Why it is important to tell your kids your personal testimony

God is so faithful to give us parents wisdom when we ask. While the enemy tries to bring in fear and doubt, the Spirit of the Lord raises up a standard against him when we pray! I was crying out to God today for wisdom after seeing little attitudes creep up I didnt like. I told my child Nothing in my life matters except that I know their relationship with Jesus will last their whole life. They saw my passion through my tears as I told them that My only concern is teaching them to follow after Him in purity and that their life would be full of the fruit of the spirit and love. None of us know how long we are in this planet and it is my #1 priority above all else that they know how important it is to make Godly decisions in all they do.
I decided to use my TESTIMONY, which is the spirit of prophecy, to let my child know I wasn’t always a perfect little girl. Without going into detail I was able to share how from 4-13 I lead a double life hiding sin and giving into temptation. I shared my struggles and the condemnation I would feel after repenting but going back to it. I shared how I walked with shame all those years and hid it not sharing with my parents. That it wasn’t till I was much older that I confessed to my youth pastor and my parents and was lead through steps of forgiveness. (In reality I wasn’t totally free till I went through a “SOZO” which some amazing trained counselor/prayer team took me through many layers of Jesus coming and revealing himself to me in my times of sin, where he was and how he loved me all the way through. I recommend it to anyone!) I told them they can always know we are here to talk to and they dont have to feel ashamed, especially now since they know I messed up also. Its time for us to be real with our kids, allowing them to have a safe place if they mess up. A place of healing and restoration to get on the right track. Jesus never turns His back on us, neither should we!
Our kids should always feel safe talking with us and if they dont we get to keep on gently tenderizing the ground in trust, wisdom, discernment and HAVING A HEART CONNECTION WITH OUR KIDS. If we feel the heart connection is widening it is time to STOP EVERYTHING AND GIVE THEM ALL OUR ATTENTION TILL THE CONNECTION IS TIGHT AGAIN. Lord, help us to know if and when this is happening and how to bridge the gap. Praying for you and your connections! God we want our kids to follow hard after you and never wander. Help us know how to parent wisely, not step into unexplained legalism, oh boy, but know how to explain in a clear and wise way why God isnt pleased with the things of the world and why we need to stay separate from it. Being set apart, as we learned on Sunday, holy and consecrated to God. That living a pure and holy, Godly life is NOT a bore! That living righteously brings FREEDOM, JOY and PEACE NOT FOUND ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. We are raising kids who are ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven, they will transform this world in ways we could only dream of. The same spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead LIVES IN THEM!! There is NO JR. HOLY SPIRIT. They are not going to have to wait till they are their parents age to experience all that God has for them it begins NOW!! HA, YES JESUS! I declare it, I declare it over my kids and all those who are reading this, their kids and grandkids! AMEN
  

How to teach our kids to make wise godly decisions 

HOW TO TEACH OUR KIDS TO MAKE WISE GODLY DECISIONS. This verse arrested me this morning. I have been seeking God about something for one of my kids and God told me to turn to Hosea 10. Nothing hit me until I got to Verse 12 then it was like the Fourth of July went off in my spirit- there is more to the story that I will continue very soon.
What I can say now, is that I am so thankful we have taught our kids how to hear the voice of God. It is in times like this where God is directing my 12 year old’s path and even talked to my son before he talked to us his parents. Our conversation about this totally took us by surprise. We are teaching our son that having the feeling or a sense is not the only way we go about making decisions. When we feel like God is talking to us there are many confirmations we need to get before we make major decisions in our life. Even though he had a couple vivid dreams about this situation and really wanted to do it, we told him we need to dig in a little deeper to God’s heart and get confirmation in other ways. 🚦

1. We asked him if he had prayed about it. Yes, sincerely🙏🏻

2. Did he ask for advise from parents and pastors? 👍🏻Yes from us and he went on his own to talk to his pastor yesterday, which was easy because it is his (Papa) Grandpa Hjertstedt. The cool part was that we didn’t even tell him to do this, he did it on his own 😍

3. What confirmation has he seen in the Bible? 🔦 he hasn’t come to this part himself but the verse below did it for me. Reading it and studying its meaning gave me confidence and peace. Now I will ask him to see what God says to him from the Bible.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word spoken by Christ the Messiah have its home in your hearts and minds and dwell in you in all its richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom in spiritual things, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with His grace in your hearts. – Amplified

4. Is there an open door for the desired decision to happen? 🚪Need to knock and find out.

5. Provision? Is the financial part working out?💸 “If it is God’s WILL it is God’s BILL .” says my dad, Joel Hjertstedt

6. Do you have peace? Do your parents and pastors have peace? ✌Yes

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace (soul harmony) which comes from Christ rule (act as umpire) continually in your hearts deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state to which as members of Christ’s one body you were also called to live. And be thankful appreciative, giving praise to God always.   -Amplified

Unfortunately, I know many adults who have never learned this process of making a wise godly decision. It breaks my heart and I hope this blesses you to see how we can go about making a decision and know we have followed God’s heart and lead down his path.

Here is a link to Joyce Meyers article about making good decisions. Definitely a confirmation.

https://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=following_peace_to_make_the_right_decisions

Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves according to righteousness uprightness and right standing with God; reap according to mercy and loving-kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, to inquire for and of Him, and to require His favor, till He comes and teaches you righteousness and rains His righteous gift of salvation upon you. (Amplified version)