OVERCOMING THE WARFARE ATTACHED TO YOUR HARVEST
Message from Richie Seltzer
OVERVIEW
Have you ever tried to do the right thing, but something made it really hard?
Richie Seltzer taught that following Jesus doesn’t mean life will always be easy. Sometimes, when God is getting ready to do something special in our lives, we may face hard times, temptation, fear, or discouragement. That doesn’t mean God has left us. It means we need to trust Him even more.
Before Jesus began His ministry, God the Father said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Right after that, Jesus went into the wilderness where the devil tried to get Him to doubt who He was. But Jesus didn’t believe the devil’s lies. He answered every temptation with God’s Word.
Later, Jesus and His disciples sailed across the sea. A huge storm came, but Jesus rested because He knew God was in control. When they reached the other side, Jesus helped a man who needed freedom and gave him a job to do—tell everyone what God had done for him.
Richie reminded us that God has a purpose for every one of us. When we know what God says, trust Him during hard times, and keep following Him, He will help us do what He has called us to do.
If you’ve made wrong choices or wandered away from God, remember what Richie said:
“You don’t have to live like that anymore. It’s not who you are. You can come home.”
— Richie Seltzer
HOW TO USE THIS STUDY GUIDE
Read About It → Talk About It → Think About It
Open your Bible and read each passage together.
Look for the answers in the Bible before answering the questions.
Ask Jesus to help you understand His Word and show you one way to follow Him this week.
You can use this study guide by yourself or with your family.
📖 MEMORY VERSE
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 (NKJV)
BIG WORDS
Identity = Who God says you are.
Temptation = Something that tries to get you to make a wrong choice.
God’s Word = The Bible. It tells us what is true.
Rest = Trusting God instead of worrying.
Harvest = People who need to know Jesus.
Come Home = Turning back to Jesus when you’ve wandered away.
SECTION 1 — REMEMBER WHAT GOD SAYS
BIG IDEA
God tells me who I am, so I don’t have to believe the enemy’s lies.
READ ABOUT IT
Matthew 3:13–17; Matthew 4:1–11
TALK ABOUT IT
- What did God the Father say about Jesus?
- Who led Jesus into the wilderness?
- What did the devil try to get Jesus to do?
- What words did Jesus keep saying?
- Why is God’s Word always true?
THINK ABOUT IT
- What does God say about me because I belong to Jesus?
- When is it hard to believe God’s truth?
- What Bible verse can help me remember God’s truth this week?
Further Scripture Reading: Romans 8:14–17
SECTION 2 — TRUST JESUS IN THE STORM
BIG IDEA
I can trust Jesus even when life feels scary.
READ ABOUT IT
Mark 4:35–41
TALK ABOUT IT
- Where did Jesus tell the disciples they were going?
- What happened while they were crossing the sea?
- What was Jesus doing during the storm?
- What did Jesus say to the wind and the waves?
- What did Jesus ask His disciples after the storm stopped?
THINK ABOUT IT
- What is something that makes me feel worried or afraid?
- How can I remember that Jesus is with me?
- What is one way I can trust God this week?
Further Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:6–9
SECTION 3 — DON’T GIVE UP
BIG IDEA
God has a purpose for me, so I can keep following Him.
READ ABOUT IT
Mark 5:1–20
TALK ABOUT IT
- Who did Jesus meet on the other side of the sea?
- What did Jesus do for the man?
- What did the man want to do after Jesus helped him?
- What job did Jesus give him?
- Why is it important to tell others what Jesus has done?
THINK ABOUT IT
- Who can I tell about Jesus this week?
- Has God helped me through something hard?
- How can I keep following Jesus even when life is difficult?
Further Scripture Reading: Luke 10:1–3
SECTION 4 — BELIEVE GOD’S TRUTH
BIG IDEA
God’s truth is stronger than the enemy’s lies.
READ ABOUT IT
John 10:10; Romans 8:31–39
TALK ABOUT IT
- What does Jesus say He came to give us?
- If God is for us, who can stand against us?
- Can anything separate us from God’s love?
- What kinds of thoughts should we believe?
- Why can we trust God?
THINK ABOUT IT
- What good things does God say about His children?
- Who can I talk to when I feel discouraged?
- How can I fill my mind with God’s truth this week?
Further Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 10:3–5
SECTION 5 — YOU CAN COME HOME
BIG IDEA
Jesus is always ready to welcome me back.
READ ABOUT IT
Proverbs 26:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Luke 15:17–24
TALK ABOUT IT
- What did the younger son decide to do?
- What did the father do when he saw his son coming home?
- According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, what happens when someone belongs to Jesus?
- Why was the father so happy?
- What does this story teach us about God?
THINK ABOUT IT
- Is there something I need to tell Jesus I’m sorry for?
- What does God say about who I am?
- How can I follow Jesus this week?
Further Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1–10
FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT
Following Jesus doesn’t mean life will always be easy. Sometimes we face temptation, fear, or hard situations. But just like Jesus, we can remember what God has said, trust Him during the storm, and keep following Him.
When the enemy tells you lies, answer with God’s truth.
When you feel worried, remember that Jesus is with you.
When life gets hard, don’t give up because God still has a purpose for you.
And if you’ve made wrong choices or wandered away from God, remember that He loves you and is always ready to welcome you back.
You don’t have to stay where you are. Jesus loves you. You can come home.
✏️ ACTIVITY — WHAT HELPS ME DURING THE STORM?
Draw a big storm on your paper with dark clouds, rain, waves, lightning, and wind.
Inside the storm, draw the things that help you remember what God says when you need to remember to trust Him when life feels hard.