As a Christian parent, praying for your child is an important part of your daily life. When you pray for your child, you’re not only going to our Heavenly Father on their behalf, you’re also showing them how to pray. We all want our children to grow up spending time in prayer and feeling comfortable talking to God. Praying with them and for them is a great way to set them on the right path.
But what if you don’t know how to pray for your child? Especially when your kids are little, it can be difficult to know what to pray for. God sees the end from the beginning and it’s never too early to start praying over your children. Asking God to move mountains for your child will have an incredible impact on who they are and who they will become.
What should you pray for?
When you have an infant or even a toddler who spends their day running around and playing, it can be difficult sometimes to know what to pray for. When we think about the fact that God has control over every aspect of our child’s lives, we may see that there are many things we can ask God for. Prayer doesn’t just change the outcome of our lives, it also changes our perspective. Praying daily for our children is a great way to help them live more fulfilling and faith-filled lives. It’s also a great way to ensure that we are placing our children’s future in God’s hands.
1. Pray for protection
We live in a broken world full of lots of scary things. As parents, we tend to worry a lot about the dangers of this world and worry that something may happen to our children. The reality is that there’s only so much we can control, but God is always with our children, even when they’re away from us. One of the most important things we can pray for is our children’s protection. They need both physical protection and spiritual protection in this broken world we live in. We can ask God to protect our children when they go to daycare or school. We can also ask him to guard their hearts and minds from negative things they may encounter.
Dear Lord,
Please protect my child wherever they go. I know that you go before them and walk with them in every situation. I ask you Lord that whether they are at school, in the car, or at home, that you would protect them from danger and hold them safely under your wing. I know that challenges are a part of life and I can’t always keep my child out of harm’s way. But I pray that you would help me teach them to guard their hearts and that you would protect them from the dark things in this world. No matter what happens, I pray you would help them stay faithful to you. Let them trust you and your word more than anything in this world. Thank you, God, for your protection over my child’s life.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Verse to pray over them:
Psalm 34:7-9
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.” (NIV)
2. Pray for wisdom
From the time they wake up in the morning to the time they go to bed, our children are learning how to make decisions for themselves. It takes a long time for wisdom to become a part of their lives. However, they can start to understand God’s wisdom and use it to make decisions in their everyday lives, even from an early age. God’s word says that the Lord gives wisdom freely to those who seek it. As parents, we must pray that our children would seek instruction and wisdom from the Lord.
Dear Lord,
I pray that you would give my child wisdom wherever they go. I pray as they get older and begin to learn about you and your word, that you would impart your wisdom into their hearts. Help me to be a good example in their life and let the life I live be one of wisdom and grace. I pray they would learn from the mistakes they make. I also pray that they would be able to hear your voice and feel your Holy Spirit guiding them. Thank you for giving wisdom to those who seek it.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Verse to pray over them:
Proverbs 3:13-18
“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.” (NIV)
3. Pray for their faith to strengthen
As Christians, one of our many hopes for our children is that they would grow to know the Lord and have faith in him. The example we set for them can impact their faith in a big way. There are also many other circumstances that affect how much faith they have. It’s important for us to pray that they would continue to have faith no matter what they go through. The faith of a child is often the most beautiful kind because it’s so innocent and pure. We can pray that our children would continue to have that kind of faith throughout their whole lives. No matter what happens to them or what kind of valleys they may walk through, their faith in God will carry them through.
Dear Lord,
I pray that my children would have never-ending faith in you. When things are difficult, I pray they would cling to you and the faith they have. I pray that even in the most challenging times, they would remember who you are. I also pray that they would know that you are always good. I pray Lord that my children would truly have a child-like faith throughout their whole lives. I trust you Lord that you are guiding them every step of the way.
In Jesus’ name,
Amem
Verse to pray over them:
Mark 11:22-24
“Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered. ‘Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (NIV)
4. Pray for their future
No matter how old your child is, it’s never too early to pray for their future. You may spend a lot of time worrying about who your child will become and what types of experiences they will have. Praying for them is one of the best ways to guide them on the right path. Praying over your children will ease your mind as well. When you have concerns or doubts about your child’s future, pray about them. The Lord longs to take our burdens and anxieties from us.
Dear Lord,
I know that no matter how much I love my children, they are only mine for a little while. I surrender my hopes, fears, and worries to you. I know that someday my children will go on their own path and find their own place in life. I pray that you would guide them on the path you want for them. I pray that you would place friends and mentors in their life who will help them grow closer to you. I pray for their future spouse, that you would allow them to choose you every day and choose each other before everything else. Thank you for your guidance throughout their lives.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Verse to pray over them:
Jeremiah 29:11-13
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (NIV)
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Tademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
To wrap up…
Making a habit of praying for your children will change their life and your own. Whether you pray over them while they’re getting ready in the morning or praying on the way to work, the Lord hears you. He hears every single one of our prayers and wants to give us the desires of our hearts.
As hard as it can be to accept, God loves our children even more than we do. We all have fears, hopes, and worries about our children. When we pray for them, we give all of those fears over to God. No matter how big our fears are, the Lord’s hands are big enough to carry them.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo… so you don’t lose this post!
Other Posts You Might Enjoy…..
- 9 Christian Podcasts for Moms to Help Grow Your Faith Hands-Free>>> Click Here
- The 13 Best New Mom Devotionals – Online Devotionals, Books, and Apps>>> Click Here
- 5 Characteristics of a Godly Mom – Living in an Ungodly World>>> Click Here