Prayer Parenting

25 Scriptures to Pray for Your Child's School Year

As the school year approaches, and we find ourselves busy buying supplies and new clothes and doing other tasks to get ready for the new school year, I start to feel a little anxious. Will our kids have a good teacher? Make good friends? Are they prepared for the school year? Have I done enough? Will they do ok?

When I find myself feeling anxious about my kiddos returning to school, I am trying to turn my worries into prayers. I try and pray for my children daily, but to be honest, I pray for them much more fervently as the new school year approaches and for the first few weeks of school.

At the beginning of each school year I find myself living out this verse:

“Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your children.”
Lamentations 2:19

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A few years ago, after reading Beth Moore’s amazing Praying God’s Word, and Stormie Omartian’s The Power of a Praying Parent, I discovered the joy of praying Scripture for my children.

Why you should pray Scripture

-God gave us His Word and He wants us to pray. When you combine the two spiritual disciplines of reading the Word and praying by praying Scripture, it will help you apply God’s word to your life while growing deeper in your prayer life.

-Praying Scripture honors God by using His own words to praise Him and pray to Him.

-We tend to pray for things WE want, but praying Scripture will help align your desires with what HE wants. And when our desires are aligned, that’s when we’re most likely to see God move powerfully in our prayers.

-If you don’t know how to pray about something, you can find a Scripture that will help you say it, deepening your prayer language.

Prayer is powerful and the fact that you want to pray for your children is an awesome thing. No matter the age, ability, and personality of your children, they need our prayers. Whether your child is in homeschool, private school, public school, college or trade school, they need our prayers. It is a privilege as a Christian parent to advocate for our children before the throne of God with His own precious and powerful words.

How to use these Scriptures

You can use the list of Scriptures provided below as a springboard. Put your child’s name in each verse. Make it applicable to your child and their school situations and struggles and what you would like to see God do in each of these areas.

Treasure your time praying for your children using God’s own precious and powerful words, and get ready to see God do mighty things in their lives. 🙂

Thank God that He holds your child(ren) close, and that He provides you all you need to teach and parent your children well. “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40:11
Pray your child would grow in understanding, “turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding–indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:2-5
Pray that your child would grow in maturity. “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching…instead, speaking the truth in love, will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is Christ.” Ephesians 4:14-15
Pray your child would have peace in their heart from any anxiety and also that they have peaceful sleep. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
Pray your child would have desire to learn and seek wisdom and new knowledge about God and all subject areas. “If you incline your ear toward wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures, then you will undersand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:1-5
Pray for your child’s perseverance as they go to school and complete their school work, that they would“…never tire of doing what is good.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13
Pray that your child would make good friends who are a good influence on them and their growing faith. “There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24
Pray that your child would grow in the areas they struggle as well as in the areas they are gifted. Pray that they would grow in life skills and independence. Pray that God would give your child “…knowledge and skill in both books and life.” Daniel 1:17
Pray that your child would experience health–physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Pray for any specific health issues/concerns you have for them. “I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2
Pray that your child would grow in obedience toward their parents and teachers, so they they would be safe and thrive in all environments “Children, obey your parents, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, the first commandment with a promise, so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3
Pray that your child would know how much they are loved by God. "I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and high and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge… Ephesians 3:18
Pray for your child to grow in their love and understanding of God. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
Pray for your child to grow in courage. Pray that they would not be held back by any specific anxieties or fears they are currently struggling with. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Pray for your child’s words, that they would speak with kindness and share truth with others. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Proverbs 25:11
Pray that your child would be a light this school year, that their words and actions would bring their peers closer to Jesus. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14
Pray for your child’s development, that your child would grow physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually “…in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with man.” Luke 2:52
Pray for your child’s mind. “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
Pray that your child would grow in their love toward others, especially those classmates who are most in need of a friend. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8
Pray that your child would do their school work well, to the best of their ability. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24
Pray that your child would grow in kindness and compassion. Pray that they would“…encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15
Pray that your child would grow in self-control in the school setting and in their interactions with their peers. Pray they would be able to resist negative peer pressure and ungodly ways of thinking and cling to the ways of God. “For the grace of God…teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives…” Titus 2:11-12
Pray for your child’s protection at school and throughout the school year. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91:4
Pray that your child would follow God and have a fruitful school year. “We pray that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…" Colossians 1:10
Pray that God would bless your child’s school year. “You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance." Psalm 65:11

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