A. The Belt of Truth

The first step in preparation for battle was for men to gird their loins. Men in ancient times wore long, loose robes. These robes were difficult to run in and could hinder a person fighting in battle. Because of this, men would pull the robes up and tie them about their wastes with a belt. From this belt they would also attach other battle gear. The belt of truth is that on which our other equipment rests. The scabbard for a sword and the breastplate are both attached to the belt.

• Why is truth so important in spiritual battle?
• What are some of the worlds lies about life? Satan’s lies?
• How can untruths (lies) hinder us in spiritual battle?

B. The Breastplate of Righteousness

The breastplate guards your heart (See Psalm 119:11). Our basic defence against evil is obedience to the will of God as revealed in the Bible. Wrong actions and thoughts are weak spots through which Satan can shoot his flaming arrows. (see also Proverbs 4:23: It is important for the Christian to guide his mind and his heart. Why? They determine our actions. You might discuss ways to guard our heart and mind.)

• Why is righteousness important in spiritual battle?
• What are some weak spots in your breastplate (i.e. areas that you are vulnerable to spiritual attack)?

C. The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

Bad shoes can really have an impact on you in the battle. If you have ever run for any distance with a bad pair of shoes you understand the difference good shoes can make. The gospel is one of peace—peace between God and man. Because of the peace we have with God we are able to fight our battles. (see also Romans 10:13-15)

• Do you have peace with God? Why or why not?
• How can peace with God help you to be a better soldier in battle?

D. The Shield of Faith

The shield Paul mentions is not a small round shield, but the shield common in his time. It measured about 2 1/2 feet across and about 4 feet tall. It was made of leather, often soaked in water so that it could protect against flaming arrows. Faith is trust in God. The root of most sin is a lack of trust that God can or will meet your needs. Because we do not trust God, we try to meet our own needs, in ways that are harmful to us. God created us and knows us best so he is best able to meet our needs. Faith thus becomes our protection against harm.

• Why is faith so important in spiritual battle? How does it protect us from attacks?
• What are some areas in which you have a hard time trusting God?

E. The Helmet of Salvation

The head is the most vital area of a soldier. Often as a soldier looked above his shield his head was vulnerable. With Christ as your savior, you are no longer vulnerable.

• Are you wearing the helmet of salvation? If so, when were you saved? If not, why not?
• How does a person become saved?

F. The Sword of the Spirit

The “sword of the Spirit” is the only offensive weapon listed. It is the only weapon adequate for spiritual battle. Only through God’s Word can we fight our battles. (See Psalm 119:11 and Hebrews 4:12) Whenever a soldier goes to battle, he takes his weapons with him. Christians are often involved in spiritual battle, yet we often leave our “swords” at home. We fail to practice using our swords and then don’t even take them to battle. Memorizing scripture helps us to have our swords available at all time. Christ was always prepared for battle and armed with the “sword.” (see Matthew 4)

• Why is the Bible important in spiritual battle?
• Do you practice using your “sword” of the Spirit?
• Do you keep your scripture knowledge sharp or do you let it rust?
• Do you carry your sword with you to battle?
• Do you memorize scripture?

What best describes my current situation in spiritual battle? Explain your answer.

• In basic training
• In the mess hall
• Running from the battle
• Running to the battle
• In communication with Headquarters
• In the latrine
• Dedicated to my mission
• A prisoner of war (P.O.W.)
• Camouflaged
• Absent without leave (A.W.O.L.)
• A M.A.S.H. unit
• Wounded
• On the front lines
• Obeying my orders
• Ready to help other soldiers
• Practicing my drills daily
• Military observer
• Sitting Duck
• Covert Operations

My biggest problems in spiritual battles are: (Explain your answer)

1. I forget my equipment
2. I run away from battles
3. I doubt my enlistment into the army of God
4. Enemy distractions
5. Fatigue (I’m tired)
6. I lose communication with the Commander
7. I don’t know my training manual
8. Family road blocks
9. The enemy takes me prisoner to sin
10. I lose focus in the battle
11. I fail to trust the commander
12. Sneak attacks on my faith
13. Sabataged friendships
14. I worry about what others will think
15. Enlisting God’s help
16. False intelligence
17. Lack of courage
18. Too many battles at one time
19. Fear
20. Other?_________________________

• Who are your heroes?
• Name one person in the church you look up to or respect and why?
• Name one peer you look up to and why?
• What spiritual question do you find most puzzling?
• If you could change one thing in the church or about the church what would you change?
• What was your most meaningful spiritual moment? Why?
• What is your biggest struggle as a Christian?
• When? Where? How did you accept Christ?
• Have you been baptized? Why or why not?
• What is your greatest strength as a Christian?
• What is your greatest weakness as a Christian?
• What part of the Christian walk do you find most difficult for you to do?
• What types of people do you have the most difficulty relating to?
• What is your parent’s most common complaint about you?
• What is your most common complaint about your parent?

1. Why is Father’s Day celebrated? Why is such a day good/beneficial?
2. How old was your father when he got married? At what age do most men in our country get married?
3. In our culture, what are a father’s duties to his children? to his wife? to his parents? to his community?
4. What does your father do?
5. What are your father’s hobbies?
6. What makes a good father?
7. What makes a bad father?
8. What is your favorite memory of your father?
9. What do you like best about your father?
10. How can you show your love for your father?
11. How can you show your father you appreciate him?

Variation
“My Father is the best Because… ”
Each student is given one minute to give as many reasons as possible why his or her father is the best father in the world.

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Materials
Form two teams to play

Activity
1. Each person one a team is given a chance to tell the opposing team something about his / herself. They may choose to say something that is true or something that is false. For example, someone could say, “My favorite food is my mom’s fried chicken” or “I went to the school swimming meet on Friday night.”
2. The other team will try to guess if the person is telling the truth. If they think he/she is lying, they’ll say, “We doubt it.” If they think he / she is telling the truth, they’ll say, “We believe you.”
3. If the person sharing the info fools the opposing team, his/her team gets a point. If the other team guesses correctly, it gets a point.
4. Alternate teams until each person has had a chance to tell something about themselves.
5. Tally the score, and declare a winner.

Debrief
* What was it like to try to guess if someone was telling the truth?
* How is this similar to real life situations?

Read the story John 20:24-31 then ask:
* How is this game like trying to decide whether to believe what Jesus says? How is it different?
* What are some things that you have doubted in the Bible? About God?
* What are some of your doubts?
* Are doubts good or bad?

Application
Doubting Thomas exemplifies an honest seeker that asks for solid evidence before belief. Jesus did not reject his questioning, instead He met his questions head-on and provided the evidence Thomas needed to believe. We see in scripture that God does not reject honest and sincere seeking after the truth. If some obstruction occurs in our trust and relationship with God that impedes progress, then God does give us room to ask questions. The issue that remains is how do we go about seeking after the truth.

Preparation
1. Arrange nine people into a 3 X 3 grid of chairs.
2. Prepare a series of questions related to your topic. Give the questions to the nine people in advance.
3. Divide the rest of the group into two teams. Designate one team as X and the other as O.
4. Large printed X and O for each of the nine people sitting in the tic-tac-toe grid
Game Play
1. The team chooses a square
2. A moderator, Game Host, asks the next question to the person in the desired square.
3. This person may answer the question truthfully or create an answer that sounds truthful i.e. bluff. (The people in the squares are provided correct answers to factual questions, but are not obligated to use them)
4) The team member decides to agree or disagree with the answer given. The team must then correctly decide whether it is a bluff or the person is giving the correct answer to get control of that square. Team members may not talk to each other and must take turns.
5) If the team member’s decision is correct s/he receives the team’s X or O in the square. If incorrect the opponent teams X or O is placed into the square.
6) Teams alternate
7) First team to get tic – tac – toe is the winner of this round.

Have enough questions for multiple rounds. Team that wins the most rounds is the voerall winner.

Things to consider when creating questions for Discussion

The best teachers:
1) have the greatest knowledge of the material,
2) have the strongest feelings concerning its importance, and
3) are the ones who are most consistently applying it to their lives.

By influencing thinking and feelings towards issues and Biblical Teaching you have a long-lasting impact on actions. You can directly influence actions, but it will be only temporary unless you also influence thinking and feelings.

You should have questions that fall into EACH of the THREE of the following areas:

1. To know – an appeal to intellect, knowledge
* What do you want them to understand more clearly? (This is usually as far as most groups get, but the next two elements are equally important.)

2. To feel – an appeal to emotion
* How do you want the group to feel? Challenged? Loved? Secure? Excited? This personalizes the input. They can study the cold facts and achieve the “knowledge” goal. But it takes the Holy Spirit using your effective introduction and the kinds of questions you ask to make them personally feel the truth as applied to them. Only when the heart is added to the thinking does real lasting change take place.

3. To do – an appeal for action
* What do you want them to specifically do as a result of this time? You motivate them to accomlish this goal through the conclusion and application time. This is the weakest part of most lessons. Often the application is either not planned or pushed out due to lack of time.

The best test of the effectiveness of your teaching is not what you do, but what your students do as a result of your teaching and how they apply the knowledge gained.

Scripture
2 Kings 1:1-4:44

Summary
Elijah mentored Elisha as both were used by God to carry his words to the Israelites.

Questions

1. Who are the mentors in your life? Who are your role models, the people you look up to? Do you have spiritual mentors? If so, who? Are you a mentor to other youth?

2. Some of you received your faith through your parents. Do you feel somewhat like Elisha following in Elijah’s footsteps? What expectations are placed on you because of your parent’s faith? What feelings do you have as a result of these expectations?

3. What needs do you have as a youth living for God? What are your struggles in defending the faith as Elijah and Elisha did? How can the story of Elisha help you in dealing with needs, expectations, and struggles in living for God?

4. In what ways was Elisha confirmed and encouraged in his call to ministry by his mentor? How can you discover your own call to ministry? What confirmations do you seek in living for God? What would it take for God to convince you to stand up for God in your school?

5. What were the things that Elisha gained as he was mentored by Elijah? What lessons did he learn? What things were most important to his own call and ministry?

6. Elisha and Elijah had many visible signs that God was with them. Name some of them. What visible signs have you seen that God is with you?

7. What lessons can we learn from the story of Elijah and Elisha about mentoring? About standing up for God? About being God’s spokesman? About answering God’s call in our lives?