Rely on God’s Strength Not Our Own | Object Lesson

This is an object lesson that can help you teach your class about how much stronger we become when we rely on God’s strength rather than our own. David could beat Goliath when he did it God’s way!

Needed:

• Two broom handles, dowel rods, or walking sticks (something sturdy)
• One long rope, 20–30 feet in length
• Two strong volunteers (teachers or older helpers)

This object lesson gives a powerful visual of how we often try to face life’s problems in our own strength and fail, while God’s strength can do what we never could. It demonstrates how fear, sin, and struggles can seem immovable until God’s power begins to work.

Begin by having your two volunteers stand about four feet apart, each holding a broom handle upright in front of them. Tie one end of the rope securely around one of the poles. Then, weave the rope back and forth between the two poles several times, creating a tight zigzag pattern until there are several layers connecting the two. Leave one end of the rope free to pull later in the demonstration.

Explain to the children that life sometimes feels like this—there are problems, fears, or mistakes that make us feel trapped. On one side is where we are, and on the other side is where we want to be: close to God, walking in peace and victory. But standing in between are things that feel too strong to move.

Point to the two volunteers holding the poles. Tell the class that these two represent the big things that often get in our way—sin, fear, shame, guilt, and doubt. They stand between us and God’s best for our lives.

Now point to the rope that’s stretched tightly between them. This rope represents our own efforts to fix things on our own. We pray a little, try harder, promise we’ll never mess up again, or try to control everything ourselves. Give the rope a few pulls. The poles shouldn’t budge. Explain that no matter how hard we try, we can’t do it by our own strength. The wall still stands. The harder we pull, the more tired we get, but the problem doesn’t move.

Pause for a moment and then say, “But when we stop trying to do it our way and start relying on God’s strength, everything changes.” Grip the free end of the rope and begin pulling steadily. The tension will cause the rope to tighten and draw the two poles closer together. Keep pulling until they come all the way together. The children will see the gap close, and the visual will drive the point home.

Explain that this is what happens when we trust God. His power and His love are stronger than any wall, stronger than fear, doubt, or sin. He can pull us back to Himself no matter how far away we’ve drifted. It’s not about how strong we are—it’s about how strong He is.

Read Romans 8:38–39 aloud: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers… nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God.”

Hold the two poles together as you finish. Remind the children that God’s love and strength are unstoppable. When we rely on Him instead of ourselves, nothing can stand in the way. Encourage them to give their struggles to God, trust Him completely, and watch what He can do when His power starts pulling for them.

*Tags: God’s strength not our own, lean on God, lean on the everlasting arms, rely on God, we are weak but he is strong