What are the Best Ways for Kids to Fight Secular Influences?
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could protect our children from EVERYTHING!? It seems so wonderful to shield them from every influence they could possibly face out in the world. Alysa reminds us of what’s even better…taking Jesus at His word to equip us to find grace to help us in our time of need to overcome negative influences in our world.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4
How do parents fight the secular influences of the world? How can we make our children think the things we are teaching them are way better than anything the world has to offer? The truth is: we can’t without Christ.
There are truths in Scripture we can teach and model for our children to put into practice that will do much better than any sheltering to protect against the strong influence of the world.
- Remind them we are children of God and have been given His Spirit. Romans 8:9-10 says, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” If your children have put their faith in Jesus Christ, they have been given His Spirit. It is by this any of us are able to overcome influences of the world. Remind your children who they are and Whose they are. Teach them to rely on the Spirit, asking Him for help to overcome temptations.
- Let them know we have been granted all things for godliness (2 Peter 1:3-4). What is godliness? What does it mean to look like Christ? Let’s talk about these things with our children. Help them understand what it looks like to “be an imitator of Christ”…putting others before self, saying only what builds up, being kind and patient, etc. Second Peter is a good place to start instilling values in hearts and minds.
- Allow them to confess struggles to us. James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” When sin is kept secret, it allows the devil to have a foothold in our hearts. If our children feel the freedom to confess the sins they struggle with, they will begin to feel freedom from their sin. Pray with them once they confess to us, and show them that we still love them no matter what they struggle with. The best encouragement for a child to do this is when we model the same thing to them.
As long as we live in this world, we will face secular influence. The best thing to remember and to remind our children is, “if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ” 2 John 2:1. Oh, what beautiful grace the Father has on us because of His Son!
Camper Corner:
Do you recognize the influence around you to do things you know God and your parents wouldn’t approve of? Where are places you can put scripture to remind you that you are a child of God and have been given everything you need to overcome temptation? (example: write on your bathroom mirror, put a new verse reference on your hand everyday, etc.)
