Have you heard of using bible scriptures to pray over your children? I wish we’d thought of this years ago!
When our middle schooler was very young, he had a bedtime prayer we’d pray together. It was a prayer he’d come up with on his own and, for some reason, he’d gotten in the habit of saying pretty much that same prayer every. single. night. We knew exactly what he was going to pray before he prayed it.
It’s important we pray with our children, but sometimes we don’t know how to do it or what to say. Sometimes we need a gentle nudge to try a new approach. Maybe you’re in this place right now?
If you’re searching for fresh ideas to use in prayer time with your children, grandchildren, or Sunday School class, try leading them in prayer by using Bible verses as your theme. Here are a few ideas to get you started!
Related: 5 Prayers For Faith & Hope That’ll Calm Your Heart Right Now
5 life-changing scriptures to pray over your children
1. Salvation
Acts 2:38-39: “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.’”
Pray for a heart of repentance as they grow and for the Holy Spirit to fill them and permeate their life. Salvation is a promise available to “you and your children” (verse 39). That’s exciting! Be excited about this promise as you pray!
2. Love for the Word
Psalm 1:2: “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
Psalm 19:10: “May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb.”
Pray for them to have a deep love for the Word of God. May they delight in it and meditate on it day and night. May they find it more precious than gold and sweeter than honey.
3. Protection
2 Thessalonians 3:3: “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
Pray for protection from evildoers, protection in both their body as well as in their mind. Pray for protection online and from images they may come across on social media, the web, in books, or in magazines. You can also use our 35 prayer points for protection as you pray.
Related: Looking for protection on the internet? My family uses (and recommends!) Covenant Eyes.
4. Direction
Psalm 37:23: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”
Pray that their steps are ordered by the Lord, and that He directs and guides them throughout their life (long term) and during school, church, etc (short term). Pray that they have a heart for the things of God and seek His direction as they grow up and begin making more choices on their own.
Related: 3 Important Prayers For Decision Making
5. Thankfulness
1 Samuel 1:27: “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.”
Pray a prayer of thankfulness for the children He has given you, and let your children hear you express gratitude for them.
Prayer can be a powerful muscle in your family’s spiritual life. Be sure to exercise it daily and you’ll grow stronger in Him!
What ideas do you have for scriptures you can pray over your children? Add them in the comments!
Up next: Learning How to Pray, For Beginners
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God bless you!! I was so discouraged and distraught struggling with my 8 year that the school has deemed that he can’t sit still and has totally destroyed his self esteem. After reading your post I am blessed and just so happy to have my high energy fidgety boy just the way he is.
Indua, yes, these high energy kids are a special blessing, aren’t they?! How awesome that you’re being mindful of his self-esteem… keep speaking encouragement and purpose into him, and give him boundaries when he really needs them. You’re doing a great job! Keep at it! 🙂
Thank you for your scriptures! I have prayed scripture over my kids since 1998. They are now 28, 27, almost 25 and I am raising my 16 year old nephew. My 28 year old, almost 25 year old, and now my 16 year old nephew Are walking with the Lord. I am still believing for my 27-year-old and his wife. The scripture I have prayed over them since 1998 is Isaiah 54:13
And all your [spiritual] children shall be disciples [taught by the Lord and obedient to His will], and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children.
This is Amp version
I continue to pray it, and will also implement the ones you shared.
Bless you.
Thank you so much for the scripture prayers ? for my children I will be praying unceasingly .
Sometimes our adult children can make us drop to our knees. That cam be a good thing if we pray sincerely while we are down there. No matter where your child is or how far away from God he or she may be, God has promised to save them and bring them back from where they have been taken captive.”Do not be dismayed, O Israel For behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jeremiah 46:27 Everyday, say “Thank You, Lord, that You will bring my adult child back from the land of his (her) captivity, In Jesus name, I pray
Hello, thank you for this guideline on how we should pray for and over our children. I could relate with you when you stated your child would pray the same prayer every night lol my kids tend to do that too. This has blessed me, thank you so much!
My pleasure! Glad you’re here, Brittany!
Thank you Jaime ..god bless you ?
Hi! I saw advertised on Pinterest a printout for “5 verses to pray over your children”. Of course it required that I click on it and go to this website and sign up. I signed up as advertised to receive this printout and instead got the prayer journal. Can you share how I can access this printout ?
Thank you!
Hello dear I’m a mother of 9 when I became a believer my first 4 children were living on their own the 5 youngest I took to church but now only one child out of all is serving the Lord But all the other’s are in drugs and alcohol it’s been pretty hard butt here I am still believing and trusting the lord one day they will all confess Jesus is Lord and repent and follow his steps in the name of Jesus
Shirt and precise powerful scriptures with worrds for meditating on.
Sorry I meant ‘short not shirt’
I pray for my 19-year-old daughter for God to interve in her life
I also add during daily prayer.. asking them what they thank God for ????
they will say
I’m thankful for JESUS, FOOD, CLOTHING, TOYS, BOOKS, FAMILY, FRIENDS, THAT WE’RE HEALTHY, SAFE & PROTECTED… Thankful for God’s grace!!!
This has opened my eyes on the exact. ways of interceding for them. though they are adults they are faces up with difficulties.
thank you, i add verses for children.
gor those confused about their gender
Hosea 2:6-7
Salvation Acts 16:31, psalms 69:13, psalms 18:35
for family psalms 112:1-4