to admit it when they dont believe Gods
promises, and come to God honestly with
their unbelief?

Emphasize the
need to come
to God honestly
with our unbelief.
This
is the only way to
move from doubt
to faith.

Possible answers:
- We feel that something must be wrong
with us if we do not believe Gods
promises fully, so we try to force
ourselves to believe.
- We try to look good in front of other
Christians.
- We are afraid to face our own
unbelief, so we try to hide it and
pretend it doesnt exist.
Comment: But pretending to believe
is not faith. What is faith? Lets take a
moment to read out the definitions and
truths about faith written on the slips of
paper
1. Faith is the pause between knowing
what Gods plan is and seeing it actually
take place.
2. Faith is the no-mans land between the
revelation and the fulfillment of your
destiny.
3. Now faith is being sure of what we
hope for and certain of what we do not
see.

Launching Questions / Comments

4. Faith is simply believing that God will
do what He has promised.
5. The fulfillment of Gods promises
depends on Gods ability and
faithfulness, not ours.
6. All of Gods promises are to be
received by faith.
7. Without faith it is impossible to
please God.
Comment: Some of these statements are
definitions. By these definitions, Abram
really needed faith at this point in his life!
He was in the no-mans
land between the revelation and the
fulfillment of his destiny. He knew what
God has promised, but he had no idea how
it would become a reality. Isnt that the
situation we all find ourselves in?
Comment: Like Abram, we can come to
God with our unbelief, without
being guilty or ashamed. When Abram
allowed God to help him, Abram moved
from doubt to faith.

Purpose / Notes

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Guiding Questions / Comments

Comment: What happened when
Abram came to God with his unbelief?
Appoint someone to read
Genesis 15:5-6.
Comment: God did not rebuke Abram for
his lack of faith. Instead, God took him out
for a walk under the stars, to raise his faith
level. When Abram saw the stars, his faith
level was raised and he made a choice to
believe.
We are not told why looking at the stars
raised Abrams faith level:
- Perhaps, as he looked at the stars,
Abram received a revelation of Gods
majesty and sovereignty.
- Perhaps Abram realized that if God
created the millions of stars, God could
give him many descendants.
- Or perhaps the stars reminded
Abram of Gods earlier promise
to him, to make his descendants as
numerous as the sand on the
seashore.
For Abram, taking that walk under the
stars was a faith-raising experience.

Purpose / Notes

Guiding Questions / Comments

Question 2
Question:
- What faith-raising experiences has God
given you? Was there a time when you
could not believe God but God caused
something to happen that lifted your
faith level?
OR
- What promises were you not able to
believe initially, but God raised your
faith level and enabled you to believe?
(Eg. promise of provision, protection,
etc.)
Comment: God works in our lives to give
us faith-raising experiences, to help us
believe Him for greater things. In this
way, He moves us from faith to
faith. That is what happened in Abrams
case. Now Abram believed that God would
give him descendants. So God gave him an
even greater promise
that the whole land of Canaan would
be given to his descendants. Lets take
turns to read two verses each from Genesis
15:7-21.

Purpose / Notes
God gives us
faith-raising
experiences to
help us believe
Him for greater
things.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Comment: This time, Abram did not say like

he did before, What reward can You give
me?
He was able to believe and instead asked,
How can I be sure? What sign will you
give me as an assurance?
God then sealed His promise to Abram
through a covenant ceremony.
So we see that Abram grew from faith to
faith.
Background information: (Not
necessary to mention if questions
about this do not come up in the
course of discussion)
- Making a covenant involved taking
slaughtered animals, cutting them in
half, and placing the halves opposite
each other.
- Usually, the two parties entering into the
agreement would walk between the two
halves of the slain animals.

Explanation of
the covenant
ceremony

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

- However, in this case, instead of both

parties walking between the animals,
only God (represented by the smoking
firepot with a blazing torch) passed
between the pieces of the animals.
- In doing this, God was communicating
that the fulfillment of this promise was
based on Gods faithfulness and ability,
not Abrams.
Application Questions / Comments
Comment: Each of us is where we are
today in our walk with God because God
has raised our faith levels in the past. We
were able to overcome our unbelief and
believe His promises (eg. about provision,
peace, etc. mention the specific things
that came up in the discussion earlier).
In other words, we grew from faith to faith.
And that is true of a person of destiny. A
person of destiny grows from faith to faith.
This means that there is still a higher faith
level that God wants to move you to.
There are more promises and greater
promises
that God wants to help you believe and
experience.

Purpose / Notes

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Application Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Question 3

Share areas of
struggle and pray
for a breakthrough
in faith for one
another.

Question: What promises are you

struggling to believe and receive by
faith? In which area do you need a
fresh breakthrough of faith?
(eg. trusting God to provide job/
finances, salvation of loved ones,
multiplication of carecell, etc.)
Comment: Remember, we can come to
God honestly with our struggle to believe.
God knows where we are. He has raised
our faith level in the past, and will help us
believe Him for greater things ahead. Let
us pray for God to bring us from faith to
faith. Lets pray for one another in a
circle of prayer.
Then, as a leadership carecell, lets pray
that together, we will be a people that
will grow from faith to faith.

Discerning Gods Ways of

Doing Gods Will

Perspective:
Gods will must be done in Gods way.
Objectives:
1. Recognize the dangers of not consulting God.
2. Commit to learn and discern Gods ways.
Discussion Starter: Draw
Anything
1. Put a set of color pencils/crayons/markers at the center of
the circle.
2. Give every person a piece of paper.
3. Ask them to draw anything they like or whatever comes to
their minds, using any color.
4. After everyone has drawn, get them to fold the pieces of paper
and return it to you. Redistribute the pieces of paper, ensuring
that no one gets their own drawing back.
5. Get each person to look at the drawing, show it to the group
and guess who the artist is. Get them to explain why they
guess a particular member of the group drew it. Eg.
- I didnt see him taking any other color pencils, so this onecolor drawing must be his;

Chapter 4

Have you memorized

Hebrews 11:1?
Tick here if you can
quote it from memory.
Memory verse: Isaiah
55:8-9
For My thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither
are your ways My ways,
declares the LORD. As the
heavens are higher that the
earth, so are My ways higher
than your ways and My thoughts
than your thoughts.

Chapter 4

- she is a colorful person who likes variety, so this picture must

be hers;
- she loves flowers, so I think this is probably drawn by
her.
6. After everyone has made a guess, all the artists can
identify their own drawings and take them back.
Link to the topic of discussion by saying:
How did we guess who the artist was?
- Some of us knew the way the person drew. Some of us knew
the favorite objects of the person, and still others observed
what colors the person used.
- Artists are always identified by their unique style the way they
draw, the strokes they use, the colors they choose, etc. All of this
makes up their unique style. Even when we do not know the
name of the artist, sometimes, just by looking at two drawings,
we can tell that both were drawn by the same person.
- In discerning if the picture was drawn by a particular person, we
drew upon the knowledge we had about the person. We relied
on knowledge we had about their style, preferred objects, choice
of colors, etc. In other words, we knew something about the
way they drew, and used this knowledge to discern if it was
indeed them.
The same is true about knowing God and discerning His ways. The
better we know God, the more we are able to identify His ways, His
values, and His preferences. Only when we know Him can we
discern if something we are doing or involved in conforms to His
ways.

Introduction
Let us review where Abram was at this
point in his life:
- Abram now knew for certain that God
would give him many descendants. He
knew that God would give his
descendants the land of Canaan as their
inheritance.
- Yet, practically speaking, a line of
descendants begins with a son! But
even after receiving Gods promise and
confirmation, Abram did not hear any
tiny patter of feet. Sarai remained
barren. The household remained quiet.
No cries, no laughter of children playing.
- So Sarai suggested that they follow the
local custom of having children through
a servant.
How did Abram react to this? Lets
see

Purpose / Notes
Review Abrams
life leading up
to this event.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Launching Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Appoint someone to read

Genesis 16:1-3.
Comment: Abram accepted Sarais
suggestion without consulting God. It
was a major decision in his life, but he
did not stop to consult God. He used
only his logical thinking.
Have someone to read the first
paragraph on page 43.
Question: Was there a time when you
used your logical thinking to make a
major decision, and after that, wished
that you had consulted God instead
of rushing into it? What did you learn
from that experience?

Get just one or two

people to share.
You may want to
set the pace by being
the first to share.

Comment: In Abrams case, the

consequences of going ahead with a
major decision without consulting God
were major. (Appoint someone to read
Genesis
16:4-6.)

Alternatively, you
could ask someone
to prepare for
this question in
advance.

Comment: There was tension in the

household. Hagar became proud, Sarai
became bitter and mistreated her,
Abram denied responsibility and
forsook his leadership role in the
household. But, in spite of Abrams
failure, God stepped in to defuse the
situation. (Appoint someone to read
Genesis 16:7-16.)

Guiding Questions / Comments

Comment: There is a difference
between Gods will and Gods ways.
Have someone read Gods will must be
done in Gods way on page 48.

Purpose / Notes
Introduce the
truth that there is
a difference
between Gods
will and Gods
ways.

Question 2
Comment: Lets form three groups and
look at one of the three situations in
Question 2. (Assign one case study per
group).
As you discuss the situation, try to
answer the questions:
- Did each person know what Gods
will was?
- Did they misunderstand Gods way?
How did that happen?
- If the person had discerned Gods
way, what would he/she have done?
Give the groups sufficient time
to discuss. Where possible, visit each
group and hear what they are discussing.
After that, ask the groups to appoint a
spokesperson to share their answers to
the three questions.

Discover
practical
situations in
which people
confuse Gods
will and Gods
way.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Guiding Questions / Comments Notes

Purpose / Notes

on each of the case studies: Case Study

Handle any
questions that
may arise from
the discussion of
the case studies.

2A - LAWRENCE
(a) It is Gods will that none should perish,
but for all to come to eternal life. (2
Peter 3:9b)
(b) But Gods way for us to win our friends
is through showing and sharing the love
of Christ with them, not scaring them
with descriptions of hell. It is not wrong
to talk about the reality of hell, but that
must always be balanced with the love
of God. Jesus Himself came to seek and
save the lost (Luke 19:10).
(c) If Lawrence had discerned Gods way:
- He would have built bridges
instead of walls in his relationship
with them.
- He could have identified their level
of spiritual receptivity
(hostile/neutral/detached
interest/genuine interest/ decision)
and their felt needs.
- He could have shared his personal
testimony and the gospel in a way that
that showed them how Jesus could
meet their felt need.

Emphasize the
godly principles
that we should
abide by. For each
case
study, take the
given facts at
face value and do
not try to secondguess details that
are not
mentioned in the
case study.

Guiding Questions / Comments

Case Study 2B - TRICIA
(a) It is Gods will for us to make
disciples of all nations (Matthew
28:19).
(b) But there is a process of discipleship
and leadership development that
we all must go through. During this
process, God molds us to become the
disciples and disciple-makers that He
wants us to be.
(c) One very important part of this
discipleship process is submission
- submitting to spiritual authority and
the timing of God. If we are not ready
to submit, we are not ready to be
entrusted with spiritual authority.
(d) In becoming resentful and speaking
badly about her pastor, Tricia only
proved that she was not mature
and not ready to be a leader. In
fact, she had set a bad example for her
carecell members.
(e) If she had discerned Gods way:
- She would have submitted her own
desires to God, asking God to check
her heart for selfish ambition, pride
and impatience.

Purpose / Notes

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

- She could have asked her pastor to point out

areas that she needed to grow in, and humbly
take practical steps to grow in these areas.
Case Study 2C - ROYCE
(a) It is Gods will to bless His children richly
with all things to enjoy (1
Timothy 6:17). He blesses the righteous
with His favor (Psalm
5:12).
(b) It is equally true that promotion comes
from the Lord. It is He who brings one
down and exalts another (Psalm 75:6-7).
(c) Because God is the Source of promotion,
we need not run after all these things like
the pagans do, for Your heavenly Father
knows that you need them. But seek first
His Kingdom and His righteousness, and
all these
things will be given to you as well
(Matthew 6:32-33)

Chapter 4

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

(d) If Royce had discerned Gods way:

- He would not have relied on looking
better than the other person, but
rather focused on doing his best and
trusting God to honor him. His goal
would not have been to impress his
boss and colleagues, but to serve
Christ (Colossians 3:22-25).
- He would have understood that
Gods reward could come in the form
of a promotion or in another form. A
promotion may look good, but only
God would know whether it is a
blessing or a curse. He could have
left it to
God to decide how to reward him in a
way that would truly be for his best
interest.
Application Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Comment: It is relatively easy to

discuss these case studies and discern
what went wrong, but it is certainly harder
when we ourselves are the central
character, and these issues occur in our
own lives. How do we discover Gods ways
and walk in them?

Commit to practical
steps of knowing God
and discovering His
ways.

49

Chapter
4

Application Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

There are 4 principles mentioned in the book about

discovering Gods ways:
A. Know the Word of God
B. Do not blindly follow popular thinking
C. Stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit
D. Be open to correction and stay accountable
Questions 3 to 7
Question: Which two principles are especially
applicable to you right now? Why?
Comment: In our circle of prayer, let us pray for the
person on our left and on our right, that they will
always be able to discern Gods ways. Ask God to
show them if their values or methods are not aligned
to His ways.
After we have prayed, I would like to invite one or
two of you to pray aloud for the group, and then I
will close in prayer.
Pray for your leadership carecell that they will
grow to know and discern Gods ways.

Group prayer.

Progressing in Our Destiny

Perspective:
God progressively reveals our destiny to us.
Objectives:
1. Understand that God will reveal our destiny progressively
during our walk of faith.
2. Realize that to progress in our destiny, we need to give
God full ownership of our lives.
3. Commit to adjust our lives to what God reveals to us about our
destiny.
Discussion starter: TREASURE
HUNT
1. Prepare the clues ahead of time and place them in the
locations before the group arrives.
2. Prepare a simple prize (eg. sweets, chocolates or biscuits)
for every team.
3. Divide the group into three teams.
4. Tell them:
- I will give every team your first clue to start the hunt for the
treasure.
- Each clue will lead to the next clue.
- The final clue will lead to the treasure.

Have you memorized

Isaiah 55:8-9?
Tick here if you can
quote it from memory.
Memory verse:
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for
you, declares the LORD,
plans to prosper you and not
to harm you, plans to give you
a hope and future.

Chapter
5

Teams cannot skip any clue ie. if they accidentally stumble upon a
clue that is not the one they are looking for at the moment, they
cannot use it yet.
- If a team happens to come across a clue that actually belongs to
the other team, they are to leave it alone.
- The winning team will get a prize.
5. After the treasure hunt, give a prize to every team that
completes their clues. Explain that every team that completes
all their clues is a winning team.
CLUES and LOCATIONS OF CLUES FOR TEAM 1
What to write
Where to put the next
Clue
clue
Numbe
r
TEAM 1, CLUE 1 Place Clue No 2 behind
1
the main door or on
Revelation
the
gate
of
the
3:20 will tell
meeting place.
you where to
find me.
TEAM 1, CLUE 2 Place Clue No 3 near the
2
tap
or a water jug/kettle.
Look for me in
John 7:37.
3

TEAM 1, CLUE 3 The leader himself

This is the last clue
Go back to the and the leader should
person who
have a small prize for
gave you the
the first team that
first clue.
comes to you to ask
for the clue.
Tell them they have
found the treasure and

CLUES and LOCATIONS OF CLUES FOR TEAM 2

Clue
What to write
Numbe
r
1
TEAM 2, CLUE
1

Where to put the

next clue
Place Clue No. 2 behind
the clock in the
meeting place.

Find me behind
the instrument
used to tell
some- thing in
Ecclesias- tes
TEAM 2, CLUE Place Clue No 3 where
2
there is food (table,
kitchen cabinet or
Look for me in refrigerator).
John 4:34.
TEAM 2, CLUE The leader himself
3
This is the last clue
and the leader should
Go back to the have a small prize for
one who give
the first team that
you the first
comes to you to ask
clue.
for the clue.
Tell them they have
found the treasure and
the game is over.

CLUES and LOCATIONS OF CLUES FOR TEAM 3

Clue
What to write
Number
1

TEAM 3, CLUE 1
Matthew 5:16 will
tell you where to
find me.

TEAM 3, CLUE 2
Look for me under Psalm 23:5.

TEAM 3, CLUE 3
Go back to the one
who give you the
first clue.

Where to put the next

clue
Place Clue No 2 near or on one
of the lights in the meeting
place, eg. a
fluorescent tube, an electrical
light bulb, a table lamp.
Place Clue No 3 under a
table in the meeting place.

The leader himself This is

the last clue and the leader
should have a small prize for
the first team that comes to
you to ask for the clue.
Tell them they have found the
treasure and the game is
over.

Link to the topic of discussion by saying:

In many ways, this treasure hunt is like our journey toward destiny.
In the same way:
- This treasure hunt has
- Our journey toward destiny
been a progressive
is progressive. God leads us one step
one. One clue led you
at a time. If you obey and follow Him
to the next clue.
step by step, He will show you the
next step.
- However, the clues for
every team were
unique. You couldnt
find out your clue
by looking at what the
other teams were
doing. Even when you
knew or discovered
the clue that belonged
to another team, you
couldnt use it.
- What guided you was a
combination of the clue
and the Bible verse.

In the same way:

- Gods purpose for every Christian is
to know Him, to love Him and to love
people. But His direction and His
destiny for each one of us
as individuals is unique. Just as
each team needed
to find their own clues, each one of
us has to seek God personally and
hear from Him.
In the same way:
- In hearing from God about our
destiny, it is a combination of things,
including the Word of God,
impressions/prophecies given to us,
and the godly counsel of our
mentors and mature Christians.

Chapter 5

- How many of you

expected that the
fastest team would
win? But in this
treasure hunt,
every team that
completed its clues and
came back to me wins.
There was no need to
compete. The key was
to COMPLETE.

In the same way:

- In our journey toward destiny, we
are not competing with someone
else. There is no need to
compare ourselves with someone
else, and, for example, wonder
why we seem to be moving
slowly toward our destiny. We
each have a race marked out
for us (Hebrews 12:1). As long
as we obey and follow God all
the way, completing everything
He has asked us to be and to
do, we will be a winner in His
eyes.

- How many of you

expected the
treasure to be
an object? But
it turned out that the
treasure was a person.

In the same way:

- The journey toward destiny leads
us not to an achievement or a
position (even though God may
give these to us), but it is really
to a Person Jesus. He waits for
us and our joy is to hear Him
say, Well done, good and
faithful servant.

Introduction
Let us review where Abram was at this
point in his life:
- Abram had the servant Hagar bear him
a child.
- But the child was not the child God had
promised him.
- As soon as this child was conceived,
there was tension in the household.
Hagar was mistreated by Sarai
and ran away. But after an angel
appeared to her, she came back to
Abrams household and gave birth to
Ishmael.
- For the next thirteen years, Abram did
not have any significant encounter
with God. There was
no word, no vision, no revelation.
Abram must have agonized over his
mistake. He must have wondered if he
had jeopardized his destiny with his
rash human act. Could Gods promises
for his life still come to pass? Or was it
gone forever?

Purpose / Notes
Review Abrams life
leading up
to this event.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Launching Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

If you were Abram, what would you have

done during these 13 years of silence?

Identify Abrams
possible attitudes
and actions during
these years of
silence.

Possible answers:
- Blame myself for not consulting God
- Blame God for being so slow in
fulfilling His promises
- Recall the promises of God and cling onto
them, hoping that they will still come
true someday
- Think that I must have heard wrongly,
and return to good old Ur.

Purpose / Notes
Guiding Questions / Comments
Comment: Thirteen years is a long time!
Perhaps Abram recalled over and over
again the various promises that he had
received before he even started on this
journey.
Lets do that right now - lets go back to
Genesis 12 and track every promise/
revelation that God gave to Abram about
his destiny, until the end of Genesis 16.
Lets do this in groups of twos and threes.
Get each group to share their list.

Recall the
promises of God
to Abram and
trace the
progressive
nature of
his destiny
revelation.

Chapter 5

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

The list should look like this:

- God had told Abram that if he went to the land of
Canaan, I will bless you. (Genesis 12:1-3)
- When Abram reached the land of Canaan, God
confirmed that this was the land and promised
him
that To your offspring I will give this land
(Genesis 12:7)
- When Abram let Lot choose where he wanted to
live, God came to assure him that All the land
that you see I will give to you and your offspring
forever. (Genesis 13:15) Then God added that
I will make your offspring like the dust of the
earth... (Genesis 12:16)
- When Abram honored God after winning the
battle and was wondering what reward he would
get, God assured him that A son coming from
your own body will be your heir (Genesis 15:4).
This was a specific promise that Abram had not
had before.

Chapter 5

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

- Then God said, Look up at the heavens and

count the stars. So shall your offspring be
(Genesis
15:5)
- Then God said, To your descendants I give
you this land, from the river of Egypt to the
great river, the Euphrates and for the
first time, God went on to spell out the
boundaries of his inheritance. (Genesis
15:18-21) Now, for the first time, Abram
knew exactly the
dimensions of the land that was his.
Comment: As we trace these promises, we see
that God gave Abram more revelation and
confirmation as he followed God step by step.
Every time Abram took a step of faith
to honor God and seek Him, God would reveal a
new detail to him about his destiny. What does
this mean for us?

Establish the
truth that
destiny
revelation is
progressive.

Guiding Questions / Comments

- Destiny revelation is progressive.
Discovering your destiny is not a onetime thing. God does not give
us a panoramic view of our lives, nor
does He reveal everything to us at one
time. Rather, God gives us hints about
our destiny, and then guides us one step
at a time.
- Obedience is the key to progressing in
your destiny.
The key is to do whatever God tells you
to do. When you do whatever God tells
you to do, you will progress in your
destiny.
If you ever feel that you are stuck in a
place where there is no progress in your
Christian life, just ask yourself: Did I
obey the last thing God told me to do?
There are times when something may
seem to be delayed, but it is actually
in Gods perfect timing. However,
there are times when delays are
actually caused by our own slowness
to do what God has told us to do.

Purpose / Notes

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Comment: Now we come to Genesis

17. Although Abram had decided to
produce his own son without Gods help,
God in His goodness had not forgotten or
forsaken Abram. God came to encourage
Abram and let him know that His plans
and purposes for Abrams life were right
on track.

Discover the
revelation Abram
received in this
new encounter.
Encourage
self-discovery.

In your groups, read Genesis 16:1617:22 and begin to list down or

underline in your Bible:
- What new revelation God gave
Abram about his destiny
- What Abram had to do to co-operate
with God
Find these facts in your Bible, without
looking at the book.
Get each group to share their list.
Comment: Now let us see how Abram
responded to this encounter with God.
Lets read Genesis 17:23-27 aloud
together.
Did you notice that Abrams response to
God was immediate and complete?
- His obedience was immediate.
He did not delay! Genesis 17:23 tells
us that on that very day,
Abraham

Consider
Abrams
immediate
response of
obedience.

Chapter 5

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

- His obedience was complete.

Genesis 17:27 tells us that every male
including those born in his household or
bought from a foreigner, was circumcised
with him.
Let us pause and consider for a moment:
What is our response to Gods Word?
When we read the Word and discover
what God is telling us to do, how do we
respond? Is ours an
immediate, joyful obedience? Or is it a
slow, grudging compliance? Or do we
ignore Gods commands to us?
Questions 7 & 8
Question: On a scale of 1 to 10, how would
you rate your response to Gods Word? (1
being immediate, joyful obedience and 10
being apathy) What causes you to delay
or ignore Gods instruction?
Comment: It is so important that we obey
God and do so immediately! Such joyful,
immediate obedience allows us
to progress in our relationship with God,
and in our destiny.

Rate as our own

response to Gods
Word

Chapter 5

Guiding Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Destiny revelation is progressive, and

obedience is the key to progress. As we hear
and obey, God will reveal new
things to us and we will progress in our
relationship with Him.
Application Questions / Comments
Comment: I want to highlight just two things
from Abrams encounter with God, and ask
each one of us to
consider two questions. I would like you to
reflect on these two questions and then share
with one other person as we pair up and go into
prayer.
1. This encounter started with God telling
Abram to walk blamelessly before Him.
Now, God had
declared Abram righteous (Genesis
15:6) because he believed Gods promise
to him. So Abram was already righteous in
Gods sight. Yet at this point, God was
calling Abram to walk blamelessly; to
progress in practical righteousness and
holiness.

Purpose / Notes
Apply the
principle of the
Lordship
of Christ in the
totality of our
lives.

Application Questions / Comments

In the same way, God has already
declared us righteous and adopted us
as His children when we believed in
Jesus. Having declared us righteous,
God requires us to walk blamelessly
before Him. Yet sometimes, especially
when we have been Christians for a
while,
we become complacent and allow sin
to creep into our lives.
Question: Have you grown complacent in
any way? In what way?
2. God required Abram to circumcise
himself. Circumcision was Gods mark
of ownership, and it was placed on the
most intimate part of Abrams body. It
symbolized that nothing in Abrams life
was beyond Gods reach. Everything,
even
the most private areas of his life,
belonged to God.
As Christians, we are not required to
circumcise ourselves. But the principle
holds true for us. God wants to be Lord
over every area of our lives.

Purpose / Notes

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Application Questions / Comments Purpose / Notes

Question: Is there any area in your life that you
have not yet surrendered to God? (Eg. It could
be a part of your character that God wants to
transform, or a relationship in which you are
holding on to your right to be angry,
and God is telling you to forgive and lay down
your rights on the altar)
Share with one another, and then pray for
each other to take steps of obedience today.
I will then close in prayer.
Pray for your leadership carecell to
be a people who will hear and obey. Pray
that they will live every day with
a sense of destiny, progressing in Gods
plans and purposes for their lives.

Depending on God to Lift

the Faith of Those Around
Us
Perspective:
God will lift the faith of those around us as we depend on Him to
do so.
Objectives:
1. Understand that only God can open the eyes of others to
His greatness.
2. Trust God to lift up the faith of those around us.
Discussion starter:
OPTION 1: I couldnt do it on my own
Share about a time when you faced a situation in which you were
unable to do something on your own, and needed God to
intervene. (eg. mend a strained relationship, heal a person who
was ill, reveal Himself to a pre-believer, etc.)
OR
OPTION 2: Team Drawing
1. Prepare a few copies of the drawing on page 69, pieces of
blank paper, pens or markers, clean handkerchiefs or any cloth
that can be used as blindfolds.
2. Form teams of three. Any remaining person becomes a
judge to make sure that the teams follow instructions.

Chapter 6

Have you memorized

Jeremiah 29:11?
Tick here if you can
quote it from memory.
Memory verse: Luke
18:27
Jesus replied, What
impossible with men
possible with God.

is
is

Chapter 6

3. Each team must decide among themselves who is Number

1, 2, and 3.
(This should be decided upon before you proceed to explain the
objective of the game.)
4. The objective of this game is to reproduce a drawing as
accurately as possible. However, each one has a specific role
to play in the drawing:
- Number 1 will hold the picture of the completed drawing.
Number 1 knows what it looks like, and he/ she is to instruct
Number 2 how to draw it. However, Number 1 cannot help
to actually draw the picture.
- Number 2 will be blindfolded. He/she is to draw the
picture on a blank piece of paper, according to Number
1s instructions.
- For the first round of this activity, Number 3 can only
observe what is going on and is not allowed to help or talk in
any way.
5. All the Number 2s are to be blindfolded.
(Hand out the blindfolds. When all the Number 2s have been
blindfolded, hand out to each team a sample of the drawing,
two pieces of paper and a pen/marker)
6. As we begin the first round, you have one minute to
reproduce the drawing.
(After one minute, stop all teams from drawing.)

Chapter6

Drawing

Chapter 6

7. There is a second round for this activity. For the second round,
Number 3 will participate. He/she can look at the completed
drawing and help Number 2 in any way. You will have one
minute to reproduce the drawing. Please use a fresh piece of
paper for this round.
(If anyone asks, clarify that Number 3 can help in any
way he/she likes, including holding Number 2s hand and guiding
him/her to draw. The only criteria is that Number 2 must be the
one holding the pen/marker.)
8. (After one minute) Now, you may remove your blindfolds, and
compare your two drawings.
Ask:
(a) How similar or different are the two drawings? Which one is
more accurate?
(b) Number 2s, how did you feel in the first round? Did you feel
differently in the second round? (Eg. Helpless in the first
round, more confident in the second round)
Explain:
Through this activity, we have experienced the situation of the
three main characters described in Genesis 18.
- Those who were Number 1 experienced Abrahams dilemma. He
knew what God wanted to do in his and Sarahs life. But he did
not have the ability to accomplish it.
- Those who were Number 2 experienced Sarahs dilemma. She is
needed to participate in the miracle in order to make it happen.
But her limitation was that she just could not see what God
wanted to do.

Chapter 6

- Those who were Number 3 in the second round symbolized God.

God was well aware of the limitations of both Abraham and Sarah,
and stepped in to help accomplish His will in their lives.
(For both option 1 and 2)
Link to the topic of discussion by saying:
To become people of destiny we must become people who depend on
God. We must recognize that there are some things only God can
do. Although we may walk by faith and persevere in the promises
of God, we cannot do Gods part. This realization must cause us to
take a posture of humility and expectancy before God, and cause us
to invite Jesus to come and do what only He can do.

Chapter 6

Introduction

Purpose / Notes

Let us review where Abraham was at

this point in his life:

Review Abrahams
life leading up to
this event.

- Abraham believed God when God

promised him descendants and that his
descendants would inherit the land of
Canaan.
- He made the mistake of getting the
servant Hagar to bear him a child.
- Thereafter, there was tension in the
household. Ishmael was born as
a result of Abrahams own human
wisdom and planning. For the next
13 years, Abraham probably lived in
remorse, regretting what he had done.
He had no revelation, no vision and no
visitation from God. It was a tough 13
years for Abraham. Perhaps he thought
that he had lost out on
the promises of God forever.
- One day, God came to restore
Abrahams sense of destiny.
God revealed that Abraham would
become the father of many nations, and
that a child would be born to him in one
years time. For the first time, God
specified that this child would be birthed
through Sarah.

Introduction

Purpose / Notes

- This revelation must have brought joy

and excitement to Abraham. Finally!
Gods promises are coming to pass!
Launching Questions / Comments
Imagine Abraham rushing to Sarah and
sharing with her what God had just said,
especially about her part as the mother
of the promised child.
Now Sarah had not encountered God
personally. She had waited in vain for
25 years for this promise of a child. She
had been scorned and mocked for being
childless. Now, when she is ninety,
Abraham talks about her
becoming pregnant and giving birth to a
baby
Question: If you were Sarah, what would
you say to Abraham? (eg. You are
crazy!, That is impossible, etc. )
Sarahs cynicism is perfectly
understandable. Hope deferred
makes the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12)
and Sarahs heart was very sick after so
many years of waiting.

Purpose / Notes
Identify with
Sarahs struggle to
believe

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Launching Questions / Comments

The wonderful thing we see here is that
God did not forsake Sarah because of
her inability to believe. Nor did He
change His mind about
blessing Abraham with a child. He had
promised Abraham many descendants and
that this promised child would come
through Sarah. He had chosen
her and would not change His mind. So
God called His angels together and put
together a plan to visit Abraham and Sarah
personally.

Purpose / Notes

Guiding Questions / Comments

Appoint someone to read
Genesis 18:1-8
Comment: God Himself came to visit
Abraham and Sarah! But instead of
coming in a sudden, dramatic way, God
came in human form and sat down
for a meal with Abraham. Now, did
Abraham realize that he was having dinner
with God? Some Bible scholars believe that
he knew it was God, for he had seen God
before. Others think that he did not know it
was God, but simply received the visitors
as people sent by God.
Whatever the case may be, Abraham was
hospitable and welcomed these divine
visitors into his home. Once God was
invited into the home, God began His
divine work.
Questions 5 & 6
Question: Share a situation which you are
currently facing in your carecell, your
family, studies or career, where you need
God to do something which you cannot
do. In what way could you invite God into
your situation?

Purpose / Notes

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Guiding Questions / Comments

Comment: We will take this to God in
prayer later. But first, lets see what
God does when Abraham invites Him in.
Lets read Genesis 18:9-15...
Comment: The way God worked in this
situation is very interesting. Sarah never
met the visitors face to face,
for in those days, women were never
allowed to be in the same room as
guests. Thus when Sarah was in
the tent, she eavesdropped on the
conversation and laughed at what was
being said. She thought no one would
know.
So when the Guest described her secret
thoughts and reaction, Sarah was
stunned. She realized that
this was no ordinary guest, but One who
was all-knowing. God used this situation to
ask Sarah a penetrating question: Is
anything too hard for the Lord? Thus God
demonstrated to Sarah that this all-knowing
God was also all-powerful. In this way, God
challenged Sarahs unbelief and cause her
to breakthrough in her faith.

Purpose / Notes

Application Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Comment: This encounter happened

because Abraham did not rebuke nor force
Sarah to believe. He did what God told
him to do (change his name, circumcise
his household, etc) and then depended on
God to do what only God could do.
Abraham could not do Gods part but he
facilitated this entire
encounter by not rushing ahead of God or
standing in His way.
Question: How have you responded in the
past when
- You cast a vision but the people you
were leading lacked faith and
conviction in Gods promises?
- You shared the gospel but the person
refused to believe in God?
Possible answers:
- Took it personally and felt insulted
- Rebuked them and made them feel bad
- Gave up on them

Highlight the need

to exercise
patience with
others

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Application Questions / Comments

Purpose / Notes

Question 4

Apply this principle

of faith and
patience
in our role as
leaders

Question: If you were to follow Abrahams

example, what would you have done
differently? How would you demonstrate
faith and invite the God of the impossible
to come in and do His work?
Comment: As Gods leaders, lets
acknowledge that we need God
to work in all these situations. We cannot
change hearts, but God can. Lets pray
that God will give them an encounter with
Him and cause them to breakthrough in
their faith.