Equip 1 - Freedom in Christ

Over the course of this week, we are preview the five workshops being offered as part of Equip. The second of these is Freedom in Christ with Peter Bishop.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

The Freedom in Christ course is a 13 week discipleship course (this will be the first half) designed to enable and assist every Christian to live out their identity in Christ; to break through to spiritual maturity; to uncover strongholds and deception; resolve issues from the past; and to become a genuinely fruitful disciple.

• We need to understand the biblical principles that enable believers to become fruitful, mature Christians.
• We need to work out practically how to put these principles into practice effectively in our lives and circumstances.
• We need to encourage and support one another in our journey of discipleship.

This course is a popular, respected and highly recommended tool to help you find Freedom in Christ. It is broken down into four sections:

1. A.    Key truths – Where did I come from? Who am I now?  Choosing to believe the Truth.
2. B.    The world, the flesh and the devil – The world’s view of truth.  Our daily choice.  Demolishing strong holds.  The battle for our minds.
3. C.   Breaking the hold of the past – Handling emotions well.  Forgiving from the heart.
4. D.   Growing as disciples – Walking in freedom every day.  Relating to others. Where are you heading? Staying on the right path.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

Before we can successfully do what Christ has called us to do (or not do), there are key building blocks that need to be put in place. We need grasp all that happened the moment we became a Christian. We need to learn who we now are positionally in Christ. We need to truly grasp the reality of his unconditional love for all of us. We have to understand how Jesus dealt with our sin and what that now means to us functionally.

Knowing the truth sets us truly free. If you want that truth dug deeper into your thinking, if you recognise that you are not as free as you should be, if you are stuck or confused or bound up at all, then this course is for you. The course will give you opportunities to learn or reinforce the truth. It will also give you the chance to let the Lord examine your heart and for others to pray with you through any issues that arise

Session 1: Where Did I Come From?WHAT ARE WE GOING TO LEARN?

When Adam and Eve were created, they had life in all its fullness. God met all their needs. They were perfectly accepted, secure and significant. In the Fall they lost their relationship with God. The result for us is that we were born physically alive but spiritually dead and with a huge need for acceptance, security and significance. Jesus came to restore the very same life, acceptance, security and significance that Adam and Eve had originally.

Session 2: Who Am I Now?

Many Christians think of themselves as simply “forgiven sinners”, but in fact the Bible makes it clear that, because of what Jesus has done for us, we are new creations in Christ. Knowing that we are children of God who can come boldly into God’s presence without condemnation changes everything.

Session 3: Choosing To Believe The Truth

Everyone lives by faith, even those who are not Christians. It’s who or what we put our faith in that determines whether or not it will be effective. As Christians, it’s essential that what we believe is in agreement with what God has revealed in His Word.

Session 4: The World’s View Of Truth

Depending on where and when you were brought up, you will have learned to look at the world in a particular way that seems right to you. But is it? You may also have come to believe that there is no such thing as absolute unchangeable truth. But is that right? When we become Christians we need to make a radical decision to stop looking at the world in the way we used to and start seeing it from God’s perspective by adopting the Biblical worldview.

Session 5: Our Daily Choice

Christians have a new heart and a new spirit, but we still struggle with many of the unhelpful ways of thinking and behaving that we grew up with (a primary characteristic of what the Bible calls “the flesh”). However, we don’t have to give in to the flesh. We can choose day by day and moment by moment whether to live according to the flesh’s urges or according to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Session 6: Demolishing Strongholds

The environment in which we grew up, traumatic experiences in the past, and giving in to temptation have led to the development of “strongholds” in our minds, which prevent us living according to the truth. Becoming a Christian does not instantly change the way we have learned to think, but we can demolish strongholds by choosing actively to renew our minds to the truth of God’s Word.

Session 7: The Battle For Our Minds

It’s important to understand that we are in a spiritual battle, which makes dismantling strongholds less straightforward than if it were simply a question of learning to think differently. Every day we face a battle for our minds. However, understanding how Satan works and our amazing position in Christ will equip us to win.

COURSE LEADER: Peter Bishop

If you'd like to sign up for Freedom in Christ, why not download and print a registration form here and bring it to church with you on Sunday. Thanks!