The other day I shared a popular post on our Facebook fan page and a sweet mom shared:
"I said to God the other night " Lord, I feel I am fighting a battle I can't win with my children. "They are in mainstream school (nearly teenagers), everywhere I look there's bad influences - tv, school, games, even books being read in English lessons at school! I feel overwhelmed at times. I wish I could afford to send them to a Christian school."
But whether you have your child in a public school, Christian school, or homeschool that battle can still remain. And we need to fight for our families!
Like I mentioned in the popular post that was shared:
"Dear parent, did you know?
There is a battle. A war that is going on this very minute.
A battle being waged for the souls of your children.
It is in the spiritual realm...you cannot see it.
But it is there. "
The Bible informs us:
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I cam that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10
This goes for the rest of our family too--and we need to:
- PRAY - lift up all our needs and concerns to Him because He knows and don't forget fasting too.
- LOOK TO GOD'S WORD - what does His Word say about my family?
- TAKE ACTION - don't stand by idly but take action! Whether we need to show more love and compassion to our family members or steering our children away from bad influences, we need to not grow weary or give up--but take it to the Lord's feet and be strengthened through Him.
The three areas of importance are:
1. OUR HUSBANDS - It is easy to put our husbands on the backburner and neglect his needs (especially if you have children). Our marriages are important and need to be protected.
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
~Proverbs 31:20-2
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself it's Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
~Ephesians 5:22-3
2. OUR CHILDREN - We might see areas that need work or can be improved in our children's life and we need to be diligent to make the changes for them. Sometimes that change begins with us and how we parent. Are we being too permissive, are we turning a blind eye to sin, etc. Whatever it is make sure to pray and ask God to show you what needs to be done and HOW it should be done.
"Train up a child in the way he should go'
even when he is old he will not depart from it."
~Proverbs 22:6
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
~Psalm 127:3
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
~Proverbs 29:15
3. OUR EXTENDED FAMILY - Is there contention or strife in this area? We need to show love to our extended family even if it is hard or whether we think they deserve it or not. God did not say that we would live a life of comfort and ease. Taking up our cross and loving extended family is commanded.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
~John 13:34-5
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the word, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not what we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also out to love on another..."
~1 John 4:7:21
Dear friends, our prayer for you today is for your family.
Don't get discouraged--
Don't give up --
and don't grow weary!
FIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILIES!
He will guide you with His wisdom and give you strength!
Can we pray for you?
If so, please share how in the comments below.
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17 comments:
My family is broken. My children do not listen help out they curse fight and are disrespectful. Sadly they were victims of a crime at a young age and out of guilt I failed to disapline them and teach them when they were younger.
Yes. The enemy took my eldest daughter through the deception of sin and now is doing the same with my eldest son. The fight is on my knees! It is in my own heart. I have I said aloud, "You can't have my family! You've picked on the wrong mama. I will not give up!" I won't! But is so painful and hard sometimes. I want them to come back to the Lord. I never imagined I would face these things with my children. Thank you for praying.
Please pray that I will be more consistent and diligent in our Bible time before bed and be more spiritually mature in bringing them up in the way of the Lord.
Yes, please pray for my husband, still struggling with some old ways, does not take leadership of our home,leaving me to guide and lead our family spiritually. He grumbles about work, and does not manage God's finances with excellence. He does not tithe! Please pray for our extended unsaved brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews on both side of our family, his and mine. Thank you! May the lord bless you and your family richly and abundantly.
Yolanda
Dear Elisha,
It's not too late, you can still take back the time! Chase after their hearts, love them, and keep pointing them back to the Lord. Pray for them and don't give up. We are all broken and need a Savior--thank God for His unlimited mercy and grace!
I know that it can be painful and hard and I am so glad that you are not giving up! Seek Him and He will give you strength when you have none. I will pray for you and your family!
I will pray for you and please pray for me too!
Our oldest, approaching 19, has been in rebellion for the last few years. he is involved in many things that our family doesn't condone - most I have only found out about "through the grapevine". I am the only one in the home who he will have conversations with. He's mean spirited and contentious with the other 5 children and almost combative in his disrespect toward his dad. We have finally had to asked him to leave our home. I'm afraid the enemy will win because of his own resentment and lack of responsibility for his own choices.
Please lift my son up in prayer. He is 15. He doesn't like my fiance and totally refuses to even try to get to know him. He has moved in with my parents and won't even come to visit me. I want my son home with me. I miss him so much.
Yes please pray for my family we struggle with our finances and have a son that's in matric but is not diligent with school work. God bless you.
Lindiwe
Please pray for me that I would know how to show that love you mentioned to extended family. We have had a lot of trouble and at present aren't speaking. I just don't understand how to proceed from this point beyond forgiveness in my heart and praying for them.
My extended family keeps reporting me to DCF. Each time the case is unsubstantiated but, I feel they will never stop trying to take my daughter from me even though I've worked hard to encourage a relationship between them and her. Please pray for grace and mercy when dealing with them. Thank you.
Please pray for my oldest daughter who decided to move from our state and recently had our first grandbaby and has cut off all contact with us. Our heart is broken; I'm beside myself and so is my husband. We've reached out to her time and time again, sent presents for the baby, mother's day gift and still nothing. She use to work for us and up and quite after she met her boyfriend at the beginning of last year and (now married) got pregnant and has totally changed. We don't know what we did wrong and don't deserve this abandonment and heartache. Please pray that God will soften her heart and bring her back to us. We haven't even been given any pictures of our grandbaby from her. No picture or anything.
My oldest daughter recently had our first grandchild. She got married in January, moved out of state and has cut off all contact with us. She has not sent us any pictures of the baby. We have tried to contact her but she has blocked us from everything. I've sent presents to the hospital, for mothers day and for her and the baby. Still not response. God Please soften her heart and bring her back to our family. We are so heartbroken and can't understand why she has done this to us. We all were a very tight nit family. She worked for our business, and up and quit and cut us off after this. Our hearts are broken and we are deviated. Please pray for us/her.
"Your faith has made you whole, go in peace My daughter."
Prayers in Jesus name
Please pray for me .My eldest son is making a comeback to the Lord, but I need him to have genuine faith, not from corruptible seed of do called gospel messages that excuse sin and worldliness .thank you
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