I would tell story after story, time after time of how God has answered prayers in the lives of my family and my children in particular.
It started with the very night AJ was born.
My labor and delivery were not going at all how they portrayed it would go on TLC's The Baby Story!
His heart rate was dropping rapidly and I didn't even realize until long after the danger that his life was in.
It was right before we found out about this that Adam called the church to try and get in touch with my Dad. AWANA was going on at the time, and all the leaders from church stopped everything and prayed for AJ. For me.
AJ "just happened" to be brought into this world right as people were praying.
He was born healthy and strong.
Coincidence? Not a stinking chance, my friends.
God is powerful. He is also personal.
He wants to hear us cry to him, and He loves to bless us.
I believe with every ounce of my being that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. I believe it because God says it.
I also believe that because it is so powerful, it is dangerous for my enemy.
And it is because of this that I face major opposition when I decide to make prayer a priority.
Moms and Dads.
Please listen to what I am saying right now to you.
Our children are in danger.
If I told you that there was someone coming after your kids to try and destroy their lives, how would that make you feel? Would you carry on as usual? Would you say...oh they can run fast, and they took a kickboxing class that one time, so they should be all set.
Or would it push you to action? Would it make you protect a little bit more. Prepare them a little bit harder, and beg God to protect and watch over them?
Our children are in danger.
Our kids do have an enemy coming after them (like a roaring lion) trying to attack and kill them.
Did you know that the Bible says satan wants to steal, kill and destroy?
Did you know that he has your babies in his sights?
Did you know that what he wants to steal is not their legos or video games, but their joy. Their peace. Their purity. Their future.
Did you also know that he is a master deceiver? So we need to be more alert. More purposeful. More intentional about where our kids are. What they are watching, what they are listening to, and where they are going.
Do you even realize how much is at stake here?
Their very lives, and the lives of generations to come.
We are the keepers of these children as long as God allows them to be with us.
What are we doing about the enemy?
What are you doing about the enemy?
See, our kids think that what they are doing is no big deal.
The pornography they see on instagram a million times a day,
smoking pot a few times here and there,
drinking with their friends,
sleeping with their boyfriend or girlfriend...
They don't see the long term effects of these things-
That's why we need to be stepping in. Being involved and warning them of the dangers.
We need to be crying out. Pouring out our hearts like water to our loving Father.
I love how the Bible words it here...
Lamentations 2:19
"Arise, cry out in the night...pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children..."
The NLT puts it:
"Rise during the night and cry out. Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him in prayer pleading for your children..."
This is serious stuff here.
I pray over my boys every single night after they go to sleep.
I pray for purity. for courage. for strength. for leadership. for joy.
Sometimes I am on my knees pleading. Sometimes I am praying scripture over them.
Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1 both have great prayers to pray over your kids.
Are you crying out in the night for your kids?
Believing that God will answer? He says He will.
Our kids need us to fight for them.
Our kids need us to pour out our hearts for them.
It's our job. How are you doing with that?
You know what else? Some kids don't have mommas who are crying out to God for them.
The kids I know? Don't have their mommas doing anything at all for them...and it breaks my heart.
That's where we come into play.
We can fill in.
I have a list of boys that I am lifting up and pouring my heart to the Lord for because I know their parents aren't doing it.
Maybe that's what God wants you to do.
To fill in where other parents aren't doing what they need to be doing.
Moms and Dads.
Our children are in danger. But there is something we can do about it!
Please, please take seriously what is in front of our faces.
Cry out. Plead and beg that God will protect our children.
Ask God to give them the courage they need to face the pressures all around them.
The prayer of a righteous person does make a difference.
Live it out.
Pour out your hearts.
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