Prayer & Study Guide: The Power Of A Praying Parent (4 page)

Read Chapter 7: “Maintaining Good Family Relationships” from T
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1. Did you grow up with good, close family relationships? ___________. Explain.

2. Do you have close family relationships now? ___________. Explain.

3. Is there any family situation that is strained, fractured, or severed? ___________. Explain. Write out a prayer asking God to restore it.

4. Does your extended family or did your ancestors have a history of breached relationships? ___________. Are there now or have there been people in your family who no longer speak to or see one another because of some kind of breakdown in their relationship? ___________. Explain. How do you think that heritage might affect your child?

5. Read Romans 14:19 and underline it in your Bible. Are you willing to be the peacemaker in your family by praying for all damaged relationships to be restored? ___________. Write to the Lord your commitment to that end.

6. Are you willing to tell the enemy that you will not allow family relationships in your child’s life to be broken down? ___________. Write it below as a proclamation.

7. Are there important relationships in your family which are especially crucial to your child’s happiness? ___________. List them below. Write out a prayer that your son (daughter) will have a lasting
and loving relationship with each one of these people.

8. Do you encourage your child to have a strong relationship with other members of your family? ___________. Do you believe that feeling loved and accepted by other family members is crucial to your child’s peace and happiness? ___________. How could you pray to that end?

9. Read 1 Peter 3:8-9 and underline it in your Bible. Write out this scripture as a prayer over your child with regard to his (her) relationship with a specific family member.

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 67–68 in T
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. Include specifics about your family relationships.

Read Chapter 8: “Attracting Godly Friends and Role Models” from T
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1. Read Proverbs 12:26 and underline it in your Bible. In light of this scripture, how important is it that your child have good, godly friends? ___________. Why?

2. Is there anyone you consider to be a bad influence upon your child? ___________. Is there anyone
who seems to bring out the worst in him (her)? ___________. Explain.

3. Read Proverbs 13:20 in your Bible and underline it. Do you feel your child has any friends who are foolish? ___________. What could happen if he (she) continues to spend time with those friends? Write out a prayer about them below.

4. Do you feel your child has friends who are wise? ___________. Write out a prayer for those relationships to be strengthened.

5. Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 and underline it in your Bible. Does your child have any close relationships with non-believers? ___________. What does the Bible say about that? How could you pray for those relationships?

6. Is there any relationship that is troubling or upsetting to your child? ___________. Explain why. If you don’t know, write out a prayer asking God to give you revelation about the cause of that strife and what to do about it.

7. Read Ephesians 4:31-32 and underline it in your Bible. Does your child easily forgive others? ____________. In light of your answer, write out this scripture as a prayer over your child.

8. Who are the people your child looks up to in his (her) life? _________________________. Are they godly role models? ___________. Write a
prayer below asking God to either strengthen those relationships or bring new ones into his (her) life.

9. Read Matthew 5:44 and underline it in your Bible. Write it out below as a prayer over your child. (I pray that
name of child
will love his (her) enemies…”)

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 73–74 of T
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. Include specifics about your child’s close friends and role models.

Read Chapter 9: “Developing a Hunger for the Things of God” from T
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1. What does having a healthy fear of God mean? (See page 77 of T
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.)

2. What influences in your child’s life are trying to draw his (her) attention away from the things of God?

3. Write out a prayer asking God to take away the desire for those things that compete with Him for your child’s attention.

4. What are some of the things you can do to teach, instruct, train, and encourage your child in the things of God? (See page 78 of T
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for suggestions, but include your own specifics as well.)

5. Read Proverbs 10:27 and underline it in your Bible. In light of this scripture, what is the main reason you should pray for your child to reverence or fear God?

6. When our children develop a hunger for the things of God, they will know that the things of God are _________________________. They will become ___________________ and not ______________. They will long for His _______________________, His _________________, and His ____________. They will _________________________ and live a _______________________________. (See page 78 of T
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.)

7. Read Psalm 34:8-10 and underline it in your Bible. What is promised for those who trust, fear, and seek the Lord?

8. Write Psalm 34:8-10 as a prayer for your child. (“Lord, I pray that
name of child
will taste and see that You are good…”)

9. How do you feel about your child’s heart for God at this stage in his (her) life? __________________________. Would you like to see your child have a greater hunger for the Lord? ____________. Write out a prayer to that effect.

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 79–80 in T
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. Include specifics about your child’s relationship with God.

Read Chapter 10: “Being the Person God Created” from T
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1. Do you believe your child ever compares himself (herself) unfavorably to others? ____________. How so?

2. Do you ever compare yourself unfavorably to others? ____________. If so, how might your doing so affect your child’s attitude about himself (herself)?

3. Do you ever see your child striving to be something he (she) was not created to be, or straining to do something that will never fulfill him (her)? ______. Describe.

4. Write out a prayer asking God to reveal to your child the truth about who He created him (her) to be.

5. Write out a prayer asking God to reveal to you what your child’s gifts and talents are. Write down what God shows you.

6. Write out a prayer asking God to reveal to you how to best nurture the gifts and talents He has placed in your child.

7. Read Isaiah 44:3-5 and underline it in your Bible. In verses 3 and 4, what are the rewards for the person who hungers and thirsts for more of the Lord? _________________________. How will your desire for more of the Lord affect your child?

8. In verse 5 of the above scripture, what will the children say that is foundational to knowing who they are?

9. Does your child know with certainty that he (she) belongs to the Lord? ____________. Write a prayer asking God to make that a reality in his (her) mind.

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 85–87 in T
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. Include specifics about your child.