What Satan Doesn't Want You to Tell Your Kids
Did you know Satan does not want you to share the Gospel with your children?
It's true. He wants to distract us from sharing the most important Truth with our beloved babies. God's enemy does not want more people to become worshippers of Jesus, including our little ones. He is, after all, a roaring lion prowling around looking to devour. He is the father of lies and he is eager to set stumbling blocks up so that you simply never get around to telling your children about Jesus on a consistent daily basis.
Distracted by the Enemy (and let's face it, sin)
I've been distracted from sharing the Gospel with my children often.
Here's where the Enemy has a field day in my house. Maybe you've fallen into one of these traps too?
I don't know how. I mean, what's "age appropriate" for a two year old? Do I talk about the crucifixion? Seems kind of . . . well, intense. What about my older children - doesn't church talk enough about God? I'm covered right? No matter where you are in your spiritual journey - if you are a parent you have the gift, the opportunity, and the responsibility to share the Gospel with your children. You are qualified through Jesus Christ. Sharing the Gospel needs to be a top daily priority. You can start somewhere - you can start today. I'm one big fumbling mess and some days I got it, and other days I wing it, and most days I drop the ball. But there is still the opportunity, still the gift, still the responsibility and we CAN do it :)
I'll do it later. I am so tired right now. I'm so busy right now. I'll just do it later. And sooner or later we realize that our children are growing up in a "believing household" without any knowledge of the One True God because we keep putting it off. Don't leave your children's knowledge of Jesus up to chance, or moral television shows, or even Sunday School; be the witness in your child's life by speaking the Truth of the Gospel to them.
I'm in a bad mood. Sounds silly, but I've made decisions to not talk about Jesus because of my own sinfulness. I feel like I can't share about the Gospel if I'm irritated, frustrated, annoyed, etc. And Satan LOVES that - he wants us to be stuck in the bad mood. But that's when I need to be sharing it the most! So I can hear it, repent and ask for forgiveness and be filled with Truth and joy! What better EXAMPLE of the Gospel affecting a life then by my children seeing good 'ol momma saying sorry for a bad attitude and asking for forgiveness and watching the Holy Spirit do a mighty (and I mean mighty) work in my life by changing my heart.
Oooh I get the chills.
And just like that - time flies, and we are empty-nesters.
There is no time like the present to share the Gospel with our kids. And it doesn't have to be over-the-top with bells and whistles, and it doesn't have to be a pinterest monstrosity.
What is the gospel anyway?
First, let's go back to the basics . . . What is the Gospel?
The Gospel is the good news of Jesus.
Not just the Easter story. The Gospel is the great rescue plan of God designed to save sinful man from death and heartache and evil and filth and shame and guilt, that we might be in relationship with Him forever.
The Gospel is an every day story! It is life lived out unto the Lord. It is a continual life of repenting of sin, believing the Truth, and living in the freedom, peace, and joy of Jesus.
That means each day we live, we can teach the Gospel - God's great rescue plan! Because each day is filled with creation pointing to God, each day is filled with forgiveness and redemption, and each day is filled with a continual getting-to-know you, Jesus type of day.
There are so many ways we can teach the Gospel to our children. I will begin to publish different ways that we can share Jesus with our children in the everyday.
But the biggest, most important way to teach your children the Gospel is to
Teach them the Word of God.
“How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”
We need to diligently teach our children the Word of God (Deuteronomy 6:6-9), because if they do not hear the Gospel, how can they believe?
Three Ways to Get in the Word with our Kids
- Read the Bible with them. We like to do this right before bedtime.
- Memorize Scripture with them. We pick simple verses and write them out and say them at breakfast.
- Review Church lessons. Know what your kids are being taught in Sunday School and get the material or lesson to review with them during the week.
Remember, the Enemy doesn't want you to share the Gospel with your children. It's a spiritual battle, but we know the victorious God! Pray for perseverance and pray for diligence.
It won't be easy. You'll get distracted. But there is hope. God can take our efforts and multiply them; He takes our trying and works good; He blesses us as we walk in obedience, even if we feel our attempts are no good.
Keep going, faithful servant - you've been given the Gospel and you have audience waiting to hear all about it.