I was reading an article this morning about how Christian’s children are falling away from the faith.
They gave several reasons as to cause of this falling away; all of which were centered around the responsibility of the parent within the home to walk the walk and to talk the talk of the word of God.
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LordGod of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Deuteronomy 6:1-9
There is a “land” that the Lord has given each Christian family to possess. As parents, we have this tremendous responsibility to assume the God-given mission (whatever it may be) as a family, and to be in hot pursuit of it.
Families are perishing because there is no vision for the family. Where there is no vision, the Bible says, the people perish.
We are to create generational blessing, and we accomplish this by pursuing the heart of God.
When we are going after God with everything that is within us, He will drive out evil spirits, generational curses, and bondage from our family tree.
Three Reasons Why Our Children Fall Away From The Faith
We’ve heard it before, our children are watching us; but these days parents are so stressed, I don’t think that they even recognize what’s the matter. I get it. You have to keep up with everything everyone else is doing so that you won’t be judged. But of course, none of that is worth the mission that God has given to you as a parent. Perhaps these three reasons as to why Christian’s children are falling away from the faith will give some insight into the matter.
1)Parents don’t model their faith
2)Parents act one way on Sunday and another way during the rest of the week
3)Parents are focused on rules rather than a relationship with God
We cannot live out our Christian walk without a relationship with God. It is through reading about how He related to those have gone before us that we learn His character and how He relates to us as His dear children.
The key here to build a relationship with the Holy Spirit. He will guide us into all truth, keep us accountable to Him alone.
When our children see us ploughing through negative circumstances, trusting God for a positive result, they too learn how to pray to, trust God with their lives, and love the Lord with all of their mind, soul and strength.
Now, we recognize that that is an ideal scenario that oftentimes does not play out in text-book fashion. However, that does not nullify our responsibility.
God’s promises to us as parents
Lord, help us to stand on your promises believing that we receive what your Word says, regardless of what we are seeing in the natural realm.
- Salvation for our household (Acts 16:31)
- He will pour out His Spirit on our sons and daughters (Acts 2:17-18)
- That our children are taught of the Lord and great is their peace (54:13)
Declare these scriptures over your children. Call their names unto the Lord.
Don’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly (Psalms 1:1). Keep your mind focused on the Lord, and He will keep you in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3).
When we trust God with our children, He will come through in turning their hearts to Him. For our part, if repentance is neccessary, then by all means don’t hesitate.
One of the most wonderful things about walking with the Lord is that He does not hold our past against us. We can always start from where we are and make things right with Him, and pray about our relationships with our spouses and children, and He will bring healing and restoration:
And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
joel 2:25
The flip side of that coin is this result:
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.
Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.
Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
numbers 33:55
We as parents have a responsibility to seek God for what ails us in our own lives so that our children will not be the benefactor of those same spirits plaguing their lives.
Those thorns represent the disobedience to God’s Word that we allowed to reign in our lives, and as a result, the evil spirits, generational curses, and bondages are not driven from our house; they remain and they plague our children.
It is our obedience, our willingness to let go and let God that causes us to move forward into our promised land- a place of freedom, purpose, destiny for us and our children and our children’s children.
It is in that place that we have influence on our children for the Kingdom of God. And that is worth fighting for!
Change Your Mindset
- Repent to God (and family members) asking Him for guidance for His will for you and your family
- Create a family mission statement
- Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you: For the mother/wife: Only concern yourself with what He has given you to do, and He will empower you to do those things (That certainly will include praying for your husband and children). For the father/husband you may have to be provoked from a place of passivity. If this is you, ask God to help you. And you can be guaranteed that He will.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself. God will meet you right where you are. He has been waiting for you to acknowledge Him in this area, so that He could ignite the dream that is in your heart for your family!
Conclusion
Don’t allow the enemy to have his way in your family and with your children. Your story is for His glory. Declare that God will get the glory out of you and your family’s life. Hold up your shield of faith and stand on God’s promises, because “the family that stays together, slays together”.
Download this printable as a reminder that you can do this.
Grace and Peace,
Silvana
