‘Self Control’ Fruit of the Spirit Childrens Lesson

BIG IDEA: I CAN CONTROL MYSELF

AIM: The ‘Self Control’ Fruit of the Spirit Childrens Lesson is a chance for children to learn how they can control themselves and how God is there to help them every step of the way!

For SONG AND BIBLE STORY IDEAS check out our dedicated Pinterest Board.

 

GAME IDEAS:

1. Don’t Lick Your Lips. (regular/widescreen) Children compete to eat a jelly filled donut without licking the sugar off their lips! See who can control themselves and eat their donut the fastest!
2. Yes or No Game. (regular/widescreen) Children must avoid saying yes or no whilst a leader asks them questions that would be answered in this fashion.
3. In the River Out the River. (regular/widescreen) Tape parallel lines on the floor. Children must stand on one side of the line – starting out of the river. When the leader shout ‘in the river’ or ‘out the river’ the players must jump with both feet in or out. However, if the leader only shouts ‘in’ or ‘out’ the players must not move or they will be eliminated from the game.

BIG VERSE: …the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control… Galatians 6:22-23.

(regular/widescreen)

Download Bible Cards.

SET the Scene:

You will need to read Judges 16.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1. Who did Samson fall in love with?
2. What did she try and find out?
3. How many times did she try?
4. What did Samson do in the end?
5. What happened to Samson? 

 

SPOT the Simple Meaning:

1) GOD IS SELF CONTROLLED

HAND OUT CHOCOLATES and explain if they wait to eat them after you have finished talking then they can have double… see what they do. There is a funny Clip from Mr Bean with the soldier from Buckingham Palace on our Pinterest Board which you may enjoy. 

Say: Have you ever tried to stop yourself laughing when you have got the giggles? It’s really hard isn’t it?! Sometimes we need to control ourselves… but it’s not easy… sometimes its very tempting to do the thing that you know you shouldn’t be doing. Self control, or controlling ourselves is something that comes from the Holy Spirit… and the Holy Spirit is who? God! Yes that’s right! So we need to ask God to help us sometimes to have self control!

… Who managed to wait for their chocolate? Now you can have some more. Sometimes we need to be self controlled in order to get the reward.

2) PROBLEMS COME WHEN WE DON’T CONTROL OURSELVES

You will need some photos or hand drawn images of the images below. Create them to the size that your group will be able to see, or project them onto a screen.

Say: But why do we need self control? Well, lets take a look shall we?! I want you to tell me what these people each struggle with then you see each picture.

Person with plate and lots of food – struggles with controlling their eating [this can be too much control or too little control – you may want to explain this to the children. Everything in balance!]

Person with cigarette – struggles with smoking

Child laughing at another child – bullying [failing to controlling their words and actions for the good of others]

Someone who wants to be healthy – control their eating.

Person as thief – needs to stop stealing

Person looking mad – needs to control their anger

Person with words out of mouth – swearing – struggles to control their mouth [See James 3:1-12]

[Go through each image individually asking the children to tell you what they are struggling with. Get the children to tell you what problems come with these struggles- they will have lots of ideas! Explain that lots of problems come when we cannot control ourselves. God does not want us to struggle or have problems, He wants us to have the best life ever!]

3) GOD HELPS US TO CONTROL OURSELVES

You may want someone to give a testimony or story to demonstrate.

WE CAN STOP THINK AND PRAY!

So how do we make sure we are self controlled? Well, we need to ask God to help us! When we are tempted to do the thing we know we shouldn’t be doing then we need to:

1. STOP

2. THINK

3. PRAY!

This gives us time to ask God to come and help take our mind off the thing we want to do. And He will help us not to do it but be self controlled!

 

SEARCH the Scriptures:

Read the Bible verses on self control and discuss the questions below:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Do you find it easy to control: a) your anger b) your words c) your junk food eating d) your bad thoughts
2. What do you do when you are struggling to control yourself?
3. How was Jesus self controlled?
4. How can the Holy Spirit help you? Do you want Him to?

 

SENSE How You Feel:

Imagine what it must have been like to be Samson, when you have been given power.

How would you stay self controlled?

Encourage the children to answer that question

1. Build Samson and his long hair – or Samson pushing down the pillars – out of Lego, Playmobil or building blocks.
2. Mould Samson and his long hair – or Samson pushing down the pillars – out of playdough or clay.
3. Sensory: Place lots of yummy cakes on the sensory table and encourage the children to smell them but not eat them! How long can they last?
4. Make Woolly Wooden Spoons. Using lots of yarn and wooden spoons the children make their very own Samson with this printable to make his arms.
5. Fill in or color the 5-7s and 8-11s activity booklet.

 

SEEK God:

You may want to use paper and markers, or playdough for this prayer time.

Say: Is there something that you need help controlling yourself with? Is there something that you just can’t stop doing? Write or draw that thing on a piece of paper and ask God to help you control yourself. Alternatively you could mould it from playdough, if you want to be able to flatten it afterwards, or simply have a picture of it in your mind as you pray.