3 Power-Packed Scriptures to Pray Over Your Kids and Grandkids

Whether they are toddlers, teens or adults, your kids need prayer.

You may not have kids, but you might have nieces, nephews or friends’ kids who desperately need prayer. Or you might have “spiritual children” you have mentored. Are you willing to take time to cover them in prayer?

One of the best practices you can cultivate in your prayer life is the power of praying Scripture. When you pray God’s Word over those you love, you have an instant guarantee that you are praying in His will. As you faithfully claim Scripture over the lives of those you love, you’ll see God work miracles.

To help you get started in this practice, I’ve chosen three passages I love to pray over my kids and grandkids. I know you’ll have more ideas, so I’d love to hear from you.

My Top Three Scriptures to Pray over My Kids and Grandkids:

Psalm 149:6 – “Let the high praises of God be in their mouths, and two-edged swords in their hands.” I love to put my kids’ and grandkids’ names in this verse and ask God that His praise will be in their mouths always and that they will learn to use the Word of God—the double-edged sword—to defeat the enemy. Satan wants to discourage and defeat the work of God in our kids’ lives. I pray that they will use the two most powerful weapons to defeat him: praise and Scripture.

Joshua 1:9 – “Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” With graduations right around the corner, this is a great verse to pray for those you love. The world is a scary place, and to follow Jesus takes courage. We need a generation of courageous Jesus-followers who are willing to take up the cause of Christ regardless of the opposition they face.

Ephesians 3:17b-21 – “[And I pray] that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Kids and adults alike need to be deeply rooted in the love of Christ. I pray that my kids, their spouses and my grandkids will know categorically how deeply Christ loves them; I pray that their identity will sink down so deeply into the love of Christ that no matter what comes their way, they’ll be able to stand firm in their value as one who is deeply and unconditionally loved by Christ. {eoa}

Becky Harling, an author, certified speaker, leadership coach and trainer with the John Maxwell Team, is an energetic and motivational international speaker inspiring audiences to overcome their greatest life challenges and reach their full God-given potential. Her most recent book is How to Listen So People Will Talk. Her husband, Steve Harling, is the president of Reach Beyond, a nonprofit organization seeking to be the voice and hands of Jesus around the world. Connect with Becky at beckyharling.com, Facebook or Twitter.

This article originally appeared at beckyharling.com.