God has given us many tools to a raise our children. One of the most powerful tools is our language. It’s important that when it comes to our children that we use our language for good. Proverbs 18:21 teaches us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Our kind words bring warmth into our relationships with our children; harsh words bring tension and separation. Positive words build trust and confidence with our children; lies break trust.
There is a season in life when our children depend on us to do everything for them. However, as they transition into adulthood, we must continually release them to the Lord. This shift in power isn’t always easy and we may overstep our boundaries to do more than we should. Yet, when we have released our children into God’s hands, we can pray over them in faith, trusting in God to do great work in their lives.
In the midst of our busy lives, we have to ask ourselves: Are we praying for our children? Are we praying, powerful, promise-filed, hope-inspired prayers? Are we praying God’s Word and promises over their lives? We are challenged each and every day to pray more, particularly for those who we care about most. The Enemy is a trickster and he will use any tactic he can to break your family down and destroy your relationships with each other. It’s important that you recognize that there is a battle over families today, and that we should do everything in our power to protect those we hold dear in our lives. Prayer should be your starting place. It is essential that we pray over our children and families, so that we may stay alert, aware and are able to discern God’s voice against any force trying to destroy us. You can begin today by lifting up powerful blessings to pray over your children.
A Prayer for Blessings
A great verse to pray over your children is from Numbers 6:24-26 which says, “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” The words we use in our child’s life have the power either to bless or curse, to build up others or to tear them down. Sometimes, our words have more power than we realize. The blessings in Numbers 6:24-26 declare that God will “keep” you, be “gracious” to you and give you “peace.” This means our words for our children can “keep” them – that is reassure, protect and support. Our words can be full of grace, making a situation in their life better than it otherwise would be. We can accept responsibility for an error we made in a situation with our child, for example, rather than shifting the blame by minimizing our world. Our words can bring peace by restoring relationships when they have been broken. Trust in the power of invoking God’s blessing in your child’s life.
A Prayer for Encouragement
Another great verse to pray over your child if you want to encourage them is Ephesians 4:29 which says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” It’s important that we pray that our language be transformed, that we lift our children up with our language as opposed to tearing them down with our words. If you turn on any TV show on any night of the week, you not have to watch very long before you hear examples of speech that tears down others. Most of the comedy on TV sitcoms comes from husbands and wives, parents and children, or co-workers putting each other down. But this is characteristic of our old life, not of our new life in Christ. Rather than using your words to tear your children down, use your words to build them up.
A Prayer to Enlist the Power of the Holy Spirit
If you’re ready to bring blessings into your child’s life, pray that God will give them a spirit of power, love and sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” In times of fear, it’s important that your child is ready to stand in power, love and a sound mind under the power of the Holy Spirit. Their faith in God will be strengthened when they overcome the spirit of fear. When they do this, they will be better armed for spirit attack and find themselves growing into strong warriors for Christ.
A Prayer to Eliminate Anxiety
Next, pray that your child will not be anxious about anything. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Our children are filled with worries just like we are. They have to deal with everything from peer and social pressure, to bullying, relationship and family problems. They also have to deal with the constant images of crime and unrest flashed on our TV screens daily. We must pray that they will grow in their trust in God to keep them and prepare them for the future. When we teach our children to pray to God regularly with their requests, both small and great, we help them build a stronger faith in God.
A Prayer for the Presence of God
Finally, pray that they will know that God is with them. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Everyone, including believers, at one time or another will feel like God has left their prayers unanswered or that they’ve been abandoned. But we learn to overcome that feeling as we grow in our trust in His faithfulness and promise to never leave us. We must prepare our children to look to the Lord before they look to anyone else. When they are prepared in this way, they will grow their confidence in God’s presence whether they sense them Him that moment or not.
God has the power to do the miraculous in the life of your family. Don’t be afraid to make a request to God regarding your child based on their specific needs. When you tell God what you need, also thank Him for all He has done. Never underestimate the importance of speaking blessing and truth over your child’s life, for God is good and His love endures forever.
