Leader Guide

Theme
God's Power

Objective
Your group will learn that God's power is far-reaching and that there is nothing that He can't do.

Warm Up
The Impossible Shot – Get a Pringles can to use as a goal and set it up somewhere in the room. Be sure that the rules are clear before you start (i.e. will you accept it if the ball bounces out or if the can is knocked over?). I suggest using a regular sized wiffle ball because it is just barely smaller than the Pringles can. Challenge your students to stand at a designated distance and try to make the shot (play Mission Impossible music if you have it). The shot is possible, but definitely not easy. You could use this as a weekly challenge and give away a nice prize (like a scholarship to camp) to the ultimate champion.

Transition
Tell your students a story, either from your own experience or one you know, when God made the impossible happen. Ask the students for examples too. Ask which miracle in the Bible they would like to have seen (for example: the flood because it's the first time it had rained).

The Song
This song explains how we need to trust the God of miracles to accomplish the most daunting tasks that face us, and that through His power all things can be accomplished and overcome. Play the song. As students listen, have them write in the Behind the Words section of their Student Guides those lyrics that demonstrate how we know there is no such thing as impossible when God is involved.

Transition
Discuss with the students the lyrics they wrote down, how the song tells us about the power of God and His ability to accomplish the impossible, and how He passes that along to us if we are willing give Him the glory, be obedient, and trust in His promises.

Bible Study
Have students read the verses in this section. As they read each passage, have the students write the answers to the questions on their Student Guide in the section called All Things Are Possible.

Give God the Glory (1 Kings 18:20-35) This is a great example of what the power of God can do. In this passage, Elijah confronts Ahab and eventually there is an epic battle between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. In this confrontation, not only does Elijah show the true might of God, but makes the task so impossible that there could be no mistake that God had caused this to happen.

• How would you have reacted if you had witnessed the fire engulfing the offering?
• Do we need miracles before we believe that God is capable of doing these things?
• When God works miracles in your life, or gets you out of an impossible jam, are you careful to give Him the credit, the honor, and the glory?

Be Obedient (Philippians 4:10-13) This passage must be presented in context. This section of Philippians is well known and verse 13 is often quoted. If we are not careful, however, it can give a false sense of hope and can let us down. This passage is talking about being content and obedient in the circumstances that God has given us. In these circumstances we learn how to be content and obedient, and that we are able to accomplish anything because of God—when we want what He wants.

• Are you content with where God has you in life?
• Are you content seeking God's plan for you and not your own plan?
• What do you need to do to want what God wants?

Believe in His Promise (Luke 1:26-38) What greater picture of God's power than the promise made to both Elizabeth and Mary as they were foretold of the birth of John and Jesus? In this passage, God makes a promise to two women that they will experience the impossible: one, a barren birth and the other, a virgin birth.

• Do you believe that God keeps His promises to you?
• How has God fulfilled those promises?
• How can you tell others about His power and the promises He fulfills by making the impossible, possible?

Wrap Up
In the broken world that our students live in, remind them that God loves them, cares for them, and has the best plan for them – a plan that far exceeds any plan they could imagine, devise, or dream up for themselves. God makes all things possible; all we need to do is learn to want what He wants.