Crown Sword

Spiritual Training for

Becoming A Royal Warrior

Christine Jaynes

Mission:

Part I: Renouncethe spirit of fear

Part II: Participate in the spirit of power

Part III:Embracethe royal title

Part IV:Engage in the battle

Digging Deeper 1

James 1:22-25

22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

  1. Prayerfully write out a commitment to yourself and God about completing this study. (Page 14 provides an optional worksheet to do this!)
  1. Create a plan for follow-through. Write it out in order to be sure that you are not just looking at this curriculum that points you toward the Word, and then the next moment forgetting the truth you just received.

Digging Deeper 2

Hebrews 12:1-3

12Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us runwith perseverance the race marked out for us,2fixing our eyes on Jesus,the pioneerand perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow wearyand lose heart.

  1. What are some sins that you need to throw off in order to not be entangled on this leg of your race?
  1. In what ways can you fix your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith today?
  1. Consider the joyous reward Jesus had set before Him, motivating Him to suffer the way He did. Record your thoughts.
  1. What are things that you can think about that would give you joy and hope in persevering in whatever season you’re in right now?
  1. How have you grown to be better through previous seasons of persevering?

Digging Deeper 3

Hebrews 10:36-39

36You need to persevereso that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.37For,

“In just a little while,
he who is comingwill come
and will not delay.”

38And,

“But my righteousone will live by faith.
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.”

39But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

  1. How is it evident in your life that you need to persevere to do the will of God?
  1. Why is it worth it to you to persevere in the will of God to receive what He has promised? Explain your answer.
  1. List some of God’s promises to you.
  1. Describe what a righteous person living by faith looks like.
  1. Record some thoughts you have about being a person in whom God takes pleasure.

Digging Deeper 4

Hebrews 11:6

6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to himmust believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

  1. The fact that you are working through this curriculum is evidence that you are earnestly seeking God. What are the expectations you have for yourself and for God at the time of completing the work of Crown & Sword?
  1. Before proceeding, examine the practicality of your expectations regarding your time commitment and make any necessary adjustments.
  1. How are you expressing your faith today? Rest assured that your God is pleased.
  1. Identify a time when you didn’t follow through with a commitment that you should have, and compare it to a time that you did complete a commitment and felt victorious.

Part I

Balancing Clay

God did not give us a spirit of fear.

The Mission:

Renounce Fear By Embracing Truth

Ch.1

Equilibrium

“ Be stubborn about your goals, and flexible about your methods.”

Unknown

Digging Deeper 5

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?Runin such a way as to get the prize.25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crownthat will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.27No, I strike a blow to my bodyand make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Psalm 37:7

7Be stillbefore theLord
and wait patientlyfor him;
do not fretwhen people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

  1. When do you find yourself “running aimlessly”, without purpose?
  1. Define “the prize” and why it’s worth beating your body to attain it.
  1. Do you ever “strike a blow” to your body making it your “slave”? If you do, define your reason for doing so. What prize are you looking for when you take this action?
  1. Identify a difference between someone “being still before the Lord, waiting patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7) and someone “running aimlessly” or a “boxer beating the air.”
  1. I have heard that waiting is an action word. Do you agree? Do you think it possible to “be still before the Lord” while “running in a way to get the prize”? How does one do such a thing?

Digging Deeper 6

Numbers 32:27

27But your servants, every man who is armed for battle, will cross over to fightbefore theLord, just as our lord says.”

Psalm 46:9-10

9He makes warscease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bowand shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[a]with fire.
10He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exaltedamong the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

  1. Is there a place in your life where you have been given instruction and you need to follow through to “fight before the Lord”?
  1. While Psalm 46 is likely referencing how God will make wars cease at the end of time, think about how He has already won the victory and that victorious peace can actually dwell in you now, because of Christ. Where in your world do you hear God speaking the words, “Be still, and know that I am God”?

Digging Deeper 7

1 Timothy 6:12

12Fight the good fightof the faith. Take hold ofthe eternal lifeto which you were called when you made your good confessionin the presence of many witnesses.

Exodus 14:14

14TheLordwill fightfor you; you need only to be still.”

  1. How can you “fight the good fight of faith” today?
  1. What does it look like to “take hold” of the eternal life while living and functioning in this non-eternal body?
  1. Where in the past have you seen the Lord fight for you?
  1. Do you have a tendency to fight things in your flesh while forgetting to be still and allow the Lord to fight? Identify any habits that distract you from allowing the Lord to work out His deliverance, in His way.

Ch.2

Be The Clay

“Have no fear of perfection- you’ll never reach it. “

Unknown

Digging Deeper 8

2 Corinthians 3:17

17Now the Lord is the Spirit,and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

  1. Do you know your personality type? If you do, do a refresher and read up on your personality again; if you don’t, take a test and learn about it. (Truity.com or 16 personalities.com have free tests!) This is important to help identify the unique ways in which you were made.
  1. Do you ever finding yourself trying to be something you’re not? Write out and explain your answer. Is there any sense of freedom when you think of how God made you and that He had a purpose for making you that way?

Digging Deeper 9

Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.Stand firm,then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

  1. Where in your life do you feel like the yoke of slavery may be threatening you?
  1. How can you “stand firm” and avoid this burden of slavery?
  1. Write a list of your strengths and weaknesses.
  1. What weaknesses can you celebrate where the Lord is working and making you stronger?
  1. How would you define “freedom” in your life?

Digging Deeper 10

James 2:12-13

12Speak and act as those who are going to be judgedby the law that gives freedom,13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

  1. In your own words, define “the law that brings freedom.”
  1. How does one act and speak in a way that recognizes that law?
  1. Make a list of your likes and dislikes. (Reading, cooking, hiking, playing with kids, etc.) Recognize that these things are part of how God specifically made you.
  1. At what times do you find that you don’t have mercy on yourself? How can mercy triumph judgment in your life?
  1. How does giving yourself mercy while recognizing your personality, likes/dislikes, and strengths and weaknesses allow you to extend mercy to others?

Ch.3

Pounding Clay

“The greatest fear that people live in is the fear of what other people think.”

David Icke

Digging Deeper 11

Ephesians 2:8-10

8For it is by graceyou have been saved,through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9not by works,so that no one can boast.10For we are God’s handiwork, createdin Christ Jesus to do good works,which God prepared in advance for us to do.

  1. How can this verse be translated to “you’re off the hook”?
  1. How do other people's expectations of you, both explicitly communicated or implied, create insecurities and doubts?
  1. How do your own expectations impact those doubts and insecurities?

Digging Deeper 12

Isaiah 45:9-12

9“Woe to those who quarrelwith their Maker,
those who are nothing but potsherds
among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,
‘What are you making?’
Does your work say,
‘The potter has no hands’?
10Woe to the one who says to a father,
‘What have you begotten?’
or to a mother,
‘What have you brought to birth?’

11“This is what theLordsays—
the Holy Oneof Israel, and its Maker:
Concerning things to come,
do you question me about my children,
or give me orders about the work of my hands?
12It is I who made the earth
and created mankind on it.
My own hands stretched out the heavens;
I marshaled their starry hosts.

  1. What are some quarrels you may have picked with your Maker regarding His design of you?
  1. Have you ever felt the need to quench a desire in your heart because you thought it was fleshly, when really it was a desire that God had intentionally put there? Is there any place in your heart that might need to experience the law of freedom now?
  1. Do you ever find yourself thinking or saying things about others that may insult the One who made them? Define those times and repent of the moments when this has happened in the past, and be ready to repent of any other instances that might happen in the future.

Digging Deeper 13

1 Corinthians 12:4-31

4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spiritdistributes them.5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.6There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyoneit is the same Godat work.

7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.8To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,9to another faithby the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,10to another miraculous powers,to another prophecy,to another distinguishing between spirits,to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[ and to still another the interpretation of tongues.11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.12Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,so it is with Christ.13For we were all baptizedby one Spiritso as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.14Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

15Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?18But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.19If they were all one part, where would the body be?20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27Now you are the body of Christ,and each one of you is a part of it.28And God has placed in the churchfirst of all apostles,second prophets,third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,of helping, of guidance,and of different kinds of tongues.29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues?Do all interpret?31Now eagerly desirethe greater gifts.

  1. How does this passage inspire you to celebrate yourself?
  1. When are there times that you are tempted to think that because you are weak in one area that you don’t belong in the body of Christ at all?
  1. Anybody can relate to this, because everyone has a body and experiences the necessity of it working together. Everyone has also experienced discomfort when the body doesn’t all work together. Describe a time when part of your body wasn’t working right and how it affected the rest of your body.
  1. Describe a time when someone in your life was hurting and how that affected you.
  1. Describe the different ways that you’ve witnessed others gather around someone who was hurting, each person offering a different set of giftings.

Digging Deeper 14

Galatians 5:13-18

13You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh;rather, serve one anotherhumbly in love.14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”15If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16So I say, walk by the Spirit,and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whateveryou want.18But if you are led by the Spirit,you are not under the law.

  1. Compare verses 13 & 18. “You were called to be free… but do not indulge” versus “but if you are led by the Spirit you are not under law.” We are not under law, yet we mustn't indulge in laziness, gossip, crudeness, cruelty, lust, gluttony… the list is more extensive in verses 19-20. Are you using your freedom responsibly?
  1. How can we not gratify the desires of the flesh?

Ch.4

In Walks Iniquity

“You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,

till iniquity was found in you.”

Ezekiel 28:1

Digging Deeper 15

Luke 10:18-20

18He replied,“I saw Satanfall like lightning from heaven.19I have given you authority to trample on snakesand scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

  1. Imagine the scene of Jesus with his Father, witnessing Satan falling from heaven. Record any thoughts you have regarding verse 18.
  1. Have you ever encountered satanic power? Have you ever caught a glimpse into the unseen spiritual realm and witnessed any of Satan’s havoc?
  1. Prayerfully record your thoughts about having authority to overcome all the power of the enemy.

Digging Deeper 16