Here are the questions you can ask each week in your accountability groups. They are available in the pamphlet “How to Be Accountable for Your Destiny” If Tiger Woods would have had two good guys to hold him accountable for his gifts and destiny, do you think he would have caused his family and fans so much pain?
Don’t be quick to judge, you’re able to fall off the same way. Find trustworthy people to be held accountable to.
1. Talk about how God showed Himself Good this week.
Testimony is telling others the good works of our good God. When we testify about the goodness of God, we are inviting Him to do it again.
2. What have you done around developing your destiny this week?
Destiny is not a guarantee that your life will follow the Father’s plan for it. Knowing your destiny is the first step. Knowing who you are in Christ and working out it’s implications in your life is a reasonable place to start if you don’t know the specific plan God has for you.
3. Have you been generous, understanding, and put effort in all your important relationships? Spouse | Children | Friendships
What would your spouse, children and friends say about your attitude this week.
4. Do you have any unresolved conflicts with anyone?
Is there anyone you need to forgive? Have you still honored the person you’ve been in conflict each.
5. Have you harmed anyone with your words or actions either behind their back or face-to-face?
Do you need to ask anyone to forgive you? Make sure you commit to making amends. If you’ve harmed someone behind their back, it usually doesn’t do any good to tell them about it, if they don’t know about it.
6. Have you been active in sharing your faith this week?
I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Philemon 1:6 (New International Version)
To have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ, we need to be active in sharing your faith. This isn’t limited to handing out “Four Spiritual Laws”. The Kingdom of God is within you. It should leak out wherever you go. Being active at it means we need to be intentional in it, but there is no pressure to do anything but love… doing it supernaturally make it more fun. Sometimes you’ll sow, sometimes water, sometimes harvest. Pray for each other and for each of you to make the most of every opportunity.
7. Have you been responsible with your finances?
Finances are often a area of contention in relationships. Jesus talked about money more than He did Heaven and Hell combined. Jesus talked about money more than anything else except the Kingdom of God. 11 of 39 parables talk about money. 1 of every 7 verses in the Gospel of Luke talk about money.
Money and our use of it are an important part of arriving to our destiny.
8. How have you strengthened yourself in the Lord this week?
To achieve your destiny, you’ll need to be strong. To be strong, you’ll need to strengthen yourself. There are biblical ways to strengthen yourself in the Lord.
- Choosing joy Nehemiah 8:10
- Word of God Psalms 119:27-28
- Fellowship with Encouraging Individuals 1 Corinthians 14:26
- Praying in the Spirit Jude 1:20
- Waiting on God Isaiah 40:27-31
- Prayer Ephesians 3:16
Don’t be legalistic about this, but be intentional.
9. Have you prayed daily for those we’ve been praying for?
Prayer changes people and situations. Make a list of people you’re praying for and agree to pray for the needs together.
“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19 (New International Version)
10. What is something this week that God has been speaking to you about?
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 (New International Version)
God speaks through His Word (Psalm 119:105), other people (1 Peter 4:11), our circumstances (Numbers 23:19), creation (Psalm 19:1-3), prayer (Romans 8:26-27), the church (Ephesians 3:10-11), still small voice (1 Kings 19:12), an audible voice (1 Samuel 3:8), in dreams (Job 33:14-15), in visions (Numbers 12:6) and in just about any other way it takes to get our attention when He wants our attention or we need His attention.
Share what He’s saying to you and be amazed at how it encourages others in your group.
11. Spiritually where do you feel the weakest right now? Where would satan have the easiest time attacking you and your family?
Being aware of where you are vulnerable to attack will help you know how to defend against it. This will change over time as you grow in the Spirit. You have the mind of Christ and He’ll show you where you’re most vulnerable.
12. How would you rate your relationship with God this week?
This is a question that can open deeper issues. Be honest in your evaluation.
13. Have you struggled with sexual temptations this past week? Have you dwelt on inappropriate thoughts? Viewed inappropriate images or media? Looked lustfully at other people?
You’re not responsible for birds that fly over your head, but you are responsible if they build a nest. Temptation is not a sin. The second look may be.
“You know the next commandment pretty well, too: ‘Don’t go to bed with another’s spouse.’ But don’t think you’ve preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think nobody notices—they also corrupt. Matthew 5:27 (The Message)
14. Have you been completely honest with your answers?
Allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart. If there is anything you’ve missed or avoided, embellished or intentionally downplayed, make sure confess it now.
Love to find out if there are other questions you think we should have others ask us regularly. Leave your comments below.
Good afternoon RevTrev,
At the fear of sounding crass – You could have easily named this article “14 questions to help John M.”
My ugly came to light 952 days ago – and since then I celebrate victory over sex and alcohol. For me, it took God’s megaphone of pain (C.S. Lewis’ phrase), to make me willing to answer truthfully any of the 14 questions listed. Prior to that – I had a weekly accountability meeting with Godly men – but my meeting was the only time they saw me. Needless to say – they couldn’t see that my walk didn’t match the talk of our time together.
So, my take is that questions of accountability – without my surrender to Jesus, and willingness to be honest were useless. I rationalized, justified and denied behavior that I knew was sin.
I don’t have advice for Godly men (including myself now) on how to hold the unaccountable – accountable. I pray God’s will – and that Hebrew’s 12:1-11 would compel the change it did in me. Grace and Peace to you…be blessed!
John, I think all our names could be included at times. I used Tiger’s because he was big in the news at the time
How to find authentic Tiger Woods memorabilia. Don’t be fooled, if you are
going to spend the big money to get Tiger Woods autograph, make sure you’re
getting the real thing.
Janelle, I’ve never paid for an autograph…and have even refused a few offered to me
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Excellent post! I have used questions similar to this in the past. If more people took this seriously the Church would be spared tons of grief!! Bless you!
Great list here. Number 11 is critical for myself… My experience has been that if I am aware of my weaknesses, the enemy has a harder time trying to ambush me. If I know I am weak in a certain thing, i can make smarter choices and pray more effectively to help guard against sin in that area.
Thanks for the list!