3 Important Steps for Helping Your Children to Overcome
Being a teenager in today’s society can be rough. With all the temptations, relationship struggles and insecurities, it can be difficult for our teens to navigate through the different hurts they experience. As adults we have had years of experience learning how to rely on God to lead us.
But what about our kids?
They are just laying the foundation of trust in an unseen God. Their faith is being built step by step and sometimes during these formative years, they come across those who seek to rock that foundation, leaving an unsteady break in the relationship with their Creator.
How do we protect our kids from harboring these hurts?
As I prayed for guidance on how to help my children overcome offenses, a process of praying and declaring arose. I quickly began to see the power and authority that we walk in as believers when we choose to speak God’s words over our lives.
3 Steps for Helping Children Overcome Offenses
Lay it Down
The first step towards overcoming any offense or hurt is to lay it down at the feet of Jesus.
If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
Prayer & Declaration
Lord, thank you that I don’t have to carry my burdens alone. You are able and willing to take them as I lay them down. I give them to You now…. every hurt, every disappointment, malicious or not; I give them all over to you. You are a faithful God and you will never leave me or forsake me, even when others do. I release them and the hurt to you. I pray that you bless them. Lord, help me to see circumstances through Your eyes. Give me an eternal perspective in life, that I may gain a heart of wisdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Meditate on these Scriptures:
Control Your Thoughts
Although we don’t often consider this, our children struggle with thoughts the same way we do. It’s so important to teach them at an early age how to control their thoughts and make them line up with God’s Word.
We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 MSG
Prayer & Declaration
Father, thank you that You have given me the ability to control my thoughts. I do not have to allow every random thought to stay in my mind and wreak havoc on my emotions. My mind is being renewed as I read the Word.I have the mind of Christ and my emotions are balanced. I will not give into the temptation to hold offense, but will stand strong and receive the crown of life that God has in store for me. I will take every thought that does not line up with Your word and speak Your truth to it. Each time I am reminded of the offense, I will lay it down again, by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen!
Meditate on these scriptures:
Use Your Words
Our words have power. Our children’s words have the same power. Teaching them to speak words that line up with God’s Word rather than their feelings will help them to overcome offenses and gain peace in the midst of a hurtful situation.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it’s fruit. Proverbs 18:21
Prayer & Declaration
Thank you Lord that you have given me power in my words. From this day forward I refuse to speak any negativity over my life. I will only speak those things that line up with Your word and think on what is true, pure and right. I reject any lies from the enemy that say that I’m not good enough or that I’m not valuable. My identity is not wrapped up in my friends, my possessions or my abilities. I am worthy because of the Sacrifice that was made for me. You have a great plan to prosper me and not to harm me; plans for a prospering future. Thank you, that you are bringing godly friends into my life that will encourage me and have the same values I have. I confess these things in confidence, knowing whatever I believe I will receive. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Meditate on these scriptures:
I invite you to continue to use this process of praying and declaring.
The biggest value that we can add to any one person, including our children, is prayer. When we teach our children how to declare God’s words and turn them into prayers, they are set on a course to overcome and conquer. It is the strongest weapon in our arsenal, which has the potential to shut down any plan the enemy launches against our kids. When they are declaring God’s word and believing along side of us, there is a harmony and unity that unleashes the blessing of God.
What are some scriptures you pray over your children? Share them below, I’d love to hear from you!
I’ve turned these prayer declarations into 4×6 cards just for you! You can download them here for free.
