Prayer & Study Guide: The Power Of A Praying Parent (9 page)

Read Chapter 26: “Living Free of Unforgiveness” from T
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1. Does forgiveness flow freely in your family or does unforgiveness have a place in one or more family members? _________________________. Explain.

2. Do you have any unforgiveness that you need to confess so you can be set free of it? ______________. If so, write out a prayer asking God to help you forgive.
If not, write out a prayer asking God to reveal any hidden unforgiveness in you, and to keep you free from unforgiveness in the future.

3. Does your child find it easy to forgive or hard to let go of unforgiveness? _____________. Explain your observations.

4. Write a prayer asking God to show you any specific point of unforgiveness in your child. Then write down anything the Lord reveals.

5. How could you pray specifically
with
your child about unforgiveness in his (her) life? Write it out as a prayer.

6. Read Matthew 6:14-15 and underline it in your Bible. Why should you pray for your child to be a forgiving person?

7. Read Ephesians 4:31-32 and underline it in your Bible. Write this as a prayer over your child. (“Lord, I pray that
name of child
will let all bitterness, wrath…”)

8. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and underline it in your Bible. Write it out as a prayer over your child. (“Lord, I pray that
name of child
will have the kind of love that suffers long and is kind…”)

9. Read Colossians 3:12-13 and underline it in your Bible. Write this as a prayer over your child. (“Lord, I pray that
name of child
, who is your holy and beloved child, will put on tender mercies…”)

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 178–179 in T
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. Include specifics about your child.

Read Chapter 27: “Walking in Repentance” from T
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1. Read Proverbs 28:13 and underline it in your Bible. What happens to someone who covers up his (her) sin? ____________________. What should your child be encouraged to do instead? ____________________. Why?

2. Parents can usually recognize a look of guilt on a child’s face. Have you ever seen that look on your child’s face? _____________. Whether you have or
not, write a prayer asking God to keep your child from ever becoming comfortable with concealing his (her) sins.

3. Read 1 John 3:21-22 and underline it in your Bible. If your child confesses his (her) sin, what will he (she) experience?

4. Have you ever detected sin on your child’s face before you discovered it in his (her) behavior?
__________________. Describe. Do you feel God revealed that to you?

5. Read Psalm 69:5 and underline it in your Bible. Even if your child can hide his (her) sins from you, can they be hidden from God? ______________. Do you believe that when you pray, God will reveal your child’s sins to you? ______________. Why or why not?

6. Your child must be encouraged to admit or confess his (her) sin. But he (she) must also be repentant, or sorry enough to not want to do it again. Write out
the kind of prayer you would like for your child to pray that includes confession, repentance, and seeking forgiveness from God.

7. Do you think your child would be willing to pray such a prayer? ______________. Why or why not? ________________. How could you pray about that?

8. Read Psalm 139:23-24 and underline it in your Bible. Write it out as a prayer over your child. (“Search
name of child
, O God, and know his (her) heart…”)

9. Read Psalm 51:10-12 and underline it in your Bible. Write it out as a prayer over your child. (“Create in
name of child
a clean heart O God…”)

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 183–184 of T
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. Include specifics about your child.

Read Chapter 28: “Breaking Down Ungodly Strongholds” from T
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1. Have you ever observed something in your child that you thought was not right, but you didn’t have any hard evidence to support it? How did it manifest itself and what did you do about it?

2. Read Luke 12:2 and underline it in your Bible. How does this verse inspire you to pray for your child?

3. Write out a prayer asking God to always reveal to you the truth of what is going on in your child’s mind and life.

4. Do you ever see your child following a pattern of misbehavior (dishonesty, deception, greed, selfishness, arrogance, disobedience)? ______________. If so,
describe what you see. If not, write a prayer asking God to reveal anything you need to see.

5. The devil always seeks to establish his rulership in our children’s lives. Whether you see anything like that in your child or not, write out a prayer asking God to destroy any strongholds the enemy wants to establish in your child’s life.

6. Read Matthew 6:13 and underline it in your Bible. Write this scripture as a prayer over your child.

7. You don’t have to be suspicious of your _______________, but you do have to be suspicious of ___________________ who is waiting to erect a ______________________ in his (her) life. (See page 189 of T
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8. Read 1 Peter 5:8-9 and underline it in your Bible. What are you supposed to do when the devil seeks to devour your child? _________________________. What is the best way you can think of to resist the devil’s plans for your child?

9. What does the instruction to be sober, vigilant, and steadfast mean to you with regard to praying for your child to be protected from the enemy’s plans? (See 1 Peter 5:8.)

10. Pray out loud the prayer on pages 190–191 in T
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. Include specifics about your child.

Read Chapter 29: “Seeking Wisdom and Discernment” from T
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1. Read James 1:5 and underline it in your Bible. What is the promise to you in this verse?

2. Do you ever have concerns about your child’s ability to make right choices and good decisions? ______________. Explain.

3. Do you believe you can ask God for wisdom for your child? ______________. Why or why not?

4. Read Proverbs 2:10-12 and underline it in your Bible. Write it as a prayer over your child. (“Lord, I pray that wisdom will be in
name of child’s
heart…”)

5. Read Proverbs 3:13-18 and underline it in your Bible. List below all the benefits of someone who has wisdom.

6. Read Proverbs 4:7-9 and underline it in your Bible. According to this scripture, what is the main thing we need? __________________. What else? _________________. What are the benefits of having wisdom and understanding?

7. Read Proverbs 23:24-25 and underline it in your Bible. As a parent, what is the benefit for you if your child has wisdom?

8. Read Proverbs 2:1-7 and underline it in your Bible. List the ways you can obtain wisdom and discernment (receive God’s Word, treasure God’s commands).

9. Write out Proverbs 2:1-7 as a prayer for your child. (“Lord, I pray that
name of child
will receive Your Word and treasure Your commands within him (her). May he (she)…”)

10. Pray out loud the prayer on page 195 in T
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. Include specifics about your child.