Not Alone: Trusting God to Help You Raise Godly Kids in a Spiritually Mismatched Home (24 page)

This is Jesus’ mission and purpose, and it’s ours as well. God partners with us, and especially with us moms, to release His power, love and intervention into the lives of those for whom we pray. We are to persevere in prayer, trusting that God is working all things out for our good, our children’s good and His glory. We must pray with faith born of conviction that God’s love and favor are upon our children. We must worship and praise God for the work He has done in our lives and in our children’s lives. And finally, we must armor up, because we are at war. It’s our words of intercession that can literally keep our children from the devil’s grip.

I will tell you that our kids’ freewill and their life choices will counter our prayers. However, over time God will reveal Himself to our children over and again, offering them another chance at freedom. One day He will break through.

I was delightfully surprised that on the very day that I was writing this about rebellious and prodigal children, I received an email from an old friend of mine whom I haven’t heard from in a long, long time. She wrote,

Last Sunday, the Lord gave me a front row seat as He brought His daughter, my eldest daughter, back home.

As a mother of a prodigal, there is nothing in this life sweeter than to witness her rebirth. Her birth was wonderful—but the birthing of her new life was extraordinary.

Perhaps you are the parent of a prodigal whom you have prayed for, and you feel there’s not much hope … can I tell you something?

Please keep praying.

Your prodigal has a day … set and ordered by the Lord.

If you think that it will happen in one particular way, please give up your idea to Him, and let Him do the orchestrating of the music of that life. He has written the most beautiful score to be heard—and only He knows when it will be played.

My day came quite unexpectedly in some ways, but then totally expected in others. Take heart, parents. Keep praying. Your prodigal is still being watched by an Almighty eye. —Angie Knight

Mom, our message throughout this journey has been that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength and with all our mind (see Luke 10:27). This kind of love relationship empowers us to live in the freedom of Christ. It will cause God’s love to fill us up so completely that His love will overflow from us and splash onto our families and our lost loved ones. This kind of love transforms marriages, heals broken hearts, comforts and restores hurting children, and overcomes every single obstacle that the enemy sends our way.

Every word you whisper or even shout in prayer impacts the spiritual realm. Persevere in
faith
, never give up
hope
, and love with the
love
of Christ.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Cor. 13:13).

APPENDIX 2

Scripture Index:
My Identity in Christ

Dineen

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to
preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom
for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the
oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

LUKE 4:18-19

My friend, take your time and work through this list of Scripture verses that are not only for your children but for you as well. So many of us walk through life without fully understanding that we belong totally and completely to Jesus and that in Him we are new creations with completely new identities. Jesus doesn’t make us clean up our act first either. In fact, He came specifically to set the prisoners and captives free, meeting people right where they are. That means you and me and everyone we love and meet.

You are:

• A citizen of heaven (Eph. 2:6; Phil. 3:20)
  
• A friend of God (John 15:14-15)
  
• A joint heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17,
  NKJV)
  
• A new creation (2 Cor. 5:17)
  
• A soldier (2 Tim. 2:3-4)
  
• Able to do all things through Christ (Phil. 4:13)
  
• Accepted (Rom. 15:7)
  
• Adequate (2 Cor. 3:5,
  NASB)
  
• Adopted as God’s child (Eph. 1:5)
  
• An overcomer (1 John 5:4-5)
  
• Beautiful (Song of Songs 1:15)
  
• Beloved (Deut. 33:12)
  
• Bold and confident (Eph. 3:12,
  NKJV)
  
• Bought with a price and belonging to God (1 Cor. 6:20)
  
• Cherished (Ps. 83:3)
  
• Chosen (Col. 3:12)
  
• Christ’s Bride (Rev. 21:9)
  
• Complete in Christ (Col. 2:10,
  NASB)
  
• Dead to sin and alive to God (Rom. 6:11)
  
• Delivered (2 Cor. 1:9-10)
  
• Encouraged (2 Thess. 2:16-17)
  
• Equipped (2 Tim. 3:17)
  
• Established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Cor. 1:21-22,
  NASB)
  
• Favored (Ps. 84:11)
  
• Given power, love and a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7)
  
• God’s child (John 1:12; Rom. 8:14-16)
  
• God’s fellow worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 6:1)
  
• God’s holy people (Eph. 1:1)
  
• God’s witness (Acts 1:8)
  
• God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
  
• Hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3)
  
• Holy (Heb. 10:10)
  
• Inscribed on the palm of God’s hand (Isa. 49:16,
  NKJV)
  
• Justified (1 Cor. 6:11; Rom. 5:1)
  
• Known (Ps. 139:1)
  
• Made by God (Ps. 100:3)
  
• Made righteous (2 Cor. 5:21)
  
• Never forsaken (Heb. 13:5)
  
• One with God (John 17:23,
  NKJV)
  
• Perfect and complete (Jas. 1:2-4,
  NKJV)
  
• Prayed for (Rom. 8:27)
  
• Qualified to share Christ’s inheritance (Col. 1:12)
  
• Redeemed (Gal. 3:13; Col. 1:14)
  
• Renewed (2 Cor. 4:16)
  
• Spiritually minded (Rom. 8:6)
  
• Sure that all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28)
  
• The light of the world (Matt. 5:14)
  
• The salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13)
  
• The temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19)
  
• Unable to be separated from God’s love (Rom. 8:35-37)
  
• Under no condemnation (Rom. 8:1)
  
• United with the Lord and one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17)
  
• Valued (Matt. 6:26)
  
• Victorious (1 Cor. 15:57)
  
• Washed, sanctified and justified (1 Cor. 6:11)
  

APPENDIX 3

Prayers for Moms and
Prayers for Our Kids

Prayers for You, Our Fellow Moms

God, equip this mother with the diligence to go to You on behalf of her children. When she is in doubt of the power she possesses, remind her that You have entrusted her with these precious ones and that she herself brings holiness to her home and to her children. God, remind her of the battle that wages for her children. Help her to remember that all You ask of her is that she be faithful and diligent to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Prov. 22:6). Release her from any fear of her children’s choices as adults. Let her not fear what the future may hold but let her hang on to the fact that she has the ability to make an impact on her kids through her example and through her precious prayers as a mother. Give this mom a verse to remind her of what You have called her to do.

When she doubts her role, flood her with reminders through Scripture, friends and encouragement to fight the good fight! Remind her that she is a seed planter and that the godly people You bring into her children’s lives are the ones who will water, and that You will grow them into what You have called them to be.

— S
HELLY
W
EAVER

My Abba Father, I pray with an overflowing and earnest heart for every mother who loves You and who loves her children that she will find encouragement in Your presence. Lord, fill her up with energy on her difficult days. Reveal to her the great value of her efforts regularly so that she will maintain her focus and will continue the mission You have decreed for her. Speak gentle words of love to her when she is scared, worried, tired or hormonal. Lord, surround her with Your people to speak wisdom, laughter and hope into her as a mother.

Father, from this day forward let this beautiful and precious mother never forget that her high and holy calling surpasses all others in her life, and remind her that she will have a lasting impact on the world through her offspring for generations to come.

Protect her from the lies of the enemy. Bless her with provision, abundance and delight. Let her see the love notes that You send to her every day. Fill her life with adventure, laughter, promise, skills, unending energy and a will to serve You and her family with the love of Christ. Show her how very proud of her You are, and let her walk fully in her God-given identity as a child of the Most High God.

— L
YNN
D
ONOVAN

Prayers for Our Children

Lord, I pray that You would handpick every one of my children’s friends, that each one would be loyal and honest and would walk with integrity so as to be a good influence on my kids. I pray that my children will be a good influence on their friends as well—the presence and aroma of Christ. If any friend in my children’s lives is a negative or evil influence, please change this person’s heart or take this person out of my kids’ lives. Lord, help my children to treat their friends with kindness, respect and consideration. Help them to walk with integrity of heart, as David did.

— D
INEEN
M
ILLER

This is what I pray on the nights when I put my young boys to bed:

Dear Lord, thank You for
_________, _________
and
_________.
Thank You for Your love for them and Your special plan for each of their lives. Please bless them and keep them, and lead them all their days. May they always know Your great love for them.

The last line I find especially important. That is the one thing everything hinges on, because it is when we lose sight of how much God loves us that we tend to fall away from Him. But even when life’s not fun, if we can still feel His love, it makes all the difference.

— G
ILLIAN
R
USSELL
M
EISNER

I like to pray Ephesians 1:16-20:

I thank God for you. I pray for you, _________, constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you, _________, spiritual wisdom and insight so that you, _________, might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your heart will be flooded with light so that you, _________, can understand the confident hope God has given to those He has called—His holy people, who are His rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you, _________, will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe in Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

— D
EBRA
A
LLEY

Father God, may my children fall in love with You.

— M
ARTHA
B
USH

Dear Lord, I pray that You would keep a constant hedge of protection around these children and that You would keep the evil one far from them. Lord, I also pray that You would give me a vision for my children’s future so I can cooperate with You in the plans You have for them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

— T
AMARA
H
AJCAK

Dear Lord, heavenly Father, thank You for these children whom You have entrusted to me. Help my children to rely on You at all times; help them to be saved. May they put You first in their lives. Whatever Your will is for their lives is what we want. Help us all to love each other and to embrace Your will for our lives. Help us to appreciate each gift You have given us in our personalities and in our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

— A
NDREA
L
UDWIG

Lord, prepare my child’s future spouse, and build a firm and unshakable foundation of faith in this person who will marry my child. I ask for this same preparation for my child so that, as You have designed for marriage, the two of them will become one, will walk together in strong faith and, by serving each other and others, will bring You glory, Father. Keep them both pure until the day of marriage. Until they meet, guard their hearts and remove any romantic entanglement from their lives that is counter to Your plan of what’s best for them. Help them both to be patient and to trust You to bring them together according to Your perfect timing.

— D
INEEN
M
ILLER

Lord, please fill my daughter to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit. From her young age may she be used for Your kingdom’s purposes; may she learn to pray to You and to see and know Your answers to her prayer; may she learn to hear and know Your voice. Keep her safe. Give her wisdom in school and in her studies, and please prepare a godly husband for her in the future so that she will not have to walk the path that I have walked. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

— O
LGA G.

Father, guide my children to always love unconditionally, even when they mess up or experiment—because all kids do. Amen.

When your children disappoint you, ask God for guidance, and ask Him to restore your unconditional love toward them.

— G
AIL
M
CKINNEY

Father, please give me the strength not to get in Your way in my children’s lives so that they become all that You have planned for them. Help me to share Your love, Your mercy and Your grace with them and to point them toward You when they are wandering away, confused or scared. Help me to love my kids when they are not very loveable, to see what You see, to say what You’d say. Help me to know that it’s not all about what I want them to become but what You desire for them, so that they will bring glory to You and will be Your hands and feet in this broken world.