Music by Ikson (https://www.youtube.com/ikson​​​​​​)

Discussion Questions:

-How does understanding Jesus as 'El Gibor' (the warrior deliverer God) change your perception of what true strength and power look like in the Christian life?

-In what areas of your life have you stopped believing that God is fighting for you, and what would change if you trusted He hasn't given up?

-The mighty God redefines power through humility, vulnerability, and sacrificial love rather than domination—how does this challenge cultural or personal definitions of strength?

-Where does darkness feel closest to you right now—internally, in relationships, or in hidden sin habits—and how might the mighty God step into that specific darkness?

What if Christmas isn't just about a peaceful nativity scene, but actually represents the greatest spiritual battle ever waged? This message radically reframes our understanding of Jesus as Wonderful Counselor by revealing that His arrival 2,000 years ago was an act of spiritual warfare. Drawing from Isaiah 9:6, we discover that when the prophecy declared 'He shall be called Wonderful Counselor,' it wasn't describing someone who simply offers therapeutic advice—it was announcing a supernatural strategic advisor who brings the wisdom of heaven's throne room into our darkest battles. The Hebrew word for 'wonderful' means full of wonder and awe, referring to miraculous things only God can do, while 'counselor' describes a king's war strategist whose counsel determines victory or defeat. This transforms how we see our own struggles: we're not just dealing with personal issues, we're engaged in warfare where the enemy deploys lies, deception, and pain to hold us captive as prisoners of war. But Jesus offers us a different POW—a Plan of War, Provision of War, Promise of War, and Presence of War. Through examining ten common lies the enemy uses (like 'you're alone in this' or 'you're too broken to be used'), we're invited to exchange these deceptions for divine truth. The message culminates in a powerful communion experience where we literally surrender our pain points and lies we've believed, receiving instead the healing and freedom Jesus purchased through His death and resurrection. This isn't about quick fixes—it's about daily micro-wisdoms that build our capacity to hear His strategic counsel in both small and life-altering decisions.

Discussion Questions:

-How can the truth that 'Christ in you is greater than the chaos around you' become more than just a statement and instead a lived reality in the midst of your current struggles?

-In what ways have you been living under the 'wisdom of the world' rather than seeking divine counsel, and what has been the cost of that choice?

-Reflecting on the list of what healing is NOT, which misconception about healing have you been holding onto, and how does releasing that misconception open you to what true healing might look like?

-What is your current 'pain point,' and which path toward healing from the sermon's list do you sense the Wonderful Counselor is inviting you to walk right now?

We find ourselves in a season where the darkness feels particularly heavy—where gloom creates fog in our decision-making, fractures in our relationships, fear about the future, and fragility in our souls. This message draws us into Isaiah 9, a prophecy written hundreds of years before Christ's birth, speaking directly into a divided kingdom experiencing distress and despair. The people were walking in deep darkness, yet the prophet proclaimed that a great light would dawn. What makes this passage so powerful is its relevance to our modern chaos: divided nations, broken families, anxiety that buzzes in our bones like an alarm that never stops ringing. But here's the transformative truth—Christ in us is greater than the chaos around us. The four names of Jesus revealed in Isaiah 9:6—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace—aren't just ancient titles; they're present realities addressing our specific struggles today. When we feel lost in the fog, Jesus reveals what chaos conceals. When relationships fracture, He brings awe-inspiring restoration. When fear grips us, His might steadies us. When we feel fragile, His everlasting arms hold us together. The sermon beautifully illustrates this through the image of sunflowers planted in radioactive soil near Fukushima—plants that absorb toxins and bring beauty to contaminated ground. This is precisely what Jesus does: He absorbed our sin, our pain, our chaos on the cross so we could absorb His peace, hope, and joy. Our hardship isn't a tomb; it's a womb where God is birthing something new.

Discussion Questions:

-Pull up the ‘What a season of gloom feels like’ lists and identify with your group which feels most familiar - now, or in the past. 

-Which of the four names of Jesus—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, or Prince of Peace—do you need to experience most deeply in your life right now, and why?

-When have you mistaken God's peace and rest for Him 'sleeping on the job' during a storm in your life, and how might that perspective shift change your faith?

-How can you cultivate the ability to experience Christ's peace internally even when the chaos around you remains unchanged?