Victory is Found in Knowing Jesus AND His Word – Part 2

Deuteronomy 6:6,7 (CEV)

6 Memorize his laws7 and tell them to your children over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether you’re at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning.

As discussed in the previous post, victory on this side of heaven is found in not only knowing Jesus but also in knowing His Word. The Word confirms that in Deuteronomy 6:6,7. How do we help our children (grandparents – this is for you also!) make the Word the “go-to” in their lives? We start by establishing a foundation upon which the Word can flourish in their lives. These three principles “about” the Word will become the soil in which the Word will take root in our children’s hearts.

1: Our children must be taught that God is all Good and the devil is all bad, and that they will never change places. This truth is a foundation that will enable them to look at the things that happen in their lives and around them and know the source of it. If it adds to their lives, they know it is from God; if is subtracts from their lives, it is from the devil.  As parents, we need to take every opportunity to point to events in their lives and our lives as examples of the goodness of God.  Use the Word (share a scripture) which reinforces His goodness in the natural circumstance they are experiencing.

2: Our children must be taught that the Word of God is about relationship, not religion. Christianity is not about “doing”, it is about “being.” Once they invite Jesus into their lives our children must be reminded that Jesus is with them to help them become all the Word says they are, not to change them by constantly reminding them of their shortcomings (parents you can model this behavior toward your children also).  The best way to help them learn how Jesus looks at them is through the Word. Our children need to feel as comfortable in their relationship with the Lord as they are with us.   As in the natural world, relationships are built on fellowship or time spent together. Talking to Jesus should become as easy for children as talking to their parents.  That comes as we, as parents, talk “about” Jesus in our day-to-day experiences.

3: Our children must be taught to “know AND believe” the Word of God. Knowing indicates head knowledge; believing is knowledge which has dropped into the heart and taken root. This only comes as the Word becomes a part of everyday life.  It is not about memorizing scriptures, although that is a good exercise. It is about taking scriptures and making them connect to everyday occurrences. 

We want the above three areas to become second nature to our children. It works most effectively when we as parents are already experiencing a revelation of the importance of the Word in our lives.  As someone once said, “Christianity is better caught than taught.”

What does that look like day-to-day, in a practical application?  It means when we experience increase in our lives, we immediately acknowledge that God is the God of increase and delights to see us prosper.  It means if we have a close call while driving, we acknowledge that God is our protector and has given His angels charge over us.  When a grandparent gets a doctor’s report that is not what we were hoping for, we acknowledge Jesus is our Healer and that the doctor’s report is not the final word – God’s Word is. And the list goes on because there are so many promises in the Word that apply to every area of our lives.

 Every time we bring God and His Word into the conversation – into the daily occurrences of life, the good times and the bad – we are depositing seeds of GRACE (God’s supply) into our children’s lives that will enable them to navigate through difficult times victoriously.  What greater purpose could a parent ever have?

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