Standing in the Gap - Praying for the Next Generation
1 Timothy 2:1
First of all, then I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men…
Personally, I think the most important people for which you can stand in the gap are your family. In my opinion, the spiritual battle rages most intensely on the battlefield of the home and the battlefield of the church. And one of the most important actions we can do is to pray, to stand in the gap for our family.
I Timothy 2:1 says to pray “on behalf of all men.” That is a broad perspective that tells us to pray for all of our relationships, and certainly “all men” includes those closest to us. That leads us to today’s encouragement, to pray for your children and your grandchildren.
Gina and I are blessed to have two adult children. Anna Wilson, our daughter, and Will Smith, our son. They have godly spouses and both have three children. So we have six grandchildren! My family means the world to me so it should be no surprise to know that I pray for them regularly and intentionally. When Anna and Will were young we purchased a piece of artwork called “Spiritual Warfare” by Ron Dicianni. That picture means so much to me. It is a picture of a child lying asleep in his bed with his dad kneeling down praying over him. The picture depicts the spiritual battle going on for the hearts of our children and it is a reminder to us that one of our greatest weapons of warfare is prayer.
For many years, this picture hung in our son’s room and reminded me to pray for him and to pray for Anna, as well. And it gives me great joy today to continue this by praying for them both, their spouses, and our grandchildren. Would you allow me a moment or two to share some ways you can join me in praying for your own children and grandchildren? These are ways you can stand in the gap on their behalf.
Pray for Their Salvation - TO KNOW GOD
First of all, I encourage you to stand in the gap on behalf of your children and grandchildren as it relates to their salvation. Simply put, ask God to save them and draw them into a relationship with Himself.
Pray they will understand that sin separates us from God.
Pray they sense the convicting nudge of the Holy Spirit drawing them to Himself.
Pray they will turn to Jesus in faith and repentance.
Pray for their rescue from living a life separated from God.
Pray they will come to know Jesus personally at the earliest age possible.
Gina and I prayed for the salvation of our children and now we are praying for the salvation of our grandchildren! We are praying they will know Jesus personally and intimately.
Pray for Their Sanctification - TO GROW IN CHRIST
Not only do I encourage you to pray for their salvation, I encourage you to pray for their sanctification. Now that may sound like a big Bible word and it is! But it is also an important Bible word. Simply put, pray for their spiritual growth. When my children were young I prayed they would “know God” and then I prayed they would “grow in Christ.” My prayer for my own children and for my grandchildren is that they will grow daily in their walk with Christ. And because I know that God has given us all the necessary resources to grow spiritually (2 Peter 1:3), I pray they will take advantage of those resources.
I pray they will know and love the Word of God.
I pray they will be active and involved with the people of God in their church.
I pray they will hide the Word of God in their hearts.
I pray that they will apply the Word of God and live it out daily as they grow.
I am praying for them to be sanctified, that is set apart from the world and set apart unto the new life of Christ.
Pray for Their Service - TO SERVE GOD
I encourage you to also pray for them to serve God wholeheartedly.
I pray they will learn and use their spiritual gifts in the church.
I pray they will humbly serve their friends and family.
I pray they will humbly serve their fellow church members.
I pray they will humbly serve their community and others in their sphere of influence.
Yes, I pray for them all to be spiritual leaders but spiritual leadership is all about serving others. It was Jesus Himself that told us that the greatest in the kingdom is the one who serves. (See Matthew 23:11-12.)
When my children were young, I prayed they would “know God, grow in Christ, and serve God.” I am grateful today to see Anna and Will serving Christ with their spouses and children. And I am now praying that very thing for my grandchildren as well.
Pray for Them Individually and Specifically
Finally, pray for your children and grandchildren by name and with specific requests. My “stand in the gap journal” has some specific prayers for each of my grandchildren. I pray for their wants, their needs, their challenges, and their joys, and I pray for them by name.
Standing in the gap for others is such a joy. But it is also a burden. So I encourage you to pray for your children and your grandchildren. It is a joy to watch our Heavenly Father answer those prayers.
Next week will be our final Standing in the Gap Blog and I look forward to discussing with you the joy of standing in the gap for your spouse.