July 18, 2021
Press Play: Get in the Mix
LIFE APPLICATION | Confidence—Learning to see yourself the way God sees you
MEMORY VERSE | Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6, NIV
Grove Kids | Sunday Notes
BIBLE STORY
Stand and Deliver
Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10-17
BASIC TRUTH | I can trust God no matter what.
Next, we look to Ephesians 6:10-17. As Paul wraps up the end of his letter, he focuses our attention on where we can find confidence. Paul encourages the believers to allow God to make them strong. We don’t have to face life on our own. God offers us spiritual armor we can wear to help us stand firm when we face difficulty. God is with us and won’t let us down.
Bottom Line: Use what God has given you to stand strong. Sometimes kids might feel like they’re on their own, especially when it comes to having courage or finding confidence. We pray this will be a powerful week as kids discover that when they trust Jesus with their life, God offers them spiritual armor to help them face whatever is happening in their lives.
Message to Parents
It’s easy for us, as parents, to pick out the friends we want our kids to hang out with, arranging playdates and sleepovers with families we know and trust. But what about the adults in their lives, do we get to pick them as well? Yes we do!!! And in doing so we give them a safe and caring mentor to learn and grow, and a well-rounded foundation to launch from! Here’s a great article that helps you select those critical adults in their life!
Now for your Kids...
Grab your Bible, your Armor of God and get ready to experience Jesus with your kids! Here’s your theme…Confidence means learning to see yourself the way God sees you!
This can be an all week event or crammed it into one lesson. Have fun!
Day One
Read Ephesians 6:13-14 with your kids.
Explain to them, “Paul wrote these words while under house arrest in Rome. At the time, he was likely guarded by a Roman soldier in full armor so it makes sense that he would write about putting on “God’s armor” to stand strong! As followers of Jesus, we don’t face an actual enemy army. Our battle is against Satan, the one who wants to turn us away from God. Paul is reminding us of the “armor” we have available so we can face the enemy.”
“When it comes to confidence, we can stand strong with the belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness! The belt of truth is what we know to be true about God! He loves us and will help us make wise choices.”
“The breastplate of righteousness is like covering yourself with godliness. We protect ourselves the most when we choose words and actions that honor God. Loving God and loving others is our best defense against the enemy!”
Create your own set of “armor” this week. Grab a belt and tie it around the back of a chair. Find your favorite hoodie or jacket and zip it up around the back of your chair as the breastplate.
Day Two
Read Ephesians 6:15 with your kids.
Tell them, “Paul is reminding us today to cover our feet so we’re ready to share the good news about Jesus. He wants us to be ready to talk about Jesus and what He’s done for us, everywhere we go, with everyone we meet. The enemy doesn’t stand a chance when we choose to stand strong and tell others about Jesus!”
Grab a pair of shoes you don’t wear every day and set them on the floor underneath your chair with the hoodie and belt from yesterday.
Day Three
Read Ephesians 6:16 with your kids.
Share with them, “Strong faith is like a shield that protects us when these wrong thoughts creep in. When you remember God’s promises—that He loves you no matter what and that He is with you, always—you can stand strong against the enemy.”
Grab something to use as a shield. It could be a piece of cardboard or a cookie sheet from the kitchen. Prop it up on the seat of the chair in front of your hoodie or jacket.
Day Four
Read Ephesians 6:17 with your kids.
“Today we start with the helmet of salvation. They protect our head and our brain. Paul wants us to remember that we can trust in and follow Jesus every single day. When the enemy tries to sneak in lies or negative thoughts, we can block them when we remember what Jesus has done for us!”
“And finally, we need to grab the sword of the Spirit. Soldiers needed a sword to strike down the enemy, to fight back! Our sword is God’s word. As we read and memorize God’s word, we’ll be able to defeat the enemy.”
Grab a bike helmet or favorite hat and hang it from the back of the chair. Grab your sword (your Bible) and read the entire passage, Ephesians 6:13-17. Touch each piece of “armor” as they read about them. Then, thank God for the reminder that He is always with us and that He will help you use what you have to stand strong against the enemy this week.
Return to Grove Kids Online
Have a question we haven’t answered?
Take your next step!