Fresh Anointing for Raising Godly Children and Youth

“Point your kids in the right direction—when they’re old they won’t be lost.” Proverbs 22:6 (MSG)

Now, I am not refuting the Bible. The Word of God is right, it is true, and it is profitable for doctrine.

But many parents and grandparents can attest to the fact that they have had a lot of trouble proving this verse in the lives of their children. 

We baptize these children in the name of the Father, and of the Son, end of the Holy Ghost. But at some point when they feel they are grown, they go out on their own, bow to peer pressure, get in the wrong company, and some of them end up going down the wrong road.

But certainly, it is our intention to raise Godly children and youth. It is a sacred calling. When God blesses the womb, He brings forth life, joy, and purpose, fulfilling His promises. 

Psalm 127:3 “Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift? The fruit of the womb his generous legacy?”

And of course, I'm not only talking about biological parents here, because whether you physically birthed a child or not, we have all had the privilege of caring for some child, whether it's a relative's child or the child of a friend or even a stranger.

In every case, we have seen that it is not an easy road. And truth be told, we can reflect on our own lives when we were children, and recall how much trouble we ourselves got into. 

Then again, maybe some of you who are listening were some really nice children and never got into any trouble, so you don't know what I'm talking about. But if you're in that category, use your imagination or remember some of the stories you've been told.

We live in a world that is filled with distractions, temptations, and influences that can pull our children away from God. And so as parents, we need divine wisdom, patience, and the power of the Holy Spirit every moment of every day. 

So today, we come seeking fresh anointing to raise Godly children and youth.

But here's the thing: a lot of us did not understand that having children was not  just a wonderful byproduct of a loving marriage. We did not do our homework, to realise that rearing a child would be a lot of work, and we would need to rely on the Holy Spirit's anointing to equip us to train, guide, and nurture the next generation in His truth.

In order to raise Godly children, we needed to understand that we must first be filled with the presence of God. 

We took it for granted and thought, ahh we can do this. And I want to submit to us that this is why many of us didn't do quite such a good job. Obviously I am not talking about the perfect parents who got it all right.

I'm talking about people like myself who have grown children that we raised in the church and now they are grown we are looking at them and wondering, what  happened here? And then we would be looking to have a do over with the grandchildren, trying to do what we should have done with our own children. 

Ephesians 5:1 tells us that we should teach by example. And we know the greatest teacher is Jesus. The scripture says: “Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents.”

So from the moment the child was conceived or even before that, we should've been seeking fresh anointing from the Holy Spirit to lead us, even up until now that they are out of our jurisdiction, so to speak.

This fresh anointing we recall, is the empowerment of the Holy Spirit that enables us to teach, correct, and love with wisdom and grace. Without it, we may rely on our own strength and fall into frustration, but with it, we operate in divine power.

Psychologists tell us, and we see for ourselves, that children learn best not just by what we say, but by what they see in us. Our daily actions, attitudes, and responses to life’s challenges set the tone for their spiritual growth. 

When they see us praying, trusting God, and walking in integrity, they are more likely to follow in our footsteps.

Even then, sometimes they stray, but we have to continue to speak life over them. Amen?!

Proverbs 16:24 “Gracious speech is like clover honey—good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body.”

Words have power. Many of us learn this the hard way. When we speak words of faith, encouragement, and affirmation over our children, we shape their identity in Christ. 

So, instead of criticism, we should declare God’s promises over them:

   •   “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)

   •   “You have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)

   •   “God has a great purpose for your life.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

What we needed to understand as young parents, and what we must realize even now, is that raising children in the ways of God is not something we can do alone. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us. And with the boldness of these young people nowadays, we definitely need fresh anointing on a regular basis. 

We must continually pray for God's guidance, inviting God’s wisdom into our parenting, giving us discernment in difficult situations and strength when we feel weary.

As parents, as Christians generally, we are called to be a light in our homes, communities, and churches.  Matthew 5:14 “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.”  

When we are faithful in doing our part to raise Godly children, even though challenges come, even though they stray, we can trust that the seeds we planted in faith will bear fruit in God’s perfect time.

As parents, grandparents, great grandparents, aunties and uncles, mentors to these children, we have a great responsibility. How we raise our children today will impact generations to come. 

So Family, may we continue to seek fresh anointing from the Holy Spirit as we do our part to nurture the next generation for the glory of God.

aub - 11Feb25

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