SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY — THE ORIGINAL INTENT
Spiritual Dominion in a Physical World
A simple, fun, interactive way for families with young children to explore God’s Word together.
Welcome, Families!
This week we’re going to DIG into the treasure of God’s Word together.
When we open the Bible, we’re not just reading—we’re discovering the truths God placed there on purpose for us to find. Every DIG helps us uncover something special about who God is, who we are, and how we can live the way He intended from the beginning.
Each “DIG” will help your family grow together in God’s Word:
● Read God’s Word,
● Reflect on what it means, and
● Respond in simple, fun ways together.
Get your Bibles out & let’s start digging for treasure!
⛏️ DIG 1 — GOD MADE US SPIRIT FIRST
READ
Read Genesis 1:26–27 and Genesis 2:7 together.
Ask your children:
● When God made people, what did He make first—our bodies or our spirits?
● Who decided what we would be like?
● Does God ever make mistakes?
Say this simple truth:
“God made your spirit first — and that’s the real you.”
REFLECT
Help your kids understand:
God spoke to Adam and Eve before they had bodies. He told them who they were, what they could do, and how special they were to Him. That means God’s voice tells us who we are—not our feelings.
Ask:
● How do you think God feels when He looks at you?
● Are your feelings always right, or is God always right?
Remind them:
“God’s truth is real, even when our feelings don’t match it yet.”
RESPOND — FAMILY ACTIVITY
Have each child lie down on the floor and trace their outline on paper (or pretend to trace).
Inside the outline, write or draw:
- “Loved”
- “Strong”
- “Made by God”
- “Created on purpose”
Say together:
“God made my spirit, and He says who I am!”
⛏️ DIG 2 — GOD’S WORD IS MORE REAL THAN WHAT WE SEE
READ
Read Hebrews 11:3 and John 6:63.
Explain simply:
● God made the world by speaking.
● What God says is powerful.
● God’s words are spirit — they make things real.
Say:
“What God says is always more real than what I feel.”
REFLECT
Ask your children:
● Have you ever felt scared even though you knew God was with you?
● Have you ever felt small even though God says you’re made in His image?
● What can we do when our feelings don’t match what God says?
Help them connect it:
Our feelings change, but God’s words never change.
RESPOND — FAMILY ACTIVITY
Give each child a balloon or paper.
Write one “feeling” on it:
- “I feel scared”
- “I feel lonely”
- “I feel not good enough”
Then speak God’s truth over it:
- “God is with me.”
- “God loves me.”
- “God made me strong.”
Let them erase the feeling or pop the balloon as a picture of replacing feelings with God’s truth.
Say together:
“God’s Word is real. I can trust what He says!”
⛏️ DIG 3 — TAKING CHARGE OF OUR THOUGHTS
READ
Read 2 Corinthians 10:5 together (kid-friendly phrasing is okay):
“…we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.”
Explain simply:
● God gave Adam and Eve dominion, and the first place they were supposed to use it was in their thinking.
● The serpent didn’t try to push them or scare them — he talked to them.
● Dominion for us starts with what we do with thoughts.
Say:
“I can’t stop thoughts from coming, but I can decide which ones stay!”
REFLECT
Ask your children:
● What thoughts do you hear in your mind that make you feel worried, sad, or angry?
● What kinds of thoughts help you feel brave, peaceful, or loved?
● If a thought does not sound like Jesus, should we keep it or send it away?
Help them understand:
Using dominion means choosing what thoughts get to stay.
You can say:
“Dominion isn’t bossing people around — it’s learning to boss my thoughts around.”
RESPOND — FAMILY ACTIVITY
Play “THOUGHT TRAFFIC COP.”
- Parent calls out different “thoughts.”
- Kids decide whether to:
● STOP IT (not from God)
● GO AHEAD (from God or matches God’s Word)
Examples:
- “No one wants to play with you.” → STOP IT
- “God made you on purpose.” → GO AHEAD
- “You’ll never get it right.” → STOP IT
- “I can do all things through Christ.” → GO AHEAD
- “Forgiving makes things better.” → GO AHEAD
- “You should stay mad.” → STOP IT
Close with this declaration:
“With God’s help, I take charge of my thoughts!”
⛏️ DIG 4 — LISTEN TO THE RIGHT VOICE
READ
Read Genesis 3:1–6 and John 10:4–5.
Explain in kid-friendly terms:
● The serpent talked to Eve and made her question what God said.
● Eve listened to the wrong voice.
● Adam didn’t speak up when he should have.
● Jesus says His sheep know His voice.
Say:
“Not every voice we hear is God’s voice.”
REFLECT
Ask your children:
● How do you know when a thought is not from God?
● What kinds of things does God never say?
(“You’re not good enough,” “Nobody loves you,” “You can’t do it,” “God doesn’t care”)
● How can we tell when a voice is from God?
(It sounds like the Bible, it brings peace, it helps us obey)
Help them see:
We choose who we agree with — God or the wrong voice.
RESPOND — FAMILY ACTIVITY
Play “VOICE TEST.”
Say different statements out loud, one at a time.
Have your kids shout:
- “GOD’S VOICE!”
or - “NOT GOD’S VOICE!”
Examples:
● “You are loved!” (God’s voice)
● “You should stay mad forever.” (Not God’s voice)
● “You can trust Me.” (God’s voice)
● “You don’t matter.” (Not God’s voice)
● “Forgive your sister.” (God’s voice)
Then say together:
“We listen to God’s voice first!”
🌟 WEEKLY FAMILY PRACTICE
Choose one of these to do each day this week:
1. Speak God’s Truth
Say together each morning:
“What God says is what’s real.”
2. Fix Something Small
Practice “dominion moments”:
Pick something tiny to make right each day — a mess, a bad attitude, a forgotten chore.
3. Thank Each Other
Each night, thank someone in the family for how they helped or showed love that day.
4. Read a Verse Before Bed
Choose from Genesis 1–3, Hebrews 11:3, or John 6:63.
Ask:
“What does this teach us about God’s voice and God’s plan?”