Christ Integration Camp

Say:

• The sixth piece of armor that Paul discusses in Ephesians 6 is the sword of the spirit, which represents the Word of God. For a Roman soldier, the sword served as an offensive weapon against enemies. When sharpened, the sword could pierce through just about anything, making it a very dangerous tool.
• To understand the connection between the sword and the Word of God, it is first important to understand the power of God’s Word. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
• Through God’s Word, we can distinguish between right and wrong. As a result, we can strive to live in a way that is free from sin. His Word is the ultimate truth, and we can find confidence in knowing it is our greatest weapon.
• So let’s look at God’s Word a little closer with another illustration – a GPS.
  • Ask students if they or their parents have ever used a GPS – Global Positioning System.  Demonstrate it using Google Maps on your phone or I pad.  God’s Word acts like a spiritual GPS for us.  Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16 – All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for
    • teaching, – like a GPS, God’s Word tells us the right way to go to get to our destination – abiding in & with God.
    • for rebuking,  – when we make a wrong turn, our GPS alerts us; God’s Word warns us too
    • for correcting,  – the GPS will then say “rerouting” and tell us the right way to get back on the correct road
    • for training in righteousness, – then the GPS will continue telling us the correct way to go until we reach our destination.  God’s Word continues teaching us as we read & study it too!
    • A GPS only works though if we turn it on and use it.  Ephesians 6:17 tells us to “take up the Sword of the Spirit”; it does no good unless we know the Word of God and allow the Spirit to use it in our lives.
• So, how can we use the sword of the spirit in our lives? We are not meant to keep the knowledge we gain from God’s Word to ourselves. When we are asked to defend what we believe, we can use God’s Word to point back to Him.
• Sometimes, it is not easy to take up our swords and fight against the enemy. However, we are not called to do this by our own strength. When facing trials, we can find peace in knowing that God is on our side. Romans 8:31 says, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
• I encourage you to take up the sword of the spirit in your daily life. Remember that God’s Word is the ultimate truth and that we can stand on His promises. With God on our side, we are unstoppable.

If there is time…allow kids to practice using the Bible by looking up the following Bible verses. For each verse they get right they get a piece of candy.

• Exodus 14:14
• Psalm 149:6
• Proverbs 30:5
•  Isaiah 55:11
• Jeremiah 33:3
• Zephaniah, 3:17
• Romans 8:31
• 2 Corinthians 10:4
• Ephesians 6:17
• Colossians 3:16
• 1 Timothy 6:12
• James 1:12 
• 2 Peter 3:17
• 1 John 1:5
• Revelation 1:7-8