‘Prayer Power’ Childrens Lesson on Philippians 4:6-9

BIG IDEA: PRAYER IS POWERFUL

AIM: The ‘Prayer Power’ Childrens Lesson on Philippians 4:6-9 helps children to remember that God cares about their worries and anxieties and He brings us peace when we pray.

SONG IDEAS:

1. ‘Philippians 4:8’
2. ‘Philippians 4:6’  and motions by Saddleback Kids
3. ‘Pray about Everything’ by Group VBS

GAME IDEAS:

1. Water Bucket Relay. (regular/widescreen) Teams stand in lines. Children pass a cup of water along their team and pour it into a bucket at the end of the line.
2. Blind Trust. (regular/widescreen) One player is blindfolded and spun around 3 times. Lay down a number of bean bags on the floor or anything that can be ‘mines’. The player must walk and avoid the mines. Children can shout out to bring direction to the player. To play in teams each player’s team can shout out directions when it is their turn to play.
3. Holey Cup Relay. (regular/widescreen) Children race to fill the bucket up with water through a holey cup. You could have a cup for each child or one cup that they pass between each other. The team with the most water in their bucket at the end is the winning team.
4. Limbo. (regular/widescreen) Use a long wooden stick and have two leaders hold either end. Children compete to walk under the stick without bending their knees or touching the stick.

BIG VERSE: Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12.

(regular/widescreen)

Download Bible Cards and Bible Card Posters.

Sergeant: Soldiers, we are powerful people! We have power to work together and to fight the enemy. Yet we need to be people that bring peace. Soldiers go into countries to help bring peace to a country. We are sent to use our power to bring peace. Today we will be thinking about how God brings peace through the power of prayer. So, before we do anything let’s pray as we enter this session of our Prayer Bootcamp. [The sergeant prays for the group.]

 

SET the Scene:

Read Philippians 4:6-9 together:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

You could also watch this funny video featuring talking feet at the beach  ‘Philippians 4:6’.  This video links in well with the group games that we have chosen for this session. Or use the fun action story found here.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is anxiety?
2. How can we make our requests known to God?
3. What does God give us when we pray?
4. Why should we think about good things?
5. What are the kinds of things we should think about?

 

 

SPOT the Simple Meaning:

1) PRAYER IS POWERFUL BECAUSE IT BRINGS PEACE

Hold up or show a big electric fan such as this Table Fan [we have not used this fan; it is only used as a reference.]

Say: This fan is very powerful, but only when we turn it on. When we pray God’s power moves through our prayers. God is always powerful. He is sooooo much more powerful than this fan! When we pray God’s power moves through and in us. [Plug in and turn the fan on.]

This fan is lovely! It has so much power to be able to blow things away, yet on a hot day when you’re covered in sweat all you want is this lovely fan to blow peacefully on you. Just as a fan is peaceful, so when we pray God’s power is able to give us peace. God is three persons in one; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is powerful and He is also peaceful. When we pray the Holy Spirit moves in our lives and the lives of others. He brings His peace in our minds, our hearts and our lives.

That’s why Philippians 4:6-7 says;

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Prayer is powerful because it brings us peace. Why? Because God brings us peace when we ask Him for help. He knows just what we need. He will help our worries and anxieties melt away.

 

SEARCH the Scriptures:

Sand Search. (regular/widescreen) Print off the bible verses about anxiety v peace and put them in a tub of sand for each team. Have teams compete to run to the tub and use their feet to find a bible verse. Alternatively have two players compete against one another. The player or team to find the most bible verses in the given time is the winner or winning team.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Do you ever get anxiety or feel worried?
2. How does it make you feel?
3. What happens to your body when you feel this way?
4. What kinds of thoughts do you have when this happens?
5. What do these Bible verses tell us about anxiety and worry?
6. How has God helped you or someone you know with anxiety and worry?
7. How does God’s peace make you feel?
8. Have you experienced God’s peace in your life? How?
9. What word describes God’s peace best?
10. What do you need God’s peace for today?

 

SENSE How You Feel:

Encourage the children to think about the question below as they do one of these activities:

What does it feel like to know God’s peace when you pray?

1. Make the Praying Hands prayer booklet for children to pray for peace.
2. Sensory: Make a miniature garden (search fairy gardens for inspiration) with a tray, soil, some small plants, gem stones and lego figures.
3. Build: the most peaceful place you can imagine out of Lego or building blocks.
4. Mould: something that makes you feel peaceful.
5. Draw/Paint: the most peaceful scenery using pencil crayons or watercolor paints.
6. Fill in/Color the activity booklets for 5-7s and 8-11s.

 

SEEK God:

1. Face the Fan Corner. Children can go and sit in the corner around or facing the fan as they pray and rest in God.
2. Encourage the children to rest and close their eyes. Then ask them to think about their breathing and how they are breathing in and out. Encourage them to breathe in and out slowly, listening to their breathing. Then pray over the children a prayer of peace, thanking God that He is in their lives and working in places that they do not see.
3. Sand Prayer Station. Encourage the children to put their hands in the tub of sand and rub the sand between their fingers as they remember that God thoughts towards them are more than there are grains of sand on the shore. He is watching over them. He is in control.