Raising Our Children To Love God

Just transferring this post (with some edits) from my Twitter page where I originally posted the thread a couple of years ago…

I’ve had parents reach out to me asking how they can help their children grow in the things of the Spirit and walk in the supernatural. Before now, I’d usually say that children’s desire for a personal relationship with God depends on what they see their parents do. Children have more tendency to value what the parents place priority on. While this holds true, I have seen some parents who have a good walk with Abba genuinely struggle with how to teach their kids same.

One of the major concerns is the age of the child. They wonder what the right age to start to tell them about Jesus is, and how much to tell them that they’d understand. I tell them to start wherever they are and at whatever age the child is – even from the womb.

Research has shown that babies hear sounds in the womb from 18 weeks of pregnancy, and are able to hear sounds at the level of adults when they’re full term. So keep speaking out your declarations, praying in tongues, and reading your Bible out loud. In doing so, you’re already creating a familiar spiritual environment that your child will be born into. When they’re born, keep speaking out your declarations over them in simple words.

There’s no age requirement for salvation. So as they grow and when you believe they can understand you well, can speak, and know what wrong and right is, lead them to Christ. They don’t need to understand the entire doctrine of salvation. After all, childlike faith is what we need to be saved. Get them baptised in the Holy Spirit so they speak in tongues. Oh, yes! Children as young as two years old can pray in tongues (there’s no junior Holy Spirit). When you read the Bible to and with them, let them understand that the Bible isn’t just a book of cool stories. It is the actual Word of God! Encourage them to ask questions when you read. And be prepapred to answer cos they WILL ask! When they’re able to read (varies for children), get them a regular Bible (not just the book of Bible stories). Please let it be a simple Bible version, preferably with illustrations. I’ve had kids in my class with KJV who had absolutely no idea what they were reading. Dedicate time (daily) to praying in tongues by yourself and with them so they can see you do this and start to learn. Modeling is key. Rather than constantly praying against enemies that they do not yet know or have, – Teach them to pray using scripture (God’s promises). – Teach them to start to lay hands on themselves and speak to their bodies when they’re ill. – Write out simple declarations for them and teach them to say it daily/often. For starters, you can write a number of lines that correspond with their ages e.g. a five-line declaration for a 5y/o, etc.

The Holy Spirit is integral to the life of the Believer – young and old, so they need to start to learn to hear Him speak to them. If you don’t intentionally nurture your child in the way of the Lord, the world will do it its own way.

In conclusion, please build up your little soldiers to become even more effective soldiers in the Kingdom. Let them also enjoy a relationship with their Abba. I pray that you receive the grace to do this. And…Live loved, always.

-Jessica Essien