Lesson: Prayer
This lesson COULD be SPREAD OUT over a few lessons. It can be adapted for students of any age.
The emphasis is on time spent praying WITH the students...that is very important for real IMPACT. We believe the more practice they have SPENDING TIME WITH GOD during “class” time…the more equipped they will be OUTSIDE of lesson time=)
Feel free to email us with any ? or comments: admin@hisfirekids.com
Supplies:
-Slips of paper and pencil for prayer requests
-A Comic Book Version of the book of John, International Childrens’ Version or regular Bibles.
-4 volunteers for heaven skit, pretend microphone & a newspaper and a thick dictionary or book.
-Ballpoint pen for focusing activity.,
I. PARTS OF A PRAYER
This is simply an explanation on the components of prayer….it is not a formula but it helps us understand that prayer is not a list of our demands=)
Praise God (worship) Thank Him for who He is, can include singing, listening or dancing to songs
Repent Say “Sorry God”
Ask & Thank This is when you ask God for your needs and desires. And thank Him for doing His will in our lives.
Listen to see what God has to say
II. Prayer
On slips of paper, have students write prayer requests (Optional: 1 need and 1 request) We also put in slips that include major world issues like a nation, hungry children in another country, needs of churches and ministries we know of, elections, the leaders of our country of local area….
We collected your prayer slips and now we will ask God to bless these things that concern you.
You may read them aloud for a small class but WE FOUND THAT SOMETIMES WHEN THE STUDENTS KNOW THEY ARE PRIVATE, THEY SHARE REAL ISSUES THAT CONCERN THEM. For a very large class you can pray over the box and highlight a few items that are really critical but not private, and some issues that you have added.
Are there any volunteers to help us pray?
NOTE: This is the most important part….we try not to rush this even if it cuts the rest of the lesson time.
It is important to pray thru this part and allow God’s presence to permeate the kids. It is funny, even if they wiggle a lot and have a HARD time settling. Eventually they settle down…after about 10-20min……most times anyway=)
Even when they don’t settle completely, the longer they spend time “trying to focus” on God…He will touch their hearts somehow.
**************FOCUSING ACTIVITY***************
This idea comes from Jim Anderson, of the Destiny School of Ministry propheticdestinyministry.org
This excerpt is from their training manual. Good Stuff!
We have used this to settle the kids down and get them to FOCUS ON GOD. It really works!! Especially when they are BOUNCY!!!
”….The next step was to share with them the importance of knowing God and then immediately show them how to be linked with Him. This lead to our first activation exercise.
Activation- As a point of focus, I held up an ordinary ball point pen and asked the children to focus on the pen tip for about thirty seconds.
This is an attempt to promote focus on the way to a prayer time where we were soon hearing and seeing heavenly visions, flashes of light and multiple touches from God.
The next step was prayer & the same focus as with the pen was asked of them… to turn their attention upward or toward the ceiling.
It was explained that God was not miles in the air but in the very room with us and really desiring to communicate with us….”
It is amazing to see the difference in the students when time is given to pray together......
more peace, more cooperation, more love...
God is amazing!!!!
III. POWER VERSE
This is a familiar bible verse that kids can say a few times throughout the lesson IF they don’t know it already…
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”
Psalm 119:105
God’s word is an awesome resource for us to pray….we can pray the bible. God uses it to talk to us about ourselves. Today we will use the book of John to have fun AND pray. Ok let’s go….
IV. SWORD DRILLS
Sword drills are good practice looking up verses in the bible, the kids hold their bibles in the air and race to find them first, at the end of class we give a piece of yummy candy to ANYONE who looked up all the verses and found them.
(The sword drill idea was adopted from Becky Fisher kidsinministry.org who wrote an excellent book: Redefining Children’s Ministry in the 21st Century)
SWORD DRILL - John 3:3
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again”
This scripture discusses how do we get to heaven….Nicodemus wanted to know and Jesus explained it to him simply in verse 5
“…the truth is, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit….the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven.”
V. MINI SKIT on John 3:3 and 5 & SALVATION PRAYER
Silly skit - 3 people being interviewed on what they think it takes to go to heaven.
Interviewer with mic:“Today were on the street talking to people about what it takes to go to heaven”
Walks to 1st person who is intellectual and pious reading a thick dictionary
Sir do you think you are going to heaven?
1st person : “why of course I am…..I am a GOOD person”
“I don’t believe in “YOU KNOW WHO” but I do scrub the feet of the poor people in the entire city every Thursday at MY , fancy-schmansy, super-dooper, scruba-dubba foot salon”. “PLUS I give out toothpicks to each needy person to use at the foodbank offered at the local church…..which I DON'T go to of course… “
Interviewer- Well THAT was INTERESTING…hmmmm…...let ask someone else…..excuse me sir, do you think you are going to heaven?
2nd person who is heavily engrossed in the newspaper – No I DON'T believe in that place or that stuff…go away!……
Interviewer- Well…uh…..thanks anyway sir (mumbles) “Lord please bless and save THAT guy….”
Excuse me Mam…Hi, we are doing an interview today asking people a simple question. Do you think you are going to heaven?
3rd person who is humble: “Hi, how are you? Well that is a good question…..I KNOW that I will go to heaven….because I accepted Jesus into my heart. And I try to live for HIM and talk with Him everyday.
It’s as simple as that! I mean don’t get me wrong, I try to do good, and I serve the sick at the nursing home in my town…but I know that it’s all about YOU KNOW WHO…points up YOU know Jesus too, right? ”
END OF SKIT
Ask the kids…..who do YOU THINK WILL GO TO HEAVEN? Discuss what it really takes.
This next sword drill sets up the lesson for the sinners prayer….if all the kids in class have already accepted Jesus as Lord of their lives THEN you can simply use SWORD DRILL #2 as more practice for the students to look up scriptures.
SWORD DRILL #2 - John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
So what does this mean????
….we must believe in Jesus and accept Him to actually be saved…that washes away and covers our sin….
Note: THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO SAY THE SINNERS PRAYER WITH THE KIDS if they have never accepted Jesus into their hearts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Lord Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross for my sins, rose again on the third day and are now seated with God in heaven. I thank you for doing that for ME Lord….I am very sorry for all my sins. I invite you to take over my life, I willingly give it all to you to be Lord over me. Please help me to live for you and be a light to others. Please help me to pray, read my bible, and listen to you! Thanks a lot God….in Jesus Name. AMEN”