Week 2 (Day 1) ‘Breaking Free’ Bible study observations

By Stephanie Parker

A while ago, I shared my skydiving experience and my terror at the thought of jumping out of a plane from thousands of feet in the air and hoping and praying that my chute would open when I was in free-fall. There was only one way to know if it would… to jump. I had to place my trust completely and wholly in the belief that the parachutewould open when I pulled the chord.
We too, will struggle with areas of unbelief in our faith with Jesus if we never take a risk and jump.

Our faith is built only by using it. Beth Moore puts it this way, “Trusting in an invisible God does not come naturally to any believer. A trust relationship grows only by stepping out in faith and making the choice to trust. This step sometimes seems more than we can take, but God is anxious to help us overcome our unbelief. The ability to believe God develops most often through pure experience. ‘I found Him faithful yesterday. He will not be unfaithful today.’”

You see, unbelief is one of the biggest hurdles to experiencing the “abundant and effective Spirit-filled life God planned for you.”
The only cure for unbelief is to put on the parachute and take the leap. In a practical sense, “putting on your parachute” means intentionally devoting your heart and life to God’s Word and prayer. “Jumping from the airplane” is taking what you have learned in God’s Word and trusting and relying on it above all else. It means:
• Instead of calling a friend or ‘handling’ it yourself when one of life’s bumps come your way, you seek God first and ask for his hand to guide you through your situation.
• It means gathering up all your anxieties, fears, sins and doubts and laying them at the feet of Jesus instead of struggling through them in your own strength.
• It means humbling your heart and asking God to break down areas of pride, insecurities, unbelief and idolatry so that nothing stands in the way of you truly knowing and loving Him.
• It means allowing God to use all of your broken pieces for a purpose even if it means being vulnerable and transparent about your weaknesses.

God desperately wants us to know, trust and believe him… only then will we be able to fly!

Beth Moore asks, “How do you characterize your relationship with God?” Are you, “Experiencing the benefits of your covenant relationship with God through Christ, or do the benefits I read in Scripture seem more like warm, fuzzy thoughts?” If the idea of abundant life, peace, freedom, joy and deep satisfaction and purpose seem like idolized notions that have no place in your reality, it could be that you haven’t jumped out of the plane yet.

Dear God,
Please help us identify and surrender to you anything that is keeping us from experiencing the abundant life you have promised us. Heal our unbelief God so that we can go all in with you! Amen.

"You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.
I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand." -Isaiah 43:10-13

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Stephanie Parker has three main loves: God, her husband, Brett and her kids!  When Stephanie created the Zipadee-Zip in an effort to solve her daughter, Charlotte's, sleep issues, she never imagined that it would become a business.  She is incredibly grateful to God for how Sleepingbaby.com has grown and how it has enabled other families to get the restful sleep they need.   Stephanie's husband, Brett Parker assumed the role of CEO which has allowed Stephanie to focus on what she loves which is the creative side of the company, like product and print development.  After the Zipadee-Zip was featured on Shark Tank, Stephanie went on to create the book Shepherd's Treasure, a Christian alternative to Elf on the Shelf. In her free time, Stephanie loves to spend time with her family and friends.  Her hobbies include acting, singing, painting, learning and speaking foreign languages and going on adventures with her family!  You will find her all summer waterskiing, fishing and laughing with her family on the weekends.