This Sunday school lesson teaches the importance of being on guard spiritually and to use all of the resources God gives us. by Kathy Harrington
TOPICS
Armor of God, Protection, Stand Firm
AS KIDS ARRIVE (10 minutes)
Search for God's Armor (Word Search) Click here
Put on the Armor of God (Coloring Activity) Click here
Print out the word search and the color pages. As Children arrive have them start working on these pages.
OPENING PRAYER AND PRAISE (5 minutes)
Further info? Click here
MEMORY WORK (12 minutes)
"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:11 NIV
Have the children find Ephesians 6:11 Write the verse on the board and recite the verse. Erase a word or two and recite the verse again. Continue in this manner until the children can recite the verse from memory.
SCRIPTURE READING AND DISCUSSION (15 minutes)
Introduction:
This verse tells us that we must be prepared as we go into battle, a spiritual battle. Without God's Armor and protection we do not stand a chance. God will empower us to fight the good fight and to make a stand against the devil.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (Spiritual Warfare)
Read the verse together. Once you've read the verse explain how each piece of armor protects us spiritually, which in turn can protect us physically.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why do we need spiritual armor? (To stand against the wiles of the devil.)
2. What is it we fight against? (Against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.)
3. Should we be afraid of this battle? (No, God will help us stand against evil. The powers of darkness will be defeated by God.)
4. How does God help us in the battle against evil? (He gives us the weapons and armor we need to stand strong.)
5. Why is it important that we that we put on our spiritual armor every day? (Without it we will be weak and easily defeated.)
6. How can we use each piece of spiritual armor at home? At school? At church?
CLASS EXERCISE (10 minutes)
Full Armor of God (Activity) Click here
ALTERNATE CLASS EXERCISE (15 minutes)
God's Armor - Self Portrait (Craft) Click here
ALTERNATE CLASS EXERCISE (10 minutes)
Verses to Live By (Activity) Click here
APPLICATION (10 minutes)
Let's cover the pieces of armor once more:
The Belt of Truth: The belt worn by a roman soldier was important because it firmly secured the soldier's weapons needed to fight. If we are to stand up to evil, we must be firmly secured by the truth that is found only in Jesus.
The Breastplate of Righteousness: The typical Roman soldier wore a protective covering to cover the vital organs, like the heart, the lungs, liver, etc. If any of these were injured, the life of the soldier would be in serious jeopardy. If we try to do battle over Satan's enemies with only our own righteousness, we will never win. We need a righteousness that comes from our Savior.
Feet with the Gospel of Peace: To do battle, a soldier must be prepared to go, and good strong sandals were absolutely necessary. Likewise, before we can do battle, we must be prepared, but our preparation comes from the Gospel. The Gospel is the good news about Jesus, and through it we can tell others how they can have peace with God.
The Shield of Faith: The shield protected the Roman soldier from arrows and sword blows. Our spiritual enemies are constantly throwing arrows and thrusting swords towards us. The best way to deflect these blows is with the shield of faith. When we hold on to our shield, when we hold firm to our faith in Jesus, we can go forth boldly.
The Helmet of Salvation: An essential item for a soldier's survival. The helmet protects the head of the soldier, where there is the mind and spirit. Our salvation comes from Jesus, and it is a lasting protection until the day we are with Him in heaven.
The Sword of the Spirit: The Roman sword was short and lightweight so they could use it easily. At close range, it was a deadly weapon. The sword of the spirit represents the Word of God. The Word of God is a powerful weapon, especially when used under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
NEXT WEEK
Time for a new lesson! Make it count, make it fun!
CLOSING PRAYER (2 minutes)
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TAKE HOME PAGE
Give one copy to each child at the end of the class to take home. Click here for NIV or KJV [PDF]