Discussion Guide | June 14, 2026

June 15th, 2026

Tearing Down Strongholds | Dr. Bill Shuler Discussion Guide

Summary

This sermon centers on the importance of truly knowing God, not just knowing about Him. Dr. Bill Shuler draws from personal experience, noting how his mother's words about his late Father shaped His sense of being loved, and connects that to how our perception of God shapes our entire lives.

Using Jeremiah 9:23-24, Luke 10, and John 17:3, the message emphasizes that knowing God is the highest priority and the very definition of eternal life. Just as Mary chose the better thing by sitting at Jesus' feet, we are called to prioritize heart connection with God over the busyness of daily tasks.

The sermon also addresses how distorted views of God, described as strongholds, can prevent us from living out our calling. Through the stories of Jacob wrestling with God and the parable of the talents, the pastor illustrates how a false perception of God leads to buried potential and wasted purpose. The remedy is the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit and the only offensive weapon in the armor of God. By meditating on Scripture and renewing our minds, we can tear down deceptive thinking patterns and walk in the identity and calling God has placed on each of us.

Intro Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before you today with open hearts and willing spirits. We ask that you would quiet the noise of our busy lives and help each person in this group to truly encounter you, not just learn about you. Remove any false perceptions we may carry about who you are, and replace them with the truth of your Word. Holy Spirit, guide our conversation, stir our hearts, and let what you want us to receive today take deep root. In Jesus' name, amen.

Ice Breaker

What is one word you would use to describe your relationship with God right now, and why did that word come to mind?

Main Study

Key Verses

Jeremiah 9:23-24
Luke 10:41-42
John 17:3
Exodus 33:13
Psalm 145
Ephesians 6:17
2 Corinthians 10:4
2 Timothy 1:7
Romans 8:1

Questions

Dr. Shuler described several distorted views of God, including God as a waiter, a cosmic sheriff, a performance-minded foreman, a party host, and a weak God in a box. Which of these, if any, have you struggled with at some point in your life, and how did it affect your faith?
In Luke 10, Jesus says Mary chose what is better by sitting at His feet rather than being consumed by tasks. What does choosing the better thing look like practically in your daily life?
The sermon connects knowing God to knowing His ways, referencing Moses in Exodus 33:13. What is the difference between knowing facts about God and truly knowing God? How have you experienced that difference personally?
Jacob wrestled with God and came away with a new name and a limp that marked Him for life. What do you think it means to wrestle with God, and have you ever had a season in your life that felt like that kind of wrestling?
The servant in the parable of the talents buried his gift because he believed the master was a hard man. How can a wrong view of God cause us to bury the gifts, calling, or potential God has placed in us?
Dr. Shuler described strongholds as faulty thinking patterns rooted in lies and deception. What are some common strongholds that keep people from experiencing the fullness of who God is and who they are in Christ?
Ephesians 6:17 describes the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit, the only offensive weapon in the armor of God. How are you currently using Scripture as an active weapon in your daily life, and where do you feel you could grow in this area?
The sermon closes with the declaration that we are defined not by what we did or what others did to us, but by what Jesus did for us on the cross. How does that truth change the way you see yourself, and is there an area of your life where you still need to fully receive it?

Life Application

This week, choose one passage from Psalm 145 and spend five to ten minutes each day meditating on it slowly. As you read, ask God to replace any false or distorted view you have of Him with the truth of His Word. Write down any stronghold or lie you sense the Holy Spirit is highlighting, and then write a Scripture beside it that speaks the opposite truth. Speak that Scripture out loud over yourself each day as a declaration of who God is and who you are in Him.

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Closing

Key Takeaways

How we perceive God shapes every area of our lives, and distorted views of Him lead to buried potential and missed calling.
Knowing God is not merely intellectual. It is a relational, devotional pursuit that Jesus Himself defines as the essence of eternal life in John 17:3.
Like Mary in Luke 10, we are called to prioritize heart connection with God over the busyness of tasks, choosing what is better rather than settling for the everyday status quo.
Strongholds are deceptive thinking patterns planted by the enemy to distort our understanding of God and our identity in Christ, and they are torn down through the Word of God.
We are not defined by our past or by what others have done to us. We are defined by what Jesus did for us on the cross, and that truth sets us free to walk in our God-given calling.

Ending Prayer

Lord, we thank you for the time we have shared together today. We ask that the truths we have discussed would not stay in this room but would go deep into our hearts and transform the way we think, the way we live, and the way we see you. Tear down every stronghold and every lie that has kept any one of us from knowing you fully and walking in the calling you have placed on our lives. Remind us this week that we are defined by the cross, that we are loved, that we are called, and that greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world. May your Word be a lamp to our feet and a sword in our hands. In the powerful name of Jesus, amen.

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