S.W.E.A.T. : A Guide for Praying for Our Kids and Youth

The goal of this simple prayer guide is to help our church unite in prayer for the next generation.

This matters. And your prayers will make a difference. Why? 

• Because we are in a fight. Paul famously speaks about the armor of God, but we often miss the conclusion of that section which says, that after picking up the sword of the Spirit, we must also be “praying at all times in the Spirit… with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (Eph 6:18). Prayer is a God-given weapon in the hands of his church.
• Because prayer brings faith to the fight. 1 John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” The act of prayer is an act of trust. We believe God hears.
• Because God responds to the prayers of his people. The Bible teaches, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power” (Jas 5:16). God responds to prayer by fighting for his people (Ex 15:13). He is mighty in battle (Ps 24:8). Victory belongs to the Lord (Prov 21:31). 

And we all understand that our young people desperately need God to actively intervene in their lives. We need God to keep them safe; to “lead them not into temptation.” We need God to give them direction, hope, and meaning; to have life abundant. We need God to give them faith, to give them wisdom, to give them joy.

We pray because we are in a fight, and we need God to work and win on our behalf.

So I am asking all of us to put in some hard work as we fight the fight of prayer. I’m asking you to take a few minutes, once a week, to S.W.E.A.T. while you pray for our kids and youth. Pray for their:

• Salvation. That they would come to know Christ and walk with Him for all of their days. That God would save them and keep them safe in relationship with Him  
• Wisdom. That they would not live as fools who destroy or waste their lives. That they would pursue the godly life because our God is true, good, and beautiful.
• Environment. That their homes and schools, along with our church would be Bible-saturated, gospel-rich, mission-filled, prayer-led, repentance-modeling, worship-inducing, and joy-fueling.
• Attentiveness. That they would not be distracted by the noise or busyness of the modern world. That their lives would be characterized by seeking the Lord through Scripture and prayer. 
• Team. That God would connect them to exactly the right people in exactly the right ways: friends, teachers, teammates, future spouses, coaches, pastors, employers, parents, and siblings.