Recently I have talked to so many mothers who are praying for struggling children. I could feel the heaviness of their hearts. I could hear the heartbreak woven into their words. There seems to be quite a battle raging for our young people. I can see the devil is up to something, but my God is up to something even greater. Today, God told me to take time out to encourage every mother and father who is praying for an unsaved child. As I was praying over several people this song kept ringing in my ears by Greg Long.
Mercy said no, I’m not going to let you go. I’m not going to let you slip away. You don’t have to be afraid. Mercy said no sin will never take control. Life and death stood face to face. Darkness tried to steal my heart away. But thank you Jesus, Mercy said no.
I myself have been on both sides of the coin. I have been the one my parents were weeping over. I have also been the one on the floor weeping over the heartbreak of my loved one’s who fell into deep sin. My heart hurt so much at times that I thought it would break. At times I couldn’t breathe from the pain. I have cried many a tears over loved ones. I completely validate your pain. However, I have learned a few things in the process.
I am alive today because of the many prayers of a mother and father who fought for me. At one point I found myself in the depths of a severe eating disorder. There was a point where I didn’t care if I lived or died. There was a battle raging for my soul. The devil knew I would have a big voice for God someday so he attempted to permanently silence it. God fought for me and declared she will be my voice. Since my recovery I have had a big voice for God. My parents refused to give up on me. They repeatedly said, no were not going to let you go. They waged war in the heavenlies for me. It took more than one prayer, or five, or fifty. It took a whole container of prayers before I received my healing. It took my parents years to fill that container before my healing reached my body, mind, and spirit. It was not an instant healing.
Our prayers are like containers. They are stored up until the exact moment God decides to release his power over our situation. What if you were one prayer too short. What if one more prayer is the one needed to release the power of God over your family situation. I can picture God storing up every single tear, prayer, and plea in His hand. In the story of Job we see this play out. God later tells Job, you didn’t see me fighting enemies for your soul in heaven. You didn’t hear me defend you before the devil. We can’t hear or see everything God is doing on our behalf. You can’t see God in heaven wrestling for us and our loved ones with human eyes. You have to have spiritual eyes to see this. He is fighting off demons and demonic forces on our behalf. God has the demonic forces in a head lock to keep them from us at times. He defends us in heaven. The worst thing you could do is stop praying.
One of the hardest things for parents is to get over their parental pride. The devil tells every parent who has a lost loved one the exact same lie. He will whisper into your ear that you are a failure as a parent. That it is hopeless. That it is completely your fault. He will try to trap you in the fields of discouragement and despair. Again you must learn to stand up to the lies. You must talk back to the deceiver. When he whispers you must roar like a lion. You must say in a powerful voice: My children will fulfill their God given destiny through the power of Jesus Christ which is stronger than your whispers. You see you have the power to prophecy over your children’s future. You must say out loud, and claim what you want to see in them before the transformation occurs. Your words will help direct their path. You must speak life over them. Pray like you believe their transformation is possible. Don’t let your pride keep you from asking people to pray for your child. You shouldn’t give all the details of your child’s situation to everyone you meet. You have to respect your child’s boundaries. However, build a power base. Get as many people praying as possible. In the mean time be someone else’s answered prayer by reaching out to as many people who don’t know Christ. Someone somewhere might be praying for a Christian to cross their path.
I often ask myself, what if my parents would have stopped praying. Would I be here writing this right now? Your children’s recovery depends on your prayers. Pray like a lion. Pray like you are going into battle. Pray like a mighty warrior. As you are praying for your children, I am praying for you. I am praying God would increase your faith, silence your fears, encourage your heart, increase your joy in the midst of heart break, and lift your spirits above your circumstances.
At one point my life stood face to face with death, but mercy, said No!! One more prayer one more time could change the outcome of your circumstances.