Prayer, as a spiritual discipline, requires time, effort, and consistency. The same goes for praying for your children.
This 30-day prayer guide I’ve put together can help you cultivate the daily habit of praying specifically and intentionally for the children in your life. Throughout my own journey of praying for my children and the children within our ministry, I have witnessed God directing their hearts toward His purpose of loving God and loving their neighbors as themselves. I’ve also found that God uses our prayers to form us parents to reflect more fully the image of Christ.
Prayer possesses the power to transform not only the lives of our children and ourselves but also the world around us for the glory of Jesus. I encourage you to take the next thirty days and pray for your children, using the following guide as prayer prompts. As in Jesus’ example of the “persistent widow,” you’ll find some prayers repeated below because they are worth bringing to God again and again. As you embark on these next thirty days and beyond, take heart—God is listening, and He is able and ready to do great things.
Day 1
Start off with a prayer of surrender. Pray that you completely surrender your children to the Lord, remembering that it is He who gave them to you and that He is using them to grow the Kingdom of God.
“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.” (Psalm 127:3-5, NIV)
Day 2
Pray that your children would know how much God loves them.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV)
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1, NIV)
Commit to being an example of receiving God’s love and passing it along to others.
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”
Day 3
Pray that your children become disciples.
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6, NIV)
Commit to being an example of a disciple of Jesus.
Day 4
Pray that your children are a joy for their teacher(s). Commit to being that example.
Day 5
Pray that your children develop a love and desire for God’s Word.
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11, NIV)
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Day 6
Pray that your children are generous with all they have.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
Day 7
Pray that your children are bold and stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, NIV)
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, NIV)
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:10-18, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
Day 8
Pray that your children are obedient to God and respectful of authority. Commit to being that example.
Day 9
Pray that God will show you what needs to change in your character in order to guide your children in the way of the Lord.
Day 10
Pray a prayer of thankfulness for the gift God has given you by allowing you to parent, and for trusting you to raise up children for His glory.
Day 11
Pray for the soft hearts toward God of church leaders (student ministers, youth volunteers) and school leaders (teachers, administration, and school staff) as they have influence in your children’s lives. Commit to being that example.
Day 12
Pray that your children grow in wisdom.
“And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.” (Luke 2:40, NIV)
Commit to being an example of wisdom and grace.
“And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”
Day 13
Pray that your children develop a good reputation in their school and community.
“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1, NIV)
Day 14
Pray that your children are bold and stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, NIV)
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, NIV)
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:10-18, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Day 15
Pray about your role within the community (community activities, classroom, school, school district, etc.). Pray that God guides you in how you can be a light in a dark place.
Day 16
Pray that your children develop a strong desire to live a life pleasing to God.
“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25, NIV)
“On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4, NIV)
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
Day 17
Pray that your children discover their gifts, talents, and abilities and use them to point others to Jesus.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
Day 18
Pray that your children are obedient to God and respectful of authority.
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” (Romans 13:1, NIV)
“If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
Day 19
Pray a prayer of thankfulness for the gift God has given you by allowing you to parent, and for trusting you to raise up children for His glory.
Day 20
Pray that God will show you what needs to change in your character in order to guide your children in the way of the Lord.
Day 21
Pray that your children develop a strong prayer life.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Day 22
Pray that you will be a parent who seeks godly advice and desires wisdom.
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” (Proverbs 13:20, NIV)
Day 23
Pray that your children are godly influencers in this generation.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16, NIV)
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Day 24
Pray for the friendships your children choose.
“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
Day 25
Pray that your children are hard workers.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
Day 26
Pray that spiritual strongholds of the enemy are revealed and broken in your children’s lives.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
Day 27
Pray that your children love Jesus more than anyone or anything else.
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
Day 28
Pray that your children will make disciples.
“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20, NIV)
Commit to being that example.
Day 29
Pray a prayer of thankfulness for the gift God has given you by allowing you to parent, and for trusting you to raise up children for His glory.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”
Day 30
Pray a prayer of surrender. Pray that you completely surrender your children to the Lord, remembering that it is He who gave them to you to grow the Kingdom of God.
“Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.” (Psalm 127:4, NIV)
