For those who know me, you will be very familiar with today’s passage. It’s from Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. Even though I wrote a bible study on the book of Ephesians, with an emphasis on praying Paul’s prayer for wisdom and revelation, I need this reminder today.
It’s easy to get busy trying to “figure out” how to pray for a child who is struggling. Parents can get into detective mode and start deep sleuthing without tapping into what God wants to tell us. In John 10:1-18 Jesus said that his sheep hear his voice.
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Being led by the voice of God is a core tenant of the scriptures from the time when Noah built the ark, to when Abram left Ur to go to the place the Lord had for him, to the when Jesus announced that this will be a trademark of believers in who put their trust in him.
As parents, we need to be led by Jesus in praying for our children. What does Jesus want us to pray? The Holy Spirit was given to us to lead us into all truth. In Ephesians 1:17-23 the Apostle Paul prays his prayer for the Ephesians. The core truth? The Holy Spirit would lead the Ephesians and open their hearts to receive hope and truth.
Ephesians 1:15-23 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
In this prayer, Paul is prayer that the Father GIVE the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to the people he just said were sealed with the Holy Spirit earlier in the chapter. This teaches us that believers need to pray and ASK for the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives in a way that opens us to the truth about Christ.
What does the scripture say asking for revelation will bring us?
- To know the Father better.
- To know the hope of our calling
- To know the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people
- To know the incomparably great power for us who believe
God wants to give us revelation. Revelation is when something is hidden and then it is uncovered to us. There is so much that is hidden in our world today. Hope is hidden. We cannot see with physical eyes the hope of our calling in Christ. We see a dark world full of confusion and pain. If we can’t hear from the Lord, or if we aren’t even trying to hear from the Lord, we will not have hope.
When we are praying for our children or grandchildren, we need the Holy Spirit to shed light and hope on our prayer life. Without this, we will pray in fear and defeat. We need the Lord Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, to lead us in how to pray.
Have you ever asked the Lord to reveal to you how to pray for your child? The Lord can bring clarity and hope to your prayers. When God shows you the truth about what is going on with your child and how to pray – you will be praying with much more faith and authority .
The Lord can open our hearts with understanding and he also can speak to other people about us, so that they can speak into our lives and situations. I have recently had two different people let me know that God spoke to them through a dream and through prayer about something I have been praying for.
We can and should pray for our children to have the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation so they can know the Lord better. When I have prayed for my family this way, I frequently will hear from them something like this: “I have really felt like God is speaking to my heart recently!” Or “I just am hearing from the Lord a lot.”
In light of God bringing us revelation, we can look at the rest of the passage in Ephesians and see that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of us and is at our disposal. Not only can we hear from God on how to pray – we can know that the same authority that raised Jesus from the grave lives in us in power.
Prayer Points-
Father, in Jesus’ mighty name, I ask that you bring me revelation and direction through the Spirit of God. Spirit of Jesus, fill me, direct me, and open my heart. I need you to show me exactly how to pray for my child. Lord, open my heart. I’m tired of praying like a hamster on a wheel going no where. I ask, Lord, for you to not only open my heart, but open my child’s heart to truth and to your Spirit of revelation.
Lord, open (name’s) heart to the Spirit of revelation so (he/she) can know you better. Open the eyes of (his/her) heart to know the hope of his/her calling in Christ Jesus our Lord. I pray for you to get a hold of this child/grandchild. I pray that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead will resurrect my child from death to life.
Lord, breathe on (name). Unleash your Spirit to move in my child’s heart. Show my child any lies that he/she is believing. Uncover the plots and plans of Satan and dismantle his work in my family.
Lord, teach me to hear from you. Open my heart and spiritual ears to hear from you, Lord. I want your Spirit to fill me – overtake me – and completely lead me. I surrender to you. I need you. Lord, move the mountains in my family that are preventing my family members from walking in your freedom and truth.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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