In Psalm 18, the king faces enemies who are “too mighty” for him (v17).

Can you admit when you are facing an enemy “too mighty” to overcome in your own strength?

And if you do find yourself facing this kind of battle, what do you do? Where do you go? Who do you call?

The Psalmist “calls upon the Lord” and discovers One who not only saves but also strengthens, who not only engages but also equips.

I am excited to let the power of this battle Psalm work in our community as we hear from and cry out to and praise the God for whom no enemy is “too mighty.”

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SEE IT // BE IT

(WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE)

Title:For Battle // Psalm 18

ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes
Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also, find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out.

SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes
Last week, we learned how the Psalms start with obedience to God (Psalm 1) and end with praise to Him (Psalm 150). Today’s teaching on Psalm 18 shows us how to respond when we are under attack from an enemy. While David certainly had physical enemies, like Saul, we also recognize the overarching enemy of Satan, spiritual forces, and spiritual darkness. David sought God as a fortress and deliverer, and God showed up in dramatic fashion, not only rescuing him but equipping him for the battle. We also learn that we have two responses to our enemies: we are to seek refuge in God, but we are to also follow the ways of God, as David did.

THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion.
God is our rock, our strength, our rescuer, and our equipper in the very real battle against spiritual darkness.

SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes
Picture (What is the story saying?): According to verses 4-5 and 16-17, who is my enemy? Are our enemies always physical beings? Describe who God is in this Psalm and what He did for David. According to verses 20-30 and 43-50, who was David? How did he describe his walk with God? In addition to rescuing us, what does God do for us (vs.33-36)?

Mirror (Where am I in the story?): When have you seen God rescue you or a family member? How has that changed your relationship with God? In what area of your life (spiritual, health, family, work) do you feel like you’re in a battle? What does it look like for you to take refuge in God in that situation? How can you walk in His ways in that situation?

Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 and Ephesians 6:11-12. How do those verses change the way you see struggles in your life and the world around you? How might “seeing” the spiritual forces change the way you behave?

BE IT – Practice
Change UP // Exercise 5 minutes
Jon talked about the power of reading the Psalms aloud. Read all of Psalm 18 aloud as a group, and then spend a few minutes praising God for who this Psalm proclaims Him to be: my strength, my rock, etc.

Change IN // Group Activity 10 minutes
Who in your group is feeling particularly under attack right now? Gather around him/her and pray for their situation.

Change OUT // Life Application Assignment 5 minutes
While it’s important to not see a demon behind every corner, it is vital to understand that we are in a spiritual battle. Name the places in your community where you sense particular spiritual darkness. Pray over that as a group. How might God be equipping you to make a difference there?

CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes
Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.