The Journey Back From Fear

Mended Life Talk is designed to take you deeper into this past week’s sermon, helping you explore and understand biblical truths while applying them to your daily life. Our goal is to guide you in growing your faith, strengthening your relationship with God, and equipping you to face life’s challenges with a renewed perspective.

1. START TALKING.

Get the conversations started and dive into this past week’s scripture.

• Warm-Up Questions:

  1. What is one fear you’ve faced recently, and how did you handle it?

  2. Can you recall a time when God helped you overcome fear? What did that look like for you?

2. START DISCOVERING.

Context is Everything! Anything stand out in this week’s scripture?

1. Read Luke 1:26-28:

   • What stands out to you about Mary’s initial reaction to the angel’s message?

   • How does the angel’s reassurance, "The Lord is with you," change the situation?

2. Reflect on Luke 1:29-33:

   • How does the angel explain why Mary doesn’t need to fear?

   • What does finding “favor with God” mean, and how does this apply to our lives?

3. Explore Matthew 1:20-23:

   • What fear did Joseph face, and how did the angel’s message address it?

   • Discuss the significance of Immanuel, “God with us,” and how it reassures us in times of fear.

4. Discuss Common Fears:

   • The sermon highlighted fears of failure, rejection, and not being enough. Which of these fears resonates with you the most, and why?

   • How do these fears reflect our need for God’s favor and grace?

5. Read Romans 8:31:

   • "If God is for us, who can be against us?" How does this truth help us overcome fear?

   • What does God’s favor on your life mean for your past (forgiveness) and your future (freedom)?

3. START APPLYING.

Apply it to my life.

• Personal Reflection:
  Reflect on an area of your life where fear has been holding you back. How can trusting in God’s favor help you move forward with confidence?

• Action Steps:

  1. Identify one specific fear (e.g., failure, rejection, or inadequacy) that you want to confront this week.

  2. Write down a Scripture verse from today’s study (e.g., Luke 1:30, Romans 8:31) to remind yourself of God’s favor and His presence.

• Challenge:
  Share your fear with a trusted friend or group member and ask for prayer and accountability as you take steps to trust God in that area.

4. START PRAYING.

Be bold. Pray with power.

• Group Prayer Focus:

  • Thank God for His favor, forgiveness, and freedom in our lives.

  • Pray for courage to confront fears and trust in God’s promises.

  • Ask God to remind each of us of who we are in Him, especially when fear tries to define us.

• Personal Prayer:
  Spend a few moments thanking God for specific ways He has shown His favor in your life. Ask Him to replace fear with faith and to help you live in the confidence of His grace.

5. START DOING.

Personal Response. Growing people change.

• Next Steps:

  • Reflect on Mary and Joseph’s examples of faith in the face of fear. What can you learn from their trust in God’s plan?

  • Take one concrete step this week to act in faith where you’ve been hesitant due to fear. This could be reaching out to someone, starting a new task, or letting go of a past failure.

  • Memorize Luke 1:38: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” Let this be a declaration of trust in God’s will for your life.