I have learned as a grandmother that kids go through phases.
At first, with Bryson, when he was a small boy, we would become concerned when he seemed to be going through a whiney stage, or a grumpy stage. But, after a while, I learned. It was simply a phase and if you handle it right it will pass quickly.
Armed with that truth, many phases were easier when Brailee came along. Things would come up and I would say to Breanne, “it’s a phase, it will pass.”
Then Brailee began going through something that wasn’t passing. It was starting to wear on Breanne and Bryson. They were the ones that had to deal with her first thing every morning.
You see, Brailee is not a morning person. She was very grumpy of the morning, almost impossible to deal with. Nothing would please her. Her clothes, her lunch for the day…nothing was what she wanted. I could tell what kind of morning Breanne had when she walked into the office.
Then words began to fly. Words like, “Brailee is awful, she ruins the days with her tantrums in the morning” or, “she is so hateful and mean” or “that’s just Brailee, she is so rude.”
I spent many days praying for Brailee. One morning, I was at the office, praying again for Brailee’s attitude that morning. Suddenly the Lord arrested me and said, “say what I say.”
I sat down at my desk and pulled out my Bible. I wrote a short prayer for Brailee, speaking only God’s word over her.
When Breanne arrived at work that morning, she again had that look of “I’m over it” on her face after dropping the kids off at school. I said, “I wrote out a prayer for Brailee, we are going to only speak the truth of God’s word over her.” Frustrated Breanne said, “we are speaking the truth of how she is acting.” I responded, “it’s not God’s truth, we are going to speak His truth.”
My ‘confession’ over Brailee was simple. It said; Brailee is patient and kind. She is not haughty or rude or selfish. She does not demand her own way. Brailee is not irritable or touchy. Brailee is kind to others. She is tenderhearted because Christ lives in her. Brailee’s heart is filled with love by the Holy Spirit. (2 Cor. 13, Eph. 4, Romans 5)
I typed it out and printed it. I gave one to Breanne, one to Bryson and kept one. I instructed them to pray this over Brailee daily. I prayed it numerous times a day.
Hebrews 4:12 says; The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Ephesians 4:29 says; Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but ONLY such as is good for building up.
Psalm 107:20 says; He sent out His word and healed them and delivered them from their destruction.
God sent His word and brought healing. Not only physical healing but all kinds of healing. His word brings deliverance. Deliverance from all destruction. From anything that is trying to destroy someone or trying to destroy those around them.
That word destruction refers to whatever is causing them to fall beneath who they are supposed to be.
As I said, we began declaring the word over Brailee for this particular situation. That was on a Monday. By Friday, Brailee was behaving so much better. Mornings were again easier. She was kinder and much more pleasant, even when she was upset. I could literally see the word of God working in her. To God be all the glory!
Is it always that easy and that quick? No, of course not. But it does always work.
Some parents speak a negative truth over their children for years. What I mean by a negative truth is they speak what they are seeing as truth, even though it is not what God says about them.
We must begin to say only what God says about them. It may take time, but the word of God will work in their heart.
Isaiah 55:11 tells us the word of God will not return void, but it will accomplish what it is sent for.
Do you need a turn around in the life of your child? Then begin speaking what God says about them. Say only what He says. His word, over their life, will bring the turnaround. I know it did for us.
Meditation on this:
See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
Matthew 18:10
