Welcome to Lesson Fourteen!
Introduction
We will cover a lot of ground in this lesson. You need a solid understanding of everything in this lesson in order to move forward, so please take your time with this, and make sure your understand everything clearly before moving on to Lesson Fifteen. You need this material in order to to make Spiritual Self Defense work in your life and work with others.
Let’s pick up our video from last time (set to start at 06:10) …
If the video doesn’t show up on your screen, here’s a link so you can watch it on YouTube.
Lesson links
Let’s start to unpack all of that. We’re going to take the reading bit by bit, and I’ll post the questions as we go along, but here are the lesson links so you have them:
Questions: Pages 172-176 (selected questions)
Answers to “Check your understanding” questions
Some opening questions
I recommend talking through the following discussion questions (also found on page 174) as a way to getting oriented to today’s reading:
2. Why is removing pain lies central to Spiritual Self Defense?
3. How would you describe the difference between freedom and performance? Give examples.
We discussed this in Lesson One. Here’s a repeat of that video:
If the above video doesn’t show up on your screen, here’s a link to its YouTube location.
4. Why is courage needed for Spiritual Self Defense?
Again, we discussed this in Lesson One. Here’s a repeat of that video:
If the above video doesn’t show up on your screen, here’s a link to its YouTube location.
You may also want to ponder these Journal questions from page 175:
1. How does it feel to think that you are a work in progress?
2. Can you think of an example where God used a painful emotion to bring good into your life?
Setting up a truth experience with Jesus (part 1)
Let’s pick up the reading on page 160 through the very top of page 163.
Here are some questions for you to process:
Group discussion question 10. Why would you want to be able to troubleshoot a process like SSD? (see page 161)
Group discussion question 9. How would you help someone take the first step toward being a follower of Jesus? (see page 161)
Check your understanding question 3. What are the pros and cons of going after a truth experience alone or with a friend? (see page 162)
Important cautions
Please read the “Warnings” on pages 163–164, and answer the following questions:
Check your understanding question 4. Someone with a traumatic past has asked you to help them go after a truth experience with Jesus. What should you do?
Group discussion question 11. Why is it important to create a safe place for someone going after a truth experience with Jesus, and how do you do that?
Group discussion question 12. Describe what it means to preserve confidentiality and explain how to go about doing that. Why is confidentiality so important?
Group discussion question 13. Why is it important for the person who is helping you to go after a truth experience to also be receiving truth experiences?
Group discussion question 14. Why is it important while in this process not to suggest emotions? memory content? beliefs? Truth?
Check your understanding question 5. How do you get additional training in this process?
Setting up a truth experience with Jesus (part 2)
Please read pages 165–169, and answer the following questions:
Group discussion question 15. Explain the MELT acronym. Why are each of these elements important to the process?
Check your understanding question 7. What are the most important steps in going after a truth experience with Jesus?
Group discussion question 17. When and how do you ask for truth from Jesus?
Check your understanding question 8. Explain the thistle analogy.
Check your understanding question 1. Why do we need to deal with the past to overcome spiritual bullies?
Check your understanding question 2. In what way do our emotions give us important information for Spiritual Self Defense?
Group discussion question 16. What role do hormones play in emotion?
NOTE: I don’t believe I specifically discuss this in the textbook, but I think it’s important to understand that we are many-faceted human beings, and multiple dynamics can be in play at any given time. Brain chemistry does impact emotions as do gut-level beliefs. A wise person takes into account the many dynamics that may be operating at any given time.
Truth experiences: What you need to know
Please read pages 170–172 and answer the following questions:
Check your understanding question 9. What different forms can a truth experience with Jesus take?
Group discussion question 18. Two twins each go after a truth experience with Jesus for an identical memory. However, they both identify very different pain lies, and they get very different truth experiences from Jesus. What is going on?
Here’s part of our discussion on this question:
If the video doesn’t show up on your screen, here’s a link so you can watch it on YouTube.
Check your understanding question 10. How do you test or verify the validity of a truth experience with Jesus?
Group discussion question 19. Why do we look for the presence of peace when validating a truth experience with Jesus?
Congratulations! Lesson Fourteen complete!
In Lesson Fifteen, we will see a demonstration of the Spiritual Self Defense process and explore how you can experience your first truth experience with Jesus.
Look forward to seeing you next time!
Dwight
Reading and other links
Chapter 5
Sections 5.5-5.5.C
Reading: Pages 160-172
Questions: Pages 172-176 (selected questions)
Questions? Comments? Use our private Facebook group to connect…
Links to other pages in the Spiritual Self Defense textbook
Glossary & index (pages 285-289) | Answers to “Check your understanding” questions (pages 278-284) | Table of contents (pages 3-9) | About the author (page 290) | Cover page (page 1) | Copyright page (page 2) | How this book came to be (page 11) | How to get the most from this book (page 12) | Other books to explore (page 10)
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Next step after this course? Transformational prayer ministry training!.
