Verse:
Supplies: A deck of cards (or a couple decks depending on the number of youth).
Goal: A fun and easy icebreaker to help youth feel relaxed and invited to participate, as well as reemphasize the theme that we are all in a spiritual war. The leader can tie the game into the teaching by explaining that our plan/strategy is important to win the war we are facing within ourselves between good and evil.
Instructions:
– Divide the teens into groups of five.
– Give each person three cards. Encourage them not to show their cards to those in the group.
– At the count of three, everyone plays the card he or she feels can win. The highest card moves on in the game, all others are out. If there is a tie within a group, call both people up front. Have those people do a battle of some kind to win the next spot. (i.e., thumb war, paper rock scissors, dance contest, joke contest, spelling bee, push up contest, sit ups, etc.)
– Out of all the winners, divide again into groups of five or three, depending on the number remaining in the game.
– Count to three and have the kids play their cards again. Repeat the process of having the winners move on to the next level. If there is a tie, there will be another battle.
– Form a final group of winners. The person with the highest card wins. Those remaining could do a battle for second place.
– If there is time, it might be fun to play the game again. This way the kids could try to think of a strategy to use. Some may play their highest card first, while others hold on to it. Encourage the youth to come up with a creative strategy and a plan for victory.
Discuss: We are not in control of the cards we are dealt in life or how others play their cards. However, what we can control is how we use what we have been given by God and how we respond to attacks, adversity and temptation to sin. We can plan ahead, knowing we are going to be attacked spiritually by praying, reading our Bibles, going to youth group, etc. in order to make ourselves strong and prepared for the battle.
