A Powerful Prayer For Intentional Fathers
Being a dad is the greatest gift on earth.
It’s also the most stretching, challenging and forming role, and it will have you on your knees in prayer.
It’s why I’ve written this prayer. First and foremost for me. This is a prayer I have on my wall and I want to invite you into it as we seek to become more intentional fathers who want to cultivate and develop a powerful kingdom culture in our lives, home and children.
The day I found out we were pregnant
I remember when I found out I was going to be a dad.
We were living in Spain and Maha had taken a pregnancy test.
We’d already spoken about having kids, names, and all that jazz.
But NOTHING could have prepared me for the moment I saw the lines on the pregnancy test and the words from my wife “we’re pregnant”.
Elation, Joy, Overwhelm, Tears, Fear, Lies, Anxiety.
All of these emotions came flooding in.
To think that (along with God) we had just created life which is now living in my wife’s tummy was just incredible.
The attack on my mind
I remember amongst the joy and celebration, the mental assault and attack on my mind from the enemy.
You’ve not got what it takes
You haven’t got enough money to provide
You have no idea what you’re doing
You get the idea, maybe you get that too?
Plenty of half-truths in it. We didn’t have enough money and I didn’t have much of an idea, to be honest.
Yet, here we are, two parents who love each other and love God and have chosen to bring this gift into the world to love and nurture and raise.
I knew deep down God would make a way, and provide for us and father us.
I knew I would need Him and His wisdom, just as I do today 3 kids in.
We need God’s love
We get it wrong, we mess up, we ask for forgiveness, and we mess up again. We’re not perfect and we need Jesus.
We love because He first loved us
1 John 4:19
We need God’s love to transform us.
We need to know first of all who we are in Christ and how much Jesus loves us.
From that place, we are able to FULLY love others. If you’re struggling with your identity or want to know God’s love for you, I recommend speaking scripture out daily and declaring it and affirming it over your life.
In doing this you are actively filling your mind with the truth, and it’s the TRUTH that sets us free.
A prayer for the misfits
This is a prayer for:
- The dads that feel helpless
- The dads that feel alone
- The dads that feel incapable
- The dads that fail
- The dads that didn’t have a good dad
- The dads who are worried and afraid
- The dads who are trying their best
- The dads who are working hard to provide for their family
- The dads who want to raise healthy sons and daughters
This is for you!
(This prayer is a slightly adapted version of the one that sits above my computer on the wall)
A prayer for dads
God give me the courage to live life as the man you have called me to be. Full of courage, brave and bold. Give me wisdom and grace to lead myself and my family.
Thank you for your kindness towards me, your patience when I stray and your love for me. Keep me close to you.
Remind me daily of your power and your love for me.
Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me today, I need you.
Watch over and protect my child, bless them, and shine your face on them. Keep them from harm and surround them with your angels.
Guard their spirit, hearts, eyes, and ears.
Speak to them in the night God through dreams.
Help me to see them as you see them, to recognise the gifts and talents you’ve placed on their life and the people you have called them to become. Make it so obvious to me and to them, so they would be in no doubt who they are.
God, flow through me today, use me, guide me, lead me, I surrender to you and say yes.
Let my child experience your presence and love through me today.
Amen
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