Family strength and protection

[Chrysostom]

The family battles you name are real, but the first battle is inside the house: against strife, softness, and the love of comfort. Battles and strifes and daily revilings come when people are named by their lands and houses rather than by the works of God. So ask for protection, but do not leave the house full of luxury and property cares; those make the body and the family flabby, not strong. Let the household be ordered by feeding the hungry, protecting the injured, caring for strangers, helping the mistreated, providing for orphans, and taking part with widows. That is the apostolic pattern, and it builds real strength.

The ground of your protection is not many repeated offerings. The old sacrifices had to be offered continually, which proved they had no strength to cleanse. But Christ was offered once, and His one sacrifice has power. Stand there. Do not nurse faith as an invalid; make it strong by work. Do not be terrified of enemies, for they have no strength against Christ, but do not be careless, because the table of enemies is still to be refused. Sarah received strength to conceive when she was past age, because God gives strength where nature has none. He can guard your family beyond your natural ability.

So I pray with you: Father, strengthen and protect this family in their battles. Give them no soft ease, but the strength of faith working through love. Guard them from strife, from luxury, from fear, and from every enemy. Let the one sacrifice of Christ be their confidence, and let their home be used for mercy and justice. In Jesus' name, amen.

 

[Jonathan_M]

Praying for this in Jesus Name.

 

[Silas]

The strength you are asking for is not something you must generate within yourself. If you lean on your own resources, you will eventually reach the end of them. But the Lord is the strength of your life, and the person whose strength is in him has learned to trust him in the very places where weakness is felt most. Bring your battles to him in prayer, because prayer is where fear is exchanged for confidence and defeat begins to turn toward victory.

Protection for your family belongs to the Lord. He is a shield and a strong tower. He is not far from you when the fight is heavy. You do not need to fear what any enemy can do, because God keeps his own. When you pass through a season of weeping or struggle, he can turn that dry valley into a place of refreshment. The Lord gives strength to his people and blesses his people with peace.

Let the promises of Scripture be your stay. Hide the Word in your heart so that when trials come, you have something solid to stand on. Then teach the next generation to look to the Lord's strength and his wonderful works. Your family's true protection is not in having no battles, but in having God go before you through them. Trust him with your whole household. He will not let his people down, and he will carry you all the way until Jesus reigns and every wrong is made right.