February Fasting/Prayer for Our Children Day 30

When we embark on this journey called parenting, we look ahead with anticipation, excitement and maybe a little fear, too! We look to our children’s milestones with joy as we watch them grow thinking that eventually they will reach milestones that will bring them more independence and less worry and concern on our part. But the reality is, that as they grow so do our concerns for them on this assignment of a lifetime! As we always need our heavenly Father to guide us and protect us, so do our children need us to always guide, and protect them as well. Though our guidance and protection takes on different forms throughout their lives, the prayers that we lift to the heavens for our children will always be of utmost importance for their well-being. When we pray for our children, or even for our family, and friends, we partner with God as He accomplishes His good plans for their lives! Even when we feel that we have nothing much to offer, God says give me what you have and I will multiply it. That’s what it means to partner with the Lord on behalf of our children, our families, our friends.

In 2Kings 4:1-7, we meet a woman who is desperate for help. Her husband has died and because of his outstanding debts, her two sons are about to be taken as slaves to pay that debt. She turns to the prophet Elisha for help. Upon hearing of her plight, he asks one simple question-“what do you have?” She replies quietly, “I have nothing.” I believe we can relate. There are moments in our lives where we truly believe in our desperation and brokenness that we have nothing-nothing to offer, nothing to give.

But as we see are about to see in this moment, God moves in miraculous power in response to our desperation and brokenness. The widow was so consumed by her desperate need that she couldn’t see the everlasting supply available to her in her Lord. Suddenly, she remembers that she has one small jar of olive oil.

The truth is, we always have something. God will always use what you have. He takes the small, the things that we deem insignificant and uses them for His glory! Elisha responds by telling the widow to go around and ask her neighbors for empty jars. He even states, “don’t just ask for a few.” Get as many jars as possible.

In this remarkable encounter we see that the size of the miracle was dependent upon how many empty jars they gathered together. Imagine if she had only gathered one or two jars; the oil would have flowed into those jars and stopped. There wouldn’t have been enough oil to pay off her debts. But she asked for as many jars and vessels as she could get her hands on.

It’s important to note that it’s only when she starts pouring that the oil starts flowing. The miracle only began as she stepped out in faith and obedience.

Sometimes we operate our faith this way-“God when you’re clearly moving in my life, when there’s enough momentum, when I feel certain of Your movement, then I’ll step out, then I’ll risk, then I’ll bring my all to You.” But that isn’t how God works!

Some of us are crying out to the Lord, “More, More, More.”

He is responding to us saying, “Pour, Pour, Pour!”

“Pour out your worship. Pour out your gifts. Pour out your time and resources. Pour out the little you feel you have and watch what I can do.”*

Some of us have children, family, and friends in desperate situations or maybe we even find ourselves in desperation and brokenness, and the Lord is beckoning us to pour- pour out our prayers, pour out our praise and worship, pour out our time in His presence and in His Word. As we pour, God will move in miraculous ways!

So keep praying! We have started a 30 day journey of prayer- don’t stop; keep praying and pouring! Stand on the promises of God for your children, your family, and friends. Put on the armor of God as you fight the dark forces of this world with your spiritual weapons- Prayer, Praise, God’s Word, God’s Grace, and of course, His Power!

1 John 4:4 NLT

⁴ But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-8 The Message

^4-8 But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.

Prayer- Lord, help us continue to build our foundation upon You so that we won’t be shaken when the storms come but we’ll remain standing firm in Your power. Help us to remember we are instrumental in the spiritual battles between You and the enemy. Remind us that victory depends upon our willingness to ‘pour’ out in prayer, in praise, in worship! Lord, continue to show us where prayer is most needed for ourselves, for our families, for our friends, for our communities. Lord, help us to see that our prayer life is not merely for You to fix things but rather to take dominion over the works of darkness in the spiritual realms. Lord, we thank you for hearing our prayers and answering them before we speak them. Thank you for inviting us into Your plan in the world to advance Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ Holy Name- Amen

*Portions of this post are shared with permission from churchgrowth.org