Begin your study by reading "How to Receive From Heaven" by John Paul Jackson (SpiritLed Woman, Dec/Jan 2005).

According to John Paul Jackson, faith in God will not work unless we are walking in love. Jackson said that faith works by love and "We are not walking in love when we have unforgiveness in our heart; unforgiveness produces strife, and strife kills love, rendering faith useless. While love is a powerful ally of faith, its opposite—fear—can literally choke the life out of our walk with God."

Look up the following verses in the New King James Version and fill in the blanks using the words "faith" or "love."

• I Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all _______, so that I could remove mountains, but have not _______, I am nothing.
• Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but ________ working through ________.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of _______ and _______, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

Read Mark 11:22-24 and I Corinthians 13:2. Why do you think Jesus placed so much emphasis on forgiving people? What will happen if you don’t forgive others? If you aren’t forgiving and loving other people, what dark qualities come out of you that make your faith useless?

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Using Mark 11:22-24 as a reference, personalize this scripture by filling in the blanks below with the words I, me, and my.

"And whenever ___ stand praying, if ___ have anything against anyone, ___ will forgive him, that ____ Father in heaven may also forgive ____ ____ trespasses. But if ____ do not forgive, neither will ____ Father in heaven forgive ____ ____ trespasses."

Did this verse bring any faces to mind? Fill in the blanks below and proclaim that you forgive this person(s):

_________________________, you hurt me. But Jesus tells me to forgive you and right now, in this moment, I forgive you for __________________ _______________________________________________ and I release you from this sin and I ask God to bless you right now in Jesus’ name.

Begin your group study by reading 2 Timothy 1:7, Mark 4:40, and 1 John 4:18. As a group discuss the following:

• What fears do you sometimes struggle with?
• Can fear devour your spiritual blessings?
• What scriptures can you find to combat these fears?

fear for fourteen days! Join hands together and put on the breastplate of faith and love (1 Thessalonians 5:8, NKJV).

Say together, "I refuse fear, I refuse fear, I refuse fear. Fear, I choose not to have you. I will not have you. I love God and I believe he loves me."

Memorize 1 John 4:18. When fear creeps up to scare you this week, refuse to give it a place in your thoughts. Use a scripture verse such as 1 Timothy 1:7 to proclaim your faith in God’s ability to hear and answer your prayers.