"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." Ephesians 6:10 (NIV)

Being a mom is tough.

I think one of the hardest things about motherhood for me has been my tendency to blame myself for the wrong choices my kids sometimes make.

The second hardest thing is trying to figure out how to fix their issues. Especially when you are hyper aware the situation your child is in will carry great consequences.

Deep is the sorrow of a mother who feels helpless.

Thankfully, God knows what it's like to deal with wayward children. He feels our pain. He knows our sorrow. And He knows exactly how to encourage us through His Word.

Ephesians 6:10-12 tells us, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (NIV)

Based on this truth, here are three things mamas should know:

1. God does not call us to find a power within ourselves to overcome the issues we'll face with our kids.

He calls us to put on His armor because what we are facing is a battle. A battle of epic proportions. And His weapons aren't silly little spiritual suggestions that might or might not work. His weapons are certain.

His belt of truth. I must park my runaway mind in the assurance of God's love for me and my child.

His breastplate of righteousness. I must stop reacting in the flesh and choose to battle this with my praises and prayers.

His gospel of peace. I must walk in the assurance and peace that even when I can't see things changing, God is working on my child's behalf.

His shield of faith. I must have faith in God's timing and in His ways.

His helmet of Salvation. I must trust God's ultimate desire for my children is for them to have a close relationship with Him. Though a situation might seem like an unlikely part of this process, God will bring good out of it.

His sword, which is the Bible. I must read God's love letter to me every day. And hold those truths as the lifeline between God's security and my shaky heart.

And His gift of prayer. I must see prayer not as a last resort but as the very thing God's most courageous followers turn to first.

Ephesians 6:13-18 assures us with these in place, we'll be able to stand. These things will help us tap into a power beyond ourselves.

2. The battle isn't against our child and their choices.

It often feels like the battle is against our child. Boy does it ever! But, in reality, the battle is against Satan's schemes.

There will be some battles we face with our kids that seem impossible to win. Because Satan twists truth. He hides consequences. He blinds reality. He has schemes perfectly designed with our weaknesses in mind.

Therefore, we have to battle Satan. He's the real enemy here. And because we are Jesus girls, we hold the power for victory in our prayers and praises to God.

3. The battle is taking place in the heavenly realms.

Oh how I want to fight my kids' battles with what I can see. But that simply isn't enough.

So, I must fight with the only thing I have that can reach into the heavenly realm: my praises and prayers. Praises for who God is and prayers for Him to remove Satan's influence in a situation. If ever I'm tempted to doubt how powerful praises and prayers are in battle, a quick read of 2 Chronicles 20:1-27 soothes this mama for sure.

I hope you'll take some time to sit and read it today too. It's an amazing story of God's people feeling overwhelmed in the face of a vast army, but when they began to sing and praise the Lord, their enemy was defeated.

Prayers to God and praises for God release the power of God.

The things that bridged the gap between them feeling powerless and experiencing victory were praises and prayers. And it's the same way for us.

I can't fully explain it. But I can proclaim it. Our prayers and our praises are powerful and effective.

Yes, being a mom is really tough. But we aren't alone. God understands this struggle of parenting children who get off track.

And since God, the perfect parent, has dealt with this since the beginning of time - I think His is the best advice around.

Father God, thank You so much that You have perfectly equipped me to do battle for my children. Today I lift my prayers and my praises up to You, believing for a mighty victory in their lives. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

***

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Psalm 144:1, "Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." (NIV)

2 Chronicles 20:15b, "This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.'" (NIV)

RELATED RESOURCES:

Do you want to learn how to stop blaming your parenting skills every time your child does something wrong? You can find practical and encouraging advice in Lysa TerKeurst's book Am I Messing Up My Kids? Order your copy here.

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

What battle do you need to entrust to the Lord? Spend some time lifting up prayers and praises to Him today.

© 2016 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.