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Help for a Day of Fear (Grades 4-6)

Teaching Procedures for Leaders of Grades 4-6

Help for a Day of Fear
1 Kings 19:1-18

Biblical Truth:
God is present even in times of fear.

Life Impact:
Because God loves me, I can depend on Him when I am afraid.

Memory Verse:

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
Psalm 56:3-4 (NIV)

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
Psalm 56:3-4 (KJV)

Personal Bible Study

Sweaty palms, queasy stomach, chattering teeth, racing heartbeat, weak knees, quivering voice. Which of these do you experience when you are nervous or fearful? People react to fear in many different ways. Uncertain situations such as war bring about fear to both children and adults. As you study today’s Bible passage, note what Elijah feared and how God helped Elijah as he faced a terrifying threat. Think about what you fear and how God can help you.

Jezebel’s Threat
(1 Kings 19:1-2)

Even as Elijah probably rejoiced concerning his mountaintop victory, an enraged Queen Jezebel plotted revenge. The queen was as much a believer in Baal as Elijah was a believer in the Lord. She had already put to death many prophets of the Lord. As soon as King Ahab informed Jezebel of the events on Mount Carmel, Jezebel swore she would put Elijah to death within 24 hours. She sent Elijah a message stating her intentions. Americans are experiencing threats right now. How do those threats make you feel? Can you relate to Elijah?

Elijah’s Reaction
(1 Kings 19:3-4)

Elijah ran for his life. He had no reason to doubt that Jezebel would carry out her threat. Try to sense both Elijah’s fear and his discouragement as he raced for a spot in the desert, a day’s journey south of Beersheba. Elijah had dismissed his servant and was completely alone.

Does our nation’s war cause you to have feelings of fear, discouragement, or isolation? What other feelings, negative or positive, are you experiencing?

When Elijah finally collapsed at the foot of the broom tree, what did he pray?

God’s Provision
(1 Kings 19:5-8)

Just as God had provided for Elijah’s needs earlier, He again provided for the prophet. Elijah needed sleep, food, and water. When people are fearful, nervous, or anxious, sleep is often elusive. They may have difficulty eating or digesting what they eat. God showed His care for Elijah as He helped Elijah to sleep. An angel awakened Elijah, and Elijah found water and freshly baked bread by his head. Refreshed and full, the prophet slept again.

The angel of the Lord returned, waking Elijah and instructing the prophet to eat so that he would be strong for a long journey. The physically-renewed prophet traveled 40 days and nights southward through the desert to reach Mount Horeb, the mountain of God.

God’s Presence
(1 Kings 19:9-18)

Elijah hid out in a mountain cave, and God came to him. God asked Elijah a question. What was it? ________________________

Which of these do you see in Elijah’s response to God?

___ excuses

___ praise

___ self-pity

___ trust

___ pride

What three natural forces did Elijah experience as he awaited the presence of the Lord?

(1)________________________________

(2)________________________________

(3)________________________________

What came next? _____________ What was Elijah’s humble response when he heard God’s presence in the gentle whisper?

God asked Elijah the same question He asked earlier. Notice that Elijah was completely honest with God. He felt that he had served God well, but that evil was winning. Elijah felt alone and hunted.

God did not tell Elijah he was right or wrong. Instead, God gave specific instructions for Elijah to follow. God reassured the discouraged prophet by telling what would happen and by announcing that seven thousand persons remained who had not worshiped Baal. This remnant had been preserved by God’s Word. Elijah was not alone!

You may be experiencing anxiety, fear, or nervousness because of war or other threats, and God is completely aware of your feelings. He is willing to help you, but you must trust Him with your fears. You must trust that He does know what is best and that He is in control.

Inspiration Point
Strengthened and encouraged by God’s words, Elijah followed God’s instructions and continued in ministry. He became confident that God was his strength and that God’s Word would not be silenced.

During times of fear, do you rely on God for your strength and your courage? Are you confident that God will care for your needs?

Trust God. He is in control.

What This Bible Study Can Mean to Kids ...
In time of war, kids may feel fear, anxiety, and nervousness. They may have difficulty sleeping, eating, and/or concentrating. They may be afraid a bomb will be dropped on them. Some children may have family members fighting in the war. These children need to know that God is with them and with the absent family member. They need to realize that God is always with them, that He loves them, and that He is in control. This awareness can help them depend on God rather than giving in to fear.

Prepare to Teach

Power Up for the Bible Study

__ Provide a bandana or scarf for a blindfold.

Greet girls and boys as they arrive. As soon as two kids are present, blindfold one kid. Instruct the second one to lead the blindfolded child around the room. Explain that the partner who can see may lead the blind-folded partner by both words and actions such as holding the partner’s arm. As other kids arrive, let them spread out around the room. Encourage the seeing partner to walk slowly and guide his partner around furniture, people, and other obstacles. Make reassuring remarks to the blindfolded kid, such as “Don’t be afraid. There’s nothing to fear.”

Allow other pairs of kids to do a trust walk. Before each trust walk, instruct the remaining kids to move to different positions in the room.

Ask: “What were you thinking when you were blindfolded and being led around the room?”

After several boys and girls have been on the trust walk, say: “You had to trust the person leading you. You might have been anxious or afraid thinking your partner might not take care of you. Today we will discover some ways God helps people when they are anxious, nervous, or afraid. You can learn to trust God to help you when you are afraid.”

Plug In to Bible Study

__ Study 1 Kings 19:1–18 and the “Personal Bible Study” on the first page of this document..

__ Provide markers and paper for four posters.

__ On separate half-sheets of construction paper, print a different word from this list: Beersheba, Desert, Mountain, Cave. Display each sign in a different part of the department.

__ On a plain sheet of paper, print these words in letter form: Elijah, By this time tomorrow, I will see that you are dead. Queen Jezebel

__ For each team of no more than four children, make a set of these events:

Jezebel wanted to kill Elijah.
Elijah ran away.
In the desert, God fed Elijah and gave him water.
Elijah went to the cave on the mountain.
Elijah heard a mighty wind.
Elijah felt an earthquake.
Elijah saw a fire.
Elijah heard a whisper.
God told Elijah to go home and to anoint a king.
God told Elijah others still served Him.

__ Make “I Can Trust” strips by printing on a different paper strip, in large letters, each of these statements:

Say a prayer.
Remember that God loves you.
Tell someone you are afraid and that God will help you.
Understand that everyone has fear.
Thank God for hearing and helping you.

__ Get a watch or clock with a second hand.

__ Provide copies of The Baptist Hymnal (1991). Prepare to sing Hymn 64, “God Will Take Care of You.”

__ Provide 3-by-5-inch note cards and pencils.

1. Talk about fear. Ask boys and girls to name things that cause kids their age to be afraid. Write their responses on a poster.

Say: “People have always had times when they were afraid. The Bible has many verses to help us when we are afraid, anxious, or nervous. Today’s Bible story is about a person who was afraid and about how God helped him overcome his fear.”

2. Tell the Bible story. Guide the girls and boys to find 1 Kings 19 in their Bibles. Explain that they will use their Bibles to help tell today’s Bible story.

Help for Elijah’s Fear

Elijah was afraid. A messenger had delivered a message from Queen Jezebel. (Give the message to a child to open and read for the group. Continue with the story.) The queen vowed that she would kill Elijah by the next day. Elijah knew that Queen Jezebel would keep her word. He ran for his life.

(Lead the group to the sign Beersheba.) When Elijah arrived in the city of Beersheba, he left his servant. Now he was alone.

(Lead the group to the sign Desert.) Elijah continued a day’s journey into the desert. Finally, the exhausted prophet came to a broom tree, sat down, and prayed.

“I have had enough, Lord,” Elijah prayed. “Just take my life!”

God knew that Elijah was hungry, thirsty, and tired. God helped Elijah sleep. Later an angel woke Elijah and said, “Get up and eat.”

(Instruct the children to scan 1 Kings 19:6 and find what Elijah saw when he woke up. After children’s responses, continue with the story.) Elijah ate and drank and went back to sleep.

A second time the angel woke Elijah. “Get up and eat for your journey will be long and hard,” the angel said. Elijah ate and drank.

(Ask children to find in 1 Kings 19:8 how long Elijah traveled after eating and drinking the food. Lead the group to the Mountain sign. Continue the story.) Strengthened by the food, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights through the desert until he reached Mt Horeb,

(Ask what Elijah did when he got to the mountain, according to verse 9. Then ask children to tell what question God asked Elijah in the last half of the verse.)

“I have tried very hard for you,” Elijah answered. “The Israelites have disobeyed your laws. They have broken down your altars, and the prophets have been put to death. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me!”

(Invite children to find out in verse 11 what God told Elijah to do. Lead the group to the sign Cave. Continue the story.)

First a powerful wind blew, shattering great rocks, but God was not in the wind. After the wind, Elijah felt the mountain shake with a great earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. Then came a fire, but God was not in the fire. After the fire came a gentle whisper.

(Ask what Elijah did when he heard the whisper [v. 13]. Continue the story.)

Then a voice said to Elijah, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah repeated why he was afraid. He sincerely thought he was the only prophet left in Israel.

God said to Elijah, “Go back the way you came. Anoint the new king.” God told Elijah where to go. God gave Elijah jobs to do.

“You are not alone,” God reassured Elijah.

(Suggest children find in verse 18 how many people were left that had not worshiped Baal.) Elijah was not alone.

Scripture reference: 1 Kings 19:1-18

3. Review Bible study. Lead children back to the area designated for PLUG IN. Form teams of no more than four children. Explain that you will give each team a set of events from today’s Bible story but that the team will not look at the sets until you give the signal to begin. Tell children that at the signal each team will work to put the events in the correct order of today’s Bible story. Note that each person on the team must put at least one event strip in the list. Tell boys and girls that you will know a team is finished when the members are sitting down, snapping their fingers. Be sure teams understand the instructions. Give the signal to begin and let children work. If teams have trouble remembering the order, suggest they look in 1 Kings 19 to find help.

Let one team call out its list as others compare their lists. If discrepancies arise, guide girls and boys to the Bible to find the correct answer.

4. Learn the memory verse. Allow children to stay in their teams. Direct children to Psalm 56:3–4 in their Bibles. Note that today’s memory verse is really two verses. Discuss the word trust. Be sure children realize that trust is to depend or to rely on someone or something. Ask how people can depend or rely on God. Further explain that trusting God is being sure He will do what He says He will do. Challenge each team to make up a cheer using today’s memory verse. Allow about one minute before calling on teams to make their presentations.

5. Apply Bible learning. Distribute the five “I Can Trust” statements to volunteers. Explain that the statements tell ways both children and adults can trust God. Ask the volunteers to take turns reading their statements and placing them on the floor in front of the group. Discuss each statement as it is read. Note that if children unscramble the first letters of the statements they can spell an important word for the day. (Trust) Remind the children of the recent declaration of war by the United States against Iraq. Invite them to talk about how the war makes them feel. Explain that even in time of war they can trust God. They can talk with their parents or teachers about how they feel and they can talk with God about their feelings.

6. Make further application. Divide the group into three teams. Explain that each team will have a different question to discuss and record their answers. Show the three sheets. Print Who? on the poster and note that the group working on this poster will list people who can help them when they are afraid. Print What? on a poster and explain that this group will list what a person can do when he is afraid. Write How? on the last poster and mention that the group working this poster will tell how trusting God can help a person who is afraid. Distribute the posters and markers. Time three minutes. Call for each group to tell its findings.

7. Sing. Give each child a hymnal. Direct children to p. 64, “God Will Take Care of You.” Lead the group to sing the chorus.

Say: “This song reminds us that we can depend on God when we are afraid. We can depend on God because He loves us. We can depend on God because He is with us always.”

8. Pray. Distribute 3-by-5-inch cards and pencils. Ask each child to write two things that might make children in grades 4–6 afraid. Suggest boys and girls keep their cards secret from the people beside them. Then ask children to circle the item on their cards most apt to make them afraid. Note that if something other than what they wrote is what they fear most they can write it very lightly in a corner of the card. Invite the group to pray silently asking God to help them trust and depend on Him when they are afraid, anxious, or nervous. Sit quietly for a few moments. Then close the prayer time by asking God to help the girls and boys trust Him with their fears. Pray for the leadership of our country and for the men and women who are fighting this war. Close your prayer and then begin singing softly “God Is So Good” as you invite kids to join you in singing.

9. Form teacher groups. Let children choose with which teacher they will work to continue learning about trusting God or assign boys and girls to specific groups.

Personalize the Bible Study

__ Provide for each kid two three-inch poster board circles; a small magnet (a short length of magnetic tape works well); markers; clear, adhesive-backed plastic; scissors; and glue.

1. Make magnets. Explain to kids that they can make reminders to help them trust God when they are afraid. Distribute poster board circles. Ask kids to describe signs that tell them not to do something, such as “No Smoking” or “No Running.” (Expect kids to respond that often the sign has the word or picture with a diagonal slash mark across it.) Suggest each kid print Fear in large letters on a circle and then make a bold border around the circle and a slash mark across the word. Be sure kids understand that fear is crossed out because they do not need to be fearful. Explain that people should be careful of danger, but that they should not let fear control what they do.

Distribute additional circles.

Say: “We do not want to be fearful. What can we do to help us when we are afraid?”

Let kids list responses.

Say: “Trusting God will help us when we are afraid, anxious, or nervous.”

Suggest kids print on their second circles one thing they will do when they experience fear, such as Trust in God, Say a prayer, or Remember God’s promises.

Allow kids to cover their circles with clear adhesive-backed plastic and to trim the plastic around the circles. Distribute magnets. Show kids how to sandwich the magnet between the two circles, being sure the words on each circle are on the outside. Let kids glue the magnet “sandwich” together. Talk about places to put the magnets during the week so kids will be reminded to trust God.

2. Pray. Ask kids to bow their head for prayer. Explain that during the prayer time they can first think about the No Fear side of the magnet they made, and ask God to comfort them when they feel afraid. Then explain that they then can think about the other side of the magnet and ask God to help them remember to do what they printed. Mention that you will end the prayer. Sit quietly for a few moments as kids pray their own prayers. Close the prayer time by praying for the leaders of our nation, the men and women in the battle and their families. Pray for the children and ask God to help them trust Him when they are afraid.

3. Say it again. Remind boys and girls to trust God when they are afraid, nervous, or anxious. Lead kids to say the memory verse over and over as they leave.

Continue

Your Children’s Spiritual Growth

During the week, pray for the children you teach. Ask God to help them trust Him rather than being afraid.
Call kids in your group and ask where they placed their magnets. As you end the call, say, “Remember that God is with you.”

Your Spiritual Growth

Pray that God will help you overcome your own fear and trust Him.
Read Hebrews 13:6. Meditate on the verse. What Scripture is the writer of Hebrews quoting?

Text for Handouts:
The following are items needed for Plug-In that you can print out and use.

Bible-Story Location Signs

Beersheba

Desert

Mountain

Cave

Jezebel’s Message

Elijah,
By this time tomorrow, I will see that you are dead.
Queen Jezebel

Bible-Story Events
(Print out a set for each team of no more than four kids. Cut the statements apart.)

Jezebel wanted to kill Elijah.

Elijah ran away.

In the desert, God fed Elijah and gave him water.

Elijah went to the cave on the mountain.

Elijah heard a mighty wind.

Elijah felt an earthquake.

Elijah saw a fire.

Elijah heard a whisper.

God told Elijah to go home and to anoint a king.

God told Elijah others still served Him.

I Can Trust statements

Say a prayer.

Remember that God loves you.

Tell someone you are afraid and that God will help you.

Understand that everyone has fear.

Thank God for hearing and helping you.

Ministry

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Help for a Day of Fear (Grades 4-6)