Preparation
Download and print 2 copies of Battleship Game Board (1 copy per player/team). You may want to print extra copies to play multiple rounds.
How to Play
Setting Up
Fold your Battleship Game Board in two to hide your markings from your opponent.
These are your ships:
Decide where you want to place them. You may place them only horizontally or vertically, not diagonally. Your ships cannot overlap. Use a pencil to mark out their positions on the My Ships grid on the left.
Playing the Game
Take turns to “shoot” at your opponent’s ships by calling out grid positions.
For example, you can call out “A1”:
– If your opponent has a ship on that square, he/she must say “HIT”.
– If your opponent does not have a ship on that square, he/she must say “MISS”.
– Your opponent does not need to tell you the type of ship that you have hit unless you have hit the last square for that ship. If you have hit the last square for any ship, your opponent must say, “SUNK” and tell you the name of the ship that was sunk.
Each player calls out one shot per turn regardless whether it’s a HIT, MISS or SUNK.
Use the smaller My Opponent’s Ships grid on the right side of the game board to mark out your own hits and misses:
– For example, if you called “A1” and it is a HIT, mark that square with an X.
– If it’s a MISS, mark with a O.
– If you have SUNK your opponent’s ship, cross out the name of that ship.
Use the My Ships grid to mark out your ships that your opponent has HIT.
– For example, if your opponent called out “B4” and you have a ship in that square, you say “HIT” and mark that square with an X. When all the squares for a ship have been HIT (all have been marked with Xs), you say “SUNK” and the name of the ship.
– If you do not have a ship in that square, you say “MISS”; you do not need to mark that square.
The game ends when one player sinks all the opponent’s ships.
Bible Lesson – Spiritual Warfare
Discuss
1. Did you enjoy this game? Why or why not?
2. Was it easy to strike the opponent’s ships?
What would make it easier (for you to know where your opponent’s ships are)?
3. Do you know of a Bible story where the king of Israel was at war with God’s enemies, and the king of Israel always knew exactly where his enemy’s troops were hiding?
Read
2 Kings 6:8-10
Discuss
4. What happened in these verses? Tell us in your own words.
5. How does this remind you of the game that we just played?
How would you feel if your opponent manages to strike your ships 100% of the time?
How can this be possible?
Read
2 Kings 6:11-12
Discuss
6. The king of Aram suspected that he had a traitor amongst his officers.
But what did the officers tell the king?
According to the king’s officers, was there a traitor amongst them?
If not, then how did the king of Israel know the exact locations of his troops?
Read
2 Kings 6:13-17
Discuss
7. What happened in these verses? Tell us in your own words.
8. Why was the prophet Elisha not afraid even though he was surrounded by the enemy’s army with horses and chariots?
9. What did prophet Elisha mean by “those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (verse 16)? Who was he referring to?
10. Are you surprised by this story? What are your thoughts?
11. How does it make you feel, knowing that there are spiritual beings that you can’t see?
Read
Colossians 1:15-18
Discuss
12. What does this passage tell us about visible and invisible beings?
13. Who made them all?
14. Who has power and authority over all?
15. How does this make you feel?
Read
Ephesians 6:12
Discuss
16. This verse contains a caution for us. What do you understand by this verse?
Read
John 14:15-17; 1 John 4:4
Discuss
17. Who lives inside us?
18. Why do we not need to be afraid?
Conclude
The Bible tells us that spiritual forces and spiritual battles are real. The struggles that we face in this world are not against people but against the authorities in the spiritual world that we cannot see. But we don’t have to be afraid because we are not alone. We are on the winning side. God is in us and for us.
Bible Lesson – Armor of God
Discuss
1. Did you enjoy this game? Why or why not?
2. Was it easy to strike the opponent’s ships?
3. Do you sometimes feel like you are in a battle or struggling against some things or people? Tell us about some of your battles or struggles.
Examples: people issues – quarrels, fights, disagreements; illnesses; time – insufficient time to complete your work, too many things to do but too little time; challenging tasks…
Read
Ephesians 6:12
Discuss
4. What does this verse tell us about our struggles?
Say
The Bible tells us that the struggles we face in this world are not purely physical struggles, but they are against invisible spiritual forces at play in this world.
Read
Ephesians 6:10-17
Discuss
5. In view of the fact that our real struggle is against the spiritual forces, what does verse 10-11 & 13 tell us to do?
6. What are the 6 pieces of physical armor mentioned in verses 14-17?
Why is it important for a soldier to put on the full armor (instead of just 1 or 2 pieces) when getting ready for a battle?
Say
Just like we need to put on the full physical armor in preparation to fight a physical battle, we also need to put on a full spiritual armor to fight a spiritual battle.
Discuss
7. What is truth? Why do we need truth in our spiritual battle?
8. What is righteousness? Why do we need righteousness in our spiritual battle?
9. What is the gospel of peace? Why do we need the gospel of peace in our spiritual battle?
10. What is faith? Why do we need faith in our spiritual battle?
11. What is salvation? Why do we need to have salvation in our spiritual battle?
12. What is the Word of God? Why is it important in our spiritual battle?
Read
Ephesians 6:18
Discuss
13. How should we pray? What should we pray for?
14. Why is prayer important?
Conclude
The Bible tells us that spiritual forces and spiritual battles are real. The struggles that we face in this world are not against people but against the authorities in the spiritual world that we cannot see. But we don’t have to be afraid because we are on the winning side. God is in us and for us.
Just like we need to put on the full physical armor in preparation to fight a physical battle, we also need to put on a full spiritual armor to fight a spiritual battle.
And pray.
Related Bible Passages
2 Kings 6:8-17; Colossians 1:15-18; John 14:15-17; 1 John 4:4
Variation
Here is a variation of this game that can help introduce or reinforce another Bible lesson:
- Fruit Harvest (for lessons on fruit of the Spirit)
