I am constantly aware that my husband and I are in the midst of a spiritual battle, and the war is being waged on our own doorstep. Caught in this cultural crossfire are my children, who do not yet have the armor of God! ...But we do. And we need to step up, stand in the gap between them and Satan, and hold up our shields of faith to protect them.
... since 1971, I have designated one day a week for fasting and prayer specifically devoted to the spiritual welfare of our children....There are too many factors beyond our control--too many evil influences--that mitigate against the Christian message. That is why we find ourselves in prayer, week after week....this act of fasting each week serves to remind us continually of our system of priorities. It is very difficult to forget your highest values when one day out of seven is spent concentrating on them.
~Shirley Dobson
Dr. Dobson talks about how his great-grandfather had prayed for an hour each morning for his children. And not only for his children, but the next four generations of his family. Dobson said that even though his great-grandfather had died before he was born, this man was the greatest inspiration for him.
It staggers my mind to realize that the prayers of this one man, spoken more than fifty years ago, reach across four generations of time and influence developments in my life today. This is the power of prayer and the source of my hope and optimism.
~Dr. James Dobson
I too have experienced the blessings from having a praying mother. I firmly believe, her bended knees before the Almighty, have protected, and continues to protect those who have come from the fruit of her womb...even unto salvation.
Because of our love for our children, we must rest and rely on the Lord because their salvation does not rest on our diligence or our faithfulness. Ultimately, our children’s salvation rests entirely on the sovereign work of God Himself. Such a realization should bring comfort to parents. In addition, it should motivate them to bathe their evangelistic efforts in prayer to the One who does His work where they cannot – in the child’s heart.
~John MacArthur
This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
~Matthew 17:21
The case of afflicted children should be presented to God by faithful and fervent prayer. Christ cured the child. Though the people were perverse, and Christ was provoked, yet care was taken of the child. When all other helps and succours fail, we are welcome to Christ, may trust in him, and in his power and goodness. See here an emblem of Christ's undertaking as our Redeemer. It encourages parents to bring children to Christ, whose souls are under Satan's power; he is able to heal.
~Matthew 17:21 Commentary by Matthew Henry
One of the most important things I am privileged to do as a mother is to pray for my children.
I won't make it a habit to pray that my boys are in the top reading group in their classroom, or that they will understand a foreign language by the time they are 10, or that they will know their times tables by next week. Though I want them to do well in school, that will not be what I am petitioning God for. You see, I do not necessarily care if my children are book smart. Though I know it is important, I just don't care about it as much as I care about other things.
I plan on spending a lot of time asking God to give them "undivided hearts (Psalm 86:11), and praying "that they will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel when they open their mouths (Ephesians 6:19)." I pray that God will help them to be good stewards of their time, their money, their words. I pray for their character, their faith, their decisions, their future wives.
Some mother's may have a bumper sticker on their car proclaiming they are the proud mother of an honor roll student, I'd rather have a bumper sticker that proclaims that I am the proud mother of a child with an undivided heart.
I want them to be wise, Godly men someday who chase after the Lord;
Who grow to be strong in the faith and courage of Christ Jesus.
God talks of our children in the context of war.
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
~Psalm 127:4-5
This life is a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.
Our "arrows" must know how to contend for their faith and the truth
We are to be raising our children to be warriors for God's kingdom, to know how to face the battle and to stand strong for God. I want my children to grow up not being afraid to speak His truth, even in the face of opposition and persecution.
I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
~Psalm 119:46
Lord, send us lion-hearted men
With good courageous habits,
Who ne'er will run from the devil's gun
Like hares and bunny rabbits~C.T. Studd
We must be relentless on our knees for our children, carrying them to the throne of grace as we petition the sovereign and good God of the gospel for mercy. And while praying for them, I will also pray for myself. That I would not do anything that would hinder their love for and faithfulness to Jesus.
I cannot save my children, only God can. But God hasn't called me to save them. He has called me to care for them, and to shepherd their hearts with the word of God.
~Irish Calvinistwe must pray like we can’t save our children
...but parent like we can
Always Seeking Higher Ground,
Nora
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