The War for Your Children
will be won on your knees
Your children hang in the balance of your prayer life.
Spiritual War
Every person raises their children in the middle of a spiritual war.
The spiritual forces opposed to God are leading humanity against God. Every person is born into this rebellion and participates willingly as the Enemy offers a plan that feeds their cravings and desires. Your children and mine are born dead in sins and on the wrong side of a spiritual war for eternity.
This is tragic state of the lost world full of lost people following the Devil.
2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh m and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
Ephesians 2:1–3
The enemies of God are working tirelessly to disciple our children.
The Devil wants to disciple your children to the point of confirmation. He’s hoping to see them graduate into permanent rebellion when their sin finally brings condemnation.
We see the Devil’s discipleship in more dramatic colors in our culture than ever before. The spiritual enemies of God have moved from shades of grey and to the whole rainbow in celebrating and discipling rebellion.
Battle Plan
What is a Christian parent to do?
First, we need to talk clearly and seriously about the dilemma of life. Your kids are not going to grow up into Christ without the Spirit of God inside them.
There are only two paths–Conversion to Christ or Confirmation in Condemnation.
We cannot pretend there is a middle ground or a third way. We cannot play lightly with being Christian in name only. Social Christianity must be put to death if your children will live. Resolve not to pass on nominal Christianity but real discipleship.
Second, we need to talk clearly and joyfully about the beauty of Jesus Christ and the gift of His Spirit. The Christian life and hope should be sung, not merely transmitted. I’m all for good songs… but I’m talking about the melody of your life.
What is the tune of your life’s song? What is the beat to which you march? Is it Christ, His Words, and His Church?
Is the tune being set by work, sports, money, or fun? It’s good to reflect on what really sets the tune of your calendar, budget, and priorities.
If Christ, His Words, and His Church are occasional or treated as interruptions, do you really believe the symphony of the world will be drowned out by the few random notes and chords you present to your children?
The world is playing an anti-Christ anthem at full volume.
Offer them the symphony of grace with the words of the Gospel on the speakers of the congregation… crank up the volume!
Third, we need to talk clearly and dependently about our need for the Spirit. Dependence is the only way to win this war.
Weapon of Choice
Prayer becomes the weapon of choice for Christians when they realize it is the weapon of last resort. You have no path to your child’s heart besides the Spirit of God working.
Should you soak them in the Bible? Yes! Should you educate your children from the worldview of God’s Word? Yes! Should you protect them from the stories, lies, and mentors the world wants to use in their confirmation toward condemnation? Yes!
All of that should be in your symphony! You still need the humbling, deep conviction that it will all be worthless unless the Spirit of God works.
Your children hang in the balance of your prayer life. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, and you need the Spirit of God to win the war!
Powerful Hope
Christian, don’t hear this as a burden but a promise. God set your children apart for special exposure to grace. Praying over all that grace can sound like a burden– but that’s your flesh lying. The Spirit offers power and life you could never muster yourself.
Praying over your steps to convert, disciple, and deploy your children into this battle shows the vital conviction that the battle belongs to the Lord.
Prayer offers hope because the Spirit in you is greater that the enemies of this world!
We should smile and pray in hope when we read “You children hang in the balance of your prayer life.” because prayer is powerful!
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Ephesians 6:10–20