Let's get something straight right off the bat. God loves, speaks to, and can use children! He did not create a junior Holy Spirit to dwell within them at salvation - they get the whole enchilada, because God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). His plan is for ALL flesh to know Him, love and have fellowship with Him, and serve Him out of that loving relationship. Nowhere in Scripture is there a separate plan for kids and adults. It's all the same!
In the past, we have relied on great programs, curriculum, teachers, and the occasional church revival to "stir things up" and educate our children on God. We've allowed others to lead them to Christ and hoped they would somehow pick up on how a Godly life should be led as they went to Sunday School and youth groups.
Today, God is calling everyone, especially children, to an intimacy with Him that goes beyond anything we've ever know before, and that changes the whole ball game! He's revealing Himself to kids through visions, soaking prayer, journaling, and wave after wave of Holy Spirit visitations that have been circling the globe.
Children have an innocence and purity about them that Jesus loves and is drawn to like a magnet. They are free of the baggage we adults carry around. They aren't worried about the issues of life yet! Children are also so much freer in their thinking - they don't reason things out the way we do. For these reasons and more, God loves to get through to them and use them! They CAN hear Him! They just need to be introduced.
But how do we do that, you ask? We prepare them by encouraging their expectations and sharing our own experiences with them. We love them and lead them with His guidance, always keeping them by our side so they can observe and ask questions, and we are there to answer them. Then we bring our kids into the presence of God and ask Him to speak to them. He always does!
Children CAN hear God's voice for themselves. He desires to speak to each one of them and forge relationships with them that will form the basis for direction and establish destiny in their lives. Kids WANT to hear from God - to be able to communicate with the Creator of the Universe. Wow - it's like talking to the ultimate Superhero - of course they want to talk to the Builder of the stars and the Maker of the moon! In the next blogs, you'll read a few testimonies from kids who've actually heard and SEEN Jesus during their times of prayer. Amazing stories which WILL change your way of thinking!
I want to encourage you today, whether you are a parent, grandparent, kids leader or just KNOW a child - create expectation in them. Talk with them as you drive around, have a meal, before they go to bed, as they are passing you by at church or school, wherever you may connect. Share your excitement and love for Jesus with them - it will begin to ignite the desire for relationship with Him.
Karen’s calling is to bring children into the manifest presence and glory of Jesus, lead them in experiencing His deep abiding love, clear unmistakable voice, wise Godly direction for their lives, and to ignite a spirit-led passion for serving Him in many ways at any age.
She is available for children’s and adult conferences, retreats, church dates, camps, leadership training and regional equipping sessions. Fire For the Nations hosts a summer camp for kids and periodic kids mission trips during the year. Her first book, Kids Can! will be released soon. For more information, contact her at Karen@fire4thenations.com or go to www.fire4thenations.com
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