Blessing Your Children/Family

A blessing is different from a prayer.

As parents, it is critically important for us to ask God’s blessing over our children DAILY.

Although Christians have been given a method/formula in how to pray by Jesus…The Lord’s Prayer…found in the Gospel of Matthew 6:9–13, it may not be as clear how to ask for God’s blessing. However, here is a popular, yet ancient, method of how to ask for God’s blessing. You may have heard of an example of asking for God’s blessing found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 referred to as the “Prayer of Jabez” made popular by the book The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life, an inspirational book published in 2000 by Bruce Wilkinson as the first book in the “BreakThrough” book series.  This provides a good template for asking for God’s blessing over someone.  My version of how to do this is below.

Here is what I have used for years while usually physically holding/touching my sons or daughter, “Father God, I ask You to bless my beautiful son, Alex, in a powerful way. Father God I ask for your super-natural blessing over this boy. I ask that You cause him to grow in a way today, God, that is pleasing to You and that he becomes more of the servant You have created him to be. I ask that Your hand be on him and show him great favor. I ask that You give him a sword and shield to protect against and to fight-off any deception, any infliction or infirmity that would otherwise keep away from your will Father. I ask that You give Him Your wisdom and peace today. Father I ask for Your blessing in Your precious son Jesus’ name. Amen!”

Regardless of how you ask God to bless your children (and/or your spouse, your extended family, your business and etc.), it is important that you do it every day YOU would like to SEE THEM BLESSED. Of course, you can skip the days where you don’t want them blessed. (Just kidding. 🙂 This is why I suggest everyday.)

This week’s challenge is designed for you to bless your children. If you do not have children to ask a blessing over, may I suggest you ask for God’s blessing over your parents and/or siblings.

Your challenge is:

  1. Each day this week ask for God’s blessing over each one of your children/grand-children. Speak this blessing out loud and into the air. (Be loud and clear…do not be without passion…say it as though you expect God to release his favor upon your children/grand-children.) Again if you do not have children to ask a blessing over, maybe ask for God’s blessing over your parents and/or siblings instead.
  2. If they are grown or out of the house, pick AT LEAST one day (more is better) that YOU CALL THEM up and while on the phone with them (always BETTER in PERSON) just  ask if they are okay if you ask for God’s blessing over them. (If you are saying, they would never do that.  Please read below.)
  3. GET READY – THIS IS THE HARD ONE – if you have never had your mom and/or dad say a blessing over you “live and in person” while you were there in front of them, if they are still living, call them on the phone and say, “Mom/Dad, I am part of a group of men and women focusing on gratitude who are committed to becoming our personal best week-after-week. This week’s assignment is to ask if you would ask God’s blessing over me while we are on the phone…mom/dad I know it is a little weird, but could you please do that for me?” When they say, how do I do that? Just tell them, “…you are just supposed to ask God to bless me in whatever way God puts on your heart.” Keep asking until they say yes.  This is so important. Don’t let DECEPTION steal this opportunity away from you. NO MATTER what their faith or lack thereof, ask them to do this and let GOD take over from there. Let us all know what happens!!When I asked my dad to do this, after thinking I was some kind of cyclops or something weirder, he reluctantly agreed.  As he started, his voice began to quiver and then he paused and choked back tears as he finished.  Very powerful.  And even though we didn’t talk about it too much after, I know we both will remember it as something both special and powerful the rest of our lives.  Don’t  miss this chance if they are still around!

This is going to be extremely challenging for those of you who have estranged relationships from your children/adult children/parents, but DO IT ANYWAY. Remember, part of having grateful wealth is being the BEST you were created to be…REGARDLESS of how painful or difficult. Make the decision to do whatever it takes to SUCCEED AT THIS CHALLENGE. DO NOT FAIL HERE. NO EXCUSES!

Lastly, I want to encourage you to extend this challenge to include your business! You might be amazed at how HE releases His favor. Remember, God is ALWAYS ON TIME! So if you don’t get what appears to be a miraculous change in your business or relationship with your son/daughter/grandchild etc, please know that asking God to bless them is not going in vain and will prove to make an incredible impact…at the exact perfect time!