Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. Psalm 127:3-5

This is the scripture that I sent a year or so ago to a friend whose first child, a son, had just been born. Though I am a mother of teenage sons, I have many friends who are having babes for the first time. A girlfriend of mine is getting ready to have her second child; she thinks it will be a boy. She asked me the other day, how do you do it? Raising sons that is….well, I can only say that raising children, particularly in this day and age, is and will be the hardest job you will ever love.

I have no special personal wisdom, but I do spend an inordinate amount of time doing my “knee mail” because I learned a long time ago that God is definitely a better parent than I will ever be and that His Word is powerful and true.

I pray over my guys; I pray through their rooms, I pray when they go to sports events, school, and meetings with friends. A mentor of mine taught me to never let my kids leave the house without a blessing from me. Even if they are running to the car late for school I try to pray over them, out loud, so that they hear me lifting their names to God and know they are being committed to His hands. Through elementary and middle school, we would pray on the way to school (right at the turn in the road a few minutes before we arrived 😉 – it became a heavenly habit that started our day). Let’s face it, there is no way we can be with our children day in and day out – but Jesus is with them always. Just as the words and choices in a family can beget generational curses, so can the most excellent and heart-felt prayers break those maledictions and inspire generational blessings.

We as parents need to be mindful of inviting Jesus into the lives of our family not as just the guest of honour, but as a constant presence.

It may seem like a simple thing, or maybe not that important, but I know personally, that it is the prayers of others that will find a place in a child’s life.  Scripture reminds us to Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Since we are wont to follow our “own wants” – it may still be that a child WILL “jump the rails” at some time in his or her life – but it is those constant and sacrificial prayers of another that brings them and us back in line with our Father’s will. How do I know this? Well, I need look no further than my own mother’s prayers….for me. (A.k.a. a rail jumper).

So to answer my friend’s question of “how do you do it”? Well I follow this truth, “If I, you, we, they…walk with the Lord, we shall indeed never be out of step.

Over the years I have prayed countless scripture to over my own children, found right in the Bible. Another excellent compilation source is Above Rubies Magazine. (see below)

Oh God, hear our cry for our children, grandchildren and the children who are yet to be born. We pray…

• That they will have a real born again experience and come to know God personally. (John 3:3; 2 Timothy 3:15; Romans 10:9-10)
• That they will have soft, tender hearts to hear and obey the voice of the Lord. (1 Samuel 3:10; Isaiah 57:15; 66:2)
• That they will be caught when guilty (Psalm 119:71)
• That they will walk humbly before the Lord. (Micah 6:8; 1 Peter 5:5-6)
• That they will love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mark 12:50)
• That they will love to read and meditate on the Word of God and will receive revelation and insight as they read. (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:9, 11, 18, 97, 105; Ephesians 1:17-18; Colossians 3:16; 1 Peter 2:2)
• That they will love to pray. (2 Corinthians 7:14; Psalm 55:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
• That they will be committed to the gathering together of God’s people. (Hebrews 10:25)
• That they will love righteousness and hate evil. (Psalm 97:10; 101:3; Amos 5:15; Romans 12:9)
• That they will stand strong against the wiles of the Satan and never compromise. (Ephesians 5:11; 6:13-14; 1 Peter 5:8-9)
• That they will hate the spirit of this world and not give in to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. (1 John 2:15-17; Romans 12:2; James 4:4)
• That they will hate lies and deception and seek after truth. (Psalm 51:6; 119:30; 163; Proverbs 12:22; 13:5; 19:9)
• That they will shine as lights in this dark and deceived world. (John 17:18; Philippians 2:15)
• That they will understand true justice and have discernment regarding good and evil, the holy and the profane. (Leviticus 10:10; Isaiah 59:14-15; Jeremiah 15:19; Ezekiel 22:26)
• That they will seek God with all their hearts. (Psalm 27:8; 105:4; 119:2; Proverbs 28:5; Zephaniah 2:3)
• That their whole spirit, soul and body will be kept pure and blameless for the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
• That they will be kept from evil. (John 17:15-16)
• That their faith will not fail. (Luke 22:32)
• That they will have a responsible attitude in all their interpersonal relationships and they will seek the right kind of friends. (Daniel 6:3; Proverbs1:10, 15)
• That God will pour out His Holy Spirit upon them mightily. (Isaiah 44:3-4; Acts 2:16-18)
• That they will keep themselves pure and holy (body, soul and spirit) for the man/woman that God has chosen for them. (Romans 6:12-13; 1 Corinthians 6:15-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4)
• That God will even now prepare for them godly wives and husbands who will be committed and faithful in marriage. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
• That they will love and embrace children and establish godly homes. (Psalm 27 and 28: Malachi 2:15)
• That God will keep them from accident, harm, sickness and danger and all enemy attack. (Psalm 91)

Amen and Amen!

Good Reads:

The Power of A Praying Parent by Stormie OMartian