Prayer & Study Guide: The Power Of A Praying Parent (6 page)

Read Chapter 15: “Identifying God-Given Gifts and Talents” from T
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1. Do you feel you have God-given gifts or talents that would have been better developed if you’d had someone praying consistently for you? __________. Describe.

2. Read Romans 11:29 and underline it in your Bible. Even if you feel your God-given gifts and talents have not been developed to the fullest, what does
this scripture say about them? _________________________. What does that mean to you?

3. Do you observe any natural gifts, abilities, and talents in your child? ____________. What are they?

4. Write out a prayer asking God to show you gifts and talents in your child that you have not seen before, or have seen but not with the clarity you would like.

5. Write out a prayer asking God to show you specifically how to best nurture, protect, and develop those talents.

6. Read Proverbs 18:16 and underline it in your Bible. Write out this scripture as a prayer for your child. (“Lord, I pray that the gifts and talents You have placed in
name of child
will make room…”)

7. Read 1 Corinthians 1:4-7 and underline it in your Bible. Write it below as a prayer for your child. (“Thank You, God, concerning
name of child
, for that grace which was given to him (her) by Christ Jesus, that he (she) is being enriched in everything...”)

8. Write out a prayer asking God to give you a glimpse of your child’s potential for greatness. Include anything the Lord shows you.

9. Read Proverbs 22:29 and underline it in your Bible. Write out a prayer asking God to help your child excel in the gifts God has put in him (her), and for his (her) gifts to be recognized and appreciated by others.

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 114–115 in T
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. Include specifics about your child’s gifts and talents.

Read Chapter 16: “Learning to Speak Life” from T
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1. Read Proverbs 13:3 and underline it in your Bible. Why should you pray about the things that come out of your child’s mouth?

2. Words have power. We either can speak _________ or ____________ into a situation. (See page 118 of T
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.) Who does it hurt the most when your child speaks words that are not godly? ____________.

3. Have you ever heard your child speak ungodly words? ___________. If yes, how did you handle it? ____________________. If no, how would you handle it if you did hear your child speak ungodly words?

4. Have you ever heard your child speak negative words about himself (herself)? ___________. What did he (she) say and why do you believe those words were said?

5. Do you encourage your child to be open and honest about his (her) negative emotions and thoughts so you can pray with him (her) about them? ________. If your answer is yes, explain how you do that. If your answer is no, explain what you could do to encourage more open sharing.

6. Read Matthew 12:34-35 and underline it in your Bible. In light of this scripture, how could you pray for your child’s heart?

7. Read Matthew 12:36-37 and underline it in your Bible. In light of this scripture, why should you pray for your child to speak godly words?

8. Read Psalm 19:14 and underline it in your Bible. Pray this scripture as a prayer over your child. (“Let the words of
name of child’s
mouth and the…”)

9. A heart filled with ___________________ and the truth of ___________________ will produce godly speech that brings ___________________. This is where our point of ______________ should begin. (See page 119 of T
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10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 119–120 in T
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. Include specifics about your child’s speech.

Read Chapter 17: “Staying Attracted to Holiness and Purity” from T
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1. Read Proverbs 20:11 and underline it in your Bible. What do you want your child to be known for?

2. Do you feel you are a good role model for your child as far as being someone who is attracted to holiness and purity? ____________. How would you like to see that improve in your life?

3. Who is the real teacher of holiness and purity for your child? __________________. Holiness begins with a love for ___________. (See page 123 of T
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.) In light of that, how could you pray for your child?

4. The Bible says to “keep yourself pure,” and that can only be accomplished by total ________________, and the enabling __________________________. (See page 123 of T
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.) Write out a prayer about this for your child.

5. In order for your child to be attracted to holiness and purity, he (she) needs to see holiness and purity as attractive. Are there any people in your child’s life who model that well? ____________. If so, who are they? If no, write out a prayer asking God to bring those kind of people into your child’s life.

6. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 and underline it in your Bible. Who calls us to holiness? _______________. Who are we rejecting when we don’t walk in holiness? _____________________. Write out a prayer asking God to help you communicate this to your child in a way he (she) can understand and receive.

7. Read 1 Timothy 4:12 and underline it in your Bible. Write this out as a prayer over your child. (“Lord, I pray that no one will despise
name of child’s
youth, but that he (she) will…”)

8. Read Matthew 5:8 and underline it in your Bible. What kind of person is blessed? ____________________. What is the blessing that person will receive? ____________________. In light of this scripture, how could you pray for your child?

9. Read Psalm 24:3-5 and underline it in your Bible. Write it out as a prayer over your child. (“I pray that
name of child
will ascend into the hill of the Lord and…”)

10. Pray out loud the prayer on page 126 in T
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. Include specifics about your child’s attitude toward living a holy and pure life.

Read Chapter 18: “Praying Through a Child’s Room” from T
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1. Read Deuteronomy 7:26 and underline it in your Bible. Put a star next to this verse. Why do you have to be concerned about what is in your child’s room?

2. Read Psalm 101:2-3 and underline it in your Bible. Write it as a prayer over your child. (“Lord, I pray that
name of child
will behave wisely and in a perfect way. I pray he (she) will walk within his (her) house with a perfect heart…”)

3. Read Joshua 24:15 and underline it in your Bible. Put a star next to it. Write the last sentence out below as a proclamation.

4. Write out the words, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:25) on something and display it in your house. (My husband and I found a rock in our backyard, wrote this scripture on it with indelible ink, and set it on the hearth of our living room fireplace. You could do something as simple as writing it on a piece of paper and posting it on the refrigerator door.) There is more power in doing this than you can imagine. What did you write the verse on? ____________. Where did you display it?

5. Does your child ever have nightmares, unexplained fears, or periods of aggressive behavior? _________. Explain.

6. Write out a prayer asking God to show you if there is anything unholy in your child’s room, or anything that should not be in there. (For example, one of my friends prayed this prayer and God revealed to her that there was a stuffed animal in her young daughter’s room that was scaring her and causing her to have nightmares. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with the stuffed animal, but it was not blessing this particular child. When she removed it, the nightmares stopped.)

7. Read Exodus 40:9 and underline it in your Bible. Have you ever anointed your child’s room in that same way? ____________. Why or why not?

8. If you have never anointed your child’s room and prayed over it, would you be willing to do so now? ________________. Write out a prayer asking God to break every yoke of the enemy and cleanse your child’s room of anything unholy. Then pray it in the room.