[Please join me in praying for children, families, and the future on Thursdays this year.]
“Children are God’s love-gift; they are heaven’s generous reward.”
(Psalm 127:3 TPT)
God of the Children,
You are our rock in whom we take refuge; our shield, the horn of our salvation, our stronghold and our savior who saves us from violence. Today we call upon our Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and ask your protection of our children. Many have had their lives uprooted and upended by the events of the past years, and we pray that your hands of protection would be upon this generation of children, teens, and young adults. You said that children are a love-gift from you; they are heaven’s generous reward. Help us to treat our children well, knowing that they are precious in your sight and you love them.
Help us as a society, as families, and as churches, to teach them diligently to love you and to keep your commandments. Help us to declare your power to the next generation that they would each come to know you as Lord and Savior and would serve in your Kingdom. Your word tells us not to hinder them from coming to you, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these, and to train them up in the way they should go so that even when they are old they will not depart from your Goodness.
Today we pray against any and all spiritual forces of darkness that are trying to come against these generations. In the name of Jesus we rebuke spirits of depression, suicide, despair, hopelessness, abortion, poverty, loss, miseducation, abuse, fatherlessness, lawlessness, and other wickedness. In you, Lord, we put them into refuge and pray that in your righteousness you would rescue and deliver them. Be their rock of refuge; deliver them from the hands of the wicked and the grasp of evil and cruelty. You have made them see many great and bitter troubles, yet, we believe you will restore their lives again and comfort them. Defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy. Crush the oppressors of this generation. May the praise of children be a stronghold against their enemies, silencing their foes and avengers, so they always have hope. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
“In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.
Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.
For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord,
my confidence since my youth.
From birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
I will ever praise you.
I have become a sign to many;
you are my strong refuge.
My mouth is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor all day long.
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come.
Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
you who have done great things.
Who is like you, God?
Though you have made me see troubles,
many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
You will increase my honor
and comfort me once more.” (Psalm 71:1-8, 18-21 NIV)
“My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” (2 Samuel 22:3-4 ESV)
“For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.” (Isaiah 43:3-5 NIV)
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being]. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be [written] on your heart and mind. You shall teach them diligently to your children [impressing God’s precepts on their minds and penetrating their hearts with His truths]…” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7 AMP)
“Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Luke 18:16 NIV)
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea….See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:6,10 ESV)
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6 ESV)
“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” (Psalm 8:2 NIV)
“May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor.” (Psalm 72:4 NIV)
[Originally published May 9, 2022]