Praying For Our Families

Proverbs 2:1-11

Intro: When praying for ourselves and families we should be specific in what we desire for them and ourselves. We pray for their health and for God to watch over them but what about the spiritual part of their lives?

I. We should pray for God’s wisdom and understanding.  Proverbs 2:1-2 (NLT) ¹ My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. ² Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.

 a. Reasons- Proverbs 2:11 (NLT) ¹¹ Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.

   1. God says wise choices will watch over us. Our family will be able to make the sensible and intelligent choices that will guard us from taking the wrong paths in life. We ask God to open our eyes in order to turn us from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. (Acts 28:18a) 2. Understanding will keep us safe. Understanding means to make known; to reveal; to    unveil; to uncover; to open. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal and make known the knowledge of God to us and to reveal the meaning of all truth to us.

 II. We are to pray for insight and understanding.  Proverbs 2:3 (NLT) ³ Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.

    a. If we search and seek for them as we would seek for money or hidden treasures. Proverbs 2:4 (NLT) ⁴ Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.

  b. We will understand the fear of the Lord and gain knowledge of the Him. Proverbs 2:5 (NLT) ⁵ Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.

III. Wisdom, knowledge, understanding come from the Lord. Proverbs 2:6 (NLT) ⁶ For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

  a. Are gained through prayer, bible reading and study. Ephesians 1:17-18 (NLT) ¹⁷ asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. ¹⁸ I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

  b. Wisdom means insight and intelligence to use what we have learned from God. Knowledge means knowing the difference between right and wrong. It means knowing God in everyday experiences versus knowing facts about God. Understanding means to have our minds enlightened and made alive by God and His word. We need a spirit that hungers, thirsts for these things. That reaches out to grasp them.  

IV. We will gain Common sense and God’s protection through prayer. Proverbs 2:7-8(NLT) ⁷ He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. ⁸ He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.

  a. Common sense refers to a type of basic awareness and ability to judge and make decisions based a natural senses. Use of our natural mind that God has given us.

  b. We will know what is right, just and fair and the right way to go. Proverbs 2:9 (NLT)
⁹ Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go.

 Psalms 37:23-24 (NLT) ²³ The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. ²⁴ Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

  c. Wisdom will enter our hearts and knowledge will fill us with God’s joy. Proverbs 2:10 (NLT) ¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Through daily prayer for ourselves and families we are promised of God that His wisdom, knowledge and understanding will fill our lives with joy.

 Neh. 8:10  the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Conclusion: Seeking God’s will for ourselves and family through prayer is the greatest thing we can do for those we love. Here are some verses that can be used to make sure we are praying in God’s will. (Colossians 1:9-14, Philippians 1:9-11, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

      If we pray these verses over us and our families we can be sure we are praying the right prayer according to God’s will and He will answer and bless us and our families.

Invitation: The coming of the Lord is soon! Make sure you and your loved ones know they are forgiven by Jesus Christ and saved for Heaven. May we be faithful to pray for our families! There is something we can do in the midst of this lost and dying world!