The power of your words cannot be overemphasized. The destiny of any child can be shaped by the parents, long before the child is born.
Words declared over the baby go a long way to determine how the baby will turn out to be. That is why fathers are called upon to declare blessings over the child at the point of naming.
We see an example in the bible.
Luke 1:76 [KJV]And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
This was Zechariah praying for his child. He prophesied over his child. He spoke into the future of his child. He declared positive words into the life of his son. He declared God’s word over the baby. The power of your words over your children is great.
This that Zechariah did is what parents ought to do from time to time. From a tender age, learn to declare faith-filled words into the lives of your children.
It is not too late to start. Regardless of how old your children are, you can still speak into their future. Yes, speak! The power of your words over your kids is great.
You can decide how their tomorrow will eventually turn out with the words of your mouth.
Prayer: My children will make an impact in life, in Jesus name. Amen
Action point: Start declaring positive words over your children.
Declaration: My children will inherit the earth. They will rise higher and higher. They are not limited by anything. They are God lovers.
You should learn how to watch your thoughts. Everyone has a responsibility. And as we grow older and scale different milestones, our responsibilities increase.
There are consequences for when we carry out or do not carry out our responsibilities.
As a child, you might ask, “What is my responsibility? I am just a child, why should I be responsible?”
Know this, you are responsible for three things – your WORDS, THOUGHTS, and ACTIONS.
These three things are important.
Your thoughts come from within you. They can be positive or negative, that is good or bad.
Bad thoughts tend to come from having issues with others and if not quickly checked, can damage your spirit, mind, and body. You should learn how to watch your thoughts.
Have you ever seen a mango with a black spot on it? If the rot stays on longer, it enters deep into the fruit till the whole fruit becomes rotten.
You have to throw that fruit away. I don’t think anyone would want to eat it.
For instance, someone steps on your toes in class. What hurts more was that the person didn’t even say sorry. You begin to harbour ill thoughts towards the person and think of ways to pay them back.
It can get to the stage that when you see them or someone mentions their name, you frown your face. This shows unforgiveness.
It’s unhealthy for your spirit, mind, and body. Sometimes, some health issues are a result of unforgiveness.
Yes, the person stepped on you but you have a responsibility to not allow the person’s action to affect you that much.
Look at these verses:
The Lord hates evil thoughts. But he is pleased with kind words. Prov. 15: 26 ICB.
Look at another
The Lord looks into a person’s feelings. He searches through a person’s thoughts. Prov. 20:17 ICB
Here is yet another
Be careful about what you think. Your thoughts run your life. Prov. 4:23 ICB
Are they saying something to you? One good way to control your thoughts is through prayer. Pray and ask God for help to forgive so you can be forgiven too. So learn how to watch your thoughts by praying.
Look at another powerful, inspiring, and breathtaking verse in Psalm 139, which talks about you being wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14 – “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
What is this verse telling you? How do you feel when you read this?
You should feel important and unique that your Yahweh says you are as wonderful as all His works.
Let’s break down this verse
“I praise you, for I am fearfully
This means that you are meant to instill fear in the enemy’s heart because you are made of God.
“…and wonderfully made”
Never has the world seen a unique and one-in-a-lifetime person like you. The world has never experienced you before. out of all the billions of people on the earth, none is like you.
“Wonderful are your works:”
Everything God made is wonderful, exquisite, and a blessing to all mankind. This same God made you.
“my soul knows it very well.”
The psalmist acknowledges that even his soul knows how great a creation he is. He knows that God didn’t make him ordinary. God made him be a special type of creation, different from all the other creations of God.
Write this verse down and memorize it. When people try to put you down and say you are nothing, tell them how the mighty God made you the most special of all His creations.
May the reality of how God made you always stick with you. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for how special You made me. I am special. I am special.
Action point: Reflect more on this verse and write down the wonderful things you know about yourself. You can also ask people around you too.
I believe we remember the story of blind Bartemeus in the Bible. His story illustrates how to get answers to your prayers.
What if the blind man had not asked what the surrounding ruckus was about?
What if he had just continued begging and minded his business?
Something in him must have stirred him up to ask what was happening. He probably had been nursing a desire to have his sight, and when he heard that Jesus was around, it aroused his expectation. Pay attention to this story so you can learn how to get answers to your prayers.
Quickly, he opened his mouth and screamed the most he had ever done in his life. He knew it was now or never.
He had to have heard of the acts of Jesus to have done what he did. Even when they tried to shut him up, he screamed the more. This was the day he had been waiting for, and nothing or no one would stop him from getting what he wanted.
This was the same Jesus that had been healing people, and someone wanted him to shut up. He gave it his all and never regretted doing so. That is how to get answers to your prayers.
Are you expecting to have what you are praying for? Are you listening to the voices telling you your prayers won’t be answered? Allowing people or circumstances to shut you up?
Be like that man and scream the more. Jesus is ready to command you to be brought before him. And when you get in front of Jesus, know what you want.
You will never regret calling on Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, give me an expectant heart. Teach me to expect answers to my prayers. Amen.
Action point: Visualize your prayers as answered. See yourself in the light of prayers answered.
Declaration: I am expectant. My miracle will not pass me by.
There is what is known as godly compassion. We all are familiar with the story of Moses. When Moses was born, he escaped being killed.
The daughter of Pharaoh had compassion on him and took him to the palace. Instead of being killed, Moses ended up becoming a Prince all because someone had compassion on him.
Exodus 2:6 (KJV) And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.
There is what is known as godly compassion.
You should lay hands on your children and decree favour upon them. Pray compassion into their lives, that people will have compassion on them.
Let them understand there is something called compassion.
Prayer: Lord, have compassion on my children. Amen
Action point: Study and learn more about what godly compassion means.
Declaration: My children bring me favour. They enjoy compassion from all and sundry.
