Have you spoken about spiritual warfare with your child? Most parents don’t know how to do this. But by teaching your child some simple concepts, you can strengthen your child’s faith and equip them more fully.
What is Spiritual Warfare?
Every day, we are in an unseen battle between good and evil. The devil Satan is constantly tempting us to make choices that lead us away from God. He knows he cannot steal salvation from children of God. But he wants to steal our peace and drive a wedge in between us and God.
You can read about what spiritual warfare looks like in Job 1 and 2. Satan tried to destroy Job’s faith. But Job was determined to follow God, even when he greatly suffered. His story demonstrates how we can also stand firm in our faith when Satan attacks us.
Following Jesus In Spiritual Warfare
Jesus also faced spiritual warfare. Like all of us, he was tempted by the devil. Yet unlike all of us, Jesus never sinned. He gave us a clear example of what to do when we are attacked.
In Matthew 4:1-11, we see that Jesus used Scripture to counteract each of Satan’s temptations. He did not engage in a back-and-forth dialogue with Satan, like Eve did when she was tempted (see Genesis 3). Jesus confronted the devil’s lies with the truth of Scripture, and we can do the same.
By reading these stories to your child, you can point out how Satan deceives and lies, while God always tells the truth. We each have a choice of whether we will believe Satan’s lies or God’s truth. Teach your child the importance of following God’s truth, whether in big or small matters.
Verses to Teach Your Child
You can also help your child memorize verses to fight back when tempted. A great passage is Ephesians 6:10-17, which gives word pictures of the armor of God. Use an online search to find Bible verses by topic, and teach your child to engage in spiritual warfare with verses specific to their temptations.
Here are several verses to keep your child on track:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 NIV
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
James 1:13-14 NIV
There are many other verses that can help your child fight back when tempted. Teach your child which verses help you resist temptation, and your child will follow by example.
Teach a Young Child to Resist the Devil
To learn a simple, practical step to help your child resist the devil, listen to Episode 18 now! It will teach you more ways to mirror the characteristics of Jesus.
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