If you would like to extend this over a week, you can easily do one of the points each day of your devotion.  Here is a printable version.

Open your group with a prayer.
                                                                                                             
This is only a guide.  Pick and choose your points.
 
Romans 7:15 - I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
 
Question:  Do you ever feel this way?  _____________________________________________________________

Question:  How do you try to stop from doing the things that you’re doing?  _____________________
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Romans 7:21-23 - So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
 
Question:  where is the war waging?  ______________________________________________________________
 
In Romans chapter 7, you will find these seven self-destructive thoughts. You might want to read through chapter 7.
 
Spend time in prayer and ask God to reveal to you which of these self–destructive weapons you wrestle with in your mind:
 
1.  Shame
2. Uncontrolled Thoughts
3. Inner Desires
4. Fear
5. Hopelessness
6. Bitterness
7. Insecurity
 
Romans 7:24-25 - What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
 
Question:  What personal struggles in your past have you tried to overcome?  ___________________
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Question:  Verse 24 tells us who rescues us. Who is it?  ___________________________________________
 
Our freedom is not a what, but a who:  Jesus. Whenever we try to overcome personal struggles with ourselves (a pill, program, book, tape, seminar, hypnosis) we will always be frustrated.  Our freedom is a person:  Jesus.
 
So let’s reinforce some mental habits that will set us free.
 
1. I must remind myself what Jesus did for me.
 
Romans 8:1-4 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Question:  How would you describe what “no condemnation” means?  _________________________
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Romans 8:2-4 - because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, he has placed his righteousness in us, his righteousness is imputed in us.
 
Question:  How would that change your mindset as you understand that the righteousness of Christ is in you?  ___________________________________________________________________________________
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Question:  If our actions start out as thoughts which lead to feelings and ultimately an action, how has the thought of “The righteousness of Christ in us”  begun to change us?  _______________
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2.  I must ask the Holy Spirit to change my thoughts.
 
Romans 8:5-8 - Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
 
Question:  What is the outcome of a mindset on natural desires?  _______________________________
 
Question:  What is the outcome of a mindset on spiritual desires?  ______________________________
 
Question:  Do you have peace in your life?  If not, have you thought about what your mind set is?  _________________________________________________________________________________________________
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• The principle of replacement is a very powerful tool to use. What persists in your mind, eventually you will not be able to resist. You must replace your thoughts like turning a channel on a movie that you don’t like. If you do not change and replace the thoughts, eventually your thoughts will have their way.
  
  

3. I must realize that I have a new POWER to say “ No.”
 
Galatians 5:16 - So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
 
Question:  What is not satisfied when we live under the control of the spirit?  ___________________
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Romans 8:9-12 - You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.
 
Question:  Who are we to live under the control of?  ______________________________________________

Question:  What power do we have in our life?  ___________________________________________________

Question:  What was that Spirit able to do in Christ?  ______________________________________________

Question:  If Christ’s power that raised him from the dead is in us as believers what would be possible for you? ___________________________________________________________________________________
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Close this week out in prayer by allowing the Holy Spirit to remind you of his power and our ability through him.