This Sunday school lesson will help you teach kids about the power of prayer. From an early age, kids are taught to say their prayers before bed or maybe even thank God for their food.
Of course, when there is dire need, we all bow our head and turn to God for help and healing, but there is so much more to prayer time than just these times of your life.
The bible verse for this lesson is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV. Use this verse for your lesson and as a memory verse to learn for the following week. It is simple and easy to learn. It's also great for teachers, so show your kids you are learning it right along with them.
Begin your lesson by asking, "How many of you want to do what God wants?"
Wait for hands to be raised. Hopefully, all of your class will want to do what God wants them to do. If you have young children (pre-school or younger), you may have to ask questions to get them to understand what you're asking.
Some questions you may ask could be:
"Do you want to make God happy?"
"Do you want to make God smile?"
"Do you want Jesus to be proud of you?"
Once the kids are ready, have them stand up and turn around facing their seat (or on the floor). Have them bow down on their knees and put their head on their hands or even in their hands. Some kids like to pull their shirts up around their head so that no one can see them.
Ask them to quietly bow their head and think only of God and Jesus. For very small children, have them bow for about 30 seconds, for elementary kids - about 60 seconds, for middle school kids - about 90 seconds, and for teens - about 2 to 3 minutes. If your teens are mature, you may want to have them bow for 5 minutes or longer.
Tell them that if anything else comes into their mind besides God and Jesus, they are to push it out. Then, concentrate again.
Believe it or not, just a few quite minutes thinking of God will make a world of difference in the mood of your class.
Some kids will have a hard time the first couple of times you do this, so before beginning the quiet time with God, be sure to tell them; if playing video games comes into your mind - push it out, if food or soccer comes into your mind - push it out, if your knees begin to hurt - push it out.
Think only of God or Jesus.
For instance, some kids may have trouble telling the truth. Others may have trouble with not minding their parents or back talking. Some kids may have a temper.
Whatever it is the kids think they need God's help with, tell them to write it down on the paper you gave them. For small kids, help them write it and let them hold it.
After all the kids are finished, have them fold the paper once and hold it in their hand.
Now, have them get back into the bowing position at their seats.
This time, instead of having quiet time with God, have them prayer only for the thing they wrote down on their paper.
Allow as much time as needed for the kids to finish. Teens tend to take much longer, be sure to let them finish without interruption.
For children who don't have cell phones or e-mails, get their parents' numbers.
Let the kids know that you will be contacting them during the week. Tell them to look for a text or e-mail that will say:
Pray without ceasing!
This will serve to remind them to pray for the thing they wrote down on the paper and spend a minute or two quiet time with God.
The bible tells us:
This is your time to make a difference. Don't miss out.
The power of prayer and quiet with God is amazing. You and your Sunday school class will begin to see this as you practice this each week.
May God bless you.
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Of course, when there is dire need, we all bow our head and turn to God for help and healing, but there is so much more to prayer time than just these times of your life.
The bible verse for this lesson is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV. Use this verse for your lesson and as a memory verse to learn for the following week. It is simple and easy to learn. It's also great for teachers, so show your kids you are learning it right along with them.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray without ceasing.
Prayer Time This picture was taken in 1936 during the Great Depression. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons |
The Power of Prayer - Sunday School Lesson
Begin your lesson by asking, "How many of you want to do what God wants?"
Wait for hands to be raised. Hopefully, all of your class will want to do what God wants them to do. If you have young children (pre-school or younger), you may have to ask questions to get them to understand what you're asking.
Train up a child... Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons |
Some questions you may ask could be:
"Do you want to make God happy?"
"Do you want to make God smile?"
"Do you want Jesus to be proud of you?"
Once the kids are ready, have them stand up and turn around facing their seat (or on the floor). Have them bow down on their knees and put their head on their hands or even in their hands. Some kids like to pull their shirts up around their head so that no one can see them.
Ask them to quietly bow their head and think only of God and Jesus. For very small children, have them bow for about 30 seconds, for elementary kids - about 60 seconds, for middle school kids - about 90 seconds, and for teens - about 2 to 3 minutes. If your teens are mature, you may want to have them bow for 5 minutes or longer.
Tell them that if anything else comes into their mind besides God and Jesus, they are to push it out. Then, concentrate again.
Believe it or not, just a few quite minutes thinking of God will make a world of difference in the mood of your class.
Some kids will have a hard time the first couple of times you do this, so before beginning the quiet time with God, be sure to tell them; if playing video games comes into your mind - push it out, if food or soccer comes into your mind - push it out, if your knees begin to hurt - push it out.
Think only of God or Jesus.
The Power of Prayer
Let the kids sit back onto their chair. Before class, have a pencil and small piece of paper ready for each child or teen. While you are handing out the paper and pencils, have the kids think about one thing (or two or three things for teens) they would like God to help them with.Be sure to have paper and pencils. |
Whatever it is the kids think they need God's help with, tell them to write it down on the paper you gave them. For small kids, help them write it and let them hold it.
After all the kids are finished, have them fold the paper once and hold it in their hand.
Now, have them get back into the bowing position at their seats.
This time, instead of having quiet time with God, have them prayer only for the thing they wrote down on their paper.
Allow as much time as needed for the kids to finish. Teens tend to take much longer, be sure to let them finish without interruption.
Following Up on The Power of Prayer
Powerful prayers can lead to miracles! Don't let this prayer time stop at Sunday school. Before the kids leave, ask them to write down their texting numbers or e-mail addresses. Find some way to contact them.Text your Sunday School Class during the week. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons |
Let the kids know that you will be contacting them during the week. Tell them to look for a text or e-mail that will say:
Pray without ceasing!
This will serve to remind them to pray for the thing they wrote down on the paper and spend a minute or two quiet time with God.
The bible tells us:
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 KJV
This is your time to make a difference. Don't miss out.
The power of prayer and quiet with God is amazing. You and your Sunday school class will begin to see this as you practice this each week.
May God bless you.
Find more FREE Sunday School Lessons!