(Taken from Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids by Sharon Jaynes. Used by permission. To learn more, visit www.sharonjaynes.com)
Becoming a Mighty Prayer Warrior
By Sharon Jaynes
Today's Truth:
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth" (3 John 1:4 NIV).
Friend to Friend,
Proverbs 31 introduces us to the mother whose children rise up and call her blessed. She is a "wife of noble character" (NIV), "an excellent wife" (NAS) and "a capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman." (AMPLIFIED VERSION) The actual Hebrew word for excellent or virtuous is chayil and is sometimes interpreted as "virtuous, boldly courageous, powerful, mighty warrior." The mother whose children rise up and call her blessed is a warrior who battles in prayer for the hearts, minds, and souls of her children.
She prays a hedge of protection around them and stands in the gap when they don't know how to pray for themselves. She meets the enemy head on, dressed in the armor of God with the sword of the spirit (the word of God) drawn and ready for action. We may never know the many times that the enemy's schemes against our children were thwarted by the power of our prayers. She prays a hedge of protection around them and stands in the gap when they don't know how to pray for themselves. She meets the enemy head on, dressed in the armor of God with the sword of the spirit (the word of God) drawn and ready for action. We may never know the many times that the enemy's schemes against our children were thwarted by the power of our prayers.
As a mother, you may feel at times that your burden for your child seems more than you can bear. Peter tells us to "cast all our cares upon Him, because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). He cares for your children, too. No matter how much you love your children, God loves them more.
In my Bible, I keep a 4 x 6 laminated card with prayers for Steven that is my defense against the enemy's attack. You, too, can pray that your children will:
- Know Christ as Savior early in life. (Psalm 63:1, 2 Timothy 3:15)
- Have a hatred for sin. (Psalm 97:10)
- Be caught when guilty. (Psalm 119:71)
- Be protected from the evil one in each area of their lives: spiritual, emotional, and physical. (John 17:15)
- Have a responsible attitude in all their interpersonal relationships. (Daniel 6:3)
- Respect those in authority over them. (Romans 13:1)
- Desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong friends. (Proverbs 1:10-11)
- Be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one. (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)
- Be kept pure until marriage (as well as the one they marry). (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
- Learn to totally submit to God and actively resist Satan in all things. (James 4:7)
- Be single-hearted, willing to be sold out to Jesus Christ. (Romans 12:1-2)
- Be hedged in so they cannot find their way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people cannot find their way to them. (Hosea 2:6)
A mother wears many hats during the years of raising her children. And while we take off those hats one-by-one as they grow and mature, there is one that will always remain - the hat of a mother who prays.
Let's Pray...
Dear God, thank You for the privilege of being a mom. I agree with John who wrote, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." That is my prayer today...that my child will walk in Your truth.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
Now It's Your Turn...
Perhaps you have certain concerns or desires for your child. If so, find a good concordance and look up Scriptural promises to pray.
Consider joining with another mother and becoming prayer partners for your children. You can use the list from this devotion as a springboard for praying Scripture over your children.
If you are a mom in need of a bit of encouragement today, I have a video clip just for you. Just click on the following link: Sharonjaynes.com/videos/Motherhood.swf
