Dates: 19/20 Sept & 26/27 Sept 2015 GKidz Barnabas Club Come Holy Spirit! Series Lesson 5: Growing in the Spirit Memory Verse: In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Holy Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will have dreams. Acts 2:17 (NIV) Teaching Objectives: Children will learn that if we want to grow in the spirit, we have to i. read the Word of God and mediate on it ii. grow in our prayer life iii. learn to be still and tune in to the Holy Spirit --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROBLEM Children tend to be less aware or in touch with their spirit-being, and hence they do not tune to the Holy Spirit often. PROMISE Platform Teaching (15mins) Props Needed: - 1 banana (Leader to bring) - 1 journal for reflection (Leader to bring) - PowerPoint slides (GKidz to provide) Teacher 1: Good evening/morning children! Today I am going to give you a quiz. We have spent 4 weeks learning about the Holy Spirit, so I believe you will pass this quiz with flying colours! Are you ready for the challenge? Teacher 2: Yes I am ready! Teacher 1: Oh, you are taking part too?! Here you go! (Show PowerPoint slide that lists 10 questions.) GKidz Barnabas Club 2015 1
SPIRITUAL GROWTH TEST 1. Can you quote 1 memory verse in 1 min? (Y/N) Quote it now. 2. Do you read the Bible at least once every day? (Y/N) 3. Do you read the Bible at least once every week? (Y/N) 4. Do you know how to speak in tongues? (Y/N) 5. Do you pray at least once every day? (Y/N) 6. Do you have faith in God to help you for the problems that you face in school? (Y/N) 7. Do you want to tell other people about Jesus because you don t want anyone to be lost eternally? (Y/N) 8. Do you pray for healing when you are sick? (Y/N) 9. Have you received visions from God? (Y/N) 10. Do you believe that miracles can happen because you pray? (Y/N) Teacher 1: How many of you got 12 YES? 10 YES? 8 YES? Less than 6 YES? Teacher 2: I scored 4/12. (looks discouraged) Teacher 1: You can always improve. It is just a matter whether you want to do it or not. Teacher 2: I want to! Tell me how! Teacher 1: We have learnt that the Holy Spirit is omnipotent. He is our Friend, our Guide and Our Comforter! These are all truths about the Holy Spirit. But, it is not JUST how much we know about Him in our minds that will help us to grow in the spirit. We must also experience the Holy Spirit to help us to grow in our spirit being. Teacher 2: Oh to grow! I know! We eat food to grow! (Teacher takes banana, peel it and eat it.) When we nourish the body, we grow stronger and stronger each day. We develop muscles and look clean and healthy. We look handsome or pretty. (Teacher acts handsome/pretty.) So what should we eat to grow in the spirit? Teacher 1: Maybe spinach? Hahaha! Nah We eat food to grow in our body not for growing in the spirit! Teacher 2: Oh I know! REFLECTIONS will work! I remember my leader telling me that we need REFLECT to nourish our soul. (Teacher holds a journal, looks reflective and writes reflection.) Our soul is made up of our intelligence, emotions and will. The more we reflect, the more we are aware of how we feel and the more we will grow in our soul. GKidz Barnabas Club 2015 2
Teacher 1: Eh that is a good one! But it is still not the answer that I am looking for. But it is a good thing that you know that we are made up of BODY, SOUL and SPIRIT. (Show PowerPoint slide.) Now that you know how to grow in your body and your soul, I will teach you how you can grow in your spirit man! Here you go: First, you must read the Word of God and mediate about it and let it speak to you. Secondly, we must pray. Spend time talking and listening to God. Thirdly, we must tune in to the Holy Spirit. Some people call this soaking time. Teacher 2: You mean, like sitting in the bathtub? Teacher 1: Almost like that but you must be totally submerged if you want to soaked through and through! Imagine you are going to become a pickle. You are like this thinly sliced papaya. (Show picture in slide) And you are going to be soaked in a special solution that will totally change how you will taste like and look like! (Show picture in slide) This is how you will look like after being soaked in that special solution for days. And you will taste very different from the original papaya! (Show picture in slide) When we soak in the presence of the Holy Spirit very often, tuning in to Him to listen to Him, we will change. We will grow in our spirit and we will be empowered to love God and walk in holiness. This week and next week, we are going to spend time tuning in to the Holy Spirit, soaking in His Presence. Let us invite to share about how he/she tunes in to the Holy Spirit and how he/she has an experience where he/she heard the Holy Spirit speak to him/her. He/She will also tell you how he/she decides to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. PROOF Have a leader or a child, especially children who have gone for Super Camp if applicable, to share about an experience where he/she heard the Holy Spirit speak to him/her and how he/she decides to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Teacher 1: Thank you for your sharing. Now, it is time for all of us to go to different stations where we are going to learn to connect and tune in to the Holy Spirit. When you tune in with God, He will speak to you with Words, pictures, colours, etc. You can also ask God what He thinks about you. GKidz Barnabas Club 2015 3
When you are at each station, I want you to be quiet and listen to the instructions of the leaders. Before we go, let s pray together: Dear God, I am your child. I am made of Spirit, Soul and Body. Today, I want to tune in to the Holy Spirit. Dear Holy Spirit, pour out your Spirit on me! In Jesus Name I Pray, Amen. PUSH: SOAKING STATIONS These stations will be set up for two weeks. Each group will get to go to each station for 15 minutes. There will be 5 minutes movement time. Children are to move from station is a quietly. At the stations, we have some helpful spiritual postures which will help the children to soak in His Presence. Children can connect with the Holy Spirit at the stations where they are to be still and quiet or when leaders pray over them. Leaders are to release words given by the Holy Spirit and pray over the children. At every station, encourage the children to write down or draw what the Holy Spirit has spoken or showed them while waiting for their turn. Preparation: Set up the various stations and let the children go to each station in a round robin manner. Allow the children to be at each station for 15 mins. Every child should go to all stations. There should be instrumental music played at the background throughout the Soaking Session. Station 1: Be Still Materials Needed: Player and Music (GKidz to provide) Activity: At this station, we will learn to be still and focus our thoughts on Jesus. Some soft background worship music will be turned on. The child can sing along quietly if he/she likes to. We will spend time listening to the Holy Spirit. Write down any thoughts that come to your mind as you listen to the music and the Holy Spirit. [Script for leader: David says in Psalm 139: 17 'How precious to me are your thoughts, O God.' It is important to train our mind and spirit to hear His thoughts. Distractions such as daily activities, needs, expectations and other mental conflicts will be difficult to control. But this is where the Holy Spirit is available to help you. Use the authority of Jesus' Name to dismiss contrary thoughts and command your mind to focus on Jesus and nothing else. Psalm 131:2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. GKidz Barnabas Club 2015 4
Desire to draw close to the Holy Spirit, just a like a weaned child.] Station 2: Hands Anointing Materials Needed: Anointing Oil, Plastic Sheet to protect the floor, Tissue paper to clean hands if necessary (GKidz to provide) Activity: Leaders are to anoint the hands of each child and pray over those hands prophetically. [Script for leader: God did not give us a pair of hands to fight, destroy or steal. He doesn t want us to be lazy and not successful with our hands. He gave us hands so that we can build, love, bless, heal and do great things for Him. Leaders may pray this prayer as they anoint the hands of children with oil, they can also release words that the Holy Spirit reveals to them as they pray. Dear God, I bless these hands. Use these hands to be a blessing. Give us clean hands and a pure heart to do what you want us to do. Confirm the works of our hands. Help these hands to do all things through your strength. ] Station 3: Prayer Mats (LP) /Tents (Suntec) Materials Needed: 5 Sleeping Bags, 5 plastic sheets (LP) / 8 Tents (Suntec) (GKidz to provide) Activity: The children can lie down, face facing upwards/downwards on the mat (sleeping bags). Or be in kneeling position. Have their backs facing one another. If it is a tent, allow the children to sit in the tent alone. Children are to close their eyes and be still for some time. Then they will pray, tell God what they are most concerned about. Then, they are to stop praying and let the Holy Spirit speak to them about what they are praying about. If the child is unable to concentrate to pray, the leaders are to pray over the child and speak to the spirit of each child, that they will receive God s love, know God s presence and fulfill their God-given destiny. Station 4: Prophetic Drawing Materials Needed: A piece of paper each, 2 pieces of colouring material per child, background music (GKidz will provide) Given each child a piece of paper and ensure that drawing materials are within reach. With the background music playing, allow the children to be still and draw out any first impressions that come to their minds as they ask God what God thinks about them or their family. GKidz Barnabas Club 2015 5
[Script for leader: In the beginning God created everything on earth. God is a creative God. He creates out of nothing. And He will put in our minds words an drawings about our lives, about our school, about our family, about our friends and about our church. Draw as the Holy Spirit reveals any pictures to you. Take a step of faith and start drawing anything that comes to your mind. And ask the Holy Spirit for more as you draw. ] Station 5: Words of Declaration Materials Needed: Printed Promises of God (GKidz will provide) Activity: Children will take one promise from a set of cards. It will contain a verse and the children are to read aloud it over their spirit man for 5 minutes and let the Word of God speak into their lives. Pause and ask the Holy Spirit to show them how to apply this Word into their lives. Small Group Processing (10 mins) Gather the children in their small groups 10 mins before the service ends. Have them take time to write down what the Holy Spirit has spoken to them if they did not do it at the various stations. Encourage them to share with one another one thing that the Holy Spirit has spoken to them as they tune in to Him. GKidz Barnabas Club 2015 6