John 2:12-14
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
Little Children (0-12)
- Little children must know the Father. They must know who the Father is, His love, power, creation, personality, judgement, holiness and purity. They must know Him as their own father independent of their parents and guardians.
- Little children must know that their sins are forgiven for Jesus’ sake. They must know their sin, the inability of their lives to please God, the enmity of their lives towards God, the consequences of their sin and the way out provided through Christ.
Samuel the Child
1 Samuel 2: 11, 18, 26
And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest.
But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.
1 Samuel 3:7, 19
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.
And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground
1 Samuel 3:7
- Samuel did not yet know the Lord. The Lord had not spoken directly to him yet. (ICB)
- The Lord called Samuel again. The boy did not know that it was the Lord, because the Lord had never spoken to him before. (GNT)
- This all happened before Samuel knew God for himself. It was before the revelation of God had been given to him personally. (MSG)
- Samuel did not recognise the voice of the Eternal One, for the word of the Eternal had not been revealed to Samuel yet. So Samuel went back again to his bed. (VOICE)
Prayers for Our Little Children
- Lord, please speak directly to our young children.
- Lord, please reveal Yourself to them personally.
- Open their ears to recognise Your voice.
- Call them by their very name as You called Samuel.
- During their quiet time, please Lord, speak to them clearly and let them come to us and say, “The Lord said this to me.”
- In their sleep, Lord, speak to them; in their quite moments, in the house, at school, among friends, please Lord, speak to them. Let them go to their Elis for clarification.
- Show them who you are, the magnanimous, loving Father, the powerful, righteous judge of the whole earth, who will not allow sin to go unpunished.
- Show them in their own language, the way out through the blood of your cross. Show them that their sins are forgiven and that they have been made new.
- Let these truths be indoctrinated, established, programmed into them, written upon them even at this young age, in the name of Jesus.
Teenagers and Youth (13-35?)
- Teenagers and youth must be strong. They must be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might to win the battle for their lives. They must know the victory of the cross for them and stand solidly upon it.
- Teenagers and youth must have the Word of God abiding in them. The Word of God must be read, studied, understood, memorised and revealed unto them personally in order for it to abide in them richly. This will envision them and enable them to pattern their lives according to God’s purpose.
- Teenagers and youth must overcome the wicked one. The strength that the Word of God provides them will enable them to overcome the world, its systems, Satan and all his ploys directed at them in this crucial foundation laying period of their lives.
Daniel the Youth
Daniel 1:8
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (KJV) (taint, dishonour AMP), (that would make him unclean ICB)
Daniel 11:32
And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. (Just as he has always done ICB)
Prayer for our Teenagers and Youth
- Lord, please envision our teenagers and youth to know that there is a fierce battle for their lives.
- Lord, let them be envisioned to know that their lives are valuable and strategic, hence there is a present potent battle for their lives.
- Lord, open their eyes to the Scriptures so they can see their victory in Christ and the finished work of Calvary.
- Lord, bring them to the point where they realise that they have to make a critical decision to follow Christ; to switch their stand. A decision not to follow Christ or to be indifferent is a decision to follow Satan.
- Lord, let them realise that there is no middle ground, a choice must be made now that they are young, just like Daniel, otherwise the enemy will sponsor many things that may scar them for life.
- Lord, don’t let them make mistakes that will disqualify them from eternal purposes in the name of Jesus.
- Lord, let them realise that no one goes to battle unprepared. Launch them into deliberate discipleship that will prepare their lives for this battle and turn them into agents of transformation.
- They must transits into arrows in God’s hand for their own generation. Lord, envision them with visions of the Kingdom.
Daniel 9:2
In the first year of his reign, Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem (was reading the Scriptures ICB), (was meditating on the Scriptures MSG)
Isaac’s Crisis
- Isaac was brought to crisis where he had to make a decision, a choice. It was forced upon him by the obedience, discipleship of his own father.
- Isaac, on that mountain, realised that this matter of following God, this matter of discipleship is a LIFE and DEATH issue.
- For the first time, he saw that he was in a great battle; he looked at his father, his father turned away and e could not believe his eyes. He looked at his father and his father turned his face away; he was looking as if it was a dream, with mouth wide opened, he saw himself on the altar and the knife coming down.
- He shut his eyes and began to cry, “God, help me; God, deliver me from this man; God, I have not known You but from now, if You will just deliver me, You will be my God, not only the God of my Father, but my God.
- From that day, there was a permanent separation between Isaac and his father which made him cleave to the God of his father.
- His attention shifted from Abraham unto God and he became an ardent follower.
- From that day, both father and son started another level of following God which was independent of each other.
What is my role in this?
John 17:19
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth (KJV)
And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, made holy) in the Truth. (AMPC)
Prayer Points
- Lord, please call both me and my sons and daughter up Moriah’s hill.
- Call us upon this mount of consecration of sanctification, of separation solely for Your purpose only.
- Cause a separation between me and every Isaac of my life that will not allow me to follow you in reckless abandonment.
- God offered Abraham Himself ONLY, but he could not receive GOD, why? Because of his Ishmael and Isaac.
- He easily got rid of Ishmael, (i.e. dead works), but getting rid of Isaac was another matter.
- Lord, what is my Isaac? Lord, call me up this mount so I can use the knife and cut him off.
ESAU / JUDAS / ISHMAEL = Flesh and his dead works
MAMMON = Money, provision for myself
ISAAC = God’s provision, God’s goodness, God’s promise
- Bypass us as their parents and guardians if need be, and take Your children and Your young people Yourself to the mount of consecration, of separation, of decision making and of choice in the name of Jesus. Amen.
