HOW TO PRAY: FOR CHILDREN
BY STEPHEN DERGES
For me it's an amazing honour to be able to pray for children and young people - even if I'm not cool, don't wear the latest fashions and have a haircut that dates me!
As parents, it has been a real joy for my wife and me to pray for our children. They may be adults now but they're still our kids and we want to surround them daily with God's favour.
Many of us will know Proverbs 22:6 (TNIV) - ‘Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it'. The Message says, ‘Point your kids in the right direction' and that includes the whole range of spiritual and moral values, together with recognising a child's personality traits, gifts and abilities. As Godly parents, our aim should be to provide insight and direction, to nurture their talents, to lovingly guide and train and eventually release our children to fulfil their specific God-given purpose.
And we certainly need help in these areas! That's why it's a tremendous comfort to know we have a perfect heavenly Father who wants to be actively involved in our role as parents.
Here are three areas in which we can take Scripture promises and prophetically pray them over our children, remembering that God guarantees His Word will always accomplish its purposes (Isaiah 55:11)
PRAYING ETERNAL BLESSING
As parents we want to know our children have an eternal future so claim:
§ 1 John 5:1 - they will come to personal faith and know Jesus as their Saviour.
§ 1 John 4:16 -they will know and remain in God's love.
§ Psalm 25:13 - they will prosper in this life and have an inheritance.
PRAYING PROTECTION
In Job 1:4-6 there is a little known passage that says that Job's seven sons were party animals - they loved holding feasts and always invited their three sisters to join them. Job was so concerned that his usual custom was to make a sacrifice on his children's behalf - presumably in case things got out of hand at the party.
We can't wrap our children and young people up with cotton wool all the time and Christians aren't exempt from accidents, life-threatening illnesses or even the devastating effects of premature death. But we can intercede on our children's behalf and trust that God in His mercy will watch over them.
§ 1 John 4:4 - that they will overcome temptation and trust the ‘one who is in us is greater than the one in the world'.
§ Psalm 1:1-2 - they will make wise friendships and not be drawn into inappropriate relationships but make God's Word their delight.
PRAYING WISDOM
Again take God's Word and personalise it for your children.
Proverbs 23:12 & 2 Timothy 2:7 - they will have teachable spirits and seek after wise counsel.
Stephen Derges is Pastor of Bridgnorth Baptist Church and Chairman of the annual Shropshire Prayer Breakfast. He co-ordinates a prayer written by local church leaders each week in the local newspaper, and writes for various Christian and other publications. More details on www.bridgnorthbaptist.co.uk and www.prayer-community.co.uk (Shropshire Prayer Breakfast).
