Our children are one of God’s greatest gifts to us. They bring so much purpose to our lives and teach us what it is to truly love unconditionally all while driving us insane at the same time. Praying over our children needs to be a priority in our daily lives and we need to know what powerful prayers to pray over them.
As parents we will do anything to protect our children from anything that can harm them. We use outlet plug covers when they are babies and toddlers. We teach them to never talk to strangers. As they get older and start to drive we teach them how to be safe behind the wheel.
We are constantly protecting our children from the dangers of the world, things we can see. But what about the things we cannot see? The spiritual world?
Ephesians 6:12 says: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
There is a spiritual warfare going on that we cannot see. Our children are the most vulnerable and our prayers act as protection over them from all attacks of the enemy.
Below you will find a list of very powerful prayers to pray over your children. I recommend printing it out and having it on your night stand or somewhere you can easily see it. Not everything on the list is going to apply to your child so just use what does and add to your own personal prayer as you feel necessary. Remember, prayer is an intimate conversion with God and it should flow organically but a little help never hurts. Use the list below as sort of a guide but let your conversations and prayers with the Lord come from your heart.
Powerful prayers to pray over your children:
- Pray for yourself and your spouse and/or coparent– Father, thank you for this wonderful blessing of being parents. Thank you for my children that you have entrusted upon us. Lord, give us the wisdom to bring up our children in your ways. Give us patience and grace for our children. Guide us during the difficult times of parenthood when discipline is necessary. Help us to not provoke our children to anger but to bring them in your discipline and instruction (Ephesians 6:4). And help us to always show our children unconditional love just like you have shown for us.
- Pray for your children to have repentance of sins– Father, I pray for you to please convict my children of any sins, past or present, and put sincere repentance in their hearts. Help them to acknowledge and confess their sins to you because you are faithful and just to forgive (1 John 1:9). Give them the courage and strength to leave behind all sinful behavior and put in their hearts a true desire to seek and please you.
- Pray for their salvation– Lord, I ask you to please touch my children’s hearts. That they may allow you to enter and experience the joy of your salvation (Psalms 51:12). Help them share the gospel with others and use them so that others may come to accept you.
- Pray for their minds– Father, I pray that you will guard and protect my children’s minds. Guide their thoughts and actions to all that is pure and pleasing to you. God, I rebuke all anxiety, depression and any mental disorder that wants to take control of their minds and ask that you fill it with your peace (Philippians 4:7).
- Pray for their hearts– Dear God, I pray that you will create in my children a pure heart that is sensitive to you (Psalms 24:4-5). Please fill their hearts with your joy and peace and put love in their hearts for themselves and others. May the desires of their hearts be to serve and please you at all times.
- Pray for their health– Father, I pray that you bless my children with good health and functioning bodies. Guard them against any disease and strengthen their immune system to fight off all ailments (Matthew 8:16-17). Lord, their bodies are a temple for your Holy Spirit to dwell, therefore, give my children the wisdom to take care of their bodies from the inside and out.
- Pray for convictions– Lord, I pray that you put strong convictions in my children’s hearts. That they may decern right from wrong and steer away from anything that is not pleasing to you (Romans 14:22). Help them make wise choices in their everyday lives.
- Pray for wisdom– Father, please give my children wisdom in every aspect of their lives. Help them to be wise in the way they conduct themselves and live their lives (Proverbs 4:6-7).
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill your children– God I ask that your Holy Spirit dwell in my children and guide them in all truth and knowledge. Help my children to not quench your Holy Spirit but to let it fully manifest in their lives (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
- Pray for them to be humble– God, please put in my children a humble heart. Your word says that you care for the humble but keep your distance from the proud (Psalms 136:6). If there is pride in them please help them realize that they are nothing without you. Help them see that its only because of your grace and mercy that you have chosen them.
- Pray for them to be a positive example to others– Lord, I pray that you help my children be a positive example to others (Matthew 5:16). Help them guard their testimony and not be a stumbling block to anyone. Please don’t let this feel burdensome to them but rather that they desire in their hearts to glorify you in this way.
- Pray for their friendships– Lord, I pray for you to please bring godly friends into my children’s lives. Friends that will encourage and influence them in positive ways (Proverbs 13:20). Help my children be that friend to others as well. Give my children discernment to know when a friendship is not right for them and give them the courage to distance themselves from those acquaintances. God, I also ask you to bless my children’s friends. That they may come to know and accept you as their Lord and Savior if they yet haven’t.
- Pray for their relationship (if your children are dating)– Lord, I pray that you will guard my child and his girlfriend/her boyfriend in their relationship. Help them to stay pure and not fall into the temptation of sex (1 Corinthians 6:18). If my child is having sex I pray that you convict them of their sins and please forgive them. Help them turn from their sinful behavior and put in their hearts a desire to please and honor you.
- Pray for their life partner-God, I pray that you bring to my child a life partner that serves and loves you. May that person be a blessing in my child’s life and help my child be a blessing in their life as well (Ephesians 4:9-10). God, I ask that you be the center of their marriage. Bless their future children and help them raise them to love and serve you.
- Pray for fear of God in them– Lord I pray that you put fear for you in my children’s hearts. Your word says: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7) Don’t allow my children to be foolish but put in my children fear for you. Fear of disappointing you. Fear of steering away from you path. Fear to sin against you.
- Declare it and give thanks!– Father, I declare all of this and all of the blessings you have for my children. Thank you for what you have already done and will continue to do in them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Prayer is powerful! Together in prayer we can raise strong and courageous children for God. Use these powerful prayers to pray over your children and believe and trust in the Lord with all your heart. I know God will do His work in your children.
