There are many battles being waged in our world.
We must preview some of these battles with our children and protect their eyes and ears from others until they are at an age to grapple with the realities of our fallen world. As parents and followers of Christ, we must pray and determine which battles we are going to wage as a family. This always includes our part in following the commands of the Great Commission. This will look different for each family as you consider the demographics of your neighborhood and the weakness of humanity seen by your family most prominently in your community.
Here are a few ideas to use in your family to prepare your children to face these battles.
Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
A soldier needs a helmet, shield, and sword. A football player needs his pads, mouthguard, and cleats. A follower of Christ needs protective pieces, too, just not ones that are physically put on. Instead, these gifts are put on spiritually when we are a Christian. Truth, righteousness, the Gospel, faith, salvation, and God’s Word are all must-haves for your daily walk. So, each day after you put on your t-shirt and pants, don’t forget to dress with God’s armor. Equipping yourself with this spiritual armor makes you ready to face the day.
We must display to our children what it means to be “strong in the Lord.” Ultimately it means we lean on Him and not our own understanding. Strength in God often looks like weakness to man. To equip and empower our children to find their strength in God, we must be willing to become dependent on Him.
Teaching kids about strength seems like a no brainer. As Christians we believe our strength comes from God and as we teach this truth to our children, we expect them to accept it and apply it to their lives. But when push comes to shove, it can be hard to access the strength available to us. It’s often easier to retreat in fear than stand up and face a battle head on.
The most important way we can help our kids have the courage to stand strong is to be an example of strength for them. Children need to see us facing our fears with confidence and peace. They need to watch us walk through problems and hard situations with the graceful strength that only comes from God.
Bible study, devotionals, scripture art around the house, speaking scripture to your children – any way you can impress God’s words on their hearts and in their minds is crucial. Look at the list of armor in the armor of God passage (Ephesians 6:11-17). Notice that several of the items either could be interpreted as scripture or point back to God’s Word. When faced with a choice, your child should immediately have God’s Words come to their mind.
Prayer may be the most important thing we teach our children. Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray. In Matthew 6:9-13, we find what we call the Lord’s Prayer. The first two verses focus on who God is, verse 11 requests for God to meet our physical needs, and verses 12-13 deal with our spiritual well-being and His protection. When we pray, we first need to know how big and able God is. If we do not have confidence in God, we will not have confidence in our prayer. We are reminded to focus on our spiritual health and to ask for protection. Though we live in a physical world, we are spiritual beings. Prayer is our main weapon against our spiritual enemy.
Satan hates it when we praise the Lord, so blast that worship music and sing your heart out! If you really want to sock it to him, raise your hands and dance too! Kids love this one, so why not make it a family praise party? Here’s a couple songs to get your praise party started!
