Why must we pray for our youths and children?
- According to the Unicef.ie, Ireland has one of the highest teenage suicide rates in Europe (aged 15 to 19) and we notice that the number keeps increasing over the years. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people after car accidents.
We need to pray against depression and lack of good self-esteem among the young people.
- Studies show that low self-esteem contributes to anxiety, depression, and thoughts of self-harm among adolescents. No wonder the level of teenage suicide.
- The enemy is not waiting for our children to grow up before he engages them in a fight, he would rather attack while they are young and inexperienced. He sees them as easy targets, that is why he is against the spiritual growth of our children and wants them to turn away from the right path. In the book of Exodus chapter 2, Moses was subjected to life-threatening attacks from birth, while he was still defenseless. The enemy does not play fair. But God kept Moses until his death.
- Young people face many struggles, harassment, bad influences, and friendships. They get exposed to easy money, drugs, immorality, sexuality, and identity crises etc. They face a lot of temptations and can easily lose their bearings as a result if not well rooted in the truth.
- 2 Timothy 2:22: But keep yourself from those desires of the flesh which are strong when the body is young, and go after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those whose prayers go up to the Lord from a clean heart.
- Isaiah 40: 29-31: He gives power to the feeble, increasing the strength of him who has no force. Even the young men will become feeble and tired, and the best of them will come to the end of his strength; But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
- We need to pray for God to give them the strength and the ability to resist the bad influences and instead make good choices.
What is God’s plan for young people:
- God has a plan for each and every one of us even before we were born
- Jeremiah 1:5: Before you were formed in the body of your mother I had knowledge of you, and before your birth I made you holy; I have given you the work of being a prophet to the nations.
- Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.
- We need to pray for God’s plan for the young people to be fulfilled
- Our children need a solid foundation in Christ – they need to know what the truth is & the will of God for their lives.
- Proverbs 22:6: If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old, he will not be turned away from it.
- The earlier we get our children exposed to the word of God, the stronger their identity in Christ is established, paving the way for them to become great godly and future leaders for their generation.
- Daniel and his friends were young and because they knew their identity in God, they stood their ground and would not compromise their worship of God but refused to comply with King Nebuchadnezzar orders to bow to an idol.
- Daniel 1-8: And Daniel had come to the decision that he would not make himself unclean with the king’s food or wine; so, he made a request to the captain of the unsexed servants that he might not make himself unclean.
- Daniel 1- 17: Now as for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and made them expert in all book-learning and wisdom: and Daniel was wise in all visions and dreams.
- We need to pray that the young people shall know their worth in Christ.
- Children are the future of the Church.
- 1 Timothy 4:12: Let no one make little of you because you are young, but be an example to the church in word, in behaviour, in love, in faith, in holy living.
- The youths need to find their place in the Church
- Joël 2:28: And after that, it will come about, says the Lord, that I will send my spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will be prophets, your old men will have dreams, your young men will see visions.
- We need to pray for the influence and impact they will have among their generation
- We need to motivate young people to serve the Lord with all their heart in their youthfulness
- 2 Chronicles 16:9: For the eyes of the Lord go this way and that, through all the earth, letting it be seen that he is the strong support of those whose hearts are true to him
- Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”