SteadFAST in prayer for children

Children—one of the greatest gifts of love from God. There is an aphorism that rings true for all parents, “Children learn more from what you are than what you teach.” In short, ‘example is way better than advice’. As parents, we are called to intercede for our children, aren’t we? But in the past couple of weeks, I feel it in my heart as more than a duty-bound gesture—a burning desire to pray for children. Not limiting to protection and provision but also intricate details of their character, sexuality, choices, decisions and marriage. 

I have three children——13, 10 and 4. They are all home-schooled so they are not really surrounded by a lot of influence figures. This often makes me wonder about the school-going children who interact with diverse characters every day. Often pliable to the things said and done to them, children absorb the energy of their teachers, friends and parents on an everydaybasis. Imagine, the concoction of words and energy they consume daily? Is it all healthy? I keep thinking how pivotal prayers are for children, especially the school-going ones. They constantly need our covering of prayer to guard them.

I dream of all the good opportunities that our kids could say yes to; I dream of our kids being unafraid to fail—that they would be bold, brave and kind, all at the same time. I dream of raising kids that would be world-changers, history-makers, leaders, artists and pioneers of change, who would largely influence their generation. I want our sons to be Christ-like husbands and fathers one day. I want our daughters to know the power of worship, become brave women of God who will emulate Christ-like love and kindness in all the roles she takes up—daughter, wife, mother.

“Why wait for something unforeseen to happen to start praying?”—I asked myself. I firmly believe that this nudge is not just for me but for all the ‘Mommies’ out there. I urge you to rise up and speak life over every area of our children’s lives that might have been tagged dead. 

Declare the Word of God over our children’s future. No matter how old your children are—toddler, teenager, adult—we pray with expectation that God shows up for them in every tiny chapter of their lives.

Encounters, healing of their body, mind and spirit, and, most of all, dependence on God for the big and small aspects of their daily living—this is what we stand in prayer for. We declare His promises and truth over every generational curse, negative words spoken by us or others actively or passively, and every self-deprecatory comment the children might have spoken over themselves. We pray that our children would be unaffected by the things of the world; they won’t be attracted to darkness, instead, gravitate towards the light.

All this, we do in fasting and prayer.

Don’t fret ladies, the Holy Spirit will lead us on. We will be led to Scriptures, songs and declarations that we can speak over our children. I am both expectant and excited to begin this journey of fasting and prayer in the month of August. And I encourage mothers around the world to join me during this time.

We step into this time with grand faith to bridge our prayers and the endless possibilities from Heaven. We also disconnect from most things visible—social media, food, sugar, coffee/tea, TV—to connect with the divine invisible. Let us crucify our desire for food and drink, and confess this verse over us—“Man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

So, join me for a full month where all our focus is on our children. Let us roar over our cubs to scare the enemy away. I firmly believe that the Word of God will pierce through every lie and bring in everlasting freedom.

Don’t doubt the power of fasting, even for a second. When we get into a time of fervent prayer, there is a war in the spiritual world. So, Women, armour up! For the battle belongs to the Lord. So DOES OUR CHILDREN.