Additional Prayer Resources Week of Prayer Youth Lesson Prayer: Preparing for Battle Objectives: What s the Big Idea? Prayer, fasting, and spiritual armor form our greatest weapons when we face spiritual battles. Why does it matter? Going into spiritual battle without the proper weapons is dangerous and destructive. How do I live it? Prepare for spiritual battles by taking on the armor of God and making prayer and fasting a consistent part of your relationship with Him. Week of Prayer Poster & Bulletin Called to Pray Week of Prayer Bookmark Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:4, NIV The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. Get Interested Illustration Option: Armed Not Dangerous Distribute plastic dinner knives to students and ask what kinds of tasks they could accomplish with these implements. Note that, beyond cutting soft food and spreading peanut butter, such flimsy knives are of little use. Then ask if students would feel equipped to battle a wild animal or defend themselves against an attack using such a weapon. Emphasize that while the answer is obvious, many Christians try to battle evil spiritual forces without being properly equipped. Activity Option: Noodle Wars Ask for volunteers to spar with foam noodles as weapons. (Foam noodles can be found in the toy section of most discount stores.) Provide paper and pencils to assigned judges for this competition. They should award two points for hits to the arms or legs, five points for hits to the body, and ten points for hits to the head (although any blows to the face should result in a deduction of ten points). Allow each pair to spar for 30 seconds, then add up the points and declare a winner.? How effective would a foam noodle be if you needed a real weapon? Why?? What are some spiritual battles you and your friends commonly face? (List student responses on the board. Examples could include a wide variety of temptations, from cheating on a hard test to lustful thoughts. There are also issues like peer pressure to conform to standards that don t please God, as well as battles with things like doubt, anger, and pride. Leave this list on the board to be used later in the lesson.) Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. COPYRIGHT 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Continued on page 2
Explain that we can t hope to win spiritual battles in our own strength. Thankfully, God helps us to win these struggles; yet we need to know the types of weapons that will be effective. One of the greatest of these is also the most basic: prayer. When we start with a foundation of prayer, and combine that with a regular practice of fasting, we re set to put on the whole armor of God and win the spiritual wars that we face every day. Study Overview Explain that today s study will consider: how prayer and fasting will equip teens for the spiritual battles they face every day. why it is dangerous to do spiritual battle without the weapons of prayer and fasting. how prayer and fasting will give teens a foundation as they become equipped for battle with spiritual armor. Get Informed 1. You need a good foundation. Explain that trying to win spiritual battles without the proper foundation is like trying to win a tug-of-war on a pair of roller skates. We ll have a hard time keeping stable much less making progress when other forces are pulling against us. The way to build a strong spiritual foundation is through a solid, consistent commitment to prayer, combined with the regular practice of fasting. Sadly, a lot of people view these spiritual disciplines as old-fashioned the kind of thing the older generation does. After all, a high-powered worship service or a spectacular sermon is a lot more exciting than kneeling in a room by yourself. But it s those alone times with God that we become all He wants us to be. Activity: Pick a Pair Distribute paper and pencils. Divide the class into small teams and have them list as many words or objects that go together as they can think of in two minutes (e.g., peanut butter and jelly, hammer and nail, show and tell). When they ve finished, have each team read their lists and determine which one contains the most pairs. Explain that prayer and fasting are two spiritual disciplines that go together. It s most common to hear them paired when it comes to deep spiritual struggles or battles. People often fast when they are desperate to hear from God. Fasting is a way to deny our physical appetites so we can focus on spiritual issues. Unlike prayer, which needs to be a daily commitment, fasting is often an occasional practice and often done by a group of Christians. But that doesn t take away from the importance of making fasting a regular part of our spiritual lives. Doing so will help us renew our focus on God, especially during hard spiritual struggles. Continued on page 3
Read or have a volunteer read Daniel 10:1 3,12,14. Discuss the purpose of Daniel s fast. Note that he needed the kind of wisdom only God could give. He fasted and prayed with the expectation that God would respond.? Why do you think God wants us to pray and fast regarding our spiritual struggles? After all, He already knows what we re facing. (God responds to those who demonstrate their trust in Him by investing themselves in the disciplines of prayer and fasting. These activities don t force God into action, but He honors our commitment as we seek Him consistently.)? How long should a person fast? (Note that while Daniel s fast lasted for three weeks, many fasts in the Bible only lasted one day. It s also important to remember that extended fasting is not recommended for younger teens as well as people with medical conditions. God sees our hearts and our commitment. The length of time isn t important. That s why fasting just a meal to focus on God can be a powerful part of our Christian walk.) Read or have a volunteer read Isaiah 58:3 7. Discuss what these verses tell us about the kinds of attitudes God wants us to have when it comes to fasting, and talk about why these attitudes are important. Explain that prayer and fasting are clearly connected to humility and compassion for others. In other words, our prayers need to be reflected in our actions: trusting God over self and helping others in need. He wants us to avoid the temptation to become self-centered in our prayers, only seeking God because of what He can do for us. Prayer must grow out of a deep desire to know Him better and see His plans for our lives become reality. Read or have a volunteer read 2 Corinthians 10:3,4.? In what ways could prayer be a weapon of warfare? (In spiritual battles, we re fighting an enemy we can t see to overcome threats we can t touch, taste, or hear. These struggles don t take place in the physical realm. The battle is spiritual; that s why these verses describe the proper weapons as having divine power. When we pray, we re trusting God with something we can t do in ourselves. Prayer, then, is the first step in every spiritual battle.) Activity: The Right Kind of Weapons Display a survivor envelope for the class, and ask for volunteers to come forward and rip it in half. (A survivor envelope is a special mailing envelope made of synthetic fibers that cannot be torn. It is available at most office supply stores.) Allow several students to try. After all have failed, choose someone who hasn t yet tried and declare that he or she will succeed. Then give that student a pair of scissors. After he or she cuts the envelope in half, discuss the question below:? Why was one person able to successfully divide the envelope after everyone else had failed? (Note that the envelope can t be Continued on page 4
torn apart by hands. It must be cut with a knife or pair of scissors. Explain that the same is true in our spiritual battles. The weapons of this world physical strength, intelligence, personality, money, determination won t help us defeat the enemies that want to threaten our commitment to God. We need different kinds of weapons: spiritual weapons.) 2. Use your weapons. Activity: What Is the Armor? Distribute paper and pens or pencils, and challenge students to list as many spiritual weapons as they can think of. They might use Ephesians 6:10 13 as one source for items, but encourage them to think of other examples as well. Then make note of the common spiritual battles the students faced, as listed during the Get Interested portion of this lesson. Focus on how each of their responses might be helpful in these spiritual battles. For example, if they re in a science class at school that casts doubt on what the Bible teaches, their commitment to spiritual truth will help them trust God despite the doubts or skepticism that surrounds them. Read or have a volunteer read Ephesians 6:10 13.? Where do we get the strength to do spiritual warfare? How do we prepare for battle? (Our strength must come from God. Then, we must actually put on the armor not just learn about it or have it close by. In other words, we need to be ready for our spiritual battles. They must not surprise us.) Read or have a volunteer read Ephesians 6:14 18. Discuss practical ways students can use each piece of armor mentioned in these verses. The Belt of Truth: There are a lot of wrong ideas about God and Christianity out there. We need to be ready to confront and reject these, and we get ready by knowing what truth is. That s why it s so important to know the Bible and spend time talking with God in prayer. The Breastplate of Righteousness: We re often tempted to compromise our commitment to righteousness, or living the way God wants us to live and making the kinds of decisions that please Him. Our commitment to righteousness will preserve our purity and protect us from the destructive power of sin. The Preparation of the Gospel of Peace: We must always be prepared to tell others about God s message of hope and salvation. This happens through knowing God s Word and committing to stand for God no matter the opposition. The Shield of Faith: The enemy of our souls will throw a lot of things at us in an attempt to damage or destroy our spiritual Continued on page 5
lives: temptation, doubt, anger, bitterness, apathy, pride. We deflect these by standing firm behind the shield of our faith. It s also important to remember that faith goes beyond just what we believe to what we do; for example, we need to stay away from tempting situations, and it s a good idea to invite Christian friends to confront us when they see bad attitudes in our lives. The Helmet of Salvation: It s important to remember that our salvation our relationship with God protects us from the power of sin. We re not fighting the battle alone. Even during those times we re forced to stand alone for what we believe, we can stand in the assurance that God is with us. We belong to Him, so we don t have to worry about becoming overwhelmed or defeated. The Sword of the Spirit: God s Word is our only offensive weapon. Everything else is used for our protection. It s a good reminder that we can t win on our own, by using our knowledge, skills, or willpower. The battle is spiritual, so we need to find answers in the Book that tells us how to live in the spiritual realm. Explain that while prayer is not listed as a piece of armor, it is an important part of spiritual warfare (verse 18). Prayer keeps us in touch with God. It s what builds and strengthens our foundation. Without it, we d never be prepared for the battles we re sure to face every day. Brainstorm specific things students can pray for every day to help prepare them for spiritual battles they ll face in the future. A few examples include: Pray that God will give them a stronger desire to know His Word. Pray that they ll have the right words to say when someone asks them about their faith. Pray that they resist temptation especially the specific temptations they find most difficult to resist. Pray that they ll stand firm in their convictions even when others are skeptical about Christianity or mock their faith. Pray that they ll be prepared and willing to help their Christian friends stand strong during spiritual battles, even if that means confronting them or taking extra time to encourage them. Invite students to give personal testimonies about spiritual battles they ve faced, noting how some of the weapons listed in Ephesians 6 helped them get through their struggle successfully. Also have them describe specific things they learned about God and themselves during this time. Get Involved Activity (Option 1): Caught in the Act Present and discuss the following scenario: A student has been writing Continued on page 6
obscenities and drawing lewd pictures on the Bible club posters at your high school. Members of the group are getting angry and frustrated. On your way to your locker during class, you catch another student defacing a poster. What would be your natural reaction in this situation? Why? How could you respond to this situation not using the weapons of this world (such as anger or retaliation)? What weapons of spiritual warfare would be useful in this situation, both in how you react at the moment as well as what you do in the future? Activity (Option 2): Acting or Reacting? Distribute pens or pencils and paper. Have students divide their papers into two columns, labeling them My Normal Reaction and How God Wants Me to Act. Explain that Christians sometimes tend to react to what happens around them in ungodly ways, even when the situation involves someone confronting them about their faith. Ask them to consider what each of the following Scriptures teach about how they should act when facing opposition to their faith. Then challenge them to think about how this might be different from their normal reactions. (For example, when someone says something bad about us, our first response might be to spread a negative story about him or her.) When they ve finished, encourage them to share their responses, discussing them in class. (NOTE: You might choose to either read the following verses or write them on the board): Matthew 5:39,41: When someone treats you poorly, respond positively. (NOTE: Regarding verse 41, point out that in Bible times, Roman soldiers could force Jews to carry their gear for up to a mile. Not surprisingly, the Jews were insulted by this injustice. Jesus was referring to this practice, and His words would have been shocking to His audience because He was telling them to go farther than they were required to go. It s the opposite response from what anyone would expect when being exploited by someone in power.) Romans 12:17,19,21: When someone hurts you, resist the urge to take revenge. (NOTE: Take a moment to discuss some specific ways students can overcome evil with good. Emphasize that an unexpected positive response to a bad situation will give them great opportunities to share their faith with others.) 1 Corinthians 4:12,13: We need God s help to answer with good words when suffering bad treatment. (NOTE: Consider using this verse as an opportunity to discuss why it is difficult to respond with good words. Talk about how the blunt words of these verses, such as we have become the scum of the earth, are accurate today. Discuss why people may feel this way about us, and how our response will affect the reputation of Christianity.) 1 Peter 3:9: Sometimes our response is the very opposite of what others would expect. (NOTE: Talk about what it means to say that we are called to do what this verse commands. What does this say about what God wants our role as Christians to be in the world?) Continued on page 7
Discuss if students normally find themselves inclined to pray for someone who wrongs them or mocks them for their faith. Talk about why praying for someone in this situation is important, both for your student as well as the person who has wronged him or her. Ministry Activity: Prayer to Prepare Lead in a time of prayer, inviting students to prepare themselves for spiritual warfare. Ask volunteers to pray aloud that students would take advantage of their spiritual weapons: prayer, fasting, and the armor of God. Invitation: Choose Your Leader Those who have never asked Jesus to be the Lord, Savior, and Leader of their lives have no defense against Satan s attacks. Take the opportunity to ask if any in attendance don t have a personal relationship with Christ. Lead all who respond in a prayer, asking Jesus to forgive their sins and become the Leader of their lives. Conclude by challenging students to be equipped for spiritual battle. Remind them that if they ve let their relationship with Jesus slide, it s time to make things right with Him. Prepared by the Assemblies of God National Prayer Center www.prayer.ag.org Developed in part from the Fall Quarter, November 26, 2006, study of the High School Teacher Guide. Not intended for commercial redistribution.electronic edition published 2008.