The Holy Spirit KO’s The Flesh New Testament Survey – 555

43. The Holy Spirit KO’s The Flesh

The Course

Key Verse: Galatians 5:22-23 – What kind of fruit does God want in my life? Romans 3:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Galatians 5:16-23

The Goals

As a result of this lesson the children will: 1. Understand the difference between the works of the flesh and the fruit of Spirit. 2. Want to have the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. 3. Let the Holy Spirit help them obey God and have the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.

The Equipment Room

For the following lesson you will need: 1. A tool box [Containing nine plastic tools] 2. A bowl [Containing nine pieces of plastic fruit] 3. Visuals #1-9 [As PowerPoint] 4. Rewards for answering questions [Either Olympian Bucks, candy, or fruit snacks]

The Warm-up

Game: Have a banana eating relay contest. Place a bunch of bananas on a table with a trash can nearby. Divide the Olympians into relay teams. Have each team line up behind a starting line, some distance away from the table. Each member on the team must run down to the table, eat a banana, throw the peel in the trash can, run back, and tag the next person on his team who then repeats the action. Continue this until everyone has run the race. The team that finishes first is the winner. Give a fruity prize. Activity: Peel a bunch of bananas, separating the strips of peeling so they are not connected. Mash the bananas or cut up into chunks. Divide the Olympians into groups and give each group a banana peel, some mashed bananas in a bowl, some glue, and a few small tools such as a hammer, a screwdriver, and a wrench. Show them a whole banana and tell them to make one. When they are finished [or give up], tell them only God can make a real banana. This will help them understand the concept that we can’t build spiritual fruit either; only God can. Snacks: Dried or fresh fruit. Scripture Memory Review Game: Stand children in a circle. Using an apple or an orange, have them pass the piece of fruit around the circle while music is playing. When the music stops, whoever has the apple or the orange gets an opportunity to say the verse. If they can say it, they get a prize. If they can’t say it alone, say the verse together.

The Holy Spirit KO’s The Flesh New Testament Survey – 556

Opening Ceremonies

Songs: Run the Race; Sunshine in my Soul [See Olympian CD Tracks 1 and 2]; Fruit of the Spirit Bible Lesson Review: Bring fruit such as bananas, apples, oranges, or other fruit that is in season. Underneath each piece of fruit place point values. When a team answers a question correctly, they may choose a piece of fruit and receive the points underneath. The child who chooses also gets to keep the piece of fruit.

The Coach’s Corner

[Note to Bible Coach: In this lesson, please note that the text in Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of the fruit (singular) – not fruits (plural) – of the Spirit. Allow the children to answer the questions throughout the lesson. ] Today I’m going to ask you a lot of questions, and I want you to help me teach this lesson by giving the answers. When I ask a question, you must raise your hand and wait until I call on someone to answer. The person who gives the correct answer will get a reward. [You may use Olympian Bucks here and allow the children to use them in the Olympian Store. If you do not have a store or do not use Olympian Bucks, you can use some treat, such as individual packs of fruit snacks.] Today we are going to talk about some verses in Galatians, chapter five. Mainly we’ll be discussing the Holy Spirit and the flesh. Can anyone tell me who the Holy Spirit is? He is God. God exists in three persons known as the Trinity. Can anyone tell me who makes up the Trinity? It is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. So, the Holy Spirit is one of those three persons, but they are all equally God. Here’s another question. What is the flesh? When the Bible talks about the flesh, it’s talking about more than just our bodies. It’s also talking about the part of us that wants to sin. It’s our sinful desires. We all have sinful desires, even Christians. Do you always want to obey your parents? When you’re out playing with your friends, having a really fun time and your mom calls you to come home for dinner, do you always want to go home right away? Sometimes you just want to ignore Mom and stay out and play, don’t you? Maybe your brother or sister won’t let you play with their toys, and you get so angry you just want to hit them. That would be wrong, wouldn’t it? That’s what the Bible is talking about in this chapter. It’s talking about our desire to sin or our desire for things that are not good for us. What is sin? Sin is anything we do, think, or say that is wrong that doesn’t please God. If you ignored your mom and stayed outside to play, that would be a sin. If you got angry and hit your brother, that would be a sin. That would be acting on your sinful desire to be disobedient to your mom or to take what belongs to your brother. Can anyone give us another example of sin? [Allow time for two or three children to answer] The Bible calls those sinful desires our flesh. We also want to look at not only the works of the flesh or sinful desires, but the opposite which is known as the fruit of the Spirit. These are the characteristics that God wants in our lives. A fruit tree must have the right conditions and climate to produce fruit. Once it produces the fruit, the fruit is meant to be eaten not admired or put on display. The same is true for a person who has accepted Christ as their Savior. They receive the Holy Spirit when they accepted Christ as their Savior but need to grow by studying the Bible, worshiping God, getting together with other Christians, and praying, just to name a few. Once they are obeying God by putting the right things into their lives, the fruit of the Spirit will start to be evident. It is not something we do, but it is God working in our lives. The fruit is evident in our lives so that others might be fed and helped and will bring glory to God.

The Holy Spirit KO’s The Flesh New Testament Survey – 557

(9) Let’s look at Galatians 5:17. [Read Galatians 5:17.] The Bible is teaching us here that the Holy Spirit and our flesh fight against each other. Our flesh or our sinful desires, want us to do things our way, even if it means that we disobey God. The Holy Spirit wants us to obey God and His Word. In every Christian, there is a battle going on between the Holy Spirit and our sinful desires, the flesh. Every Christian is fighting this battle. So, are the works of the flesh good or bad? [They’re bad.] Is the fruit of the Spirit good or bad? [It’s good.] I have here a tool box full of tools and a bowl full of fruit. [Show the children the tool box and the fruit bowl.] What are tools used for? [Allow children to respond.] They’re used to do work. So, we’re going to use these tools to represent the works of the flesh. I have fruit that we will use to represent the fruit of the Spirit. So, if I ask a question and the correct answer is works of the flesh, I will give the person who answered correctly one of the tools. If I ask a question and the correct answer is fruit of the Spirit, I will give that person a piece of fruit. When we are done with our lesson, you can turn your tool or fruit into one of the coaches for a double reward. Let me read for you some of the things the Bible talks about and see if you can tell if it’s the work of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit. [Read Galatians 5:19.] All these things have to do with someone touching your body or you touching someone else’s body in a wrong way. Is that kind of touching a work of the flesh or a fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: A work of the flesh. Give them a tool.] Okay, here’s another one found in Galatians 5:23: Temperance or self-control [Display Visual #1.] which means to stop from doing what is wrong. Our hands are under control so that we don’t hit others; our mouths are under control so that we don’t complain or talk back to our parents. We help others in need. Is self-control a work of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The fruit of the Spirit. Give them a fruit.] How about this one: joy, which means you are happy no matter what is going on in your life. [Display Visual #2.] You have a smile on your face and a song in your heart, instead of pouting or complaining when things don’t go your way. Is joy a work of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The fruit of the Spirit. Give them a fruit.] Here’s one that’s pretty obvious: Hatred which means we treat others badly. Maybe we won’t talk to someone at school because we don’t like them, or we call them names, or we won’t play with them. Or somebody does something to you, and you want to get even with them. Is that a work of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The work of the flesh. Give them a tool.] Love is doing good for someone else for their benefit, whether you feel like it or not. [Display Visual #3.] Let’s say you take out the garbage for your mom without her asking you to, or you clean your room because you know it would make your parents happy, or you invite someone to church and Olympians so they can hear about Jesus. That would be showing them love. Is love a work of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The fruit of the Spirit. Give them a fruit.] The Bible also talks in Galatians 5 about things like wrath, or being angry with people when you shouldn’t be; strife, which is fighting with others; murder, which is killing someone out of anger or hatred; and drunkenness. Are these the works of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The work of the flesh. Give them a tool.] There are a few more listed in Galatians 5:22-23. We’re going to go through these quickly, so get ready. Here we go. Peace means not fighting with others and not worrying about things. [Display Visual # 4.] Even when it’s storming outside, trust that God is in control and will take care of you, so you aren’t afraid. Flesh or fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The fruit of the Spirit. Give them a fruit.]

ADAPTATION > 9

Challengers Only

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Longsuffering or patience means not getting upset or angry with people even when they frustrate you or treat you badly. [Display Visual #5.] Instead, treat them as a good friend. Flesh or fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The fruit of the Spirit. Give them a fruit.] Gentleness means being kind to other people. [Display Visual #6.] When children at school are making fun of someone, don’t join in and make fun of them, Instead, treat them nicely and be their friend. Flesh or fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The fruit of the Spirit. Give them a fruit.] Goodness [Display Visual #7.] means doing good things for others like holding a door open for an elderly person, or when someone at school drops their book in the hallway, stop and help them pick it up. Flesh or fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The fruit of the Spirit. Give them a fruit.] Faith [Display Visual #8.] means to trust the Lord, even in difficult times, and be faithful to Him. Flesh or fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The fruit of the Spirit. Give them a fruit.] Meekness [Display Visual #9.] means to do what is right, in a loving and kind way even when it’s hard. Flesh or fruit of the Spirit? [Allow a child to answer: The fruit of the Spirit. Give them a fruit.] Remember that the fruit of the Spirit can only be seen as God working in our lives. (6)(7)

Running the Race

Mostly Unchurched Children Mostly Churched Children [Allow the children to answer the questions in this section, but do not give them a treat for correct answers, as before.] God wants to change you so that you will have the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Before you can have the fruit of the Spirit, you must ask Jesus to come into your life and save you from your sin. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” [Read Romans 6:23 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.] I’m going to ask our coaches to come forward. [Have the coaches come forward who will present the plan of salvation to the children who respond.] If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior and you would like to do so today, then you may stand up and go with these coaches. If you’re not sure if you’re saved or if the Holy Spirit lives in you but you want to make sure, then you may go also. [Have the children who respond go with the coaches to another room.] God wants to change you to be more like Jesus. He wants to change you from the inside out. In order to do that, when you trust Jesus as your Savior, God sends the Holy Spirit to live within you. He is there to help you obey God and change you to be like Jesus. As we obey the Lord and serve him faithfully, the Holy Spirit will change us. We cannot have the fruit of the Spirit on our own and God knows that, so He sent us a Helper; that’s the Holy Spirit. He can change us from the inside out. Are you saying yes to

God wants to change you to be more like Jesus. He wants to change you from the inside out. In order to do that, when you trust Jesus as your Savior, God sends the Holy Spirit to live within you. He is there to help you obey God and change you to be like Jesus. As we obey the Lord and serve him faithfully, the Holy Spirit will change us. We cannot have the fruit of the Spirit on our own and God knows that, so He sent us a Helper; that’s the Holy Spirit. He can change us from the inside out. (8) Now, I don’t want you to answer out loud but think about these next few questions. Do you obey God every day? Are you growing by studying the Bible, worshipping God, getting together with other Christians, and spending time in prayer? Is the Holy Spirit changing you to be more loving, more joyful, and filled with peace? Do you get angry with other people, or are you gentle, nice, good, faithful, and kind? Are you saying yes to the Holy Spirit and letting Him change you from the inside out? Or are you saying yes to the sinful desires of your own heart? God gives us the Holy Spirit to help us to obey Him.

ADAPTATION > 8

Champions Only

ADAPTATION > 8

Champions Only

ADAPTATION > 8

Champions Only

The Holy Spirit KO’s The Flesh New Testament Survey – 559

the Holy Spirit and letting Him change you from the inside out? Or are you saying yes to the sinful desires of your own heart? God gives us the Holy Spirit to help us to obey Him.

Personal Training Time

1. What is the fruit of the Spirit that is mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23? 2. Does God want us to have the works of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit in our lives? 3. In what ways will you let the Holy Spirit help you to have the fruit of the Spirit in your life this week?

The Big O’vent

Hot Potato on a Rope [See Big O’vent Mega CD, page 212 – Use a piece of fruit instead of bean bags.] The Holy Spirit wants to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives each day.

Closing Ceremonies

Let the Holy Spirit work in your lives this week to produce fruit. Do you have a hard time loving other people? In our next lesson in Galatians we will see how to truly love others.

Lesson Adaptation Explanations

6 Mostly Girls: Brainstorm with the girls five situations and sinful desires they regularly struggle with. For example, being angry with their parents when they’re told to clean their room. Discuss with them what God would want them to do in that situation, and which characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit would result from their obedience. Teach them they need to stop sinning, ask God to help them do what is pleasing to Him, do what is right, and trust the Holy Spirit to bring out the fruit of the Spirit in their lives in those situations.

7 Mostly Boys: Brainstorm with the boys five situations and sinful desires they regularly struggle with. For example, being mean to someone they don’t like. Discuss with them what God would want them to do in that situation, and which characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit would result from their obedience. Teach them they need to stop sinning, ask God to help them do what is pleasing to Him, do what is right, and trust the Holy Spirit to bring out the fruit of the Spirit in their lives in those situations.

8 Champions Only: Have the following discussion: “Does anyone here know what the word grieve means? [Answer: To cause someone mental pain, to

make someone be sad or hurt or sorrowful.] Has anyone ever caused you to grieve? Has someone done something to you that made you feel sad or hurt or sorrowful? Let’s open our Bibles to Ephesians 4:25-32. [Have someone read the passage.] Did you notice what it said in verse 30? [Re-read verse 30.] The Holy Spirit, who is God, lives in every person who has trusted Jesus as their Savior. If you are saved, God is always with you, no matter where you go or what you do or say and even think. He is there to help you be like Jesus and to change you from the inside out. But if you ignore Him and disobey Him, then you are grieving Him.”

9 Challengers Only: Have the following discussion with the Challengers: “Wouldn’t it be great if you had a big brother who was really nice and kind and loving all of the time?

Who was always with you and always wanted to help you do things that are hard for you to do on their own like, getting something off of the top shelf which you can’t reach, or helping you with your really hard Math homework?”

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[Demonstrate this idea with a coach and an Olympian. Have them play the part of a big brother and a little brother. The little brother should ask for help with something difficult, and the big brother should help him out in a loving way.] The Holy Spirit is kind of like that. The Holy Spirit only lives in people who have trusted Jesus as their Savior and not in everyone. He is nice, kind, loving, and bigger and better than any brother. If you have asked Jesus to be your Savior, the Holy Spirit is always with you. He will help you do hard things, like being loving to others at school who are mean to you. He will help you have joy, be happy and smile, even when you don’t get your way.”

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The Holy Spirit KO’s The Flesh New Testament Survey – 570