Our Youth Need Prayers

Our Youth Need Prayers

1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.”

Today’s prayer point for our healing service prep is to pray for the youth. When I read this verse, I liked it for a couple of reasons. First, I like that it instructs our youth not to let people look down on them. We can often dismiss our youth and their contribution simply because of their age. We look at them as children and question what they could know about God or any situation. We sometimes exclude them from the conversation because we assume they don’t know as much as we do. We assume we are wiser than they are because of our years of experience. However, this is not always the case.

I also like this verse because it tells our youth to be an example of speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. I love that it does not tell the youth to fight back or stand up to their elders. This verse does not tell them to argue and explain all the reasons why they are worthy or why they should be taken seriously. It tells them to show what they are capable of with their actions. I firmly believe that actions speak louder than words, so I love this idea.

Another thing I believe this verse is teaching our youth is humility. It shows them that they don’t have to justify their age. It is ok if people don’t see what God sees at first. It doesn’t matter what others think of them; what matters is what God thinks of them and what they think of themselves. This is hard because knowing others think you are too young can be hard. It is hard when others judge you on what they see on the outside when they don’t really know you.

I have run into this often over the years. I have always looked younger than I am. People would look at me and think I was a child, even as a young adult. People would think they knew me just by looking at me. When we were at meetings, people wouldn’t listen as much to me as they would to others because they felt I was so young. My suggestions weren’t always taken as seriously as others were. I did not yell and scream. I did exactly what this verse says. I showed them I knew what I was talking about with my actions instead of my words. Let’s take a closer look at his verse and how it tells our youth to be an example.

The verse says, “But rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” So first, it says speech. We need to pray for our youth when it comes to their speech. Not speech, as in bad language, although I definitely need to pray for my kids to clean up their language. I think it is more important for us to pray for our kid's speech about themselves and to others. We can pray that the youth see themselves through God’s eyes. We can pray that they start to be kind to themselves. Our brains believe whatever we tell them. If we are constantly saying we are not enough, we are ugly, no one likes us, no one will ever love us, then that is what their brains will believe. If teens start changing how they talk to themselves, they will be an example to all of us, as this is not something just teens struggle with.

Also, we could pray that teens start paying attention to how they talk to others; how they talk to each other these days is awful. A common saying these days is, “Kill yourself.” They say it nonchalantly as if saying, hi, how are you? It just almost slips out of their mouth. I am sure this is a tactic of the enemy. He has made them think this is not a big deal. He has taken away the shock of this phrase so much that kids always say it and don’t even feel bad about it. Our youth are struggling and they need our prayers!

The next thing the verse says is conduct. We can definitely pray for our youth’s conduct. I would love to pray for a return of innocence to our youth. Too many of them are forced to grow up too early. I pray that kids can be kids. We can pray that they make good choices and have loved ones in their lives to help them make those good choices. We can pray for protection over our youth. We can pray their conduct and their actions don’t harm them. Suicide is on the rise in our youth, and we have to pray against this. More than 50,000 Americans died by suicide in 2023, more than any other year on record. These were not all youth, but it shows we have a real problem. We need to pray for our youth. We need to pray they do things to help themselves instead of things that harm them and those around them. We need to pray the find interests and hobbies they can join.

The verse next lists love. This is a big one with our youth. They want nothing more than to be loved and accepted, yet this world tells them they are neither. With social media, they are constantly comparing themselves to others. They have constant access to each other yet feel more alone than ever. We can pray they feel the love of God. We can pray they have a personal encounter with the Lord and never again feel alone because they know they always have the Lord with them! How great would it be if each teenager knew that no matter what friends or family they had, they were still never alone because God was always right by their side? This seems impossible, yet we know all things are possible through Jesus.

The fourth thing it says in this verse is faith. Yes, please. Lord, we pray that these youth find faith. Faith in the one true God. Faith that hope can be found. Faith that you can use all things for their good. Faith that God does not make mistakes, so they are not mistakes. Faith that people can be good. Faith that it is ok to love. Faith that not everyone will hurt them. Faith that they are good. Faith that God has a future planned for them full of hope and good things. Faith that things will be ok. Faith that they are loved and accepted for who they are. Faith that they don’t have to change who they are to be liked and accepted.

The final thing the verse talks about is purity. This is another one we really need to pray for. Lord, we pray for the purity of our youth. We pray that you protect them from the wickedness of the world. We pray that you help them see how valuable they are so they don’t give themselves away to try and gain value. Help our young people see they have so much more to offer than just their bodies. Help our young people to see the benefits of living in your kingdom far out weigh any benefits of sin. Help our young people to see that they are enough. Help them to see they are worthy. Help them to feel your love, Lord.

Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, we ask you to protect our youth. We ask you to take back our youth from the grasp Satan seems to have on them. We know they are your children. Lord, protect our youth from suicide. Protect our youth from speech and conduct that will only lead them to trouble. Help them to find faith and love, Lord. That is what they are really searching for. They are trying to fill that God-sized hole they have. Help them find you, Lord! We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus’ holy name, Amen!

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. Today’s episode was a bit different. We are preparing for a healing service on February 18th from 3-6 at St. Jude’s in Waltham for local people. Today, we are praying for the youth, so I thought I would have you all join in. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day!

Today’s Word from the Lord is, “How often would I have gathered you into my bosom, my children? Follow your elder John into my bosom. There I have consolations for you. There, I have whispers for your heart. There, I have easing of your burdens. There, I have a profound love to flood you with.”

www.findingtruenorthcoaching.com

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

CLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring 

CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emails

CLICK HERE to sign up for free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily life

CLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace