Discussion Guide: The Power To Change

PRAYER

Our main goal in this time together is to build relationships and learn to walk alongside one another in all that God has called us to be and do. Let’s start by praying for each other.

Does anyone have prayer requests or personal stories about how God has been moving in your life that we can share and celebrate together?

OVER EVERY POWER TOPICS

Maturing Power :: Life-Shaping Power

THIS WEEK

We’re in a series called Over Every Power: The Book of Colossians and The Supremacy of Christ. Over four weeks, we’re following Paul’s writings to show that life’s fullest purpose isn’t found in possessions, travel, or self-focus, but in the supremacy of Christ.

This week, The Power To Change, Pastor Alvin Bria Lacour walks through Colossians 2, showing how Jesus’ power can truly transform people, places, and situations for the better.

To begin, let’s reflect on these questions:

Who has been a “life-shaping” person in your life lately, and how have they encouraged or empowered you?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

SCRIPTURE

Have someone read Colossians 2:8-15 aloud. As you listen, notice any words or phrases that stand out, and ask the Holy Spirit to highlight something for you.

Colossians 2:8-15

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 

10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 

11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 

12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 

14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 

15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Whose power will shape our lives?

Power to Control

In Colossians 2:8, Paul warns that false philosophies promise freedom but actually enslave.

What initially appeared to be a mix of Jewish laws and pagan mysticism now seems to be modern pressures—such as chasing achievement, political tribalism, social media approval, or relying on self-sufficiency—that whisper that Jesus alone isn’t enough.

They claim to give control and significance apart from Jesus, but in reality, they leave us empty and bound.

Where do you feel pulled by control in your life? Which voices are shaping your identity, and are they pointing you toward Jesus or something else?


What are some “modern philosophies” or pressures you see around you that promise freedom but actually feel controlling?

How do these pressures whisper that Jesus alone isn’t enough in your life?

In what areas do you feel most tempted to rely on your own control rather than trusting Jesus?

Can you think of a time when letting go and trusting Jesus brought real freedom instead of emptiness?

How do you recognize when a belief or habit is quietly enslaving rather than life-giving?

Power to Complete

In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul reminds us that the fullness of God lives in Christ, and in Him, we are made complete. Nothing else—relationships, success, approval, or comfort—can fill the central role He holds in our lives.

Jesus is the piece that makes the puzzle of our hearts and lives whole and complete. Because without Him, any and everything else that rules over us is just an accessory or even an idol.

What areas of your life are you trying to “complete” with something other than Christ?

What would it look like to let Jesus be the central piece in your life instead of anything else?

Are there “accessories” in your life that have become idols, keeping Christ from the center?

How can recognizing Christ as the source of your fullness change the way you approach daily choices?

Power to Cleanse

In Colossians 2:11-14, Paul shows that Jesus not only completes us but also cleanses us.

Through His work on the cross, every sin, every failure, every accusation is forgiven and removed. Even sin’s guilt and shame, the inseparable duo that tries to control our hearts, are erased.

In Christ Jesus alone, the debt is paid in full, and we no longer need to carry the weight of our past.

What areas of your life do you still carry guilt or shame over, even though Christ has forgiven you?

How does picturing your “debt paid in full” change the way you approach mistakes or past failures?

How might it change the way you see yourself, knowing that Jesus has taken care of every sin, guilt, and shame?

In what ways does understanding Jesus’ cleansing power give you freedom in daily life?

How can you practically let go of the “backpack of guilt and shame” and trust Christ’s work on the cross?

What might it look like to live knowing you no longer have to earn forgiveness or approval?

Power to Conquer

In Colossians 2:15, Paul shows us that Jesus doesn’t just cleanse and complete us, but He conquers every spiritual ruler and authority.

His cross exposed and defeated powers that once seemed victorious over us, turning their triumph into a public parade of His victory.

And because Christ has already won, we don’t need to live in fear of the powers of governments, ideologies, or cultural pressures. No, His power is present, alive, and meant to change how we live daily, where we live, work, and play.

What “powers” or pressures in your life do you feel Jesus has already conquered?

How does knowing Jesus has already conquered every power affect the way you respond to fear, control, or pressure in your life?

In what ways can you live like the “victory parade” of Jesus’ cross is already in motion in your daily life?

How does knowing Jesus triumphs over every authority impact the choices you make where you live, work, and play?

What might it look like to rely on His power instead of trying to conquer challenges on your own?

CLOSING THOUGHT

When we consider whose power will shape our lives, Colossians 2 serves as a great reminder and anchor for our souls to realize that life’s pressures—control, achievement, guilt, shame, and cultural expectations—may whisper that Jesus isn’t enough.

However, Paul shows us differently: our hearts and lives can be shaped by a different story, a supreme power. In Jesus, we are complete, cleansed, and victorious. He becomes and remains the center of who we are, the One who cancels our debt, and the conqueror over every power that tries to hold us down.

Taking this truth with us, where we live, work, and play, let us invite Jesus to fill the gaps, carry the weight, and guide our steps, even when the world pulls in a thousand directions. Commit ourselves to walking in that tension, trusting Him, living freely, and letting His supremacy shape everything you do.

Let’s close in prayer: Lord, thank You that in Jesus we are complete, forgiven, and free. Help us to trust Your power over every part of our lives, instead of trying to control or fix things on our own. Take the guilt, shame, and pressures we carry and replace them with Your peace. Teach us to live each day rooted in You, walking in the freedom and victory You’ve already won. Amen.