“ For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”
“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
How terrible it is today when we turn the TV, internet or within our communities, sometimes the same parents that are called to mentor our children in the way of the Lord are not even walking close to God. They are the same ones driving them away from the Lord with lifestyles that are contrary to God’s Word. The Lord who chose Abraham has chosen us as parents to bring our children in the way of the Lord. In the days of Samuel, his mother was in his life praying for the purpose of God to be fulfilled. In the days of Jesus, His parents were active in His life before His ministry. So many examples in the Bible. Parents have been commanded by God to take care of the children not only physically but spiritually. We must discipline, train, and teach the children in the way of the Lord and the secret weapon to assist in achieving this goal is prayer. We must pray them into their God given destinies especially more so in the world in which we leave today. The devil is more active than in time past. These children are the future of the church and if we care about God’s business on earth, then we must care about investing by prayers in the lives of our children.
Lamentations 2:11 &19 “My eyes fail from weeping; I am churning within. My heart is poured out in grief over the destruction of the daughter of my people, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city. Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at every street corner.”
The passage above demonstrates the state of our children today, our eye must not fail in crying. We must arise now and pour our hearts before the Lord as never before on behavior of our children. The Lord showed me a vision especially with the children between the ages of about 8-12 as I was resting and reflecting over this topic asking the Lord if this was really what he wanted us to focus on today (I will share my vision during our prayers tonight). Our prayers are needed, arise and carry this burden for the Lord.
When Peter addressed the crowd after the Pentecost, he made them aware that salvation, repentance, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit was not only for a few but for the children as well. Pray that our children will open their hearts and genuinely receive these gifts of salvation, repentance, and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to do the work God is calling them to do in their generation. Acts 2:38-39 “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise belongs to you and to your children and to all who are far off, to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself."
David was a great man despite his failures. Pray and declare this prayer over our children that King David prayed for his son Solomon. Psalm 72:3-7 &15-17 “May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor. May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. May grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun.”
Pray that God will indeed sharpen our children spiritually and physically as he blesses and used them as arrows at the gates of our enemies. Psalm 127:3-5 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”
Pray that our children will be surrounded by the outpouring love of God in every aspect and steps of their lives. Psalm 42:8 “Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.”
Pray that as parents we will not be a hinderance to them coming to the Lord and as they come may their ears be opened to hear the Lord as he teaches them his ways. Mark 10:13-16 “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.” Isaiah 54:13 “All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.”
Declare this word over the lives of our children, as it was in the days of John the Baptism, so shall it be for our children. Luke 1:76-79 “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
In the days when Eli’s children were wayward, and the word of God was rare. God was nourishing Samuel and John the Baptism. Pray that God will create in our children the Samuels and John the Baptists of their generation. Pray that our children will grow in stature, favor, and strong spiritually in the knowledge of God. 1Samuel 2:26 “And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people.” Luke 1:80 “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.”
Arise and decree and declare that our children will come running into the presence of God. They will serve God with passion in such a way that they will be known around the nations and God will be gloried. Isaiah 49:17-18 “Your children hasten back, and those who laid you waste depart from you. 18 Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather and come to you. As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride.” Isaiah 29:24 “Then the wayward in spirit will come to understanding, and those who grumble will accept instruction."
Pray that God will perforate their ears so they can hear and trust what parents say to them. Proverbs 1:8-9 “Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.”
Pray that our children will never wonder away from the true gospel they have been thought, learned and believed in. 2 Timothy 3:14-15 “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Pray that our children will walk in obedience in every step of their lives. Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
Pray that our children greatly impact their generation, like the apostles of old, they will do exploits for the kingdom of God and His glory. Matthew 21:15-16 “But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”
It does not matter whether or not you are struggling with your children now, declare that they are a good gift from the Lord. James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
Pray that our children will be bold enough to declare their faith and be examples in walking a holy walk in this time and age. 1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
Declare that our children are consecrated and set apart for great things, appointed for the work of the Lord. Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Release a parental blessing over them as the spirit of God leads you. Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
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