As Christian parents, we want the very best for our children. We desire to see them grow in faith, fulfill their destinies, and make a positive difference.
Yet the world we raise them in poses many challenges to these hopes. Negative influences compete for their hearts, and peer pressure threatens to sway them from the truth. It can feel like an uphill battle protecting their innocence, building their character, and leading them to live out their callings.
But what if we told you that one of the most powerful tools we have as parents has been available all along? We are talking about the immense authority and impact held in the simple act of blessing our children through prayer.
What is Prayer?
Prayer is a two-way communication between man and God. Prayer insists that the will of God in heaven will be done on earth, and this can only be achieved through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Through prayer the individual is permitting God’s glory to enter their life and destiny. There are different kinds of prayers, such as prayer of thanksgiving, prayer of supplication, prayer of agreement etc, but for now we are focusing on prayers for blessing our child’s destiny.
While positive words hold sway in any relationship, biblical words of blessing and decrees unlock even greater heavenly resources to help guard and guide our children. As people of faith, our words carry creative power when unleashed in alignment with Christ.
Here, we explain what blessings are, why they are vital for raising Godly children, and how establishing a lifestyle of blessing can empower you to shape your children's destiny. Read on to learn:
What is a Spoken Blessing?
With the current popular wellness focus, you may have heard people using the word "blessing" very loosely and abundantly. "Have a blessed day!" "That salad was such a blessing for my diet."
But in terms of parenting, the concept of blessing takes on much greater depth, meaning, and spiritual authority.
True blessings for our children involve:
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Prophetic vision - Seeing their potential and God's purpose for their lives
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Affirmation - Communicating value, belonging, and encouragement
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Releasing divine favor and supernatural empowerment from the heavenly realms
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Protection - Forming a spiritual hedge of protection from demonic assignments against their destiny.
Blessings declare identity and destiny over a child. They release spiritual gifts and revelation. The spoken word aligned in faith with God also invites the Holy Spirit's nurturing presence into their story.
Biblical Basis for Spoken Blessings
Today, when parents verbally bless their children, it mirrors God the Father's first blessings. The Bible shows that God wants parental blessings to reflect the same divine empowerment that He originally spoke over patriarchs such as Abraham.
God told Abraham, "I will bless you...and you will be a blessing...and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:2-3). This establishes the pattern of favor flowing from the Heavenly Father through people to impact society.
We get to see this blessing concept ripple through Scripture in the intense drama when Jacob swindles the firstborn blessing from Esau (Genesis 27:23-31) and later pronounces prophetic blessings over his sons. Even Jesus imparts spiritual blessings by laying hands on children brought to him in Mathew 19:13-15. “Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.”
The Bible overflowed with the theme of parents wielding authority to release destiny, protection, purpose, and empowerment over children's lives through intentionally spoken blessings keyed to God's will. This was no meaningless religious routine but a spiritual gift to shape a generational legacy.
Many children today are losing their way and straying from God's intended purpose. Could they benefit if we Christian parents used our voice to speak God's truth and call out their divine design? As we echo God's heart of blessing, we can redirect them toward embracing His good plans.
How Do I bless My Child?
There are many ways you can bless your child. Here are a few ideas:
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Make your child a daily priority by praying for them, this can be during morning devotional and night prayers. This can be with the child or without the child.
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Take every opportunity to prophecy on your child during every activity in the day. For example, in the home, “My child you are a reader and leader” or “I decree the spirit of excellence is upon you.”
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Assign a specific day in the month or week where you will fast and pray for your child. Place your right hand on the child’s head to decree God’s word into their destiny.
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Set a particular day in the week, such as a Friday, or Sunday when you address specific challenges that they are facing, such as stubbornness, anger, slow learning etc and you bind and lose the character out of their lives.
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Intentionally, encourage your child by telling them you believe in them, are proud of them, and cheer them toward their goals.
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Give your full attention by listening when your child needs to talk and offering advice.
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Bless your child through tangible actions like writing down meaningful hopes and dreams you have for them. This involves as a parent having a prayer journal where you remind God, of your desires for your child and/or reminding him of what he has told you about your child’s destiny.
The Benefits: Why the Power of Blessing Matters
What happens when we commit to consistently praying blessings over our children? It has been proved time and again that there are many tangible fruits in their lives and destinies, as well as boomerang blessings back to you as a parent!
1. Protection and Guidance
Praying over children invokes angelic guardianship, supernatural wisdom guiding major decisions, exposure of hidden traps, and course corrections, navigating them toward all God has prepared for their purpose and promised land. Testimonies abound of invisible shielding and open doors. Our children are made for a divine purpose - Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
2. Stronger Relationship
Parents who intercede for their kids tap into previously untapped levels of trust and positive connections. Respected as the authority praying to bless their lives, children instinctively recognize parental alignment with the True Source of unconditional love and acceptance. We can understand in 2nd Timothy 1:5, Timothy Jewish mother and grandmother loved and nurture his faith in the Lord. “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”
3. Spiritual Growth Acceleration
Perhaps most exciting is that children spiritually thrive when parents bless them through daily prayers. It was the Lord who instructed Moses to teach the Israelites to bless their children in Numbers 6:22-27. The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
“‘“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’
“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
From stronger faith foundations, compassion, gifts of discernment, deeper worship, and prayer lives through demonstrating the power of blessing, children intuitively emulate and own these kingdom values manifested in society-influencing ways.
4. Core Identity Solidified
Spoken decrees stabilizes youth who feel overwhelmed by anxiety, peer pressure, and low self-esteem. It can be difficult for them to discover their true selves and talents. But through blessing prayers, you give them a strong foundation to grow confidently and freely.
Unlock Blessing Power Through Prayer
As Christian parents, the Lord has given us immense stewardship to take good care of our children until they walk in their true identity and purpose. We are privileged to speak spiritual blessings upon them, unlocking God's plans for their future. In Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Through consistent prayers of blessing, we access Heaven's supernatural power to positively shape our children's lives. We need to give them a rightful stage upon which they can walk, assured of their destinies. It is done by speaking Godly character qualities over them, prophesying future leadership roles, calling forth divine opportunities and dedicating them to Kingdom priorities. Picture the amazing ripple effects if the next generation confidently lived out their gifted purposes with courage, integrity, and passion. Because our daily spoken blessings underlined the importance for our families, churches, and society, they would be changed through the influence of godliness.
Of course, the blessing boomerangs back to us parents as well. The best reward is coming closer to our children through blessing, seeing God answer prayer, and having deeper intimacy with Christ. So as parent decree God’s word on their children they are also drawer closer to God. Deuteronomy 30:14.
No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
In the end, few successes rank any higher than to see our children fulfill the purposes God has given them to the betterment of those generations that follow. That's the legacy waiting to be inherited from our parenting. God says that the treasure of us caring for them doesn't lie only in the money laid aside for them but in praying for them and launching all He has in store in their destinies. Then, aligning our parenting prayers with God's very heart and intent for each child. And watch them thrive right on into the world-changer they were intended to be through purpose-focused intergenerational blessing prayer!
If you’re unsure on where to start, you’ve come to the right place. At Praying for Your Child, you can find Christian parenting tips on how to raise Christian children that fulfil their divine destinies. We offer targeted prayers based on scriptures and songs that will help you in raising Godly children.