Full Armor of God

Children learn about God's protection by putting on the full armor of God.

PREPARATION

Gather the articles of clothing and walking stick before class. If necessary, you can make substitutions.  

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Ask a volunteer to pretend to go on a hike. The volunteer will put on the articles of clothing in the following order: canteen belt (representing the belt of truth), vest (representing the breastplate of righteousness), boots (representing feet fitted with the gospel of peace), jacket (representing the shield of faith), and hat (representing the helmet of salvation). Then give him or her the walking stick (representing the sword of the Spirit).

As the volunteer takes each item, explain the safety qualities of each. Then compare the use of these special protective items when we go hiking to putting on the full armor of God described in the Bible to protect us from evil.

WHAT YOU WILL SAY:

(As the volunteer puts on the articles of clothing, talk about the safety features of each.)

The canteen belt allows us to carry water and other tools for survival.
The vest and jacket protect us from cold or rain.
The hat protects our head from the hot sun
The boots keep our feet strong and dry.
The walking stick helps us stay balanced on crooked paths.

We want to be safe when we go hiking and these things give us added protection.

Read Ephesians 6:10-18
(As you read this passage, pause after each item of armor and relate it to the similar item worn by the volunteer.)

God gives us Spiritual armor for our protection. This armor protects us from all kinds of evil the devil might try to throw at us. We must always put on the right safety articles to do the job. If we are hiking, we should dress like our volunteer here. However, when we are out there in this world, surrounded by evil, we need to get dressed in the full armor of God. Then, we can be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.