Family Day 13: The armor of God
Dive into the Word
"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." -Ephesians 6:11-18 (NIV)
Family Moment
Gather the following supplies for armor of God dress up: belt, coat (breastplate), shoes, plate (shield), bike helmet and paper-towel tube (or toy sword). Select a family member to put on all the items as someone reads this passage our loud. Name the items as you put them on, and have kids shout out what they stand for (e.g., "Belt?" "Truth!"). The armor of God reminds us that God fights for us, and He equips us with everything we need to stand firm. Talk about the "battles" you faced last week (big or small), and discuss how the armor of God would be helpful for each battle shared.
Let's Pray!
- Remember to "be alert" and always keep praying for all the Lord's people (v 18)!
- As believers, we get to bring our "requests" -big or small- to the Lord and ask Him to help us and our friends and family each day.
- Pray: "God, thank You that You have given us the full armor of God to protect our hearts. We ask You to help us to stand firm in our faith and to help those around us. In Jesus' name, Amen."