Parents as Intercessors

Parents as Intercessors: Parents act as intercessors by praying for their children, seeking divine guidance, protection and empowerment for them. This role involves standing in the gap and pleading on the behalf of their children to God, particularly during times of struggle, spiritual battles, or significant life changes. Intercessory prayer is seen as a sacred duty, a demonstration of parental love, and spiritual act that can influence a child’s spiritual foundation, resilience, and future well-being.

Parents can intercede for their children primarily through persistent and specific prayer, asking God for protection, guidance, wisdom, and spiritual growth, while also modelling faith and living out God’s word. This involves praying consistently, using Scripture to inform prayers, and involving children the prayer process to instil faith and provide them with comfort and assurance.

 Personally, I am not sure that my parents played this role in my life. While both were lay preachers in the Methodist Church, I never saw them engaging in spiritual warfare of any kind. They were like most people in the church, content to pray general prayers as occasion demanded.

 I strongly believe that parents can help establish the spiritual atmosphere for their children by praying for them right from the womb. Such intercessory prayers must be specific and in line with the written word of God in the Holy Bible. Hannah, the mother of Samuel prayed him into the priesthood even before he was conceived: “And she made this vow, “O LORD God of Hosts, if You will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the LORD, his hair will never be cut” (1 Samuel 11).

 God expects parents to take responsibility for laying solid spiritual foundation for their children. That is why He spoke through Solomon in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” In the early church, the way a father raised his children was a determinant of his qualification for appointment into key position in the assembly. In fact, anyone with unruly children was disqualified from holding leadership position in the church. 1 Timothy 3:5, “If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?”

It was possible for early believers to enforce this kind of discipline because the church was not an institution or organisation established by individuals. It was a community of believers meeting in homes to fellowship with God and each other. Today, people build churches in their names and run them as their personal enterprises. Who dares to question the eligibility of a General Overseer to hold office if his children are unruly?

Regardless of the condition of the modern church, God still holds parents responsible for raising their children. Believing fathers are commanded to bring up their children in the training and instruction of the LORD (Ephesians 6:4).

How to Pray for Your Children

To pray for your children, you should ask God to guide them toward faith, wisdom, and a good character, protect them from harm, help them grow in love and compassion, and cultivate a deep relationship with Him. You can express gratitude for them, ask for wisdom in parenting, and entrust them to God’s care, knowing that His love for them is greater than yours. Let the focus of your prayer be in helping them build a strong relationship with God.

• Be a Spiritual Watchman: take a proactive stance, standing in the gap and praying for your children’s spiritual and emotional well-being
• Pray with Heartfelt Love: Intercession comes from a deep parental love; be persistent and intentional in your prayers, especially during difficult times
• Trust in God’s Power: Believe in the power of prayer to overcome obstacles, whether they are related to physical ailments, emotional distress, or spiritual attacks
• Be a Living Example: Fulfil your role as a parent by modelling a life of prayer, faith, and love for your children and others, reinforcing the principles you pray for
• Persevere in Faith: Do not give up if your children make mistakes. Continue to bless and intercede for them, confident that God’s grace can bring about change

****Some materials sourced from Artificial Intelligence Overview on Google.com