The Hill Church · Sermon Series
Gods at War
The false gods every culture in Scripture bowed to - and how they mirror the ones we serve today.
1
The Setup
Out of Captivity
The Hebrew people had been in captivity for a long time. God wanted to bring them out - and deliver them into something.
So often, followers of God drift back into captivity when they quit following Him and get swayed by the god of culture - by desires, hopes, and fears. They stop following the God who delivered them and fall into destruction.
Anchor
"Who Am I?"
But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" He said, "But I will be with you…" … God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" … "This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations." Exodus 3:11-15 · ESV
Who am I?Everything through the lens of me - my ability, my limits, my identity.
vs
I AMBigger. Greater. More powerful. "I AM that."
It's not about who you are or what you can do. It's about Who God is and what He wants to do.
I AM That
The Names of God
Every name is a reminder of who He is. Tap a name to reveal it.
Tap any tile to flip it back.
I'll Prove It
He Proves Himself
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them. Exodus 7:5 · ESV
In our culture we often feel like we have to talk people into faith. But if I have to talk you into it, it's not faith.
I don't try to prove God's real. I ask Him to show up - and He'll prove it Himself.
…and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. 1 Corinthians 2:4 · ESV
The Showdown
Khnum · guardian of the river's sourceHapi · spirit of the NileOsiris · the Nile was his blood
Heqet · frog goddess
Geb (Seb) · god of the earth
Uatchit · the fly god
PtahHathorMnevisAmon
Sekhmet · goddess of epidemicsSerapis · healingImhotep · healing
Nut · sky goddessIsis & Seth · agricultureShu · god of the atmosphere
Serapis · protector from locusts
Re / Amon-Re / Atum / Horus · sun godsThoth · god of the moon
All the gods of EgyptPharaoh himself
Ten Plagues. Ten Fallen Gods.
Egypt followed false gods looking for real answers. So God brought plagues that went head-to-head with those gods - and then asks us where those same idols live in our lives today.
Magicians copied it "The finger of God" Israel spared
1 Water into BloodExodus 7:14-25
Magicians copied it
Egypt's Gods Confronted
What God Showed
The Nile held fish and game and brought life to the whole region. God showed their false gods held no power - He put the water in those river banks, and He controls it.Today's Idol
The Source of Life - Paycheck, economy, retirement.
What would I panic over if I lost it?
Saved
2 FrogsExodus 8:1-15
Magicians copied it
Egypt's Gods Confronted
What God Showed
Frogs were tied to fertility and sexuality. What they worshiped for life became something they couldn't escape.Today's Idol
Sexuality & Family - When family becomes the god of my life.
What reigns supreme - my family, or my faith in Christ?
Saved
3 LiceExodus 8:16-19
Finger of God
Egypt's Gods Confronted
What God Showed
They trusted the earth - and the god of the earth - to bring forth their crops. From this point on, Pharaoh's magicians could no longer duplicate the miracle: "This is the finger of God" (Ex 8:19).Today's Idol
The God of Control - The magicians couldn't manufacture it anymore - and neither can we.
Am I okay trusting God beyond my ability to control?
Saved
4 FliesExodus 8:20-32
Finger of GodIsrael spared
Egypt's Gods Confronted
What God Showed
The first plague that did not touch the Israelites. God drew a line between His people and Egypt.Today's Idol
The God of Control - Plagues 3 and 4 both confront our need to be in control.
Am I okay trusting God beyond my ability to control?
Saved
5 Disease on LivestockExodus 9:1-7
Finger of GodIsrael spared
Egypt's Gods Confronted
What God Showed
Cattle meant provision and property. All of a sudden, those things weren't their source anymore.Today's Idol
Wealth & Security - Wealth and security as an identity.
Is my identity in my income or my career?
Saved
6 BoilsExodus 9:8-12
Finger of GodIsrael spared
Egypt's Gods Confronted
What God Showed
Egyptians worshiped and sacrificed to false gods for healing. God showed who the real Healer is.Today's Idol
Wellness as Religion - Healing and health as the thing we ultimately look to.
Do I ultimately trust God as my Healer?
Saved
7 HailExodus 9:13-35
Finger of GodIsrael spared
Egypt's Gods Confronted
What God Showed
A storm unlike anything Egypt had seen. God showed He controls the fields, the sky, and the weather.Today's Idol
Protection & Safety - What we look to to keep us safe and provided for.
Do I trust God as my Protector and Provider?
Saved
8 LocustsExodus 10:1-20
Finger of GodIsrael spared
Egypt's Gods Confronted
What God Showed
There is only one Protector who can hold back the devourer - including from your finances.Today's Idol
Protection & Safety - Plagues 7 and 8 both confront where we find security.
Do I trust God as my Protector and Provider?
Saved
9 DarknessExodus 10:21-29
Finger of GodIsrael spared
Egypt's Gods Confronted
What God Showed
Egypt's greatest gods ruled the light. God turned it off.Today's Idol
Light & Knowledge - Visibility, information, enlightenment.
In an age where AI is everywhere for knowledge, where do I go for wisdom and true enlightenment?
Saved
10 Death of the FirstbornExodus 12:29-36
Finger of GodIsrael spared
Egypt's Gods Confronted
What God Showed
Pharaoh had killed the sons of Israel - and judgment came. Everything Egypt held as high and mighty, their very hope, faced judgment.Today's Idol
King Me - The kings of our lives - political systems, self-governance, trusting others (or ourselves) to "save" us.
By my actions and thoughts - who do I really trust for my future?
Saved
"Whatever your heart clings to and relies on, that is really your God." Martin Luther
The idols have changed.
The heart hasn't.
Who holds yours?
Pause
Who Holds Your…
Where do I place my wisdom?
For the wisdom of this world is folly with God.1 Corinthians 3:19 · ESV
God's wisdom may look foolish to the world. Whose voice do you trust most?
Saved
Where is my treasure?
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.Matthew 6:21 · ESV
Follow your time, money, and attention - they point to what your heart clings to.
Saved
Where is my hope?
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.Proverbs 13:12 · ESV
When your hope is in something that can't deliver, your heart gets sick waiting on it.
Saved
Now What?
What If Other Things Have Been Holding Me?
Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey…" Exodus 3:7-8 · ESV
I've SeenHe's seen what you're facing and going through.
I've HeardHe's heard your prayers - and promises to wipe every tear.
I'm MovingHe's about to move in your situation. We have to let Him.
Respond
My Next Step
What's one "god" I need to take off the throne this week - and what will I trust God with instead?
Saved
God, You are I AM. Not my paycheck, not my plans, not my strength, not the voices around me - You.
Show me what my heart has been clinging to. Knock down every idol I've built, and take Your rightful place over my head, my heart, and my hope.
Thank You that You've seen me, You've heard me, and You're moving. I trust You to deliver me. In Jesus' name, amen.
2 Locked
Past Series
4
The Hill Church
Responding to God
A series on prayer, worship, generosity & communion
Tap any session to open. Fill in your reflections - they save automatically and stay here whenever you return.
Part
1
Prayer & Presence
Proseuchlami · Matthew 6:6-13
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"When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."Matthew 6:6 ESV
What is prayer?
Proseuchlami
A two-way conversation with intense meaning and fulfillment.
Prayer is connection, not performance. It is the place where God communicates with you and you communicate with Him. Prayer is a habit of disciples.
Prayer is…
01
Connection
Relationship with the Father - not religion.
02
Correction
God realigns us when we've drifted.
03
Comfort
His presence meets us in our pain.
04
Completion
Prayer finishes what we can't do alone.
Why communication matters
1Creates clarity - When you talk to God regularly, you stop guessing what He wants.
2Builds safety - A relationship without communication breeds anxiety.
3Inspires commitment - You stay connected to what you consistently talk about.
The Lord's Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
Pray then like this
Breaking down the Lord's Prayer
Our Father
Relationship - we come as children, not strangers.
Holy
Worship - we start by recognizing who we're talking to.
Kingdom Come
Surrender - let the King's dominion be manifest in my life.
Daily Bread
Provision - it's okay to ask God for what you need.
Forgive Us
Grace - He has forgiven you. Receive it and extend it.
Lead Us
Direction - asking God for daily direction in our lives.
Deliver Us
Protection - His hand is over us. We don't face the enemy alone.
6 practices of prayer
01
Pray Scripture
02
Pray Out Loud
03
Different Postures
04
Develop Rhythms
05
Pray with Someone
06
Pray in the Spirit
"They understood the art of prayer - but lost the heart of prayer."Matthew 6:5 context
Key scriptures
Matthew 6:6-13
Tap to reveal ↓
"When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret… Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…"
James 5:13-16
Tap to reveal ↓
"The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick… The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Ephesians 3:14-21
Tap to reveal ↓
"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit… how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is."
Philippians 1:9-11
Tap to reveal ↓
"That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless."
Reflect - Part 1: Prayer & Presence
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I need prayer for…
I want to pray more in this area of my life:
I plan to pray with someone this week - specifically:
Part
2
Worship
Spirit & Truth · John 4:23-24
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"True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."John 4:23-24 ESV
7 Hebrew words for worship & praise
1
Yadah
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Lifting or wringing of the hands - a physical expression of giving yourself to God.
2
Towdah
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Lifting hands with expectation to receive - praise offered in faith before the answer arrives.
3
Shabach
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A shout of triumph - bold, loud, unashamed praise. God is worth making noise about.
4
Zamar
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To play a stringed instrument - skillful, intentional praise through music and artistry.
5
Barak
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To kneel down - the posture of humility and reverence before God.
6
Tahilla
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Singing your story - personal praise, testimonial worship, the song only you can sing.
7
Halal
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Hilarious praise - exuberant, joyful, boisterous worship. The root of "hallelujah."
Praise is celebration. Worship is a posture of the whole life - not just a song set, but a way of being.
Living sacrifice - OT vs. now
Old Testament
Every 6 steps carrying the ark, a sacrifice was made. Worship was marked by specific, costly moments.
Now - in Christ
Every step is a sacrifice. Your whole life is the offering. There are no secular moments for a living sacrifice.
"Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind."Romans 12:1-2 ESV
3 ways worship works in our lives
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Our daily life is worship
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Every decision, every relationship, every ordinary moment is an act of worship - or it isn't. The question isn't whether you're worshiping. The question is what you're worshiping with your daily choices.
"You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things."Revelation 4:11 NLT
2
We respond to Him with worship
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When Mary heard that Jesus was near, she rose quickly and fell at His feet. She didn't wait until circumstances made sense. Worship is a response to who He is - not a reaction to how our circumstances feel.
"When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet."John 11:32 - Even in grief, she came to His feet.
3
Worship shifts the atmosphere
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Paul and Silas were in prison - beaten, chained, at midnight. They sang hymns to God. The ground shook, every door opened, and the jailer asked: "What must I do to be saved?" Worship didn't just help them cope. It changed the room - and an entire household came to Christ.
"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening…"Acts 16:25-31 ESV
Key scriptures
John 4:23-24
Tap to reveal ↓
"True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him."
Romans 12:1-2
Tap to reveal ↓
"Present your bodies as a living sacrifice… which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind."
Psalm 100:4
Tap to reveal ↓
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever."
Acts 16:25-31
Tap to reveal ↓
Paul and Silas sang at midnight in prison. An earthquake opened every door. The jailer fell trembling and asked how to be saved. Worship shifted the atmosphere and changed eternity for an entire household.
Reflect - Part 2: Worship
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Which best describes where you are today?
What area of your life are you surrendering or responding with today?
One concrete step of worship or obedience you'll take this week:
Part
3
Generosity
Biblical Generosity · 2 Corinthians 9:6-12
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"Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."2 Corinthians 9:6-7 ESV
Where generosity comes from
Biblical Generosity
Free and joyful sharing of material and immaterial resources - reflecting the character and sacrifice of God.
For God so loved the world - He was so passionate about you - He gave. Generosity is the heart of God. When we respond to God by giving, we reflect His nature and character. Giving is worship unto the Father.
God isn't after your money. He's after your heart.
If He's not God of all, He's not God at all.
What you won't lay on the altar becomes your idol.
3 things God provides - 2 Corinthians 9:10-12
1
Seed
Your job. God gave it. Be faithful and irreplaceable. Watch what He does with your stewardship.
2
Provision
Bread - your bills, your household. Don't sow your bread, but don't eat your seed.
3
Harvest
Abundance - what happens when you plant the seed back into His kingdom.
The apple & the Jordan River
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What do you do with the seeds?
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The apple is provision - food for you. The seeds inside have no nutritional value. You can eat them and they do nothing. Or you can plant them and grow apple trees that produce for generations.
The same God who gave you the first seed (your job) has given you new seed in your harvest. He's not asking you to go hungry - He's asking you to trust Him with what has no value to you but infinite value in His hands.
"He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."2 Corinthians 9:10
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Red Sea vs. Jordan River - Provision vs. Promise Land
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At the Red Sea, God parted the waters before they crossed - that's provision. At the Jordan, they had to step in first - then it parted. Tradition says they were neck deep. That's the Promise Land.
What separated provision from prosperity? Faith and obedience. The Promise Land is on the other side of stepping in.
The tithe
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Where the harvest begins
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The tithe comes from Genesis 14 - Abraham gives a tenth of everything to Melchizedek after God gave him the victory. It predates the law by centuries.
The tithe is taking the seeds from your first harvest and giving them back to God. It says: I believe You can do more with 90% than I can do with 100%.
"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse… Put me to the test, says the LORD, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you."Malachi 3:10-11 ESV
How to give - 2 Corinthians 9:7
Decide in heart
By faith, ask God what He wants you to do - and commit before you get there.
Not reluctant
Don't talk yourself out of it. The enemy works in the gap between the prompting and the decision.
Not compulsion
Not flippant and not manipulated. Give from conviction, not pressure.
Cheerful & joyful
Be excited - because there's a bigger harvest coming. God loves a cheerful giver.
The Kingdom principle
He gives Seed (job) for Bread (provision) that contains new Seeds (opportunities for blessing).
Your harvest is tied to the seed you put in the ground. Why would God give me more if I'm not faithful with what He's already given me?
Key scriptures
2 Corinthians 9:6-12
Tap to reveal ↓
"Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly… God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
Malachi 3:10-11
Tap to reveal ↓
"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse… if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you."
John 3:16
Tap to reveal ↓
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son." Generosity starts with God. When we give, we reflect His nature and character.
Matthew 6:19-21
Tap to reveal ↓
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." What you won't lay on the altar becomes your idol.
Reflect - Part 3: Generosity
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Where am I right now with generosity?
What is the seed God has given me - and am I being faithful with it?
One step of faith in generosity I will take this week:
Part
4
Communion
The Bread, the Cup & the Memory · Luke 22:17-20
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"And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.'"Luke 22:19-20 ESV
What is communion?
Communion
The Christ-centered practice of receiving the bread and cup as we remember, proclaim, and participate in the relationship Jesus made possible through His body and blood.
Why do we take it? Where does it come from? Why do we offer it every week? It all starts with a meal Israel had been eating for centuries.
Where it comes from - Exodus 12
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The first Passover
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The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, about to be set free. The last plague was the angel of death - it would take the firstborn of every home, unless that home was "passed over."
Each family brought in a pure, spotless lamb - without blemish, without "sin." It lived with them for four days, then it was slaughtered, and its blood was wiped over the doorposts of the home.
Humanity deserved death. Something had to take their place. A pure sacrifice had to step in and cover them.
"The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you."Exodus 12:13 ESV
Passover - Exodus 12
The blood of a spotless lamb on the doorposts. Death passed over the home.
Communion - Luke 22
Jesus is the Lamb. At the Passover meal He took the bread and cup and made them about Himself.
Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.
Not for the sake of ritual - but for the sake of relationship.
3 things at the table
1
The Bread
His body - broken for you.
2
The Cup
His blood - poured out for you.
3
The Memory
"Do this in remembrance of me."
1 · The Bread
Same pattern as feeding the multitudes
He took the bread…
Took
He picks it up. When we're saved, He takes hold of us.
Blessed
When we're saved, there's a blessing.
Broke
But to be used, there's a breaking.
Gave
Let God break you the way He wants, and He'll use you beyond what you can imagine.
The Blessing of the Breaking
The bread was His body. It was broken for you.
His body was broken so yours didn't have to be.
"But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed."Isaiah 53:5 NLT
When we take communion, we believe for healing
Body
Physical healing
Literal sickness in your body.
Mind
Peace of mind
Stress and anxiety.
Heart
Letting go
Things you've been holding onto.
Relationships
Restoration
The people and places that need repair.
?
What if I still have symptoms?
▾
You may have been saved years ago and still see symptoms of sin - but you're saved. Just like the Spirit is renewing you, your body is being renewed.
That's why it takes faith. He paid the price for your healing.
"He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed."1 Peter 2:24 NLT
2 · The Cup
"He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many."Isaiah 53:12 ESV
The wine is the blood. It was poured out as a sacrifice.
From the beginning of time - something has to die for something to live.
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The first covering - Genesis 3
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Adam and Eve had never seen death. Everything was made to live forever. Then sin entered the world and separated God from His creation.
They realized they were naked and covered themselves with leaves. We try to cover ourselves the same way - and it doesn't last.
They didn't know how to deal with their sin. God did. He sacrificed an animal and covered them.
"And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them."Genesis 3:21 ESV
Our covering
Leaves. Our own effort to hide what we've done. It fades and falls apart.
God's covering
A sacrifice. What we couldn't fix, He covered - first with skins, finally with the blood of His Son.
"…but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you."1 Peter 1:19-20 ESV
The Lamb slain before the foundation of the world
God looked at you in your sin. Jesus looked at your sin - knowing there was nothing you could do about it - and decided to take your place.
His blood was poured out. It covered you. And death has to pass over you because of Him.
3 · Remembrance of Me
1The price was paid - Remind yourself it's finished.
2You were set free - Remember where He brought you from.
3Don't go back - Quit returning to the yoke of bondage.
Imagine living like you remember
Whole
Your finances
Whole
Your body
Covered
Your sin
Remember Him - not just what He did for you. It's a relationship.
Remembering Jesus isn't looking backward to live in the past. It's looking backward so we can live differently today and tomorrow.
Key scriptures
Luke 22:17-20
Tap to reveal ↓
"This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me… This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."
Exodus 12:13
Tap to reveal ↓
"The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you."
Isaiah 53:5
Tap to reveal ↓
"He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed." (NLT)
Galatians 5:1
Tap to reveal ↓
"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
Reflect - Part 4: Communion
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This week I'm believing God for healing in my…
What "leaves" have I been using to cover myself instead of trusting His covering?
One way I'll remember Him - not just what He did - this week:
9
The Hill Church · 2026
Summer Fruit
Galatians 5:22-23 · A 9-Week Series
Tap any week to open. Fill in your reflections - they save automatically and stay here whenever you return.
Week
1
Love
Agape · John 13:34
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"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another."John 13:34
What is agape?
◆Agape - Unconditional love. The fruit focus this week.
◆Phileo - Brotherly love or friendship.
◆Eros - Romantic love.
Who, Why, When?
WHOEveryone we come into contact with.
WHYThe world will know we are His disciples by our love.
WHENAlways - love with no loopholes.
Love lies & truth
Lie 1
"Love is a feeling."
Love is a choice before it is a feeling.
Lie 2
"If I love them, I'll always agree with them."
Love speaks the truth in love.
Lie 3
"Love is soft."
Love can be gentle and strong. Love has boundaries.
Lie 4
"I have to earn God's love."
We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Key scriptures
John 13:34-35
John 3:16
Ephesians 4:15
Romans 12:18
1 John 4:19
John 21:15-17
Reflect - Week 1: Love
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Which love lie do I most believe right now?
Where is God asking me to choose love before I feel love?
What would change if I truly received God's love before trying to prove myself?
Week
2
Joy
Chara · Nehemiah 8:10
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"Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."Nehemiah 8:10
Joy lies & truth
Lie 1
"I'll have joy when my circumstances change."
Joy is not the product of a circumstance - it's the presence of God in any circumstance.
Lie 2
"If I'm struggling emotionally, I'm failing spiritually."
Joy isn't pretending it's okay. Joy is knowing it's going to be okay.
Lie 3
"Joy is just a personality trait."
Joy is a fruit, not a personality. The Holy Spirit grows it in anyone who abides.
Key scriptures
Nehemiah 8:10
Psalm 43:5
Psalm 30:5
Psalm 34:18
John 15:1-8
Galatians 5:22-23
Reflect - Week 2: Joy
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Which joy lie do I most believe right now?
Where have I been postponing joy until life gets easier?
What would it look like to abide in Jesus and receive joy this week?
Week
3
Patience
Makrothumia · James 5:7-8
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"Patience isn't waiting. Waiting is waiting. Patience is what we do while we wait."Joyce Meyer
What waiting does for us
IExposes our weaknesses - humility, endurance, surrender of control.
IIEquips us for the journey - the process is as important as the destination.
IIIEstablishes our trust in God - His timing, His wisdom, His working.
Key scriptures
Romans 5:3-5
James 1:2-4
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Romans 8:28-29
Hebrews 12:2
Genesis 16:13
Reflect - Week 3: Patience
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Which is God doing in my waiting season right now?
What is the waiting season revealing in me - and what do I sense God is building?
What does active trust - not passive waiting - look like for me this week?
Week
4
Peace
Eirene · John 14:27
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"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."John 14:27
Peace lies & truth
Lie 1
"Peace will come when my life settles down."
Peace is not the absence of storms - it's leaning on the presence of God during the storm.
Lie 2
"If I worry enough, I'll feel better and get the answers."
Peace comes with surrender, not certainty. Trust His heart when you don't understand His methods.
Lie 3
"Peace means avoiding conflict."
Peacekeepers avoid hard conversations. Peacemakers are committed to reconciliation and truth.
Key scriptures
John 14:27
Colossians 3:15
Matthew 6:25-34
Proverbs 3:5-6
Matthew 5:9
Philippians 4:6-7
Reflect - Week 4: Peace
0 of 3 complete
Which peace lie do I most believe right now?
Where do I need to surrender control and trust God's heart this week?
Am I a peacekeeper or a peacemaker - and where is God asking me to be a peacemaker?
Week
5
Kindness
Chrestotes · Ephesians 4:32
▾
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."Ephesians 4:32
Kindness lies & truth
Lie 1
"Kindness is weakness."
Kindness is strength given away. Jesus was the kindest person who ever lived - and He was not weak.
Lie 2
"Kindness is a give and take."
The heart of kindness never requires repayment. God was kind to us while we were still sinners.
Lie 3
"Kindness won't make a difference."
Never underestimate the power of God in the moment He gives you. He wastes nothing.
Lie 4
"I don't really have anything to offer."
Kindness simply requires availability. Show up - God will do the rest.
2 ways to walk in kindness
1Wake Up and Plan - Ask each morning: who needs kindness today?
2Look as You Live - Keep your eyes open. God places divine moments in your path.
Key scriptures
Ephesians 4:32
Luke 6:35
Romans 2:4
Colossians 3:12
Reflect - Week 5: Kindness
0 of 3 complete
Which kindness lie do I most believe?
Who is God asking me to show kindness to this week?
Will I Wake Up and Plan, or Look as I Live - what is my one next step?
Week
6
Goodness
Agathos · Micah 6:8
▾
"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"Micah 6:8
Good lies & truth
Lie 1
"If I'm a good person, that's good enough."
Good people aren't good enough. None is righteous, not one. (Romans 3:10)
Lie 2
"I can't be good because of my past."
You can be who God says you are. He works in you both to will and to work. (Phil. 2:13)
Lie 3
"Culture defines what is good."
God defines good, not the group. Be transformed by the renewal of your mind. (Romans 12:2)
Big Lie
"Goodness is behavior modification."
Goodness is life transformation. God doesn't want a better version of the old you - He wants a new you.
When you've done wrong - 3 steps
1Repent - Ask God to forgive you and turn around.
2Respond - What am I going to do next?
3Redeem - God doesn't waste our worst moments. It was through David's line that Jesus came.
Key scriptures
Micah 6:8
Romans 3:10
Philippians 2:13
Romans 12:2
James 4:17
2 Samuel 12
Reflect - Week 6: Goodness
0 of 3 complete
Which good lie do I most believe?
Where have I settled for behavior modification instead of life transformation?
Is there something I need to Repent, Respond to, or trust God to Redeem?
Week
7
Gentleness
Prautes · Numbers 12:3
▾
"A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare."Proverbs 15:1 NLT
What is gentleness?
◆Prautes = meekness - boldness governed by wisdom and love. Not passive, not weak.
◆Aristotle: the balance between uncontrolled anger and apathy.
◆A wild horse broken to ride - same strength, now useful. Strength with direction.
Gentle lies & truth
Lie 1
"Gentleness is weakness."
Moses was the meekest man on earth and stood before Pharaoh. Gentleness is power on purpose.
Lie 2
"My personality is just blunt."
You can be right in what you said and wrong in how you said it. You can never be gentle and wrong at the same time.
Lie 3
"I have to protect myself."
Gentleness responds instead of reacts. Pause → Breathe → Respond.
Lie 4
"Gentle people avoid conflict."
Gentle people are highly confrontational - they just confront differently. They push for restoration.
Key scriptures
Numbers 12:3
Proverbs 15:1
2 Timothy 2:24-25
Galatians 6:1-2
Acts 26:22
Acts 27-28
Reflect - Week 7: Gentleness
0 of 3 complete
Which gentle lie do I most believe?
Where do I need to respond instead of react this week?
Is there a hard conversation I've been avoiding? What would gentleness and courage look like there?
Week
8
Self-Control
Egkrateia · Spirit Control
▾
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."2 Timothy 1:7
The key question
◆Not "Am I controlled?" - but "Who or what is controlling me?"
◆Self-control = controlling myself under His desires. The standard is not me - it's Him.
Self-control lies & truth
Lie 1
"My emotions are my identity."
Your emotions are real - but they don't control you. Walk through them, don't park there.
Lie 2
"Self-control means I don't struggle."
Self-control isn't the absence of temptation - it's the presence of surrender. Jesus was tempted, yet didn't sin.
Lie 3
"I can do it by myself."
Self-control is Spirit-produced, not self-empowered. Apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Lie 4
"Small compromises don't matter."
The direction of your life is determined by the decisions you repeat. Catch the little foxes. (Song of Solomon 2:15)
4 practical steps
1Win the next 2 minutes - small manageable moments.
2Get back up - falling isn't failing. Staying down is. (Proverbs 24:16)
3Set yourself up for success - remove the temptation. That's wisdom, not weakness.
4Invite truth in the room - call someone. You were never meant to fight alone.
Key scriptures
1 Corinthians 9:27
Hebrews 4:15
John 15:5
Song of Solomon 2:15
Proverbs 24:16
Acts 9:10-17
Reflect - Week 8: Self-Control
0 of 3 complete
Which self-control lie do I most believe?
Is my struggle about control against something, or control to do what God is asking?
Which of the 4 steps do I most need to apply this week - and what does that look like?
Week
9
Faithfulness
Pistis · Matthew 25:23
▾
"Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities."Matthew 25:23 NLT
The core idea
◆Faithfulness ≠ Fruitfulness. Don't confuse showing up with the results of showing up.
◆Faithfulness is built in small moments when nobody is watching - not big moments on a big stage.
◆"Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong." - Polycarp
Faithfulness lies & truth
Lie 1
"Faithfulness is about big moments."
The feeding of 5,000 happened because someone faithfully packed a lunch. Small faithfulness. 2,000 years of story.
Lie 2
"My failures disqualify me from being faithful."
Faithfulness isn't never falling - it's continually returning. Peter, Paul, David, Noah all came back. So can you.
Lie 3
"If I don't see results, it isn't working."
Noah built the ark and it hadn't rained. Do good because you love God - that's enough. Don't give up. (Galatians 6:9)
Key scriptures
Matthew 25:23
Galatians 6:9
Proverbs 24:16
Judges 16:22
John 6:5-9
2 Kings 4:8-10
Reflect - Week 9: Faithfulness
0 of 3 complete
Which faithfulness lie do I most believe?
Where am I waiting for a big moment instead of being faithful in the small one right in front of me?
Is there an area where I've quit - and what would it look like to keep building even if it hasn't rained yet?
THE HILL CHURCH · GODS AT WAR