Four Powerful Ways to Pray for Your Adult Children

Who else loves to be in control? We all like to have some sort of control over situations that occur in our lives. Whether those situations be protecting our children, protecting ourselves, or protecting our homes; we try to hold on as tightly as we can to prevent harm, danger, sickness, or disaster. We seem to hold a vice-grip over our lives and those who we love for fear of something bad happening. If you haven’t read my previous blog post, “When The Phone Drops,” you can read it here. In it I tell about being on the phone with my son and hearing him crash. To add, his phone was connected to Bluetooth so he was hands free.

When we feel like we are losing control over a situation, we become very anxious and afraid. When I heard my son crash, many thoughts ran through my mind and none of them were good. But I had to remind myself that I was already bathing my son in a prayer of protection all day because I felt a restlessness in my spirit for him. God already had me praying for something that didn’t yet happen.

When our children are young, we feel like we are able to protect them better. We hold their hand when we are in public or near a busy street, and we make sure they are going to church and making good choices. But when they are grown and out of the house, their battles happen far away from the kitchen table. We can not fix their hard days or choose their paths anymore. This is where bathing our adult children in prayer comes in. We need to believe that God has our adult children’s best interest at heart and He will direct their steps. Luke 18:1 says:

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart…”

We will go through four prayers we can pray over our adult children. There are many more you can pray and I encourage you to dive into your Bible and find scripture pertaining to your child’s struggles. God hears the prayers of a righteous parent.

1. Pray for Their Faith and Relationship With God

Our desire for our children to be walking with God is strong. Instead of worrying about their spiritual status, we can go to God in prayer. Pray for them to have a heart of repentance as they grow and that the power of the Holy Spirit will fall upon them and give them dreams and visions. Ask God to pour out His Spirit on their difficult circumstances they may be facing today and to be the Lord over their lives.

Joel 2:28 (ESV) says: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.”

Acts 2:38-39 says: “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

2. Pray for Wisdom in Their Decisions

As our children become adults, we have less influence over their decision making. Instead of allowing ourselves to become sick with worry, we can pray that God would give them wisdom and guide their choices. Pray that they have clarity of mind as they navigate life and make important decisions about their careers, relationships, and daily lives. Ask God to protect them from hasty mistakes and to lean on Him and His truth. Pray that God would surround them with wise counsel and give them courage and peace in following Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

James 1:5 says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Psalm 32:8 says: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”

3. Pray For Direction

This can tie in a lot with praying for our adult children to have wisdom. They need to have wisdom from God to follow His will for their lives. We often stumble over which directions to take in life, but we can pray for our children to have a clear understanding which paths to take. Lift up their friendships, dating life, or marriage. Ask God to bring Godly mentors and loyal friends into their lives. Pray for their steps to be ordered by the Lord and that their hearts are softened to hear His voice in a particular situation. Ask God to protect them from toxic influences. Pray that they will follow God’s will even if it’s not what they would have chosen for themselves and ask God to remove any distraction from their lives which would hinder them from hearing His voice and doing His will.

Psalm 32:8 says: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Isaiah 30:21 says: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

4. Pray for Their Emotional and Physical Health

As our adult children navigate through life, circumstances and past disappointments can pay a toll on their mental health. They may even begin to battle health crisis. We can go to God in prayer believing that He hears our cries and will bring healing and wholeness to our adult children. Ask God to guard their heart and mind and give them supernatural peace. Replace any anxiety or fear with power, love and a sound mind. Pray that He would give them healing and they will enjoy good health and that all will go well with them. Ask God to protect them from all physical harm and give them strength.

Philippians 4:7 says: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 1:7 says: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

3 John 1:2 says: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Conclusion

As parents, we think once our children are grown, life will become easier and we will stop worrying. But, in reality, we end up worrying more because we can not control their paths. Instead of carrying that anxiety, we can turn to God’s word and bathe our adult children in prayer. We can rest knowing that God loves them even more than we do, and He holds a good future for them.