Fighting for my family!

Do you pray for your family? If so, what do you say when you pray for your family? The promises of prayer in scripture are plentiful (Jeremiah 33:3; Psalms 145:18; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 26:41; Luke 11:9, 18:1; John 15:7; and there are many more).
If the bible promises that prayer is powerful and effective, then why aren’t we praying effectively for our families?
Ephesians 6:1-18 is a powerful chapter that addresses an interesting mixture of components:

1. Family atmosphere - Ephesians 6:1-4
2. Spiritual Warfare - Ephesians 6:10-17
3. Call to Prayer - Ephesians 6:18-20

What if the topics in this chapter are interconnected?
What if creating a right family atmosphere is a spiritual battle where prayer is necessary to win?
We are making a mistake if we pull any of these verses out of context and forget that the writer, Paul, included all of the components in this chapter very deliberately.
There is a spiritual battle going on and our families are suffering horrific casualties. We must pray for wisdom and courage to lead our families well.

Ephesians 6:1-4 Children, obey your parents as you would the Lord, because this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, 3 so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. 4 Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Don’t just pray that things, “may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.” Recognize that this promise is experienced when this mixture of components (a right family atmosphere, fighting a spiritual war, and praying for strength and victory) are interconnected. Don’t be naïve. This is war.

• Pray that your children would learn that obeying their parents is right.
• Pray that your family practice giving and earning true honor.
• Pray that you, your spouse, and your children would take their stand against evil.
• Pray that you, your spouse, and your children would resist evil.
• Pray that you, your spouse, and your children would be strengthened by the Lord.
• Pray that you, your spouse and your children would take up the weapons of spiritual war (truth, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, God’s Word).
• Pray that parents would avoid the things that produce anger in a child (sarcasm, passivity, absence, extreme emotional outbursts, etc.).
• Ask for forgiveness of God and of your children/spouse if you have produced anger in your children/spouse.
• Pray that you would be alert to spiritual danger.
• Pray that you would persevere in the fight for your family.
• Pray for boldness in your faith.
• Pray that you, your spouse, and your children would begin to experience the mystery of the gospel.

Print these prayer reminders out and tape them somewhere where that will remind you of this battle. May we win for the glory of God!

Dr. Phil Sallee, Pastor
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