Theme:
Strength Through Faith

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” 

Philippians 4:13

Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
Age 3-5	Age 6-9	Age 10-12	Age 12+

Welcome & Icebreaker Activity

Strength Share Circle

Gather kids in their own groups for a welcoming icebreaker.

Ask them questions like:

Opening Activity

Group 1 (Age 3-5): Strength Charades

Show children action cards one at a time displaying different kinds of strength:
● A person helping a friend up (kindness strength)
● Someone running fast (body strength)
● A person feeling scared but trying anyway (courage)
● Someone doing something hard without giving up (persistence)

Ask: ‘Can you show me with your body what this kind of strong looks like?’ Let them act it out.
Celebrate each effort!

Group 2 (Age 6-9): Strength Scavenger Hunt

Hide picture cards around the room showing different types of strength (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual). Kids find them and sort them into categories.

Discuss: ‘Which kinds of strength do YOU have? Which do you want to grow?’

Group 3 (Age 10-12): True or False – Strength Quiz

● True or False: Being strong means never feeling scared. (FALSE – even the strongest people feel fear)
● True or False: Real strength comes only from muscles. (FALSE – mental, emotional, and spiritual strength matter too)
● True or False: Asking for help means you’re weak. (FALSE – asking for help is actually a sign of wisdom)
● True or False: God can give us strength when we feel weak. (TRUE!)

Discuss each answer and why it matters.

Group 4 (Age 12+): Confidence vs. Arrogance Discussion

Prompt: ‘What’s the difference between being confident and being arrogant? Can you think of someone (real or fictional) who showed true strength through humility?’

Discuss how Philippians 4:13 is about relying on God’s strength, not our own.

Story

Just like we all face challenges that seem too big for us, the Bible is full of people who discovered that God’s strength is bigger than any obstacle. Today, we’re exploring that truth through the story of David—a young boy who learned that real courage isn’t about the size of your muscles. It’s about trusting in God.

David and Goliath – Strength Through Faith (1 Samuel 16-17)

A Long Time Ago in Israel

There was a young boy named David. He wasn’t a soldier or a prince. He was just a shepherd boy who spent his days taking care of his father’s sheep in the fields. While his older brothers trained as warriors, David watched the animals, played his harp, and learned to trust God with everything—because out in the wilderness, you need God’s protection.

One day, David’s father Jesse sent him to bring food to his brothers, who were fighting in King Saul’s army. When David arrived at the battlefield, he saw something terrifying. Across the valley stood Goliath.

Goliath was a giant—nine feet tall. He wore heavy armor that weighed hundreds of pounds. His spear was so big that five men could barely lift it. Every day, Goliath would stand and challenge the Israelite army: ‘Send me your best warrior! If he beats me, we Philistines will be your servants. But if I beat him, you will be our servants!’ And every day, all the Israelite soldiers—even King Saul, who was supposed to be their leader—would hide in fear.

When David saw Goliath, he asked the soldiers around him, ‘Who does this giant think he is? He’s insulting God! We shouldn’t be afraid!’

The soldiers laughed at him. ‘You’re just a kid! You don’t understand. That giant is too strong.’

But David said something remarkable: ‘I used to take care of my father’s sheep. Once, a lion attacked the flock, and I grabbed it by its mane and killed it. Another time, a bear came, and I did the same thing. God saved me from the lion and the bear. He will save me from this giant too. This giant has insulted the living God, and God doesn’t lose!’

David Steps Forward

Word got back to King Saul, and he called David to him. ‘You want to fight Goliath?’ Saul asked in disbelief.

‘Yes,’ David said simply. ‘God will help me.’

Saul tried to help. He offered David his own armor—a heavy breastplate and helmet. David put them on, but he could barely walk. The armor wasn’t made for him. So David took it off. He didn’t need Saul’s armor. He had something stronger: faith in God.

Instead, David picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. He carried his sling—a simple weapon he’d used since childhood.

The Face-Off

David walked toward Goliath. The giant looked down at this small boy and laughed. ‘Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?’ Goliath mocked. He cursed David and said, ‘Come here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!’

But David wasn’t afraid. He called back, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I come against you in the name of the Lord, the God of the armies of Israel! Today, the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down. Then everyone will know there is a God in Israel!’

As Goliath came toward him, David reached into his pouch, pulled out a stone, and slung it with all his might. The stone flew through the air and hit the giant right in the forehead. Goliath stumbled, fell to the ground, and lay still.

The battle was over. Not because David was bigger or stronger. But because David trusted in God’s strength.

The Lesson

When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran away in fear. The Israelites chased them, and King Saul realized something important: this small shepherd boy had shown more courage than all his trained soldiers. Not because David was physically strong, but because David understood a truth we all need to learn:

Real strength doesn’t come from how big you are or how much power you have. Real strength comes from trusting God.

Reflections

Ask the kids

• What was David’s biggest advantage against Goliath—his size, his weapons, or something else?

• When have YOU felt like David facing Goliath? What scared you?

• How can you trust in God’s strength when YOU face something big and scary?

• David didn’t wear Saul’s armor. Why do you think that matters? (Sometimes we need to be ourselves, not copy others)

Themes from David’s Story: Strength Through Faith

• Courage Isn’t Fearlessness (Bravery)

David was probably scared when he walked toward a nine-foot giant. But he didn’t let fear stop him. True courage is doing the right thing even when you’re afraid. When you trust in God, you can face your ‘giants’—whatever they are.

• Trust Over Strength (Faith)

David could have tried to match Goliath’s weapons and armor. But instead, he trusted in what he knew—God had protected him as a shepherd, and God would protect him now. When we trust in God instead of just our own abilities, we discover strength we didn’t know we had.

• You Don’t Have to Be Like Everyone Else (Authenticity)

All the soldiers wanted to wear armor and fight like trained warriors. But David was a shepherd. So he used what he knew—a sling, five stones, and his faith. Being yourself and using your own gifts is more powerful than trying to be someone else.

• God Works Through Our Weakness (God’s Strength)

This is the heart of Philippians 4:13. David was small. He was young. He had no military training. But God used those ‘weaknesses’ to show His power. When we admit we can’t do it alone and turn to God, that’s when His strength shines through.

Memory Verses

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” — Philippians 4:13

Follow-up Activities

Group 1 (Age 3-5): David’s Sling Craft & Toss Game

• Create a simple sling from yarn or string
• Use foam balls as ‘stones’
• Set up targets (stuffed animals or paper cutouts of giants)
• Sing as they play: ‘God gives me courage, God gives me strength, even when I’m small I can do big things!’

Group 2 (Age 6-9): ‘My Giant’ Craft

• Give each child a large paper ‘giant’ cutout
• Ask: ‘What’s one challenge or ‘giant’ you face?’
• Children write/draw their giant on the paper
• Then, on a separate stone-shaped piece of paper, they write ‘God gives me strength’
• They ‘sling’ or tape their stone to the giant as a reminder that God’s strength conquers our fears

Group 3 (Age 10-12): Strength Interview & Journal

• Interview a trusted adult (parent, teacher, pastor) about a time they faced a ‘giant’ and how faith helped them
• Write or draw in a journal: How did they find courage? What did they learn?
• Reflect on their own giants and how they might apply that lesson

Group 4 (Age 12+): Deeper Discussion & Challenge

• Read 1 Samuel 17 together in full
• Discuss: How does David’s story challenge the way we think about success and strength in the modern world?
• Challenge: Identify one ‘giant’ in their own life and one concrete way they can trust in God this week

Action Song

1: ‘I Can Do All Things’ (Modern Version)

2: ‘David and Goliath’ (Bible Storyline Song)

Closing Prayer

“Dear God, thank You for the story of David. Thank You that he trusted in You when facing something so big and scary. We know we all have giants—big feelings, hard challenges, and scary moments. Help us remember David’s courage and faith. Remind us that when we trust in You, we can do all things through the strength You give us. Be with us this fall as we face new challenges at school and at home. Fill us with Your strength, Your courage, and Your love. In the name of Jesus,
Amen.”