Fighting for the Hearts of Our Children

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4

Nothing would make me happier than to see my children following Jesus and walking in the truth. We love and cherish our children and desire for them to come to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Psalm 127:3 says, "Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him." As I ponder over this scripture, the words "from Him" jump out at me and speak volumes. These precious creations are not ours. They are on loan to us from God. He chose us to raise His children, and He trusts us with them. Wow! We have a huge responsibility! Heidi St. John, a favorite author/speaker of mine, reminds us that "children are given to us like arrows in the hands of a warrior!" (Psalm 127:4) As we go about the busyness of our lives, it is so easy to forget that there is a spiritual battle going on around us. The enemy is real. He is out there and he is seeking to devour. Parents..."Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8). Satan would love to steal the hearts of our children. So let's fight the good fight! Battle the enemy and train your kids up to know and apply the word of God.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us to "train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it." I find great comfort in this verse. However, I also know that our children are born into the flesh and therefore have a sinful nature. God gives each of us free will. We can't save our children. Their salvation is out of our hands. While we are called to train them up in the Lord, it is God's job to work in their hearts. When talking to my wise mother about this verse, she shared that she believes "the way" won't depart from them. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Tucking this truth into the hearts of our children is so important because it will never leave them! So let's fight for the hearts of our children! Let's pour into and disciple our children to be firmly planted in Christ, to trust Him at all times, to strive live for the Lord in a culture that wars against Him, and to bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit. As we are training them up in the Lord, we can rest in His promise that it will not depart from them. Amen! So let's suit up and battle!

Battle Plan

Weapon #1:  Pray BIG
As parents, we need to fervently pray that our children come to treasure God's word and the truth, grow in wisdom, and become bold and courageous followers of Christ. "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16) The greatest gift we can give our kids is to pray for them. I recently read a poem that was included in the book Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George and it exemplifies the value of a praying parent...

Some have had kings in their lineage,
Some to whom honor was paid.
Not blest of my ancestors--but,
I have a mother who prays.

I have a mother who prays for me
And pleads with the Lord every day for me.
Oh what a difference it makes for me--
I have a mother who prays.

Some have worldly success
And trust in riches they've made--
This is my surest asset,
I have a mother who prays.

My mother's prayers cannot save me,
Only mine can avail;
But mother introduced me to Someone--
Someone who could never fail.

Oh yes...I have a mother who prays for me
And pleads with the Lord everyday for me.
O what a difference it makes for me--
I have a mother who prays.

Be intentional about praying over your precious children. Over the past year, Andrew and I have been blessed to attend various parenting life groups, meetings, and/or conferences. As a result, we have come up with a list of scripture-based prayers that we regularly pray for our children. I want to share these prayers with you in hopes that they might encourage and equip you.
We pray...
1. That they will come to salvation through faith in Jesus.
2. That they be firmly planted in Christ, have freedom from fear, and trust in Him at all times.
3. That they learn to be obedient to God, their parents, and those in authority over them.
4. That they will hunger and thirst for Him and that the Lord will give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation so they will know Him better. And in gaining wisdom will find God's purpose for them and will use their talents and gifts to honor God.
5. That they will seek to be more like Him, walk with integrity and purity, and bear the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
6. That they strive to live for the Lord in an ungodly generation. That they will be strong and able to speak the truth, flee temptation, and reject the lies of the enemy.
7. That they will live for the approval of 1. And as they are living for God's approval, that He will bless them with Godly friends, role models, and future spouses.

So let's pray BIG for our kids and put our faith in His promise and trust that He will lead them to Him.

Weapon #2: Model
Model living an obedient life that pleases the Lord. "We must be committed to maintaining a Godly life because a soul--the soul of a child--is involved," Elizabeth George. I'm continually praying that He must increase and I must decrease. Let them see you in me Lord! Clothe ourselves each day with joy, kindness, gentleness, love, forgiveness, and happiness in heart. And when we mess up and fail, model humility and repentance so that they can see the Holy Spirit working in us.

Weapon #3: Love
Titus 2:4 says, "Admonish the young women to love their children." One of the biggest ways the Lord is showing me that I can love my children is with my presence. It is so easy to get caught up in tasks that need to be done or tempted to get lost in the land of social media. But our kids need us to be present and distraction free. Purpose to set aside tasks, unplug every now and then, and focus solely on them. Smile, have fun, read one more story, play, and light up for them. Let them know that under your relationship with God and your marriage, they come next!

Weapon #4: Build a Foundation
Build a foundation of Biblical instruction and discipline into your children. Put God first in your home. Be in the word together daily. Memorize scripture together. Model praying without ceasing. Teach them how to be still and listen to the Lord. Make going to church and tithing/giving a priority. Help develop a servant's heart in your children through serving together. Focus less on spending and more on giving. Train them to obey God using redemptive discipline. And lastly, this one is huge in our busy culture....ensure there is "white space" on your calendar. Have you ever seen the acronym for BUSY? Being Under Satan's Yoke.  For me personally, when I get too busy, I get overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, on edge, and sometimes angry. I'm much more apt to snap at my kids or husband. That is not from God. Those are tools the enemy uses to separate me from God. I have found it is so important to slow down. Take time out of your busy schedule for pouring into your kids and training them. Because remember...when they are old, it will not leave them!

Let's choose to battle that free will and flesh. This parenting job is hard. There are days when I seriously doubt myself as a mother and I wonder if I can really do this. But we must remember that our help comes from the Lord and in His strength NOTHING is impossible. As we travel this parenting journey, we need to remember that God is with us. As we fight for the hearts of our children, let's remember Jeremy Camp's song "Same Power." The lyrics encourage and equip us to keep fighting! "The same power that rose Jesus from the grave, the same power that commands the dead to wake, lives in us, lives in us. The same power that moves mountains when He speaks. The same power that can calm a raging sea, lives in us, lives in us. Greater is He that is living in me, he's conquered the enemy." We have that power within us! He has already won the battle! The more we build a foundation of trust and confidence in the Lord for them, the more I believe, they will "be like a tree planted by the water, that sends out its roots by a stream. They won't fear when the heat comes. Their leaves are always green. They have no worries in a year of drought and never fail to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8) And that is my prayer for all of us as parents fighting for the hearts of God's most precious creation.