Written By: Alora Yee

When teaching our children to pray, the Lord’s Prayer is a great place to start. Jesus taught the disciples to pray in the book of Matthew. 

“…Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” Matthew 6:9-13 KJV

Jesus teaches the disciples to start with praise. Next, we are to repent. Then ask God what we need. Lastly, we need to yield ourselves to His will, that is, surrender to God’s ultimate plan for our lives. This is the inspiration for the infamous prayer acrostic PRAY: praise, repent, ask, yield. 

Simply put, we can teach our children to pray on their own by acknowledging that God is good, God is all knowing, He is all loving. Next, ask for forgiveness for our sins from that day, remembering to also forgive others who may have wronged us, giving that to God. Then asking God what they need: Lord help me to be a more loving sibling, help me to be a better friend, or even, Lord, I really want to win my game tomorrow, help me to be a great player! Finally, remind them that whether God answers our prayers or not, He knows what He is doing and we must trust His plans for us. God is always just and will always give good gifts to His children who love Him. 

Now here is the big question. What about spiritual warfare? Scripture tells us in the book of Ephesians that it is in the spiritual realm that we battle, not in the flesh. 

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

How should we teach our children to pray when they are experiencing nightmares? When they are scared of the dark and can’t sleep, what comfort or refuge do we point them to? A nightlight? A favorite stuffed animal? A sweet-sounding lullaby? 

If you sense this is a little more than just missing mommy and daddy and fighting bedtime, it’s time to teach your child about the power of the name of Jesus and the power of having a relationship with Him. 

The scriptures that follow Ephesians 6:12, are verses that remind us to take up the full armor of God. From verses 13-18 we are reminded to put on armor for battle. Full armor, for not IF we will see battle, but for WHEN. So do we teach our children about every piece of armor? We could, absolutely! But what is the very heart of this scripture, and what is it cautioning? 

All children of God will experience battle, and the only one who can save us, protect us, and help us is Christ Jesus. We cannot save ourselves; it is not our battle to fight alone, and His truth sets us free! 

When my son was struggling with nightmares and feeling scared, I told him the truth. No darkness can withstand the light of God. I told him that if he talks to God, sings about God, and recites the scriptures of God’s words, the scary, evil things of this world will flee! To even sing aloud, “Yes, Jesus loves me!” they cannot stay.  We can recite a prayer or scripture or even pray on our own, but we can also simply talk to God. He is not only our savior and Lord, but he is also our friend. 

God is so good! My son told his Grammy that when he talks to God and prays to Him, his bad dreams go away! Praise Jesus for answering prayer and for the witness of my son, even at a young age. 

I know this can be a scary and intimidating topic for the believer. But this is the greatest reality of a believer, and God does not leave us without hope. For He has left us with His Holy Spirit and His word to keep us, protect us, and comfort us. In all things we can turn to Him, pray to Him, talk to Him, and run to Him. 

Lastly, never forget all glory be to God. I cannot take credit for what I have taught my son, and I cannot have my son take credit for the prayers he has prayed. Remember, we must also teach our children to praise God for these praise reports and all that God does for us. It is God alone who saves us. It is God alone who is our comfort and refuge. God alone is our protector, and His word is our weapon against which we battle. 

Let us pray. 

Thank you, Lord, for your mighty wings which cover us completely. You are a good God who hears the prayers of your children. Humble us, Lord, so we can confess all of our sins to you. For your mercy is new every day. Soften our hearts to those around us and help us to be more loving and grace-giving as You are to us. Protect us, LORD, from all the rulers, powers, and forces of darkness. Protect us, LORD, from the spiritual forces of wickedness. Remind us to put on our armor every day and to also arm our children with your Word and your Truth. We trust in your will and in your ways. All glory, honor, and praise be to Christ Jesus. Amen. 

Written By:

Alora Yee