The Armor of God, found in Ephesians 6, is a great key concept for teaching kids how to deal with daily life.  Because kids love knights in armor and hearing about their battles, the Armor of God is easy to teach and fun to learn.

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:10-17 (ESV), “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of righteousness, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Here are some great ideas to bring the Armor of God concepts to life in your class:

Ask a Soldier about the Armor of God

Do you know any men or women in the military? Maybe there is someone in your church or community who has served in the armed forces. Ask them if they would be willing to come to your Sunday school class in their Battle Dress Uniform (also called “BDU’s”)and share with the kids about the equipment they use. Their gear will likely include boots(“shoes for your feet”), a helmet(“the helmet of salvation”), and a Kevlar(bullet-proof) vest(“the breastplate of righteousness” OR “the shield of faith”). Ask them to explain to the class what each piece of equipment is for and how it protects them. Then, use their explanations to tie into the Armor of God. If you don’t know anyone in the military, maybe you know a police officer who would likely have some similar gear. Or, check your local library for books for kids that would include descriptions of the equipment soldiers use today.

Armor of God Bible Cover

A fun and easy craft to go along with an Armor of God Bible lesson is making a “sword of the Spirit” Bible cover. For this craft you will need brown grocery bags, tape, scissors, and markers or crayons.

Cut down one side of each bag, then cut out the bottoms (older kids can do the cutting  themselves). Open the bags so they lay flat. Have the kids open their Bibles on the flattened bag and trace around them, leaving about a half inch overhang around the top and bottom, and about four extra inches on each side to form pockets for the Bible to slip into. Lay the Bibles back down on the paper and fold the ends over the front and back covers, then tape them in place to form the pockets. Then have the kids close their Bibles and write, “The Sword of the Spirit, Ephesians 6:17” on the front and then decorate however they like.

To apply the lesson, tell the kids they are enlisted in “boot camp” this week! Tell them to practice using their “Swords of the Spirit” every day. Ask them to read and memorize part or all the Armor of God verses in Ephesians and any other passages you choose. The following week, ask for a report on their progress and consider making a military-style badge for them to wear as “rank”!