Praying for children is a powerful way to entrust their lives to God. The Bible encourages parents to pray for wisdom, protection, and spiritual growth in their children. Today, let’s see how Scripture teaches parents to pray and the blessings it promises for faithful prayer.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Rebelling Against Government
What Does The Bible Say About Praying For Your Child
Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of teaching and guiding children in the right path from a young age, knowing that it will shape their character and values throughout their lives. It reminds parents of their responsibility to provide spiritual guidance and establish a foundation of faith for their children.
Praying for our children involves not only asking for their protection and well-being but also seeking God’s wisdom and guidance as we nurture and shape their hearts and minds according to His ways.
Psalm 127:3
“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”
God blesses us with children as a precious gift and entrusts us with their care. This verse reminds us that children are not only our responsibility but also a source of joy and blessing. It encourages us to appreciate the privilege of raising children and to seek God’s wisdom and strength in fulfilling our role.
Praying for our children involves expressing gratitude to God for His gift and seeking His grace to fulfill our parental duties with love, patience, and wisdom.
3 John 1:4
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
John’s sentiment in this verse reflects the heart of every parent who desires to see their children grow in faith and righteousness. It highlights the tremendous joy and fulfillment when our children walk according to God’s truth and follow His ways.
Praying for our children includes interceding for their spiritual journey and wholeheartedly longing for them to experience the transformative power of God’s Word and embrace a life of obedience to Christ.
Ephesians 6:4
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
This verse addresses fathers specifically but applies to all parents, urging them to parent with love, understanding, and godly discipline. It emphasizes the importance of raising children in an atmosphere where they can grow, learn, and develop reverence for the Lord.
Praying for our children involves seeking God’s wisdom to be patient and compassionate parents who model Christ’s love, providing discipline and instruction that reflect His character and values.
Deuteronomy 4:9
“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”
In this verse, Moses imparts a crucial lesson to the Israelites about passing down their faith to future generations. He emphasizes the importance of remembering and cherishing their encounters with God and diligently teaching them to their children and subsequent generations.
Praying for our children involves imparting not just knowledge about God but also personal experiences of His faithfulness, so that they too will have a living faith that stands firm amidst life’s challenges.
Psalm 78:4-7
“We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.”
This passage further emphasizes the vital role of parents in passing down the knowledge of God and His marvelous works to future generations. It emphasizes the importance of recounting God’s faithfulness and making known His commands to our children.
Praying for our children involves fervently seeking God’s guidance and anointing as we share with them the stories of God’s faithfulness and His commandments, so they may have a deep reverence for God and a firm foundation for their faith.
Proverbs 29:17
“Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.”
This verse highlights the positive outcome of disciplining children with love and guidance. It suggests that disciplining children in a way that molds their character leads to peace within the family and brings joy and satisfaction to parents.
Praying for our children includes seeking divine wisdom in disciplining them with love, patience, and consistency so that they may grow into individuals who live harmoniously and reflect God’s love in their lives.
Proverbs 1:8
“Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.”
In this verse, Solomon urges his son to value and prioritize the teachings and instructions of his parents. It carries the message that parental guidance plays a significant role in shaping a child’s character and decision-making.
Praying for our children involves asking God to give them receptive hearts to listen and learn from our godly instructions and teachings, allowing them to grow in wisdom, discernment, and reverence for God.
1 Timothy 4:12
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
This verse encourages young believers not to underestimate the impact they can have on others, reminding them to live in a manner that reflects Christ-like behavior. It emphasizes the importance of setting an example for fellow believers to follow.
Praying for our children involves asking God to empower them to be bold and courageous in their faith, standing strong as positive examples to their peers and shining brightly as beacons of God’s love, faithfulness, and purity.
Colossians 3:20
“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
This verse conveys a straightforward instruction for children to honor and obey their parents, recognizing that doing so is pleasing to the Lord. It emphasizes the importance of children’s obedience as an expression of their reverence for God.
Praying for our children involves seeking God’s guidance and grace in helping them to develop a spirit of obedience, understanding that by doing so, they are honoring God and positioning themselves to receive His blessings.
Proverbs 4:1-4
“Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother. Then he taught me, and he said to me, ‘Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.’”
In these verses, Solomon invites his sons to attentively listen and value the wisdom he desires to impart upon them. He acknowledges the impact his father’s teachings had on his own life and the significance of embracing sound learning.
Praying for our children entails asking God to open their hearts and minds to the guidance and instruction we provide as parents, understanding the value of wisdom and knowledge in their lives, and recognizing that Godly counsel leads to a life well-lived.
Psalm 34:11
“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”
This verse expresses the psalmist’s desire to gather his children and instill in them the fear and reverence of the Lord. It reflects the importance of parents leading their children in understanding and honoring God.
Praying for our children involves asking God to create in them a hunger for spiritual truth and an open heart to receive our teaching of the fear of the Lord, recognizing that it is vital for their spiritual growth and relationship with God.
Psalm 103:13
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.”
This verse illustrates the compassionate and merciful nature of God, drawing a parallel between a father’s love and God’s love for those who have a reverential fear of Him. It highlights the depth of God’s care and concern for His children.
Praying for our children involves seeking God’s compassion and mercy upon them, asking Him to extend His loving-kindness and protection over their lives as they walk in reverence and awe of Him.
Matthew 18:10
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”
In this verse, Jesus reminds His disciples not to disregard or treat children without value. He highlights the significance of children in the eyes of God and the care that angelic beings have for them.
Praying for our children involves entrusting them to God’s watchful care and protection, acknowledging that they are valued and loved by Him, and that His angels are present to guard and guide them.
Psalm 139:13-14
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
These verses celebrate the preciousness and uniqueness of every individual’s life, recognizing that God intricately designed and formed us in our mother’s womb. They communicate a deep sense of wonder and gratitude for God’s marvelous creation.
Praying for our children involves acknowledging and affirming their intrinsic value and worth in God’s eyes, helping them to understand and appreciate the beauty of their own uniqueness and the intricacy of God’s handiwork in their lives.
2 Timothy 3:15
“And how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Here, Paul commends Timothy’s early exposure to the Holy Scriptures, recognizing the impact they had on Timothy’s faith and his understanding of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It emphasizes the importance of introducing children to God’s Word from a young age.
Praying for our children involves asking God to ignite within them a love for His Word, so that as they grow, they may be equipped with the wisdom and knowledge necessary to embrace the salvation found in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 144:12
“Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace.”
This verse employs vivid imagery to convey the desired outcome of raising children who are strong, thriving, and poised for a purposeful life. It illustrates the aspirations parents have for their children.
Praying for our children involves asking God to nurture and cultivate them into individuals who embody strength, purpose, and beauty, enabling them to fulfill the plans and purposes God has for their lives.
1 Corinthians 13:11
“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”
Paul’s words in this verse signify the natural progression from childhood to adulthood, where maturity brings about a change in thinking and reasoning. It highlights the expected growth and transformative process in an individual’s life.
Praying for our children involves anticipating and encouraging their growth and development, both in their physical and spiritual lives, so that they can walk in maturity, making wise choices and embracing a deeper understanding of God’s ways.
Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
These verses express the psalmist’s desire for God to examine and purify his heart, removing any sinful or offensive ways. They reflect a posture of humility and surrender before the Lord, acknowledging the need for His guidance.
Praying for our children involves seeking God’s discernment and wisdom in examining our own hearts and lives, recognizing that our example and behavior significantly influence our children. It is essential to consistently seek God’s guidance and correction to lead our children in the path of righteousness.
Joshua 24:15
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua’s resolute declaration in this verse inspires and challenges his household to make a conscious decision to serve the Lord faithfully. It underscores the significance of the leader’s commitment and influence over those within their household.
Praying for our children involves seeking God’s help in creating a household that serves the Lord wholeheartedly, where our children witness our unwavering devotion and are inspired to choose the path of faith for themselves.
Proverbs 23:24
“The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.”
This verse illustrates the immense joy and fulfillment that comes to a father who raises a righteous and wise child. It emphasizes the joyous reward of seeing children grow in godliness and wisdom.
Praying for our children involves seeking God’s grace and wisdom to guide them into righteousness and wisdom, understanding that the ultimate source of fulfillment is witnessing their spiritual growth and the discernment they gain.
Galatians 6:9
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Paul encourages the Galatians to persevere in their faith and not grow weary in doing good. He assures them of the eventual reward and blessings that will come to those who do not give up or lose heart.
Praying for our children involves asking God to strengthen their faith and resolve, helping them to persevere in living upright lives and following Him wholeheartedly, knowing that in due time, they will reap the rewards of their obedience to God’s Word.
Psalm 127:1
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”
This verse reminds us of our dependence on God’s divine presence and guidance in all our endeavors. It underscores the futility of human efforts without God’s involvement and highlights the need for His watchful care.
Praying for our children involves acknowledging our reliance on God as the ultimate builder and protector, entrusting our children’s lives and future into His capable hands, knowing that without His involvement, our efforts are in vain.