Experiencing The Power and Presence of God at Work In Lifegroup

Q: What does it mean that the early church was marked by a sense of awe, signs and wonders? Why is this important for our Lifegroups and how do I help my group live this out?

The early church was marked by God’s Presence and power at work in their midst, and we want to build Lifegroups marked by this value. This guide is designed to equip you to lead both yourselves and others in this!

What This Value Is: 

Acts 2.43,47 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles...They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.

There was a sense of awe in the church because of God’s Presence and His miraculous power at work in their midst which bubbled forth in praise to His name!

It’s our desire to build Lifegroups marked by this same sense of awe, signs and wonders and worship. 

Why This Value Matters: 

In Christ, God has made us a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2.9), a dwelling place for His Presence (Ephesians 2.19-22). 

In the Old Testament, when God’s presence filled the temple, there was a sense of awe and wonder in the hearts of the people (2 Chronicles 5.13-14, 7.1-3)

In the New Testament, God’s Presence fills the church and we get the joy of living with an abiding sense of awe, wonder and inexpressible joy (Hebrews 12.28, 1 Peter 1.8) and experiencing God’s wonder working power through our lives (Matthew 10.7-8)

Lifegroups that cultivate this value help people experience the joy and wonder of God’s presence and power in their midst!

How Can We Cultivate This Value In Lifegroup:

1. Lead by example: Jesus modeled this lifestyle for us:

  • Through Prayer and Solitude: Jesus regularly withdrew to pray, showing the disciples that experiencing God's presence required intentional time apart. He demonstrated that power flows from intimate connection with the Father. (Luke 5:16, Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:23, Luke 6:12)

  • Through Dependence on the Father: Jesus consistently pointed to His dependence on the Father, showing that God's power works through surrender and alignment with God's will, not human effort. (John 5:30, John 5:19, John 8:28, John 14:10)

  • Through Inviting Them Into Ministry: Rather than just teaching about God's power, Jesus sent the disciples out to heal, cast out demons, and preach. They experienced firsthand that God's power could work through ordinary people. (Matthew 10:1-8, Luke 10:1-9, Mark 6:7-13)

  • Through Demonstrating Faith in Action: Jesus showed them what it looked like to pray expecting God to move - healing the sick, feeding thousands, calming storms. His confidence in the Father's power became their template. (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 4:35-41, John 11:41-44, Luke 7:11-17)

  • Through Teaching Them to Expect the Spirit: Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would continue this presence and power after He left. He prepared them to experience God's ongoing work through them. (John 14:16-17, John 16:7-13, Acts 1:8, Luke 24:49)

  • Through Modeling Spiritual Sensitivity: Jesus showed them how to recognize God at work - seeing the Father's activity and joining it rather than forcing their own agenda. (John 5:17, John 5:19-20, Matthew 16:13-17)

As we walk with Him and follow His example, we will cultivate this value in our group.

2. Practice spiritual gifts in Lifegroup: Take time to put 1 Corinthians 14.26 into practice as a Lifegroup.

3. Pray fervently and consistently for miracles, breakthroughs and salvations in people's lives. 

4. Share testimonies of how God is at work in and through your group. 

5. Spend time in praise and worship as a group.


Next Steps:

What is the Holy Spirit highlighting as you and your group's next step in growing in this value?