Parents are often at a loss when it comes to praying for our children. This Trinity Academy article guides us on how to pray effectively.
As parents, we desire the best for our children and want to wield every weapon at our disposal to shield them from harm’s way.
Prayer is the weapon of authority parents possess.
But how can we effectively pray for our children? It could be for a current need or something we desire for them in the future.
God wants the best for our children more than we know it. Using Scriptures to pray helps us align our hearts to the will of God for our children.
Praying with Scripture builds faith. As we pray, using the Quote, Mention, and Thank (QMT) method, we are declaring God’s Word which is a powerful weapon.
Quote – means taking a specific verse and reiterating it in your prayer so that your heart feeds on the passage and your mind is framed by it.
Mention – means bringing your request before God.
Thank – means giving thanks to God.
For example, let’s use the Scripture Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving; present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
First, you quote the scripture.
Lord, your Word says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving; present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Second, you mention the request.
Lord, I pray for John that he will not be anxious about his examinations.
Third, you thank God.
Lord, I thank you for Your peace over John. I thank You for guarding his heart and mind in Christ Jesus, in whose name I pray, Amen.
Another way to use Scripture to pray is to replace the pronoun in the scripture with your child’s name. Here’s an example.
Ephesians 1:17-21 - I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you (John) the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that he (John) may know him better. I pray that the eyes of his (John’s) heart may be enlightened in order that he (John) may know the hope to which he has called you (John), the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us (John) who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Praying with Scripture is not a chant or a magical formula. It is a powerful way to affirm God’s Word and declare God’s promises over our children.
Start declaring God’s Word in your prayer for your children. You will experience a difference in your prayer life as you see God meeting your children at their point of need.
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14)
Recommended
Sign up for an upcoming online class on Praying for your Children on Nov 20.
Check out various resources at the Trinity Academy Learning Portal on TrinityBroadcastTV.