DEFINE, DECLARE AND DEFEND LIBERTY
Do you remember what liberty means? (Allow your child to answer: we are free to make choices, free from being limited or restricted, and free from unjust or mean authority.) The Bible tells us that the truth in God’s word, the truth in the Bible, if we know that truth, it will make us free. And, if Jesus, the Son, sets us free, then we are free! We just have to declare and defend the freedom He has already given us. So, once we know what liberty is and what it means to us, we can then declare it and defend it.
What does it mean to DECLARE something? (Answer: to make something known or say something in a clear way.) Romans 10:10 (NLT) says, “For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” When we declare something, we must believe in our heart, that what we are declaring is true. When we believe in our hearts that Jesus died for us, forgives us and loves us very much, we can then declare that to someone else. When we believe in our heart that God is good, then we can declare it to someone else. When we believe that Jesus sets us free to make choices, to be free from limitations and restrictions, and to be free from mean authority…we can declare it!
Discussion Questions
- Have you ever had someone try to take something away from you, that belonged to you? (explain)
- Did you DECLARE, or tell that person that what they were trying to take from you belonged to you?
- Did you try to protect or DEFEND that thing that belonged to you? How?
Once we define liberty and declare liberty, we then DEFEND liberty. What does it mean to DEFEND something or someone? (Allow your child to answer: to protect from danger or to protect from an attack from the enemy.) The enemy will try to come and steal our liberty. He will try to take away our freedoms by lying to us and/or causing things to happen that make us feel and think that we are not truly free. But, just like we said earlier, when we believe that we are free, we declare it. When we declare the Word of the Lord because we believe it in our heart, we are defending the liberty Jesus has given us. We tell the enemy that he can’t have our freedom and our liberty, because it’s ours and Jesus has given it to us and we aren’t going to let him have it. We will protect our liberty and not let the enemy have it. We pray and worship to defend our liberty. We do this from a place of victory.
Scripture Memory Verse
“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” – Galatians 5:1 (NLT)
Prayer
Jesus, we thank you for the freedoms you have given us. Thank you for your Word and the Bible so we can know the truth, and we can be set free! Holy Spirit we thank you for the power you have given us to DECLARE this truth and declare that we are free in you! Help us to declare our freedom and to defend it when the enemy comes and lies to us and tries to steal, kill and destroy our liberty. Help us to remember that the liberty Jesus has given to us is ours. It belongs to us. Holy Spirit we ask you to remind us that we have the power and the authority to declare and defend our liberty, in Jesus Christ. It belongs to us. We believe that with all of our heart. We pray this in your mighty name, Jesus. Amen.
Application/Activity
- Play a game of capture the flag! https://www.verywellfamily.com/how-to-play-capture-the-flag-1257384
- Coloring page: https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GzU1OU1pXfs/UdT5CsaN-MI/AAAAAAAAQRE/_qv9KhmRIYQ/s1319/Fourth+of+July+Coloring+Page+With+Mouse+Holding+Firecracker.jpg
Worship Song
“Freedom”