Battle Gear is part of the exciting Dig-in Discipleship study series which gets kids aged 10–12 digging into God’s word as preparation for youth group and high school. Combining fun games and activities for individuals and groups, Battle Gear unpacks Ephesians 6:13−18 and gets us thinking about our position on the spiritual battlefield of life. Protected by God’s armour, we can fight against Satan’s attacks and be reminded that following Jesus, even in the hard times, is worth it!
Also available: Pastures, Paths and Parties Follow the Leader True Identity
ISBN 978-1-922000-91-0
9 781922 000910
study 1
NO MORE WOBBLY LEGS
PART 1
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Using a packet of little green army guys (think the movie Toy Story), a table as the battle ground, and marbles in a cardboard tube as ammunition, set up a game of ‘Standing firm’.
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Each member of the group chooses and labels a soldier with their name, and positions it onto the battle ground with Blu-Tack. Place all remaining soldiers on the field as well. Players take turns to roll a marble through the cardboard tube onto the battlefield. Every soldier knocked over by the rolling marble is out of the game.
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The soldiers left standing after everyone has had a turn are declared the winners!
This game can be a single-player game, or invite members of your family to join in.
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The story so far... Before the beginning of our world, an angel Satan decided to rebel against God and he was expelled from heaven (Luke 10:18). The Bible doesn’t tell us too much about Satan’s story, but we do know that he is the great deceiver who, since that time, has continued to rebel against God and his goodness.
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So when God created man and woman in his own image and to have a close relationship with him, Satan decided to get in the way. He tricked Adam and Eve into doubting God’s truth and they chose disobedience over intimacy with God (see Genesis 3). What a sad day that was. Not only did sin enter God’s creation but with it came death and a breakdown in the close relationship between God and his
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lovingly-created people. Satan thought he’d thwarted God’s plans, but that’s not
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something anyone—not even Satan—can do! God always had a plan to save people from their sin and the trap of death Satan had lain. God sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to restore our relationship with him. In the way he lived, Jesus showed us what God is like. Jesus then paid the deserved punishment for our sins and defeated Satan once and for all, through his death on the cross and by rising to life again three days later. But the spiritual battle rages on. Until Jesus comes back, Satan will continue his attempts to turn people away from God. We are all on this battlefield and there are only two sides. We are either following Jesus on God’s side or we’re not.
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How does this make you feel? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
Here is Ephesians 6:10−13.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.11 Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
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1 Using your favourite colour, highlight every word or phrase that refers to God and his team (for example, ‘strong in the Lord’). 2 Using your least favourite colour, underline every word or phrase that refers to the opposition (for example, ‘the devil’s schemes’). 3 Now answer the following questions: Whose armour does Paul recommend we wear? _________________ Whose power does Paul recommend we use? _________________ What is this power like? (Circle the correct answers)
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ary Average Amazing Real Mighty Strong OK
Verse 12 might seem confusing but it’s useful because it describes the ‘who’s who’ of the spiritual battlefield. Flesh and blood: these are people, like you and me— even the school drama queen or the bully down the road. The rulers, authorities and spiritual forces in the heavenly realms: this refers to Satan and his followers (also called demons or evil spirits).
PART 2
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Read Ephesians 6:13 again.
Even though it says ‘day’ (singular) it really means ‘any day’ during which Satan, the evil one, will try to weaken our trust in God. Remember, Satan doesn’t want us to have a close relationship with Jesus.
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1 Can you think of any day(s) when you found it difficult to be a follower of Jesus? What was it like?
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_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
2 What do you think ‘standing firm’ means? Choose one or more possible meanings from the list:
Don’t give up
Trust God
Keep believinG
Doubt
Persevere
Endure
Keep training
Slacken off
Wobble
Back down
Be distracted
Be committed
Spend a few minutes thanking God for Jesus and the victory that has already been won by his death on the cross and his coming back to life again! Ask God to help you stand firm in faith no matter what happens. 15
PART 3 Look up 1 Corinthians 15:57−58 and 1 Timothy 6:11−12 and answer the questions below. 1. What does Paul urge us to hold on to? ___________
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2. Timothy is a ‘_______ of God’. 3. What six things does Paul urge us to pursue? ____________________________________________________________________
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4. We need to fight the good fight of ________? 5. Who do we need to thank? ___________
6. We have been given victory through ________ ________. 7. Because of this victory we can ________ _______.
8. Paul encourages us to continue doing the Lord’s _______ .
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You’ll find these answers in this word search:
If you were going to summarise these two verses into one easy-tounderstand sentence, what would you say? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 16
The letters of 1 and 2 Timothy were written from Paul to his young friend Timothy. It was Paul who first taught Timothy about Jesus; Paul’s letters encouraged Timothy to continue trusting Jesus and growing in his faith. Timothy probably shared his letters with his local church, where everyone could learn from what Paul had written. Eventually these letters became part of the book we now call the Bible.
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Spend a few minutes thinking about your position on the spiritual battlefield of life. If the commander of God’s army represents Jesus, which soldier would you like to be? (You might like to circle him/her on the picture.)
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Tricky question:
Is there a difference between the soldier you would like to be and the soldier you think you are now? Why? _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
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Although Paul uses the word ‘armour’ in these verses he is not talking about a literal battle outfit. He is asking us to think through what it means to belong to God, and uses the picture of armour to explain how God’s salvation protects, covers and equips us for everything we will ever face. How do you feel knowing your battle gear has been provided by God himself?
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Ephesians 6:13
Write Ephesians 6:13 on four pieces of coloured card. Stick these cards around your house in four different locations where you get dressed (for example, the bathroom mirror, your cupboard door, the shoe rack, etc.). Each time you get dressed or change your outfit, stand firm and read the verse aloud.
Test date Ephesians 6:13
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Checked by Person #1
Checked by Person #2
Memorised? Yes/No