There are many children, who are not happy and don’t really know who they are, and feel lost in society. Many children feel like a lost child and are depressed and don’t want to live anymore. Although God has appointed man and woman; husband and wife as parents and has entrusted children to them to care for, protect, discipline, correct, and raise them in the Lord and in His Word, only a few obey Him and do what God has commanded them to do. This important task that God has given slowly fades to the background and parents give the devil exactly what he wants, namely to take possession of the child for his kingdom and destroy the child. The devil can execute his evil plan because many parents are too busy with themselves. They are focused on themselves, their dreams, desires, and life, and find their career, performance, and money more important than raising their child(ren). They decide how they want to live their lives and they expect their child(ren) to adjust to their needs. Because of this behavior, many children are left to their fate and are entrusted to others to raise and nurture them. But they can never replace the real nurture of the parents. Many parents don’t see any harm in bringing their child to daycare or other childcare facilities and think that they help the child. Because the world says, that it’s good for the development of a child and their social skills.
A lack of attention to the child
There are many parents, who don’t have knowledge of the Word and the will of God and therefore many believe this lie of the world and act upon it. Because of that, many children have lost their happy homes and safe environment. They don’t come home after school, while their mother is waiting for them with a cup of tea and a snack and informs them about their day, while they listen attentively to them.
In many families, the baby is already entrusted to others after only a few weeks after birth, instead of being raised and nurtured by parents. The child is tossed to and fro; to the childcare, a babysitter, grandpa and grandma, uncles and aunts, a neighbor, etc. Because of that, the child is not raised and doesn’t develop himself/herself in a stable safe living environment and doesn’t learn to attach himself/herself. The parents don’t have insights into the way their child is raised and in some cases, they even lose control over their child.
You would think, that if a child is being picked up at the end of the day by one of the parents and come home, the parent is happy to see the child and gives the needed attention to the child. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Because many times the parent is tired of his/her work and too tired to listen and give the needed attention to the child. Let alone play with the child. Many times the parent needs to prepare dinner. When this is the case, the parent cannot be distracted. Therefore in many families, the television, tablet, or (gaming)computer is turned on, so that the child is entertained, while the parent can do what (s)he wants to do in all peace and quietness.
And then many parents still wonder, why their children are so busy, loud, restless, hyperactive, rebellious, and disobedient and don’t listen to them.
But if parents don’t set a good example for their child(ren) and are too busy with themselves and don’t take the time to listen to their child, how should a child learn how to listen? If a child is given and entrusted to others, will the child feel wanted and loved? How does a child learn to be calm and to attach and be loyal, when the child is not raised and nurtured in their own safe living environment but is tossed to and fro? If a man and woman consider their own lives, career, and money more important than raising their own children, why do they decide to have children anyway?
A child may no longer be a child
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6)
In our society, a child may no longer be a child but is treated as an adult and expected from a young age to take responsibility, perform, and make decisions. But is a child already able to make the right decisions?
Many parents are too busy with themselves and therefore they don’t pay close attention to their child(ren), therefore many things, which are not good for the child are tolerated. Parents often don’t know what their child is doing, what things their child is involved with, and with whom their child is playing. In order to prevent conflicts and fights, they give their child all the freedom to do what the child wants to do. By giving them their freedom the parents can live their own lives, and do what they want to do. Instead of putting their own will and life aside and investing in their child.
The absence of parental authority
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby (Hebrew 12:9-11)
In most families, the parental authority is missing and the child is not being taught daily in the Word and the things of the Kingdom of God, but the child feeds himself/herself with the things of this world. The parents don’t discipline and correct their child, but let their child have his/her own way. Because of that the child doesn’t look up to the parents and doesn’t give them reverence.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth (Colossians 3:20)
Many parents want to keep the life, which they had before they got married. And that’s why many parents don’t fully mature and take responsibility to raise and nurture their child. Instead, they want to stay young forever, have a good time, and shed their responsibility to others. In many families, the parents are no longer parents, who raise, nurture, care for, protect, correct, and disciplines the child, but is more like a friend, who wants to be liked and accepted by the child. They put their child on a pedestal and ‘bow’ to their will to keep the child satisfied and content, instead of directing the child and correcting their behavior. But the Word says, that if you don’t discipline and correct (chasten) your child, you don’t love the child (Prov 13:24; 29:15; 29:17)
A child needs boundaries and direction from their parents and needs to be disciplined and corrected. If this is lacking in the child’s life than the child becomes selfish, haughty, prideful, rebellious, and disrespectful to the parents. The child shall not obey the parents in all things and don’t fear (having an awe) the parents, and therefore the child shall not honor them, as the Word commands (Ephesians 6:1-3, Colossians 3:20, Exodus 20:12). If they don’t obey and honor the parents, how will the child be able to obey God in all things and honor Him? And that’s not all, because this behavior causes the child to become an unguided missile in society and will not be able or willing to adjust and submit to others. This phenomenon already happens with graduates, who don’t expect to start at the bottom of a company but at an executive level.
Some parents compensate for their absence by spoiling the child with all kinds of presents, getaways, and vacations. They give the child everything (s)he wants, except themselves. But by this behavior, they will only make things worse, because the child shall become spoilt and only love the parents for the gifts they receive and not for who they are. When the child becomes an adult, (s)he will only visit or call his/her parents when (s)he needs something and not because (s)he loves them and wants to spend time with them. No, (s)he would rather spend time with friends, than with the family. Because where were the parents, when the child needed them?
The effect of a divorce on children
And let’s not forget the effect of a divorce on the life of a child. Divorcements not only happen among unbelievers but also among believers. Many believers break their marriage covenant and file for divorce. This is mainly because many believers stay carnal and live like the world, and therefore they are led by worldly spirits.
When the parents are getting a divorce, the child often feels guilty because the child often thinks that (s)he is responsible for the divorce. The child has to deal with it and find a way to cope with it. This is almost impossible, because now the child has no longer a safe home with a mother and father, but shall live in one or two broken families.
Parents often think that their children can handle the situation by having a good conversation. But many times, the child doesn’t show and share his/her true real feelings and becomes traumatized.
The child locks himself/herself up in his/her room and tries to escape reality by reading books, watching television, playing games, listening to music, and spending time on the computer or social media. The child can efface himself/herself in his own created fantasy world and even create alters to escape reality and cope with the situation. By doing these things, many children upon themselves up for the kingdom of darkness and are on their way to the abyss
Suicide among children
Due to the fact that many children are not happy and content but feel lost in their family, at school or in society. They don’t feel wanted, appreciated, and understood, but they feel rejected, invisible and lost. They suffer from feelings of depression that control their lives. Many times these feelings of depression are so strong that children don’t want to live anymore, but are longing for the death. That’s because these feelings of depression originate from the kingdom of darkness, where death reigns. When the death calls them, they shall obey and end their lives.
How these unclean spirits from the kingdom of darkness have entered the child’s life, doesn’t matter. Because there are many gates through which these evil spirits can enter a life. They could have entered during the pregnancy if the parents have been involved with occult practices or cursed the child because the pregnancy was not planned. They could have entered while growing up, by the absence of their parents, an attention deficit, involvement with evil spirits through (social) media; television, books, video games, music, toys, occult games, a divorce, bullying at school, sexual or physical abuse etc.. There could be so many causes.
But in the Kingdom of God, you are not looking for the cause and dig into the past, but you come with the solution. You don’t act out of the flesh, like the world, by using all kinds of therapies and medication, but you act out of the Spirit. In this case, you command this unclean spirit of death to leave the child in the Name of Jesus; in His authority.
When a child is delivered from the death it is important to raise the child in the Word and the things of the Kingdom of God.
Raising a child in the Word of God
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates (Deuteronomy 6:5-9)
God has entrusted children to parents, to raise them and educate them in the fear of the Lord. This doesn’t mean that you should develop a fear as in a terror for God so that your child becomes afraid of Him. It also doesn’t mean that you should impose on your child with all kinds of legalistic rules that derive from the flesh. Like in the old days happened, and resulted in apostasy from God.
But raising your child in the fear of the Lord means that you raise and educate your child from the Word and the Spirit and make them acquainted with God and what He has done and develop a fear as in having an awe for God.
You make them acquainted and familiar with God’s Kingdom and His will and learn the child the difference between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness so that the child will develop spiritual discernment.
You testify of the miracles of God in your life and show them His greatness and what it means to be seated in Christ and to walk in Him. You shall not conceal the works of the devil, but reveal them to the child, so that the child is warned. Remember, that faith is a life to live. By spending time with your child in the Word of God instead of putting your child behind the television or computer, the child will get to know the Word (Read also: “Allow the children to come to Me, do not forbid them”).
Parents are the children’s example
Both parents are needed to raise a child. The mother should a.o take care and nurture the child, while the father should discipline and correct the child and bring the child up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The father should not discourage the child by provoking the child to anger (wrath), for example by belittling the child and speaking negative words (Ephesians 6:4, Colossians 3:21).
The lives of the parents and their examples are important factors in raising a child. Because many children look at the lives and behavior of their parents, and if they live a disciplined life whereby their words line up with their actions.
Because if you teach your child not lie, but you do lie, for example when someone calls and your child picks up the phone, and you say to the child “tell the person that I am not here”, you lie and shall lose your credibility. You shouldn’t be surprised when your child doesn’t fully trust you or when your child copies your behavior and also lies. But lying has no place in the life of a born again believer.
The same applies to honoring your parents. When you teach your child to have respect for parents and honor them, but gossip about yourself and speak evil of your parents (in law), what kind of effect does this have on the child?
You are a representative of the Kingdom of God and an example to your child because they see you and don’t see God (yet). If you teach the child in the Word but don’t obey the words of God and don’t do what you teach your child, then the Bible calls you a hypocrite (Mat 23:3, Mar 7:6-7, Tit 1:16). If you don’t do what you say, how should a child believe and trust in God and do what He says in His Word? As said before, you are a representative of God and just like Jesus was, and still is, a reflection of the Father, you also should be a reflection of Him.
Every child is unique
The world uses a manual for raising children, which is created by a.o. sociologists, pedagogues and child psychologists and psychiatrists. They are appointed in the world and according to the world, they have the knowledge and wisdom to help and guide children and advise parents and give them tools to raise their child(ren).
God has also a Manual; the Bible. But this Manual deviates from the manual, that the world uses, and says the exact opposite of what the world says. But if you believe in the Word, then you shall obey the Word and apply the Word in your life and in the life of your child.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Tim 3:16)
The Lord shall daily teach you and guide you from His Word and in His knowledge and wisdom, which you need to raise your child. He shall inspire you and provide you from His Word and Spirit the insights you need. You can ask others for advice or even consult the world, but your heavenly Father, Who is the Maker of your child, will give you the best counsel there is. He knows exactly what your child needs and reveals to you the things which are hidden for your eyes. That’s why it’s important to spend time with Him in the Word and in prayer daily and raise your child from your relationship with Him.
A prey for the devil
As a born again believer, you represent the Kingdom of God and if you live after the Spirit, you shall bear the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit should be present in your life and is meant to give to others, in this case, to your child. So that you feed your child spiritually and grow up into the knowledge of the Word and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Don’t complain about your child, but thank the Lord for your child and call those things which are not as though they were. Instead of saying constantly what you see and share that with the world around you.
Pray and claim your child for the Kingdom of God and demand the soul of your child. Protect your child from the influence of the world even at school. Because there are Christian schools that teach yoga, meditation techniques, mindfulness, and other occult things and are involved with other religions. Therefore stay awake and get involved, so that you will know exactly what takes place at the school of your child and take a stand for Jesus. Pray for the schools and the teachers and call those things which are not, and are according to God’s will, as though they were.
As a born again Christian you are in constant spiritual warfare, you should never forget this. You should also know that your child is a prey for the devil and he shall do anything he can to win your child for himself, to establish his kingdom on this earth. The devil uses all kinds of sources of entertainment, school, daycare etc. to accomplish his mission and win the new generation for himself.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
