Sunday Service – 2026 Children’s Day Celebration:
Date: Sunday, 31st May 2026
Speaker: Rev. (Dr.) Umoren S. Akpan
Theme: The Overcoming Child
Text: Proverbs 4:1–21
Topic: The Choices You Make Determine How Far You Go in Life
Introduction:
The Children’s Day Service was a special occasion dedicated to celebrating and appreciating the precious gifts that children are to families, the Church, and society. As part of the celebration, one of the children delivered a brief speech on the theme, “The Overcoming Child.”
An overcoming child is a child who rises above challenges, temptations, fears, and limitations through faith in God. Such a child is not necessarily perfect or without faults, but one who continually trusts God, obeys His Word, and remains steadfast despite life’s difficulties.
In a world filled with distractions, peer pressure, negative influences, and moral challenges, God desires children who will stand firm in righteousness, make wise decisions, and become positive examples to their generation. An overcoming child is a child who chooses God’s ways over the ways of the world and remains committed to doing what is right, even when it is difficult.
Scriptural examples of Overcomers:
Throughout the Bible, God used young people who overcame difficult circumstances through faith and obedience.
1. David – He overcame through faith
1 Samuel 17:45
“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield…”
2. Daniel – He overcame through conviction
Daniel 1:8
“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat…”
Daniel overcame peer pressure and the influence of a foreign culture. Despite being far away from home, he remained committed to God’s standards and refused to compromise his faith.
3. Joseph – He overcame through integrity
Genesis 39:9
“There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee…”
Joseph overcame betrayal, slavery, temptation, and imprisonment. Even in difficult situations, he maintained his integrity and remained faithful to God. Eventually, God elevated him to a position of great influence and authority.
These examples remind us that God rewards those who remain faithful and make godly choices regardless of their circumstances.
Ways to Overcome:
The Christian life is a journey of continuous victory through Christ. The following are ways children can become overcomers:
1. Through Prayer:
Prayer establishes a strong relationship with God and gives believers the strength to overcome challenges. Through prayer, children can receive wisdom, guidance, protection, and courage to make right decisions.
2. By Studying the Word of God:
The Word of God provides direction, wisdom, and understanding. A child who studies and obeys God’s Word will be equipped to overcome temptation and navigate life’s challenges successfully.
3. By Choosing Good Friends:
The company we keep greatly influences our character and decisions. Good friends inspire godly living, positive habits, and wise choices, while bad company can lead to destructive behaviors.
4. By Believing in Yourself Through Christ:
Children must develop confidence in who God has created them to be. Through Christ, they can overcome fear, inferiority, and limitations, knowing that they can do all things through Him who strengthens them.
The Power of Choices
In his exhortation, Rev. (Dr.) Umoren S. Akpan stressed that the outcome of a person’s life is largely determined by the choices he or she makes. The choices that you make can either make or mare your life.
The Law of Sowing and Reaping.
Galatians 6:7
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
Every action has consequences. The seeds planted today will determine the harvest of tomorrow. Therefore, children must be intentional about the choices they make.
Your future is shaped by the decisions you make today. Tomorrow’s success, failure, joy, or regret often begins with the choices made in the present.
Choose Wisdom:
Proverbs 4:5–8
“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.”
Wisdom is one of the greatest assets a child can possess. It helps in making sound decisions, avoiding danger, and living a purposeful life. Children were encouraged to pursue wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in all areas of life.
Choose Life:
Deuteronomy 30:19
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing…”
God places before every individual the opportunity to choose. Choosing life means choosing God’s way, righteousness, obedience, and moral uprightness. Every wrong step or decision carries consequences, while godly choices bring blessings and fulfillment.
Important Lessons from the Message:
1. Choices Define Destiny:
People make choices, and the choices they make ultimately shape their lives. Every decision contributes to the kind of person one becomes. Therefore, every choice should be made prayerfully, wisely, and intentionally.
2. A Life Left to Chance Cannot Prosper:
Success does not happen accidentally. A purposeful life requires deliberate actions, discipline, planning, and commitment to God’s principles.
3. Today’s Decisions Will Speak Tomorrow:
Joshua 24:15–16
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve…”
The decisions made today will eventually reveal themselves in the future. Wise decisions produce positive outcomes, while poor decisions often result in regret and missed opportunities.
What Are the Profitable Choices?
1. The Choice to Serve God:
Joshua 24:15
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve…”
Serving God is the most important decision any child can make. A life committed to God enjoys divine guidance, protection, favor, and purpose.
2. The Choice to Pursue Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding:
Children should be encouraged to develop intellectually, spiritually, and morally. Parents must intentionally monitor what their children watch, listen to, and engage with on social media, protecting them from harmful influences, societal vices, and ungodly contents.
3. The Choice to Live a Healthy Life:
Healthy living is the product of healthy choices. Children should be taught the importance of proper nutrition, regular exercise, adequate rest, personal hygiene, and a balanced lifestyle. Good health enables them to maximize their God-given potential.
A Charge to Parents:
Rev. (Dr.) Umoren S. Akpan further admonished parents to intentionally teach and guide their children in the ways of God.
Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
A child led by the Lord is a child who has been taught the principles, values, and commandments of God. Parents have a divine responsibility to nurture their children spiritually, morally, and emotionally, helping them develop a personal relationship with God.
The home remains the first school of character, and parents are the first teachers of faith.
Conclusion:
The Children’s Day message served as a timely reminder that greatness is not determined by circumstances but by the choices we make and our commitment to God. Every child has the potential to become an overcomer when they place their trust in the Lord, walk in wisdom, and remain steadfast in righteousness.
Children were encouraged to choose God, choose wisdom, choose life, and choose a future that glorifies God. Parents were equally challenged to be intentional in raising children according to biblical principles.
As we celebrate our children, may God raise a generation of overcoming children, children who will stand for truth, overcome every challenge through faith, make wise choices, and become shining lights in their homes, communities, nation, and the world at large.
Happy International Children’s Day to all our wonderful children.