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Session 19 - FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT – SELF CONTROL

MATERIALS:
Photocopy the Bible Verse and Bible Verse Cards. SELF CONTROLLED banner. ‘No Self Control’ pictures Photocopy lions and Self Control button sheet enough for each child. Crayons. Small prize for the tallest Moringa tree. Coconut, Watermelon. Soursop and Super Fruit handout one for each family.

AS KIDS ARRIVE PRIOR TO THE LESSON
Get 11 children to colour the SELF CONTROLLED banners and the Bible Verse Cards prior to the lesson.

1. GAMES: (10 minutes)
Sleeping Lions Game
In this game, all of the children (except one hunter ) lie down on the floor pretending to sleep. Once they are settled, they are not allowed to move. The hunter walk through the room and tries to make the sleeping lions move by making them laugh. The hunter is not allowed to touch the lions. Once the lions have moved, they get up and join the hunter.

2. TEAM GAMES: (10 minutes)
Giggle Game
To play the Giggle Game, separate the group into two teams. Name one child from each group as “SELF CONTROLLED.” The other children in the team can do anything they want to make this person laugh, except touch them. Once the child laughs, another child takes a turn being SELF CONTROLLED” until all the players have had a chance. The last team to finish is the winner, because they had more self control.

After the game talk about self-control. Explain that it is usually okay to laugh, but there are times when we shouldn’t laugh. Like when someone is hurt or sad, during quiet time at school or church, if you are somewhere and you have been asked to be quiet.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heaven. …a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3: 1,4 Use the Bible Verse Cards to understand this Bible Verse.

3. ACTIVE PRAISE CHORUS (10 minutes)
Optional: View ‘Self Control’ music video using lyrical visual aids

4. INTIMATE WORSHIP (5 minutes)

Optional: View ‘Let us be self controlled’ music video, using lyrical visual aids

Optional: Play and sing ‘Give me self control’ using key board and guitar music sheets and lyrical visual aids.

5. TEACHING
a. “Back Track” Review

Optional: View ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ review music video, using lyrical visual aids

Optional: Get a child to come forward and read the Gentleness Poem

Do you remember the story of David in the Desert. Who can recall the story?

Did you remember to check the height of your Moring? Lets look at your pictures.

I have a prize for the tallest tree!

b. Sword Play
Ready…Swords up… 1 Peter 5: 8… CHARGE!

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Use the Bible Verse Cards

c. Teach the Lesson (15 minutes)

Optional: View ‘Kids Character Builders self control’ Teaching video

When we are full of the Holy Spirit, it is easier to use self-control. Remember you will never be tempted beyond what God will help you handle. (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Object Lesson: Hand out the lion pictures and get the children to place their hands over the lion and drew around their fingers.

Encourage your children to clasp their hands together tightly when they feel like they are going to lose self-control. Explain that Satan is strong like a lion, but we can be stronger than Satan when we go to God for help. Just as the tracing of their hands covers the lion, they can be stronger than the temptation Satan sends when they are full of the Holy Spirit. Tell your children that putting their hands together will help remind them to talk to God and ask for His help in maintaining self-control.

Questions for discussion:
• Who does the Bible say is like a lion? (The devil)
• Could you win in a fight against a real lion? (No)
• Who could help you fight a lion and how? (The Holy Spirit gives us self control)
• Why do you need to be alert? (Because the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour.)

So how can you beat Satan when he is acting like a lion? (Ask God to help you - pray)

“Dear God, I am having trouble controlling my tongue. I say unkind things without thinking. Please help me to be full of Your Holy Spirit so I think before I speak. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.”

Lions that stalk their prey need to use self-control. If lions charged their prey before waiting for the right moment, they would make a noise and the prey would have time to get away. Even though they are close enough to attack and they may be very hungry, they must use self-control and wait until exactly the right time to pounce To be good hunters they need a combination of self-control and patience.

Bible Story:
Jesus fights temptation (Read Luke 4:1-13)
Key concepts The Bible says Satan tempted Jesus for forty days. During this time, Jesus did not eat. Satan tempted Jesus with food, power and the opportunity to show off His power and to honour Himself instead of God. When Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus used Bible verses to tell Satan why He wasn’t going to do what he asked Him to do. Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit, which means God helped him be self-controlled. It is the same for you and I. If we try to fight Satan and temptation on our own, it is difficult, and perhaps impossible. If we ask God to fill us with His Holy Spirit to help us fight Satan we can be strong and victorious like Jesus.

Questions for discussion
1. Have you ever been really hungry? (Share)
2. How badly did you want to eat? (Share)
3. Can you imagine how hungry Jesus must have been after not eating for 40 days?
4. Jesus had all the power in the world and Satan tempted him to show it off, but Jesus didn’t. How did Jesus resist temptation? (He used the Word of God against Satan)
6. Discuss the ‘No self control’ posters.

When we do not use self-control, we end up “biting and devouring” each other, and “provoking and envying” each other. This is not God’s plan for our lives. He would rather see us encouraging and building one another up. Give everyone a ‘Self Control Badge’ to pin on their clothes.

6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD
Encourage your children to bring their lion pictures and to clasp their hands together tightly and pray. “Heavenly Father you know that self-control doesn’t come easily to me. Please forgive me for the times I have said and done things rashly. Please remind me to consider self-control as “God-control” – not trying to control myself with human effort, but rather depending on You to fill me with the Holy Spirit so I can be self-controlled. Holy Spirit make that supernatural change in me. Give me the fruit of Your Spirit, especially self-control Amen”.

CLOSING PRAYER

TAKE HOME PAGE
Give one ‘Take Home Truth’ and Super Fruit handout one for each family at the end of class.

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