Climbing Life’s Mountains

Game

Select 3 students, have an adult panel, introduce it as a basic art contest and the bring in the blindfolds

Cat

House

Car

Oklahoma

Winner gets their a sonic drink at the next youth service

Introduction

What’s going on everybody, I’m so glad you joined us tonight. Tonight, I believe that the Lord has brought you here on purpose. Yeah the food and games are nice, but I believe the Lord brought you here tonight to get closer to him. I don’t know what’s going on in your heart today, but I know that life can feel like climbing a mountain, a mountain that sometimes feels impossible. That mountain in your life tonight might be school stress, friendship pain, maybe family challenges, or even just feeling like you don’t measure up. Maybe I didn’t name exactly what you’re going through tonight, but the fact is that there are moments when everything in life feels like an uphill battle, and your exhausted. My goal tonight in this time in God’s word is to explore how, with God’s help and the support of each other, we can navigate these obstacles and make it through these battles together.

Before we dive into, I just want to share a little bit about my background and why I feel so passionate about this! In my life, I’ve faced my fair share of mountains. I’ve had times in life when I felt totally overwhelmed by challenges that seemed impossible to get through. I faced times in my life when I didn’t know where to go or what to do next. Whether I was dealing with family issues, fighting through anxiety, or even facing moments when I felt like I needed to give up, but it was in those moments that I learned the most about God and His faithfulness. Through those mountains I was facing I learned that God never leaves us and that He also places people in our lives to help us along the way.

I can think back tonight to one specific time in my life that felt like an endless climb. It was during my senior year of high school. Everything in my life began to pile up, schoolwork, college applications, family issues, and friendships that started to grow apart became my new normal. I remember coming home from school one day, dropping my backpack on the floor, and just feeling completely defeated. I didn’t have the energy I needed to keep going, I had tried so hard to power through that time in my life and I finally hit a wall and realized I was failing in every area of my life. In this moment, almost as a last resort, I reached out to God, and guys I vividly remember feeling this overwhelming feeling of peace! I felt completely reenergized by God in this moment. It wasn’t that my problems disappeared over night, they didn’t. But in this moment things began to shift for me, I recognized the Lord was with me in this time of difficulty and that he had placed people around me who could encourage me and build me up when I couldn’t myself.

Please hear me here, that’s why I want to talk to you today about overcoming obstacles. I’m not this “perfect guy”, I’ve been through the ringer of life in several areas, I’ve failed to overcome many obstacles because I tried to get through them on my own. I know what it feels like to face mountains that seem too big to climb, but I also know what it feels like when God steps in and His power takes over in that moment of difficulty. I don’t know what you’re facing this evening, but I know the God we serve is calling us to lean on Him through it. Let’s look at three ways we can navigate these mountains in our lives. I want you to ask yourself this question as we go through the lesson today.

What is a 'mountain' you are currently facing in your life that feels overwhelming or impossible?

1. Facing Fears with Faith 1 Samuel 17:34-37

1 Samuel 17:34–37 CSB

34 David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it down, and rescued the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

Our first story is about David. David was young—maybe not much older than some of you here. He wasn't a trained warrior, and when he went up to face Goliath, people thought he was crazy. Picture this: a giant over nine feet tall, covered in armor, standing across from a shepherd boy. Everyone was scared. The soldiers who were supposed to be brave warriors wouldn’t step forward—but David did. Why?

David remembered something important. He remembered how God had helped him protect his sheep from lions and bears. David faced Goliath not with just a slingshot and stones, but with confidence that came from knowing God had been faithful before and would be again.

Think about your own life for a moment. What’s your Goliath? Maybe it's a big test coming up, maybe it's the pressure to fit in, or maybe it's dealing with something that feels way out of your control. Goliaths can look different for each of us. The important question is: where do you find your confidence? David’s confidence came from his past experiences of seeing God at work. How often do we forget that God has already helped us overcome so much? What if we started keeping track of all the times He’s been faithful in our lives?

Let me ask you this: Have you ever faced something that scared you, only to realize later that it wasn’t as bad as you thought because God was with you? David teaches us that we don’t face our fears alone. Imagine if every time you were afraid, you remembered that God is right there with you, just like He was with David. Would that change how you face your obstacles?

David didn’t just trust in his own abilities—he trusted in God’s power. He even said to Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:45, “You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies.” David knew that God’s power was greater than any weapon or giant that stood before him. Let’s think about that for a second. What would it look like if, instead of letting fear paralyze us, we declared God’s power over the situation?

Imagine you have a flashlight. If you turn it on in a brightly lit room, it doesn’t make much difference. But if you turn it on in complete darkness, it changes everything. God’s power is like that flashlight—it shines brightest in the darkest moments, when we need it the most. David’s faith was like that flashlight, lighting up the darkness that Goliath brought to the battlefield. When you’re facing a giant, remember that God’s light can cut through any darkness.

Statistics show that over 70% of teenagers experience anxiety about school, friendships, or their future. That’s a lot of people feeling like they’re facing impossible giants. But what if we, like David, chose to face our fears with faith? What if we decided to trust that God is bigger than our anxiety, bigger than our stress, and bigger than our doubts? David’s story reminds us that God’s power is greater than anything we could ever face.

Take a moment to think about something that scares you—something that feels like a Goliath. Imagine bringing that fear to God and saying, “Lord, you’ve helped me before, and I trust you now.” Just like David, your confidence comes from knowing you’re not in this alone. With God, all things are possible.

2. Courage through Community Esther 4:14-16

Esther 4:14–16 CSB

14 If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s family will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” 15 Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.”

The next story is about Esther. Esther wasn’t a warrior either; she was just a young woman who found herself in a situation that was overwhelming. She became queen at a time when her people, the Jews, were in danger. There was a plan to destroy them, and she knew she had to do something. But doing something meant putting her own life at risk. Esther was terrified. She could have stayed silent. She could have hidden and pretended everything was okay.

But here’s what made a difference: Esther had a community. She had people like her cousin Mordecai, who encouraged her and reminded her of her purpose. He told her, “Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” And Esther asked her community to pray for her before she approached the king.

Let’s talk about community for a minute. Who is your Mordecai? Who are the people in your life who encourage you and push you to be brave? It’s so easy to think we have to face our challenges alone, but God never intended for us to do that. He gave us friends, family, mentors, and leaders who are there to support us. If Esther had tried to handle things on her own, she might have given in to fear. But because she had a community, she found the courage to do what needed to be done.

We live in a world where we are more connected than ever through social media, yet so many of us feel alone. Did you know that according to recent studies, about 60% of teenagers feel lonely, even though they are constantly in contact with others online? This tells us that true community isn’t just about being connected digitally—it’s about being vulnerable, real, and willing to ask for help.

Esther teaches us that there is power in community. When you’re facing something tough, don’t isolate yourself. God didn’t create us to face our battles alone. He gave us each other so we can support, encourage, and stand by one another. Think about your friends here in this room. What if we all decided to be like Mordecai for each other—to be the kind of friends who encourage, pray, and remind each other of our purpose?

Here’s a challenge: Next time you’re struggling, reach out to someone. It could be a friend, a leader, or even a parent. Let them know what’s going on and ask them to pray for you. And on the flip side, be willing to be that support for someone else. When we come together as a community, we can face even the scariest challenges with courage.

Imagine for a moment that you’re trying to lift a heavy rock by yourself. It’s impossible. But if five or six of your friends come over to help, suddenly that heavy rock becomes much easier to move. Life’s obstacles are like that rock. Alone, they can feel impossible. But with the support of our community, we can move even the heaviest burdens.

Community is about showing up for each other. It’s about being there when things get tough, and it’s about celebrating each other’s victories. Think about a time when someone showed up for you—maybe it was a friend who texted you on a rough day, or a family member who listened when you needed to talk. Those moments matter. They remind us that we’re not alone, and they give us the courage to keep going.

3. Strength in the Savior Philippians 4:13

The last thing I want to talk about today is where our real strength comes from. In Philippians 4:13, Paul writes, “I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” This is one of those verses that people put on T-shirts and posters because it’s so encouraging. But sometimes we forget where that strength actually comes from.

Paul wrote this while he was in prison. He wasn’t living an easy life. He faced shipwrecks, beatings, rejection—and yet he still said he could do all things through Christ. Paul knew that his strength didn’t come from himself; it came from Jesus. And here’s the amazing thing: the same power that helped Paul endure those hardships is available to each of us today.

Let me ask you this: Where do you turn when you feel like you’re at the end of your strength? Do you try to power through on your own, or do you turn to Jesus and ask for His help? The truth is, we all reach points where our own strength just isn’t enough. And that’s okay, because we were never meant to do it all on our own. Jesus wants to be our source of strength.

Think of it like a rechargeable battery. If you keep using it without ever recharging, eventually it will die. Our strength is like that battery—if we try to keep going without connecting to our power source, we’re going to burn out. Jesus is the ultimate power source. He invites us to come to Him when we’re weary, and He promises to give us rest and strength.

Whatever obstacle you’re facing, you don’t have to tackle it alone. Jesus wants to be your source of strength. He’s already defeated the greatest obstacle of all—sin and death. Because of His victory, we can have hope that we, too, can overcome. When you feel like you just can’t take another step, remember that Jesus is there, offering His hand, ready to help you move forward.

Think of it like this: when you’re climbing a mountain, there are moments when you just want to give up. Your legs hurt, you’re out of breath, and it feels impossible to reach the top. But when you’re climbing with someone who’s stronger, they can help pull you up. They can encourage you when you’re tired. Jesus is that for us. He is strong when we are weak, and He gives us what we need to keep climbing.

Conclusion

Life’s obstacles can feel like mountains that are impossible to climb. But today, we learned that we don’t have to climb them alone. Like David, we can face our fears with faith, knowing God has been faithful before and will be again. Like Esther, we can find courage through our community—the people God has placed around us for support. And most importantly, we can find true strength in Jesus, who promises that we can do all things through Him.

Whatever mountain you’re facing today—whether it’s fear, loneliness, stress, or uncertainty—remember that God is with you. You have a community that loves you, and you have a Savior who gives you strength. Let’s face our mountains together, trusting that with God’s help, we can make it to the top.