As a mother myself, I fully understand how daunting and challenging raising a child can be in today’s world.
We may often think that parenting has never been harder, that our days are more difficult than those of our fathers. But I can assure you, every generation has had its own challenges that made raising children in their time a demanding task. The struggles may have been different, but challenges existed nonetheless. The grass was not greener in their days than it is in ours just a different shade.
One thing remains certain as you navigate the sacred journey of raising your child in the way of the Lord: without God, you will inevitably find yourself overwhelmed, hands covering your face in despair, as you watch your child drift into the darkness of this age. As sobering as that may sound, it is far from a hopeless situation. As a parent, your greatest advantage is the Holy Spirit within you, your ever present helper, guide, and source of wisdom. This is the edge you truly need!
The Little Things Shape the Big Picture
I often say that the journey of godly parenting does not begin when you hold your first child, whether by birth or adoption. In my opinion, it begins much earlier, from childhood itself. It starts with a simple yet profound resolve to do things God’s way, to surrender fully to His will, to be given to Him in spirit, soul, and body, and to obey Him wholeheartedly.
I say this because my own journey began when I was just a young girl in secondary school. And I know I am not an exception. What applies to me likely applies to many others, perhaps even to you. Maybe, long before you stumbled upon this article, you had already made a similar resolve in your heart.
Scripture gives us a remarkable insight into this truth through God’s conversation with Abraham. In Genesis 18:19, God declares:
“For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”
At the time of this conversation, Abraham and Sarah had no child together. They were already old, so much so that Scripture describes them as “stricken in age.” By human reasoning and natural laws of fertility, it seemed impossible for Sarah to conceive. Even she doubted it. (Genesis 18:10-15)
Yet, despite this, God confidently said He knew Abraham would lead his children in the way of the Lord. How did God know?
The answer is simple: Abraham had already demonstrated, through his lifestyle and obedience, that he was sold out to God. His ability to raise godly children was not based on the mere title of being a “man of God.” After all, there have been many “men of God” who failed in raising their children in God’s way, Prophet Eli being a notable example. Rather, God looked at Abraham’s heart, saw what no human could see, and affirmed that Abraham would be a father after His own heart. And indeed, God was right.
Your Choices and Decisions Matter
The way you live your life now, your choices, your decisions, the things you do and the things you refrain from doing, all shape who you are. And who you are is very likely who you will raise your children to be, unless there is a divine intervention by God.
It is a fundamental truth: you reproduce after your kind. An orange tree will not produce tangerines, no matter how similar they may seem. Though both belong to the citrus family, they are inherently distinct in properties and composition. Likewise, a parent inevitably passes on their nature, values, and habits to their children.
I love how Curry Blake puts it: “You can teach what you know, but you will reproduce what you are.”
Your children will absorb more from watching you live than from listening to your words. When they observe you being kind and gracious to people, they learn kindness and grace. When they see you love and honor your spouse, they learn what love and honor look like in practice. When they witness how you treat those around you, it silently shapes their worldview.
I had a moment of realization when my son, while being bathed by my help, suddenly said, “Madam, will you leave me alone?” I was taken aback. I had not consciously taught him to say that, but simply hearing me call her “Madam” repeatedly had stored it in his subconscious memory.
You see, your children store more in their subconscious than in their conscious mind, and the subconscious plays a huge role in shaping character, perception, and the way they see life.
The Holy Spirit Your Advantage
This is not a message of condemnation or hopelessness. With the God of impossibilities, there is always a way.
The Holy Spirit was the greatest advantage for the parents of Samson, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Jacob and Esau, and Josiah. One thing they all had in common was that God revealed details about their children, things they could never have known through their physical senses. These divine revelations not only prepared them but also helped them raise their children in alignment with God’s purpose.
For example, God told Abraham about Isaac long before he was born. Even though Abraham and Sarah were old, God promised that Sarah would conceive and that their son would be named Isaac. But Isaac was more than just a long awaited child, he was the one through whom God’s covenant would continue (Genesis 17:19). Abraham did not have to figure out fatherhood on his own. God had already revealed Isaac’s destiny, giving him the wisdom to raise his son in the right path.
In the case of Samson, his father, Manoah, and his mother, who had been unable to have children, were visited by an angel. The angel told her that she would conceive a son. But this wasn’t just any child, Samson was to be set apart as a Nazirite from birth. He was never to drink wine, eat anything unclean, or cut his hair because he had been chosen to deliver Israel. As he grew, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became known for his incredible strength (Judges 13:2-7, 24-25).
Then there’s Jesus. His mother, Mary, was also visited by an angel; Gabriel, who told her she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Son of God. It was an overwhelming revelation, especially since she was a virgin. Joseph, her betrothed, struggled with the news at first, but an angel appeared to him in a dream, reassuring him that this child was from God. Jesus was the long-awaited Savior, sent to redeem His people (Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:18-25).
John the Baptist’s story was similar. His father, Zechariah, was serving in the temple when an angel appeared to him, telling him that his wife, Elizabeth, who was well past childbearing age, would have a son. John would be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb and would prepare the way for the Messiah. Zechariah struggled to believe this, and as a result, he was struck mute until the child was born (Luke 1:5-25, 57-80).
Jacob and Esau’s mother, Rebekah, also received a word from God while she was pregnant. She could feel an unusual struggle in her womb and sought the Lord for answers. God told her that she was carrying two nations and that the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). This prophecy shaped the lives of both sons, as Jacob later inherited the covenant blessings (Genesis 25:21-23).
Perhaps one of the most astonishing prophecies was about King Josiah. Over 300 years before he was even born, a prophet declared his name and his mission. He was destined to rise as a righteous king who would tear down idolatrous altars and restore true worship in Judah. And when Josiah finally came to the throne, he did exactly that, leading one of the greatest spiritual reforms in Israel’s history (1 Kings 13:2, 2 Kings 22:1-2, 23:15-20).
Each of these parents received divine insight that helped them raise their children according to God’s purpose. Without these revelations, they would have been left to rely on human reasoning, but God gave them a supernatural advantage. The God was their guide, just as He is for every parent who chooses to seek Him.
Parenting was never meant to be done in human strength alone. By yielding to the Holy Spirit, you will bear the fruits of righteousness, so much so that your old nature, no matter how flawed, truly becomes a thing of the past. A dead man who remains buried, no matter the circumstance. The Holy Spirit is your advantage in this journey of transformation.
I want to encourage you, whether you are a young boy, a girl, a single woman, a mother, a father, or even advanced in age, today is always a good day to choose God. Decide, like Joshua, that as for you and your household, you will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)
It is never too early, and it is never too late, to choose God.
