Pray for Our Children and Grandchildren
I am so thankful for the opportunity The LORD has given to me to pastor our church! My heart stands with yours for whatever you need. Our heavenly Father is our Provider, and He has given us the means to prosper in every realm of life. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “Remember The LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
Pastor Terri and I are so grateful that you are part of EMIC. We thank God for you and believe you thrive and flourish in all you set your hand to do. We expect supernatural increase and multiplication in your life and that you receive all God has for you!
Recently, I was praying over the children of our church. Summer is quickly approaching, and school is about to end. This school year went by fast! In a few months, our children and grandchildren will be moving up to the next level. They have a God-given destiny to fulfill. And you and I have a most crucial responsibility in the fulfillment of that destiny. The most important thing we can do for our children and grandchildren is to pray for them, and speak God’s WORD over their lives. This also includes nieces and nephews!
As I write this letter, I will be referencing several passages from a book by Cliff Richards and Lloyd Hildebrand entitled Prayers That Prevail for Your Children. My focus is on the chapter entitled “The Living Legacy of Godly Parents” (pages 53-55). The authors state: “Praying for our children is a primary parental responsibility. More profoundly, it is a ministry of eternal proportions. Through prayer, we make an investment in the lives of our children that will pay rich dividends in their futures, the lives of their children and in all succeeding generations. The far-reaching impact of our believing prayers will influence countless others as well.”
Samuel is our Old Testament example. He became a powerful prophet of God and was a voice for the coming of Jesus. But, like each of us, he was born into a family. He had a mother who prayed for him and dedicated his life to the service of The LORD. He was a “child of prayer.” In 1 Samuel 1:27-28, Hannah declared to Eli, the high priest, “For this child I prayed; and The LORD hath given me my petition which
I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent [returned] him to The LORD.” Richards and Hildebrand offer this quote by E. M. Bounds: “Samuel came into this world and was given existence in direct answer to prayer. He was born of a praying mother, whose heart was full of earnest desire for a son. He came into life under prayer surroundings, and his first months in this world were spent in direct contact with a woman who knew how to pray.”
Timothy is our New Testament example. Paul wrote to him during a particularly tough time in Timothy’s ministry. By way of encouragement, Paul called to remembrance “the unfeigned [sincere] faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also” (2 Timothy 1:5). Timothy had a praying mother and grandmother (what an unbeatable combination!), who believed God for the fulfillment of his ministry. Their prayers worked. Timothy became a major figure in the Bible who is known for his faithful service to the great Apostle Paul. The effects of their prayers have lived on for generations.
Pastor Terri and I have prayed over our children all their lives. We have endeavored to train them up in the way that they should go (Proverbs 22:6). We are now praying over our grandchildren the same way. We believe they will run their races, keep the faith, and finish their courses! Following are just a few of the paraphrased scriptures Pastor Terri and I have used. Speak them out loud over the children of our church. We will see our words become flesh when we pray God’s WORD in faith.
- God will contend with him who contends with us, and He will save our children. (Isaiah 49:25, New King James Version)
- Our children are disciples taught by The LORD and obedient to His will, and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of our children. (Isaiah 54:13, Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)
- We are convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in our children will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in them. (Philippians 1:6, AMPC)
- Our children shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. (Psalm 112:2)
This is just a start. Research scriptures about children, and begin to build your own arsenal to confess and pray. Spend time praying in the spirit over your children, and allow the Holy Spirit to talk to you about them. I can remember specific things that were revealed to us about our children by the Holy Spirit. Back then, they did not always appreciate the Holy Spirit “telling on them,” but they appreciate it now.
“Father, I pray over the lives of our children and grandchildren and believe that they are protected, directed and will walk out their perfect callings. We all receive greater sensitivity in helping mold them into the image of our LORD Jesus Christ. I pray over this new school year and believe that our children are increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. Thank You that they are kind, loving, respectful, obedient and honor authority. We return them to the service of our LORD. In Jesus’ Name, we pray.”
Praise God for our children,
