Laying A Solid Foundation For Your Children by Pastor Faith Oyedepo
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Topic: Laying A Solid Foundation For Your Children (Part 1)
Dear Reader,
Happy new month! You are welcome to another wonder and testimony filled month. It is my prayer that all God has for you in this month will be supernaturally fulfilled. All through this month, I will be sharing with you, laying a solid foundation for your children.
A personal relationship with Jesus is the cornerstone of life. You have a responsibility to make sure before your child gets to the age where he can make a personal commitment, that you confess the Word of God over him or her, shaping his or her destiny in the Word of God. As the child begins to grow, you need to let him or her see that you are a genuine Christian who loves Jesus. That way, he or she will want to know Jesus too.
It is very important that you create the fear of the Lord in the hearts of your children, in order to commit their lives to the Lord. The Word of God says: That thou might fear the Lord your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, you, and your son, and your son’s son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged (Deuteronomy 6:2).
Personally, I sit with my children, opening up scriptures to them almost daily. I open my Bible and theirs, and we sit down to share with one another. They see for themselves what the Word says about life’s day-to-day situations. This is of great importance, because it instills the fear of the Lord into their hearts. I let my children see from the Word that whether I or their father is present with them or not, God is always there with them. Creating a God consciousness is not to make them terrified of God, but to create a holy reverence for His ever-abiding presence.
As your children grow and get out into the world, mixing up with all kinds of people, it is this fear of God in their heart, this holy respect and reverence for God that will preserve them in the way of the Lord. The Word of God says: Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). Child-training calls for vigilance and diligence. The devil, our adversary is roaming about as a lion, seeking who to destroy. But those whose hearts are deep in the Word of God are consumed with the fear of the Lord, and cannot fall prey to his attacks. You and I must take child training as a once-in-a-life-time responsibility. Life is an opportunity that must not be wasted. Make the most of your opportunity today, as children do not remain children for long. A time comes when they must leave home; then it’s what you have built into them that speak for them. Jonadab instilled the fear of the Lord into the hearts of his children such that 200 years later, the impact of that training was still being felt. I see your own testimony coming to pass in Jesus’ name!
Also Read: Keys To Family Dominion (Part 1) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo
Create time to pray over him or her and sharing the Word of God in simple language. The Word of God says: And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children… (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).
There are so many colourful story books, which tell Bible stories in pictures that you can use to explain kingdom truths to him or her. This simply prepares him or her for a personal relationship with Jesus. Let him or her also understand that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Lead him in a personal confession of faith to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour. Don’t leave this to Sunday school teachers, who usually have a lot of other children to attend to. Don’t assume that your children are going to heaven simply because they are born into Christian homes or because they attend Sunday school. No, they must confess Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour. It is your responsibility as parents to lead them to do this.
When Jesus said: shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come on you: and you shall be witnesses to me…(Acts 1:8), He did not limit it to adults only. Once a child is old enough to understand the infilling of the Holy Spirit, then lead him to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit from that point on is given the licence to instruct, guide, help and strengthen that child in his day-to-day activities and to reveal more of God to him. When confronted with difficulties at school, the Holy Spirit will be right there to assist him. All my children are born again and are baptized in the Holy Spirit before the age of 10.
It is important for you to know that every child is born with a mission. Jeremiah was a child with a mission. (Jeremiah 1:5). Jeremiah was ordained a prophet from the womb. Every child is created for a purpose. It is therefore, important for that child to be brought up to fulfill that purpose. This is a crucial spiritual need, because parents are often carried away by sentiments. They want their children to be lawyers, doctors, etc, not minding God’s plans for them.
You have a responsibility to locate your child’s ordination and propel him along that path. When you are not sure, watch out for his strength, gifts and talents and prayerfully allow him to pursue a career, the plan of God will definitely unfold in his life.
The grace to bring up your children in the fear of the Lord can only be given by surrendering your life to Christ. How do you come to Jesus? The Bible Says: If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10). It doesn’t take more than this to have perfect rest all around you. Make a wise decision today. Accept the Lord Jesus as your own personal Lord and Saviour. Make Him the Lord of your entire household and be at rest.
The Scripture above says you should confess with your mouth, and then believe what you have said in your heart. If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.
Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).
With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.
For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Raising Godly Children, Building a Successful Home and Understanding Motherhood.
Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.
