The enemy is ready. He’s waiting for that moment of weakness to attack. So what do we do? We put on armor and do everything we can to guard our home and ourselves. I think the most powerful tool we can use is prayer, but how do we do it?. As the mother of my home I want to open my front door and literally kick his butt out, at least that's what I imagine myself doing when I tell him to leave. I don’t like the fact that he can hold things over us, but we can choose for him not to. I was reading a book called Fervent by Priscilla Shirer- (highly recommend) and how she knew her son was under attack by the enemy, Satan literally had a grip on him. She went up into his room one day and prayed all over using God’s word and she never heard her son bring up that situation again. Wow, I reread that so many times with chills up my spine and feeling encouraged to do the same for my family. I feel the burden to be lifting up our home in prayer, and burden doesn’t necessarily mean a bad thing. I see when the enemy is on the prowl in our home and I see it as my duty to call him out. The Lord has given us the gift of prayer and His word, let's use it and let's use them together! There’s nothing like going before the one that created your precious ones and sharing with Him all your fears and concerns abut them. Remember whatever Satan is holding over your family and your home, Jesus has already won victory in it. Walk in that. Let Satan know the power of Jesus is in your home. “Father help me to understand that Satan, the ultimate thief, comes only to steal and kill and destroy; You came so I could have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
Once you really get the hang of praying over your home, it doesn’t haven’t to stop there. In the back of my bible I have things that I pray for everyday or at least should be. My family, My pastor, My church, Missionaries, The president, My husband, Our Nation and just the world in general. Sometimes you can get more specific with it especially if something recently came up. Prayer does take up time, but it’s worth it. I find myself praying a lot throughout the day just by talking to Jesus. I believe our thoughts turn into prayers.
Growing up I was introduced to prayer at a very young age--- I watched my mom pray over me every night as a little girl before going to bed. My mom saw her mother doing it and her mother doing the same. I’ve always been told that my great grandmother used to pray for each one of her family members by name every single day. Every. Single. Day. I believe I am where I am because of the generations praying for me before I even came into existence. This is the power of prayer especially within our home and families. This is where it should be seen the most and be the most vital, it starts in the home. I see that so greatly now. I’m someone that saw prayer, knew I should be doing it more, but never really did until I started a family. It kind of just hit me one day. I started to read books on prayer ,sought out advice and really started to pray. It was honestly like one day Jesus laid it on my heart.
I think it is so important and crucial to be praying in the home and for our kids to be seeing it. They need to see the importance of talking to Jesus daily and laying out everything at His feet. Our relationship will only flourish if we talk with Him. A verse I believe God is starting to use in my life is Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord Lord’ and not do what I say?” This has a little more to do with obedience and trusting the Lord, but through our prayers are we really trusting the Lord? Are we praying knowing we can trust the Lord with our family? Are we really laying it at His feet and not picking it back up? I know that is a struggle of mine. I have been so convicted to pray His word over my life, can I encourage you to do the same?
I Was sharing with my husband the other day how much prayer has changed my perspective on so many levels. I used to get weirded out and uncomfortable when people would talk about spiritual gifts and the power of prayer. The Lord definitely opened my eyes. I’ve experienced hands on being prayed over and feeling the healing presence of Jesus over me. I want my kids to be raised in that. I want to be able to pray the power of Jesus over my kids and family. I hope they see that in me.
My prayer time has expanded so much over the past year. I have seen so much hurt and fearful things that have happened and I do not want our home to be filled with that. So I took on that burden… I put it on my shoulders and I’m doing something with it. I’m taking my prayer time seriously and mama you should do the same.I think one of the hardest things for me to do in my prayer time is surrendering it all to Him. I like control and taking matters into my own hands. Get a journal, write down your prayers, and in that moment of you writing them down, pray and surrender it all to the Lord and then write down when they are answered because we have a faithful God that will answer them. Here are some things I pray for…
I pray for my family's safety
I pray they will choose to walk with the Lord and be obedient to His commands
I pray the enemy does not feel welcomed in our home
I pray that our kids will see the Lord in my husband and I and that we will be their greatest example
I pray that their faith will not be moved according to their situation and that it will stay solid in Him.
I pray for their future in so many ways. Friends, spouses, jobs, school. It’s never too early to start praying for this. So if no kids yet… don’t let that hold you back from praying for them. I by no means have perfected my prayer life and honestly never will and that's okay. I see others all the time go before the Lord in prayer thinking "wow that's where I want to be" and I strive for that. I definitely have a hard time even putting into words what I want to share with the Lord, but that is what is so special about this. There have been countless times I've (literally) cried out out to the Lord saying "I don't even know what to do or say" but I have grown to see that HE always does. When I go to Him at my messiest and not having it all figured out is when I feel His presence more. Don't let Satan use the fear of not knowing what to say to hold back from the Lord.
My encouragement for you is to NEVER keep anything from the Lord anyways He is all knowing, God knows your heart and knows if you are trying to hide anything from Him. “Satan dines on what we withhold from the Lord” Francis Frangpine, The three battlefields. I’m hammering this in my head as I’m writing this because there is so much truth in that statement. Satan knows what we are trying to keep from the Lord, don’t let it get to that. Let the Lord have your everything. All your worries and fears. That sin you just can’t let go of, let Him have it. Struggling with fully trusting Him and trusting your family with Him remind yourself daily your family would not be if it wasn’t for Him. God is a God of peace, He is our safe place and the one we can eternally rely on. Don't give up on those prayers, momma! God is sovereign and faithful, He will answer. Also remember to be lifting yourself up to the Lord, you specifically need Him too. Here are some verses that can be daily reminders and to be praying over your home.
“Lord God, you are the GREAT I AM. This is your name forever. My enemy cannot begin to stand against you.” Exod. 3:14-15 PRAISE!!!
“Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to you, Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing” Ps. 16:1-2
“Victorious God, I celebrate the fact that You, the God of Peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet, and until then the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with us” Rom. 16:20
How do you want to be remembered, momma? I want my kids to remember me as a prayer warrior and that my eyes were always on the Lord.
Below are books that have encouraged and inspired me as I have been on my prayers journey. I really do recommend these books that have challenged me in so many ways.
With love from one mother to another