Prayer & Study Guide: The Power Of A Praying Parent (3 page)

Read Chapter 3: “Securing Protection from Harm” from T
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1. What are the greatest dangers that most concern you for your child?

2. Write out a prayer asking God to protect your child specifically from those things which most concern you.

3. Do you believe that God can protect your child from those dangers? ___________. Why or why not?

4. Read Psalm 112:1-8 and underline it in your Bible. What does God promise to those who reverence and obey Him?

5. According to Psalm 112:1, are you the kind of person who is a candidate for God’s blessings? __________. Why or why not?

6. Does your child ever express fear for his (her) own safety? ___________. Do you believe this is a valid fear? ___________. Why or why not? How could you pray with and for your child concerning this fear?

7. Write out a prayer asking God to reveal to you any hidden dangers that you do not see. When He shows them to you, write them down and add them to your prayer list for your child.

8. Write out a prayer asking God to show you anything you need to do to increase your child’s safety. Then ask Him to give you peace about it.

9. Read Psalm 61:1-5 and underline it in your Bible. Put a star next to verses 3 and 4. Write these two verses as a prayer over your child. (“Lord, I pray that You will be a shelter for
name of child
…”)

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 43–44 in T
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. Include specifics about the protection of your child.

Read Chapter 4: “Feeling Loved and Accepted” from T
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1. Read Isaiah 41:9-10 and underline it in your Bible. Do you believe that you are chosen and accepted by God? ______________. Do you believe God will strengthen, help, and uphold you? ___________. Why or why not?

2. Do you believe Isaiah 41:9-10 is true for your child? ___________. Write a prayer asking God to help your child believe that he (she) is chosen by God and that God will always be with him (her).

3. How much do you love your child? Explain.

4. Have you told your child how much you love him (her)? ___________. Are you certain your child perceives and believes that you love him (her) the way you said you do? ___________. Explain.

5. Did you feel loved as a child? ___________. Do you think your experiences as a child have influenced the way you show love to your child? ___________. How so?

6. What can you do for your child today that will make him (her) feel loved? (If you don’t know, ask God to show you and ask your child to tell you.)

7. Does your child generally feel accepted or rejected by people outside the family? ____________________. If you don’t know, ask God to reveal that to you and ask your child to tell you. How could you pray about that?

8. Are there specific or isolated situations in your child’s life when he (she) feels rejection? ___________________. Do you think this is a real concern, or has your child believed something that has no basis in truth? ________________. How could you pray specifically about that?

9. Do you believe your child ever fears being rejected in certain social situations? ___________. Write out a prayer which you could pray over your child whenever he (she) is about to enter an uncomfortable social situation.

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 49–50 of T
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. Include specifics related to you and your child.

Read Chapter 5: “Establishing an Eternal Future” from T
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1. Read John 6:40 and underline it in your Bible. Do you believe what Jesus says here is true? _________. In light of this verse, what is the most important thing you can pray about for your child?

2. Has your child received Jesus as his (her) Savior? ___________. If not, write a prayer about that. If yes, write a prayer asking for his (her) relationship to grow deeper.

3. How would you describe your relationship with God? _____________________. How do you think that affects your child’s relationship with God? ____________________. How could you pray about that?

4. Are you able to talk freely with your child about your relationship with God? ___________. What is his (her) response?

5. Does your child talk openly and freely with you and others about his (her) relationship with God? ___________. How could you pray about that?

6. Read John 14:12-14 and underline it in your Bible. Put a star next to verse 14. What does this verse mean to you?

7. What is the promise in verse 14 for your child if he (she) believes in Jesus? _________________________. Does your child believe this?

8. Is there anything you could tell your child about the Lord’s goodness to you that would inspire him (her) to draw closer to God or to love God more? Write it here, and then tell him (her) at your first opportunity.

9. According to page 56 in T
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, what should be a parent’s ongoing prayer? Write that out as a prayer below.

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 56–57 in T
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. Include specifics that relate to your child.

Read Chapter 6: “Honoring Parents and Resisting Rebellion” from T
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1. Read Ephesians 6:1-3 and underline it in your Bible. In light of these verses, why is it important for you to teach your child to honor you as the parent? What could happen if you don’t?

2. The idols in a child’s heart that lead him (her) into rebellion are ____________________ and ____________________. (See page 60 of
T
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.) Do you ever recognize either of those in your child? If so, write out a prayer that they be broken in your child’s personality. If no, write out a prayer that they do not gain a foothold in his (her) life.

3. The opposite of rebellion is ___________________. The first step of obedience for children is ______________________. (See page 60 of T
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.) What would you say is the opposite of pride? _________________________. The opposite of selfishness? _________________________. Using all four of your answers, write down a prayer asking God to put those qualities in your child.

4. List the reasons you want your child to be obedient. (See the last paragraph on page 60 of T
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.)

5. Read Ephesians 6:10-13 and underline it in your Bible. Star verses 11 and 12. According to this scripture, are you in a battle with your children? ___________. If not, against whom do you battle?

6. Read Nehemiah 9:26-27 and underline it in your Bible. According to this scripture, what does God do with His rebellious children? _________________________. What happens when they turn to God?

7. Do you ever see a rebellious spirit rise up in your child? ___________. If so, how does it manifest itself? _________________________. Does it ever intimidate you? ___________. Why or why not?

8. Do you believe that God has given you “authority over all the power of the enemy,” including rebellion? _______________. Do you for any reason feel
hesitant to stand against your child’s enemy in prayer? ___________. Why or why not?

9. Write a proclamation to the devil telling him that your child belongs to the Lord and no force of hell will be allowed to control him (her) with rebellion.

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 62–63 in T
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. Include specifics related to your child.