F I V E S T A R C H U R C H
E P I C L E A D E R S H I P J O U R N E Y
S T A R O N E
New Beginnings
S T A R TW0
New Life
S T A R THREE
New Purpose
S T A R FOUR
New Opportunities
S T A R FIVE
New Horizons
Dear friend,
You have said, “Yes” to Jesus! Congratulations.
Becoming a Christian is the most incredible event that will ever take place in your life. You now have peace with God, your Creator.
You have found everlasting life!
You can be certain that God will never leave you nor forsake you.
He has brought you this far and He will complete the wonderful work that He has begun in you. God knows your every thought, your every care and your deepest concerns.
Now that you have said YES to Jesus and asked Him to live in your life, you will be amazed how your life unfolds. The truth is, there is no more important, life-changing decision that any person can make; and that includes marriage, career, or anything else that you can imagine.
As you will discover, your decision to trust Jesus Christ started with God’s plan made before the creation of the world. It affects every aspect of your present-day life; and will stretch on with amazing results as your destiny unfolds.
Over the next few weeks, we will take some time to understand what the Bible says about becoming a child of God.
I encourage you to make every effort to join us here each week and to become part of an EPIC LIFE group. It is so good to connect with others who have also discovered how good God is.
We love you,
Steve and Marion Penny
Senior Pastors
New Beginnings
CONTENTS
Introduction to beginning a new life
Page 6
Session 1 - Repentance & Assurance of Salvation
Page 11
Session 2 - Baptism in Water
Page 17
Session 3
New Life in Christ - Page 21
Session 4
Living Free - Page 30
Session 5
The Holy Spirit - Page 34
Sunshine Coast Function Centre (RSL Caloundra)
Caloundra, Queensland 4551
Email: helloepicchurch.com.au
Website: www.epicchurch.com.au
LESSON FOUR
LIVING FREE
Most of us have experienced or been exposed to things in our past that we wish had never happened. Unfortunately, many of us carry the negative effects of these issues through most of our lives.
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:
John 8:32
THE BIBLE SAYS WE MUST PULL DOWN STRONGHOLDS IN OUR MIND.
You do this by washing your mind daily with the word of God.
As you do – the old thought habits and behaviour becomes weaker and you can then build a new stronghold from the truth of God’s word – to replace the old stronghold.
STRONGHOLDS IN YOUR MIND
Strongholds - or strong thought habits or control towers, are built in your soul (or mind) over many years - and become habitual thoughts which then affect your words and then your actions.
THE BIBLE SAYS WE MUST PULL DOWN STRONGHOLDS IN OUR MIND.
You do this by washing your mind daily with the word of God.
As you do - the old thought habits and behaviour becomes weaker, and you can then build a new stronghold from the truth of God's word - to replace the old stronghold.
STRONGHOLDS IN YOUR MIND AFFECT US IN FOUR KEY AREAS.
A. REASONINGS — you either understand by five sense
knowledge - or by faith from God's word.
B. EMOTIONS — many people are emotionally bound and controlled by their emotional responses to life.
C. WILL — your will has strongholds that are triggered by the above - your reasoning and emotion.
D. WORDS — your words and language are formed by your will and reveal what rules your life.
GOD HAS PROVIDED FOR OUR DELIVERANCE:
When Jesus died on the cross, not only did He forgive us of our sin, but He also took every bondage, curse and sin onto Himself, in order that we could live our life free of such things.
Romans 6:6
Romans 6:22
THE DEATH & RESURRECTION OF JESUS DELIVERS US FROM:
1. SIN
Romans 6:23
2. DEMONIC STRONGHOLDS 2 Corinthians 10:4-6
3. RUIN
Psalm 107:20
4. AFFLICTION Isaiah 63:9
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:
John 8:32
John 8:36
In other words, it is possible for every believer to live free or “be delivered” from every issue in their past. Not only does God want you to live free of your past, but also to be delivered from strongholds and addictions that dominate us, and also generational curses that may have ruled us. Otherwise these things can restrict, imprison and bind you up.
YOU CAN BE SET FREE:
HOW TO PREPARE TO BE SET FREE
1. Desire to live in freedom
God is willing to deliver us. He gave us the means to be delivered in Christ, but man has to desire it with his own will. Matthew 11:28-30 says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
2. Identify the causes for the bondages
Psalm 139:23-24 says: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
3. Repent and confess your sins
Because of sin, Satan has legal rights. Those legal rights will only be made void by repentance; when the person renounces his sinful life. Luke 13:3 “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
4. Believe that what God says, He will do
Hebrews 11:6 says: “And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
5. Apply God’s word and truth to your life
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36 E.G. Forgive others Matthew 6:14-15 6. Prayer and fasting “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21
APPLICATION
Ask your EPIC leader to pray with you, using the steps given above.
John 8:36
John 8:36
In other words, it is possible for every believer to live free or “be delivered” from every issue in their past. Not only does God want you to live free of your past, but also to be delivered from strongholds and addictions that dominate us, and also generational curses that may have ruled us. Otherwise these things can restrict, imprison and bind you up.
GOD CREATED US AS THREE PART BEINGS
OUR SPIRIT IS OUR ETERNAL PART connects us to the spiritual realm.
OUR SOUL IS OUR HUMAN PART connects us to our self-realm.
OUR BODY IS OUR PHYSICAL PART connects us to the created realm.
OUR HUMAN SOUL
Now we come to the real issue of living life to the full.
Your spiritual wholeness happens through the blood of Jesus – when you are born again.
Your physical wholeness is completed when you die or are raptured into heaven. Your body will be consumed by fire and you will receive a new eternal body.
The only part that we are responsible for – is the renewing of our minds OR as it is also called – the saving of our soul.
We do this by washing our minds with the water of God’s word.
YOU MUST RENEW YOUR MIND SO THAT YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND AND THINK THE WAY GOD WANTS YOU TO THINK.
STRONGHOLDS IN YOUR MIND
Strongholds or strong thought habits – or control towers are built over many years – and become habitual thoughts which then affect your words and then your actions.
OUR SPIRITUAL BEING
When you say yes to Jesus – you are saved by faith and born again in your spirit and made a brand-new creation.
2 CORINTHIAN 5:17 When someone becomes a Christian, they are not the same person anymore. Their old life is gone and behold they have been made brand new.
We are then reconnected to God’s spiritual realm, and reconnected as His children, we can begin to enjoy His Love – His Light and His Life.