7 Verses to Pray Over Your Children

Praying God’s Word Back to Him for the Benefit of Your Children

One of the most important things we can do as Christian Mamas is to pray for our little ones. But, I do not just mean little prayers for little ones, PRAY BIG! An easy way to pray for your kiddos is to pray back God’s Word to Him.

The Bible is a resource for us to use to know what we should want for our kids and to help us ask God to grant those desires of our hearts. Remember, no matter what you want for your kids, God wants more and He wants better for them than you can even imagine.

Here are 7 bold verses to pray over your children. Want a cute printable of these seven verses to hang on fridge, bathroom mirror, or on your kids door? Keep reading!

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Verse 1 to Pray over Your Children for Serving the Lord

Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.               

Deuteronomy 13: 4

Oh, man! Do I ever want this verse for each of my girls, and for myself and for my husband. I think, every Christian Mama wants this verse for their children. Boldly use this verse to pray over your children. Proclaim it! Put your kid’s name in the verse. Speak it out over them where they can hear you and pray it silently from the depths of your heart.

Ultimately, it is going to be up to your children to commit their lives to Christ, but, Mama, you can usher the way with your prayers. Cling to the Lord as you model what this verse looks like for your children. Listen to His voice and obey His commands for He will guide you in your parenting.

Verse 2 to Pray over Your Children for Sleep

You can go to bed without fear;
 you will lie down and sleep soundly.
      

Proverbs 3: 24

What mama doesn’t want sound sleep for their kids? Whether they are afraid of the dark, having bad dreams, or just plain ole struggling during the nighttime hours, this is a wonderful verse to pray with them as you tuck them in at bed time.

I am praying this verse at this moment while writing this post, as my twins choose not to nap today and they always struggle to stay asleep when they are overtired. A few extra tears, a lot of cuddles, and a prayer will get us through it though.

Verse 3 to Pray over Your Children for Good Character

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!      

Galatians 5:22-23

These verses have been a life source to me over the last 6 months or so. I’ve tried adjusting my vocabulary to use these words as much as possible. For example, we rarely say “nice” in our house anymore, it’s mostly “kind.” My 2 year old twins know it is their job to be kind to each other, and they will remind each other of it if one of them forgets 🤣

My 6 year old and I learned these verses through an Uncle Charlie song and often sing it on the way to school after we pray the Lord’s Prayer. Each day as I drop her off at school or karate, I give her a hug and kiss, tell her I love her, and remind her to “Be Fruity!” This repeated use of the verses has seeped its way into my heart, too, and I am so thankful.

Verse 4 to Pray over Your Children for an Abundant Life

However many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all.                    

Ecclesiastes 11:8

Jesus came for us to have abundant life. The typical verse we think about in regards to abundant life is John 10:10, but I recently heard this verse from Ecclesiastes and it has stuck with me. Kids love to play. They learn through play. They grow relationships through play. We want this for our kids, to enjoy life. But, it is my conviction that we are all created to play, not just kids! Abundant life doesn’t end when you graduate high school or college; play shouldn’t either.

A lot of parents, especially non-Christian parents, will say they just want their kids to be happy when they are grown. Lots of people end up chasing that happiness in all the wrong places. This verse in Ecclesiastes is powerful because the writer has done his chasing of happiness in all the worldly things and called it all meaningless. In the end he discovered that it was following the Lord that allowed him to truly enjoy life because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

That is what I want for my girls and why I will continue to pray this for them. Because, I know, the writer of those words knew what it meant and how to enjoy life. I pray that my girls won’t seek happiness, but will enjoy every year of their life because they are all lived with Jesus. This and John 10:10 are verses that routinely escape my heart as prayers for my girls, I hope these verses will be ones you will pray over your children, too.

Verse 5 to Pray over Your Children for Confidence in Christ

Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.               

Galatians 1:10

I have FOUR girls! Heaven help us once they all hit the teenage years, am I right? One of my most fervent prayers is for my girls to not seek the approval of people, but be confident in Christ. There are so many ways that teen girls can get hurt through losing focus on whose approval they desire.

As we sent my oldest off to Kindergarten this past fall, I prayed that she would know who she is and whose she is. I prayed that public school would be a healthy, safe place for her. God answered. Her teacher isn’t a Christian, but she is kind, fun, and loving teacher. Some of her friends don’t go to church or know God, but she grew in her love of God and found community with other Christians. She was protected from bullying, negative influences, and growing up too fast. I know this won’t always be the case, and so, I am very thankful for our experience during her first year of public school.

Things will change. She will not always have the supportive teacher and good group of kids in her class. This is where Galatians 1:10 comes in as my bold prayer. I am praying this to be true of her in 5 years, 10 years, 15 years down the road. The teenage years will be here before I know it, before she knows it, and I want her to be Christ’s servant, not a people pleaser. Join me and use this as one of the verses to pray over your children.

Verse 6 to Pray over Your Children for Knowing God is Always There

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. 

Joshua 1:9

Every time I think of this verse I start singing “Wherever You Go” from Group’s Power Lab VBS (2008). That is a fun way to pray! Singing His Word back to Him. There are so many fun Bible Verse songs. I will share some of my favorites with you soon! But, by singing the verses you pray over your children, you are imparting them into your memory, your heart, and the memories and hearts of your kids.

So, I encourage you to sing and pray this verse over your children. Play the CD or find the song on Amazon Music (Try Amazon Music Unlimited Free Trial) and let these words find a permanent place in your kids’ hearts.

It is so important to pray that your kids know that God is with them always. That is such an abstract thought for kids’ little concrete minds. Yet, I believe the Holy Spirit can overcome that and remind them that God is with them, especially through this verse.

Verse 7 to Pray over Your Children for Remaining Faithful

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

2 Timothy 4:7

Perseverance is not something all of my girls have naturally. For example, one of my twins is a perseverant, problem-solver. She will try a new activity over and over. If she still can’t get it, she will watch someone else do it, and then try it again until she can do it, either, alone or assisted. She was like this at 13 months old; it’s not something I taught her. My other twin will try something a couple of times and if she doesn’t get it, she will move on to the next thing that she can succeed at quickly.

Some of us were created with more perseverance than others, and that is okay. Perseverance is something we can learn and grow in. I am working on that one all the time! One place that I really want to see perseverance in my girls is in their faith. I want it to be something they pursue their whole lives. 2 Timothy 4:7 has the words I want my daughters to claim in old age. I want my children to grow old and grow bold. I will continue to pray this verse over my girls for years to come. My job to pray as a mama will never end. In the end, I, too hope these words will be appropriate for me to say confidently to my Lord.

FREEBIE!!

As promised, a cute printable I made just for you! Subscribe and download from the teal box below.

Bonus Tip!!

Earlier this year I read Jodie Berndt’s Praying the Scriptures for Your Children: Discover How to Pray God’s Purpose for Their Lives. It is an awesome book and got me really inspired to uses verses as prayers for my girls. One of my favorite things about this book is that each chapter ends with tons of verses to pray over your children and guides you how to fill your children’s names in the Scripture. Maybe it can encourage your prayer life, as well.

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