Gateway Church

Helping people explore God and become a unified community of growing, multiplying Christ-followers.

I Just Can’t Help Myself

June 1, 2025
Download Digging Deeper

Discussion Questions: 

1. Lean In

Leader: [consider breaking into gender specific small groups IF you lead a coed group] 

Acknowledge that this topic can be very difficult to address. We are more comfortable talking about things we have overcome, and rarely about the things we are overcoming. Help lead the way with wisdom and transparency.

  • What was something that resonated with you in the message and why?
  • What in the message do you feel like you want to learn more about? 
  • How could people in this group help? 

2. Look Up 

Read Matthew 5: 27-30 Make some observations about this passage (What does the text say?):

  • What do you notice and what are you curious about? 

Make some interpretations (What does the passage mean?)

  • What do you learn about God? 
  • What do you learn about humanity? 

Now make some applications (what’s my response?)

  • How are you encouraged, challenged, or convicted by this passage?
  • What should be our response to this passage?

3. Read James 5:15-16 

What do you feel when you hear “radical confession and accountability”?

  • What does that look like in your life? 
  • If it isn’t present- why is that? 
  • Who is one person in your life that you can practice that with?

4. Which of these action steps do you find most helpful to you? Which of these have worked for you, or is currently working for you? Which of these do you want to learn more about? 

  • Repentance
  • Flee, Don’t Flirt
  • Practice Radical Confession and Accountability
  • Renew Your Mind
  • Guard Your Eyes and Heart
  • Fix Your Eyes and Identity on Jesus

Scripture

  • Genesis 1:26-27
  • Matthew 5:27-30
  • Genesis 4:7
  • 1 John 1:9
  • 1 Corinthians 6:15-20
  • James 5:15-16
  • Romans 12:1-2
  • Job 31:1
  • Proverbs 4:23
  • Hebrews 12:1-2

Prayer

Taken from Lectio 365:

 Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, 

that my thoughts may be holy.  

Act in me, O Holy Spirit, 

that my work may be holy. 

Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, 

to love what is holy.


Practice

(STEP OUT) [If you lead a coed group, split into men and women to walk through next steps] 

What do you need to do as a next step from this message? Who will check in with you as you pursue these next steps? Here are specific resources (shown at church if you feel like you are stuck: 

  • “The Steps to Freedom in Christ” by Neil T. Anderson (hold up a copy if you have it)
  • https://timothycenter.com/
  • They have amazing resources for singles, couples, including couples who have been struggling with being sexually intimate, and even those struggling with Sex addiction led by a C-SAT (certified sexual addiction therapist)
  • Puredesire.org and affairrecovery.com 
  • These help with addiction and betrayal trauma
  • https://www.gatewaychurch.com/restore/
  • South and North