Tugené

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Youth ministry can be a hard place to address the dark aspects of the Bible. With kids, we tend to want to stick to lighter subjects, friendlier overtones and simpler ideas. The Bible goes in depth about difficult aspects of the world we live in. The question becomes do kids need to know how to deal with difficult aspects of the world we live in?

The reality is, our kids will run into obstacles we never saw coming. They will experience circumstances we would never wish for them. If we want our kids to be ready for the obstacles they’ll face, when we don’t know what they’ll deal with, it becomes imperative to give them the complete word of God so that they can be prepared.

• All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (1 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)
• Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path (Psalm 119:105 NIV)
• For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement. (Romans 15:4 NIV)
• It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4 NIV)

Take some time to sit down with your son or daughter to tell them about their testimony. What has God done in their life that they may not know about or remember? Every person has a story, therefore every child does.

Through you they can connect to what God has done in their life by learning how God showed up for them overcoming the obstacle. While you may remember the details around an event, as early as two, children have the potential to remember events, experiences and feelings that have happened in their lives. However, they may not remember some of the most impactful ways God has triumphed in their life. He’s showed up for them in ways only you remember vividly.

As mom and dad, let it be our mission to remind our children of their testimony. When they are adults it will save them from destruction. Tell it over and over again with an effort to bring consciousness so they can be close to understanding it as it happened.

• My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. (Proverbs 6:20-22 NIV)

Encourage others who know the story to tell it to them in their own words. The truth of who they are, how God has had his hand on their life, will set them free. When temptation comes in their life, their testimony will be a reminder of God’s salvation, giving them the strength to not shrink from death but to overcome by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony.